New York, New York - United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza ahead of the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attack.
"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 said in a statement, calling for a "political path to lasting peace across the whole region."
"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," Guterres said.
The UN chief acknowledged Israel's casualties in the statement, calling the Hamas attack "abhorrent" for "killing more than 1200 Israelis and foreign nationals" and the hostage-taking of another 251 people.
Guterres also said Palestinians in Gaza have faced a "massive loss of life, displacement, and destruction," without specifying their death toll. "Their suffering, too, demands an end, now."
Israel's years-long military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 74,200 people. The brutal bombardment and targeting of civilian centers has been found to constitute a genocide by the UN.
Guterres acknowledged that a brief ceasefire, announced by President Donald Trump in October 2025, "brought some relief. But it has yet to deliver security, adequate humanitarian assistance or a credible path to recovery and peace."
Israel, which still controls most of Gaza, refuses to withdraw its soldiers until Hamas' disarmament has been verified. It also continues to bombard the strip with attacks that have claimed thousands of lives.
Hamas, for its part, has advocated for a gradual disarmament rather than an immediate and unilateral surrender of its arsenal.