UN chief urges immediate ceasefire in Israel-Palestine conflict

Addressing the General Assembly, Antonio Guterres appealed to all sides to put down their arms and promised to launch an aid appeal for funding.

The fighting in the Middle East must stop immediately, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at a UN General Assembly meeting on Thursday, as he urged Israel and the Palestinians to call an immediate ceasefire and pledged to launch a full humanitarian appeal for funding. “The past ten days have witnessed a dangerous and horrific surge in deadly violence in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly Gaza, and in Israel,” Guterres told the meeting called by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab Group. “I am deeply shocked by the continued air and artillery bombardment by the Israeli defence forces in Gaza,” the UN chief added.