The scale of Israel’s death and destruction of Gaza “has no parallel” in his tenure as Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres told Associated Press (AP) on Wednesday.
Guterres expressed doubt about Gaza’s future, saying it is “unrealistic” to expect the UN to play a role in Gaza’s administration or peacekeeping, as Israel is unlikely to agree to such involvement.
In response to the escalating Palestinian conflict, which has now spread to the West Bank, Guterres reiterated the UN’s support for a ceasefire. “We’ll be ready to do whatever the international community asks of us,” he said. “The question is whether the parties, especially Israel, would accept it,” Guterres poised.
Since the war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, the UN has condemned the disproportionate bombings by Israeli forces. Gaza’s Ministry of Health reports that the death toll has surpassed 41,000.
The attack, initially confined to Gaza, has now extended to the occupied West Bank. Media reports describe this as the most extensive series of attacks in the West Bank since the early 2000s.
Palestinian “Wafa” news agency recently reported that a drone strike on a vehicle in the city of Tulkarem killed three people on Wednesday evening, while an Israeli sniper killed another person in the Far’a refugee camp near Tubas.
According to Wafa, the drone strike in Tulkarem ignited both the targeted vehicle and a nearby home. In Far’a, Israeli forces killed 46-year-old Sufyan Jawad Fayez Abdul Jawad with a sniper shot to the heart. Israel has not yet commented on these incidents.
These recent killings bring the death toll from Israel’s military operation in the West Bank, which started on August 28, to at least 50. This total includes five people killed in an airstrike on Tubas earlier on Wednesday.
The bombing of Gaza continues, with recent attacks on schools and shelters, including a UN school that was housing displaced Gazans. This bombing killed at least 18 people, including the shelter manager and five UNRWA humanitarian staff members. Guterres condemned the attack as “totally unacceptable,” stating it violated international laws meant to protect civilians during conflict. “These severe breaches of international humanitarian law must end immediately,” he urged.
EU Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell expressed outrage, stating, “The violation of fundamental international humanitarian principles, particularly the protection of civilians, must not and cannot be tolerated by the international community.”
Germany’s foreign ministry also denounced the attack and called on Israel to ensure the safety of UN personnel and aid workers.
The UN Palestinian relief agency, UNRWA, has repurposed its schools throughout Gaza into shelters as Israeli airstrikes and ground operations have forced many residents to evacuate their homes. Approximately 90% of Gaza’s population is now displaced, with many fleeing in desperate search of safety.
Israel claimed the strike targeted a Hamas “command and control center” within the school but did not provide evidence or details. The Israeli government has frequently bombed schools used as shelters, alleging that militants use these sites and their occupants as human shields.