Guterres will attend the Extraordinary Summit of the League of Arab States in Cairo on Tuesday to discuss the reconstruction of Gaza.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday warned that “the coming days are critical” for maintaining the ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal in the Gaza Strip.
“Next Tuesday, I will be in Cairo to join the Extraordinary Summit of the League of Arab States to discuss the reconstruction of Gaza,” Guterres said in a news conference held at UN headquarters in New York.
Guterres described Gaza as having “become a nexus of death, displacement, hunger and disease.”
He said hospitals, schools and water facilities have been destroyed and reduced to rubble, adding that “the risk of further destruction looms over the population.”
Next Tuesday, I will be in Cairo to join the Extraordinary Summit of the League of Arab States to discuss the reconstruction of Gaza.
– UN Secretary-General António Guterres, 28 Feb 25 pic.twitter.com/9NjjfAvR95— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) February 28, 2025
“Tuesday’s Summit is an opportunity for leaders across the Arab world to come together and discuss the elements required to deliver peace and stability in Gaza,” he emphasized.
‘Key Priorities’
Noting that a “unified position will help guide the way forward,” the UN Chief outlined “key priorities.”
This included that the ceasefire “must hold,” Guterres stressed, adding that the “parties must spare no effort to avoid a breakdown of this deal.”
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He also urged all captives to be “released immediately, unconditionally and in a dignified manner.”
“The parties must ensure humane treatment for all those held under their power,” the UN chief added.
Humanitarian Aid
Humanitarian aid, he stressed, “must be maintained, protected and funded, flowing without impediment to reach people in desperate need.”
“Each moment the ceasefire holds means more people reached and more lives saved,” Guterres emphasized.
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“The ceasefire must hold. We must keep the humanitarian lifeline open,” he continued, and appealed for “the urgent and full support of UNRWA’s work,” highlighting that the agency’s “unique role must be maintained.”
Guterres stressed that “ending the immediate crisis is only a first step.”
Political Framework
“There must be a clear political framework that lays the groundwork for Gaza’s recovery, reconstruction and lasting stability,” he continued, adding that this framework must be based on clear principles.
“This means staying true to the bedrock of international law,” and “preventing any form of ethnic cleansing,” Guterres said.
“It means addressing Israel’s legitimate security concerns. It means accountability for violations of international law. And it means Gaza remains an integral part of an independent, democratic and sovereign Palestinian state, with no reductions in its territory or forced transfer of its population,” he stressed.
Both Gaza and the occupied West Bank — including East Jerusalem — “must be treated as one — politically, economically and administratively,” the UN Chief stated.
He added that it should be “governed by a Palestinian government that is accepted and supported by the Palestinian people. And any transitional arrangements must be designed to achieve a unified Palestinian government within a precise and limited timeframe.”
West Bank
Guterres said he would call for “an urgent de-escalation of the alarming situation in the West Bank.”
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More than 60 Palestinians, including a two-year-old child, have been killed in the occupied territory since Israel launched a military incursion into various towns and refugee camps on January 21.
“Unilateral actions, including settlement expansion and threats of annexation, must stop. I call for an end to attacks on civilians and their property,” he said.
‘Two-State Solution’
The UN Chief said immediate “tangible steps” must be taken towards the realization of a two-state solution.
The Palestinian people “must have the right to govern themselves, to chart their own future, and to live on their land in freedom and security,” he continued.
“The only path to lasting peace is one where two states — Israel and Palestine — live side by side in peace and security, in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states,” Guterres stated.
(PC, Anadolu)
