UN chief calls for permanent Gaza truce

UNITED NATIONS — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza ahead of the third anniversary of the Oct 7, 2023, attacks.

The horrors of those attacks must never be repeated, and the ensuing hostilities in Gaza must end, Guterres said in a message marking the anniversary.

On Oct 7, 2023, Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel from Gaza, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel responded with a war on Hamas in Gaza that killed at least 74,000 Palestinians.

"The devastating hostilities that followed (the attacks) have inflicted untold suffering on Palestinians in Gaza, including massive loss of life, displacement, and destruction," Guterres said. "Civilians continue to endure intolerable conditions. Their suffering, too, demands an end, now."

The ceasefire reached last year has brought some relief. But it has yet to deliver security, adequate humanitarian assistance or a credible path to recovery and peace, he said.

"I urge all parties to implement their commitments in full and advance to the next phase of the ceasefire," he said. "It is time for the ceasefire to become permanent. It is time to allow humanitarian assistance at scale. And it is time to respect international law."

Guterres emphasized the need to build a political path to lasting peace across the whole region, adding that the United Nations remains unwavering in its commitment to these imperatives.

"Let this anniversary mark not only another year of mourning, but also a renewed determination to build a different future: one in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side-by-side in peace and security, with their rights, dignity, and aspirations fulfilled," he said.

Israel, which still controls most of Gaza, refuses to withdraw its soldiers until Hamas' disarmament has been verified.

Hamas, for its part, has advocated for gradual disarmament rather than immediate and unilateral surrender of its arsenal.

Since the 2023 attacks, Israel has waged military attacks on several fronts, notably invading southern Lebanon to confront the Hezbollah movement and launching a war against Iran with the United States.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Monday that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered the military to hunt down and kill the remaining participants in the Hamas-led attack.

About 6,000 attackers crossed the border into Israel on that day, he said, adding that 4,000 of them had already been killed. "We ordered the military to pursue and kill them all, from the most senior to the most junior," he said.

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