UNITED NATIONS: UN chief António Guterres urged world leaders on Tuesday to reject any refusal of a two-state solution in Palestine, during an urgent UN Security Council meeting in New York.

He reiterated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict, stating, “I renew my appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” and emphasized that “nothing can justify the collective punishment” of the Palestinian people.

Addressing ambassadors and foreign ministers, Mr Guterres stressed that any rejection of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict “must be firmly rejected.”

The meeting, convened amid growing international demands for a ceasefire, aimed to discuss the crisis in the Gaza Strip and the broader Middle East.

Explaining the urgency of an immediate ceasefire, he stated, “This will ensure sufficient aid gets to where it is needed, facilitate the release of hostages, and help lower tensions around the Middle East.”

He emphasized the importance of providing humanitarian aid to Gaza but warned that achieving this without a ceasefire is impossible, saying, “No effective humanitarian aid operation can function under the conditions forced on Palestinians in Gaza.”

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2024