UN Secretary-General Guterres Warns Situation in Gaza Is Deteriorating Rapidly

Refugees in Gaza queue for food. (UNRWA/Ashraf Amra)

JAKARTA - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Tuesday of the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, describing it as a "horror show" marked by mass destruction and starvation.

"We need look no further than the horror show in Gaza—with levels of death and destruction unparalleled in recent times," Secretary-General Guterres told the UN Security Council during a debate on multilateralism and peaceful dispute resolution, as reported by WAFA from Anadolu Agency on July 23.

"Malnutrition is increasing. Hunger is knocking at every door. And now we are witnessing the last gasps of a humanitarian system built on humanitarian principles," he explained.

"That system is being denied the conditions to function. It is being denied the space to deliver. It is being denied the security to save lives," Secretary-General Guterres stressed.

He further condemned Israel's military operations, stressing that "with the escalation of Israeli military operations and the issuance of a new evacuation order in Deir al-Balah (in the central Gaza Strip), the destruction is mounting."

Secretary-General Guterres also noted that the situation in Gaza reflects a broader failure to uphold international obligations, as "conflict rages, international law is trampled, and hunger and displacement reach record levels" in areas ranging from Ukraine and Sudan to Haiti and Myanmar.

Furthermore, the UN Secretary-General condemned the recent attacks on UN facilities in Gaza.

"I am appalled that UN facilities have been attacked—among them the UN Office for Project Services and the World Health Organization, including the WHO's main warehouse."

"These places, like all civilian sites, are inviolable and must be protected under international humanitarian law—without exception," Secretary-General Guterres stressed.

Emphasizing the "clear link between international peace and multilateralism," Secretary-General Guterres said the UN was founded 80 years ago "to protect humanity from the scourge of war."

On that occasion, the UN Secretary-General also urged the Security Council to overcome internal divisions, reform to reflect current geopolitical realities, and increase inclusiveness and cooperation with regional partners.

He also called on all member states to uphold international law and reaffirmed their commitment to peace through diplomacy in commemoration of the UN's 80th anniversary.