Remarks by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, at the 415th Meeting of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

'Scar on our shared humanity': Guterres
Secretary-General António Guterres is addressing the Committee, he started by underlining the importance of its mandate amidst the unresolved issue of Palestinian statelessness and the enormous violence and suffering, especially since the horrific 7 October terror attack.

“The death, destruction, displacement, hunger, loss, and grief in Gaza over the last 120 days are a scar on our shared humanity and conscience,” he said condemning the attacks by Hamas and other groups.

“The ongoing conflict and relentless bombardment by Israeli forces across Gaza have resulted in killings of civilians and destruction at a pace and scale unlike anything we have witnessed in recent years,” he added.

UNRWA: 'Backbone of all humanitarian response in Gaza'
Mr. Guterres emphasized that the UN acted immediately following the extremely serious allegations implicating UNRWA staffers in the attacks on 7 October.

“I was personally horrified by these accusations,” he said, noting that on Tuesday, he met with donors to listen to their concerns and to outline the steps the Organization is taking to address them.

He reiterated the importance of keeping UNRWA’s vital work going to meet the dire needs of civilians in Gaza, and to ensure its continuity of services to Palestine refugees in the occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

“UNRWA is the backbone of all humanitarian response in Gaza. "I appeal to all Member States to guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s life-saving work,” he urged.

With over 26,000 reportedly killed in the enclave, 1.7 million displaced and massive destruction of civilian infrastructure, including homes and schools, the UN chief underscored the need for all combatants to comply with international law