UN Secretary-General issues new call for ceasefire between Israel and Gaza Strip

"It is time to silence the guns," he said, speaking from the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing with the enclave.

He also called on Israel to give total, unfettered access to humanitarian goods throughout Gaza. According to him, by May, artificial starvation is inevitable in the north.

"It's time to truly flood Gaza with life-saving aid. The choice is clear: either surge or starvation. Blocked relief trucks on the Egyptian side of the border are a moral outrage," said Mr Guterres, who also called for the release of Israeli hostages.

"I want Palestinians in Gaza to know: You are not alone. People around the world are outraged by the horrors we are all witnessing in real time. Palestinians in Gaza remain stuck in a non-stop nightmare," he added.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that the UN chief accused Israel of the humanitarian situation in Gaza without condemning Hamas militants who are stealing aid.

War in Israel

On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants attacked Israel from the Gaza Strip. According to official data, in the first days of the attack, militants killed 1200 civilians and soldiers and kidnapped about 250 people.

At the end of October, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a ground military operation in the Gaza Strip, which is ongoing. The country's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that the goal of the operation is the destruction of Hamas and the release of hostages.

In mid-March, Hamas militants agreed to a revised US proposal for a ceasefire.

On Friday, March 22, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his military cabinet.

The administration of US President Joe Biden has called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for the first time.