UN demands Gaza ceasefire, cautions against Israel’s fresh offensive

TOKYO: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has warned of devastating consequences if Israel proceeds with its latest military campaign in Gaza, urging both sides to agree to an immediate ceasefire.

Speaking in Tokyo on Thursday at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, Guterres said halting hostilities was essential to “prevent the death and destruction that a military operation against Gaza City would inevitably cause.” His remarks followed Israel’s announcement that it had begun the first stage of an operation to seize the densely populated urban hub.

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Israel has already deployed tens of thousands of reservists as part of the push. Officials say the goal is to assert control over Gaza’s largest city, even as humanitarian organisations caution that the operation could drive tens of thousands more Palestinians from their homes. At present, Israel controls roughly three-quarters of the territory.

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The Israel offensive began after Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, when armed fighters stormed southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and capturing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has since devastated Gaza. The enclave’s health ministry reports over 60,000 Palestinian deaths, with countless others wounded. Aid groups describe Gaza as a humanitarian disaster zone, where food, medicine and safe shelter are in critically short supply.

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Guterres also addressed political developments beyond Gaza, calling on Israel to halt settlement expansion in the West Bank. Earlier this week, a Defence Ministry body gave final approval to a plan that would create a settlement corridor cutting across the territory, further isolating East Jerusalem from surrounding Palestinian communities. Palestinian officials denounced the move as a deliberate attempt to extinguish the possibility of a two-state solution.

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In his remarks, the UN chief repeated his demand for the unconditional release of all hostages held in Gaza. He stressed that both the hostages’ plight and the suffering of ordinary Palestinians under bombardment underscored the urgent need for diplomacy over military escalation.

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International concern is mounting as Israel signals it will press deeper into Gaza City. Human rights groups warn that urban combat in the overcrowded enclave could unleash catastrophic civilian casualties. Guterres’ appeal reflects growing global alarm that without restraint, Gaza could face even greater devastation in the weeks ahead.

Hamas accepts new Gaza truce plan

Hamas has accepted a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza without requesting amendments, according to a group source cited by AFP on Monday. The move follows months of stalled negotiations led by Egypt and Qatar with U.S. backing to end a war that has stretched for more than 22 months and created a severe humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

The proposal reportedly outlines an initial 60-day truce, with the release of 10 Israeli hostages and several bodies in the first phase, followed by a second stage addressing the remaining captives. Out of 251 people abducted during Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, 49 remain in Gaza, including 27 who are believed dead. Palestinian factions, including Islamic Jihad, signaled their support for the plan. Israel has not yet issued a response.

A Palestinian official said mediators may soon announce an agreement and set a date for renewed talks, with guarantees offered to ensure compliance and pursue a permanent solution. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously insisted that all hostages must be released at once and under Israeli conditions to end the war. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his hardline stance, declaring that hostages would only be freed when Hamas is “confronted and destroyed.”

On the ground, violence continues. Gaza’s civil defence agency reported at least 11 deaths on Monday, though the Israeli military said it was unaware of casualties from its operations in the south. The health ministry in Gaza says Israel’s offensive has killed over 62,000 people, mostly civilians, while rights group Amnesty International accused Israel of enforcing “deliberate starvation” through aid restrictions, a charge Israel rejects. Egypt, stressing the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, said it may consider joining an international force if mandated by a UN Security Council resolution and tied to a political roadmap.