UN chief: Gaza experiencing worst level of death, destruction
UN chief Antonio Guterres said Gaza is experiencing the “worst level of death and destruction” he has seen in his lifetime and called on the international community not to be “intimidated” by Israel.
Guterres spoke to AFP ahead of the UN's signature high-level week at which 10 countries will recognize a Palestinian state, according to France – over fierce Israeli objections.
The meeting of more than 140 heads of state and government, which paralyzes a corner of Manhattan for a week each year, will likely be dominated by the future of the Palestinians and the war in Gaza.
Israel has reportedly threatened to annex the West Bank if Western nations press ahead with the recognition plan at the UN gathering.
But Guterres said, "We should not feel intimidated by the risk of retaliation."
"With or without doing what we are doing, these actions would go on and at least there is a chance to mobilize international community to put pressure for them not to happen," he said.
"What we are witnessing in Gaza is horrendous," Guterres said as Israel threatened "unprecedented force" in its ongoing assault on Gaza City.
"It is the worst level of death and destruction that I've seen my time as Secretary-General, probably my life and the suffering of the Palestinian people cannot be described – famine, total lack of effective health care, people living without adequate shelters in huge concentration areas," he said.
Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for annexation of swaths of the West Bank with an aim to "bury the idea of a Palestinian state" after several countries joined the French push on statehood.
But Israel's staunch ally the United States has held back from any criticism of the war in Gaza or vows to annex the West Bank – and excoriated its a llies who have vowed to recognize a Palestinian state.
At least 61 people were killed on Saturday as Israeli forces continued to bombard the Gaza City.
The Palestinian Civil Defense said nearly half of Gaza City’s population, or about 450,000 people, have fled the area since Israel launched its major operation there in August. Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 65,208 people and wounded 166,271 since October 2023. Thousands more are believed to be buried under the rubble.