The secretary-general said while he equally condemned Hamas' incursion into Israel that precipitated the Israeli aggression on October 7, 2023, the entire Palestinian people have been disproportionately punished by Israel.
"Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people," Guterres emphasized at the 7th plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly's 79th Session here on Tuesday local time.
Delegates at the General Assembly Hall responded to Guterres' remarks with thunderous applause, indicating their support for his stance.
The secretary-general stated that more than 200 UN staff, many with their families, have been killed in the Israeli aggression. Nonetheless, the UN continues to deliver and work for the suffering people in Palestine, he remarked.
Guterres warned that the unresolved Israel-Palestinian conflict is causing the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, especially in neighboring Lebanon, which has seen increased fighting between Hezbollah and Israel.
Moreover, Israel's rocket strike on several regions in Lebanon on Monday and Tuesday caused the deaths of more than 500 people, including women and children, according to the Lebanese Public Health Ministry.
"Gaza is a non-stop nightmare that threatens to take the entire region with it. Look no further than Lebanon. We should all be alarmed by the escalation," Guterres stated.
He underscored the need for the global community to strive to prevent Lebanon from suffering the same fate as the Gaza Strip due to unchecked Israeli actions.
"The people of Lebanon, the people of Israel, and the people of the world cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza," he stressed.
Hence, Guterres called on the international community to mobilize for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and the start of an irreversible process towards a two-state solution.
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Translator: Suwanti, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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