UN chief says Israel, Hamas ‘ignoring international law’ in Gaza

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres made a new push for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Middle East on Wednesday in remarks at the World Economic Forum.

As the conflict in Gaza between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas stretches past the 100-day mark, Guterres argued the parties involved are “ignoring international law, trampling on the Geneva Conventions and even violating United Nations Charter.”

“I repeat my call for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza and the process that leads to sustained peace for Israelis and Palestinians based on a two-state solution,” the U.N. chief said at the event held in Davos, Switzerland. “That is the only way to stem the suffering and prevent the spillover that could send the entire region up in flames.”

In early December, Guterres invoked Article 99 of the U.N. Charter for the first time, citing a “severe risk of collapse of the humanitarian system” in Gaza. He said at the time that he expects public order to “completely break down” due to desperate conditions for the displaced, starving and injured civilians in Gaza.

Despite persistent and increasing calls for a cease-fire, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the calls for a pause in fighting until all of the hostages taken by Hamas in the Oct. 7 surprise attack, which sparked the war, are returned.

A short-term cease-fire in 2023 allowed for the return of just under half of those held captive by Hamas in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. However, the deal ended when negotiations with the militant group, Qatar and Egypt stalled and Israel claimed Hamas didn’t offer a satisfactory list of hostages to be released.

Hamas killed 1,200 people in Israel and took more than 200 hostage in the initial attack. Israel has embarked on a counteroffensive that has killed more than 23,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

Guterres, joined by other world leaders at the forum looking to come to an agreement surrounding the conflict in the Middle East — as well as the war between Russia and Ukraine, as it nears the two-year mark.

In a speech at the forum Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated his belief that finding a pathway for Palestine to become its own state is necessary for Israel to obtain “genuine security.”

The path to getting to that solution, Blinken said, will require “very difficult, challenging decisions.”

Following a trip to the Middle East, the secretary added that other countries were on board with finding solutions for Palestinians in Gaza, but only if Israel is willing to agree.