United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, after Israel announced the first steps of an operation to take over Gaza City, Reuters reports.
“It is vital to reach immediately a ceasefire in Gaza,” that was necessary “to avoid the death and destruction that a military operation against Gaza City would inevitably cause,” Guterres said in Japan, where he is attending the Tokyo International Conference on African Development.
Guterres called for the unconditional release of hostages held by Hamas. He also urged Israel to reverse a decision to expand “illegal” settlement construction in the West Bank.