By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate end to “shocking violence and bloodshed” in Gaza and Lebanon ahead of the anniversary of attack on October 7 by Hamas group in Israeli territory.
“This is a day for the global community to repeat in the loudest voice our utter condemnation of the abhorrent acts of Hamas, including the taking of hostages,” the UN chief said in a statement on Saturday ahead of the attack anniversary.
Monday will mark one year after the devastating assault by the Palestinian group, Hamas on Israel, which led to the ongoing war in Gaza after Israel took a retaliatory offensive in response to the assault on its territory.
More recently, Lebanon which backs the Hezbollah group has also joined forces with Hamas, causing an escalation in attacks, with world leaders expressing concern over a possible all-out crisis in the Middle East.
While demanding the hostages’ “immediate and unconditional release,” Guterres also implored Hamas to allow the hostages to be visited by Red Cross personnel.
Heritage Times HT had reported that during the Oct 7, 2023 attack, Hamas abducted 251 people, 97 of whom are still captive in Gaza, including 33, which the Israeli military said are dead.
Guterres who was earlier in the week barred from entering Israel for “supporting” Hamas also expressed concern over the conflict spreading to Lebanon, where Israel in recent days has pounded the Hamas-allied group Hezbollah.
Over a thousand people were killed in the attacks while over one million persons have been forced to flee their homes.
“The war that has followed the terrible attacks of one year ago continues to shatter lives and inflict profound human suffering for Palestinians in Gaza, and now the people of Lebanon,” Guterres said.
The retaliatory offensive by Israel on Gaza has so far led to the killing of at least 41,825 people, a majority of them civilians, the health ministry in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory has stated.
The UN has said those figures are reliable. “Since October 7th, a wave of shocking violence and bloodshed has erupted,” said Guterres.
“It is time for the release of the hostages,” he said. “Time to silence the guns. Time to stop the suffering that has engulfed the region. Time for peace, international law and justice.”
On Wednesday Israel’s foreign minister announced that Guterres has been declared “persona non grata” and barred from entering Israel.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Guterres of bias, citing his failure to condemn Iran’s recent attack on Israel.
“Today, I have declared UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres persona non grata in Israel and banned him from entering the country,” Katz said in a statement on X.
