António Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations, has expressed deep concern over the recent massacre of civilians in the Gaza Strip. He called for this tragedy to be transformed into an opportunity for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. According to Guterres, the current situation, with thousands of children losing their lives due to Israeli military action, is a massacre that cannot be forgotten or ignored.

Guterres hopes for a humanitarian ceasefire to end the violence and ensure that innocent people are no longer harmed. He also calls for the release of all hostages held by Hamas and an end to violations of international law. Additionally, he believes that the Palestinian Authority must take responsibility for governing in the Gaza Strip, alongside its current control in the West Bank. This transition period must be facilitated by the international community to make irreversible progress towards a two-state solution.

The Secretary General does not believe that establishing a UN-supervised “protectorate” is a viable solution and calls for a transformation of this conflict into an opportunity for progress. Guterres emphasizes that this is a critical moment for both sides to come together and work towards lasting peace. He urges all parties involved to take deliberate efforts towards positive change and make lasting peace possible between Israelis and Palestinians.