Guterres Calls for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza; UAE Expresses Concern Over Humanitarian Crisis

Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, stated on Saturday, November 6, that he was surprised by the escalation of Israeli bombings in Gaza. He reiterated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to allow aid to reach the region. Guterres mentioned in a statement that in recent days he had been 'encouraged' by what seemed to him to be an increasing agreement to halt the humanitarian war. The UN Secretary-General said, 'Unfortunately, instead of a halt, I was surprised by the unprecedented escalation of bombings and their devastating impacts, which undermine the humanitarian objectives that had been mentioned.' Guterres's remarks came after weeks of intensified Israeli attacks in retaliation for a terrorist attack by the militant group Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 Israelis, most of whom were civilians. The UAE's state news agency, WAM, also reported that the UAE condemned the Israeli ground attacks in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, citing the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The United Arab Emirates, which was the first Gulf country to normalize relations with Israel in 2020, also expressed 'deep concern regarding the escalation of Israeli military operations and the worsening humanitarian crisis that threatens more civilian casualties.' Palestinian health officials operating under Hamas report that Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire have devastated large areas of Gaza, killing 'more than 7,700' people in the past three weeks. The United States, the European Union, and Japan have designated the Hamas militant group, which is supported by the Islamic Republic, as a terrorist organization.