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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday (Mar 11) called for a truce in the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, as the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan begins.
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He also called for the release of hostages held by Hamas and the removal of "all obstacles to ensure the delivery of lifesaving aid at the speed and massive scale required" to Gaza, where the UN has warned that a quarter of the population is on the brink of famine.
"International humanitarian law lies in tatters," he told reporters. "And a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah could plummet the people of Gaza into an even deeper circle of hell."
Speaking after the failure of attempts to negotiate a ceasefire, Guterres called for "silencing the guns" in Gaza and warned that "hunger and malnutrition" are taking hold. "This is heartbreaking and utterly unacceptable," Guterres told reporters.
"I am appalled and outraged that conflict is continuing in Gaza during this holy month," he said, adding that "all obstacles" to aid delivery should be removed.
The United Nations says that lack of humanitarian aid means famine is a growing risk in Gaza, where 2.4 million people are under near-total siege by the Israeli military, as it battles Hamas militants.
"UNPRECEDENTED IN ALL MY YEARS"
US President Joe Biden called for a temporary ceasefire ahead of Ramadan but his call went unanswered as Muslims in Gaza marked the start of the one-month holiday Monday.
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