Gaza Ceasefire
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter, an infrequently used provision, urging the Security Council to address the escalating crisis in Gaza. Guterres called for immediate action to avert a humanitarian catastrophe and proposed a comprehensive humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Article 99 empowers the Secretary-General to bring any matter threatening international peace and security to the attention of the Security Council. In a letter to the Council, Guterres highlighted the devastating impact of over eight weeks of conflict, emphasizing the extensive human suffering, physical destruction, and collective trauma in both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
He expressed grave concerns about the deteriorating situation, stating that hospitals had become battlegrounds, and the constant bombardment in Gaza was pushing public order to the brink of collapse. Guterres underscored the urgent need for a humanitarian ceasefire to prevent further escalation.
Notably, this marks the first instance of Guterres invoking Article 99 during his tenure as the UN Secretary-General. In a post on social media, he emphasized the severe risk of a humanitarian system collapse in Gaza and urged the Security Council’s intervention.
During the latest wave of violence, approximately 900 people in Gaza lost their lives in Israeli airstrikes between the end of a truce on Friday and Monday. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported a total of at least 15,899 Palestinians killed over the eight weeks of conflict, with 70% of them being women or individuals under 18, defined as children by the ministry.
The UN has deemed the health ministry’s data broadly reliable. The Secretary-General’s plea reflects the escalating urgency for international intervention to address the dire humanitarian situation in the region. Overall, UN Chief Guterres urges Security Council action to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe, calls for full ceasefire in Gaza.
