Guterres urges end to Israeli strikes in Gaza, occupier violence in West Bank

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called for an end to Israeli strikes in Gaza and occupier violence in the West Bank, Anadolu reports.

“In Gaza, the ceasefire must be respected,” Guterres said at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

He called for the immediate removal of obstacles to humanitarian aid.

The ceasefire in Gaza took effect last October. Since then, Israel has killed more than 1,320 Palestinians and injured more than 4,385 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The Israeli army has killed more than 73,000 people and injured over 174,000 others in a brutal offensive in Gaza since October 2023.

He also said “settler attacks and settlement expansion must end” in the occupied West Bank.

The UN said in August that occupier violence had reached “unprecedented levels,” with more than 1,430 attacks resulting in casualties or property damage documented in 2026 as of early August.

Guterres said lasting peace requires a two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side as independent, sovereign states.

“I appeal for maximum restraint and for agreements and international law to be respected,” Guterres said.

READ: Hamas accuses Israel of escalating Gaza attacks and violating ceasefire

Global security and maritime rights

The UN chief said the world needs a “peaceful, just, and durable settlement” that also safeguards international navigational rights and freedoms.

He specifically highlighted the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit point currently impacted by the war with Iran that began on Feb. 28, and the Bab-el-Mandeb, a strategic strait between Yemen and the Horn of Africa.

Turning to Eastern Europe, Guterres noted that after more than four years of war, it is “high time for a full and immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.” He argued this step would open the door to negotiations toward a “just, lasting, and comprehensive peace.”

Institutional reform and climate

Guterres called for reforms to the global financial architecture and the Bretton Woods system, a post-World War II international monetary framework that pegged world currencies to the US dollar, to reflect modern realities. He said while “power relations are changing,” multilateral organizations still essentially reflect the situation of 1945.

Guterres asserted that the international community must “reform the global financial architecture to introduce justice and equity” and urged multilateral development banks to be “bigger, better, and bolder” to support developing nations struggling with debt.

On environmental issues, Guterres warned the world is set to overshoot the 1.5C (2.7F) temperature limit. He said nations must “slash emissions” and manage critical minerals responsibly, asserting there should be “no more plundering.”

Addressing technology, Guterres said artificial intelligence (AI) should benefit all countries and requires international guardrails. He expressed gratitude for support in establishing a global dialogue on AI governance within the UN to give every nation a voice.

READ: UN ‘very concerned’ over Gaza civilian deaths as Israel continues ceasefire breaches