NEW YORK — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Monday for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza ahead of the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.”It is time for the ceasefire to become permanent. It is time to allow humanitarian assistance at scale. And it is time to respect international law,” Guterres said in an official statement, urging the international community to forge a “political path to lasting peace across the whole region”.Guterres stressed that the anniversary must represent more than mourning.“Let this anniversary mark not only another year of mourning, but also a renewed determination to build a different future: one in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace and security, with their rights, dignity, and aspirations fulfilled,” Guterres said.The UN chief acknowledged Israel’s casualties in the statement, calling the Hamas attack “abhorrent”.Guterres stated that Palestinians have endured “massive loss of life, displacement and destruction”, declaring: “Their suffering, too, demands an end, now”.Israel’s years-long military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 74,200 people according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, which is under Hamas’ authority and whose figures are deemed reliable by the UN.Guterres acknowledged that a brief ceasefire, announced by US President Donald Trump in October 2025, “brought some relief. But it has yet to deliver security, adequate humanitarian assistance or a credible path to recovery and peace.”Israel, which still controls most of Gaza, refuses to withdraw its soldiers until Hamas’ disarmament has been verified.Hamas, for its part, has advocated for gradual disarmament rather than immediate and unilateral surrender of its arsenal.Since the 2023 attacks, Israel has waged military attacks on several fronts, notably invading southern Lebanon to confront Hezbollah, the militant movement backed by Tehran, and launching war against Iran in late February alongside the United States.NEW YORK — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Monday for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza ahead of the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.”It is time for the ceasefire to become permanent. It is time to allow humanitarian assistance at scale. And it is time to respect international law,” Guterres said in an official statement, urging the international community to forge a “political path to lasting peace across the whole region”.Guterres stressed that the anniversary must represent more than mourning.“Let this anniversary mark not only another year of mourning, but also a renewed determination to build a different future: one in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace and security, with their rights, dignity, and aspirations fulfilled,” Guterres said.The UN chief acknowledged Israel’s casualties in the statement, calling the Hamas attack “abhorrent”.Guterres stated that Palestinians have endured “massive loss of life, displacement and destruction”, declaring: “Their suffering, too, demands an end, now”.Israel’s years-long military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 74,200 people according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, which is under Hamas’ authority and whose figures are deemed reliable by the UN.Guterres acknowledged that a brief ceasefire, announced by US President Donald Trump in October 2025, “brought some relief. But it has yet to deliver security, adequate humanitarian assistance or a credible path to recovery and peace.”Israel, which still controls most of Gaza, refuses to withdraw its soldiers until Hamas’ disarmament has been verified.Hamas, for its part, has advocated for gradual disarmament rather than immediate and unilateral surrender of its arsenal.Since the 2023 attacks, Israel has waged military attacks on several fronts, notably invading southern Lebanon to confront Hezbollah, the militant movement backed by Tehran, and launching war against Iran in late February alongside the United States.
UN chief calls for Gaza ceasefire ahead of Oct 7 anniversary
