Guterres: Israel, as an occupying power in Gaza, must bear obligations under international law

UN Secretary-General António Guterres affirmed that Israel, as an occupying power, has legal obligations under international law towards the residents of Gaza.

"At the present time, no humanitarian supplies can be brought into Gaza," Guterres added via the X platform.

He stated that Israel is preventing the entry of aid, food, medicine, and shelter supplies that have accumulated at the crossings, explaining that it is also obstructing the entry of vital equipment.

In his blog post, he stressed the need to ensure unhindered access to humanitarian aid and to provide protection to humanitarian workers in the Gaza Strip in accordance with international law.

These statements come at a time when Gaza is experiencing an extremely difficult humanitarian situation, amid an ongoing blockade and escalating aggression by Tel Aviv.

On Tuesday, the UN Secretary-General affirmed that forcing Palestinians to flee the Gaza Strip is contrary to international law.

"Forcing Palestinians to flee is contrary to international law," he said at a press conference in response to questions about US efforts to control the Gaza Strip. "Palestinians must be able to live in a Palestinian state side by side with Israel. This is the only solution that can achieve peace in the Middle East."

The UN Secretary-General noted that more than a month has passed without a drop of aid entering Gaza, adding, "As aid runs out, the gates of horror are being reopened."

He stated that the Gaza Strip has become a killing field, and that civilians are trapped in an endless cycle of death.

In response, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz threatened to move to a more intense phase of fighting in the Gaza Strip if Hamas refused to release prisoners, confirming that a plan was being developed to displace Gaza's residents in accordance with Trump's vision.

Referring to the vision now being adopted by Benjamin Netanyahu's government for the future of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Defense Minister said, "In parallel, we are working to promote a plan for the voluntary migration of Gaza residents, in accordance with the vision of the American president, and we are seeking to implement it on the ground."

Katz said the goal of the operations in the Gaza Strip was, first and foremost, to reach a new deal for the release of prisoners. He concluded his remarks with a message to the residents of Gaza: "Get rid of Hamas and return the hostages. This is the only way to end the war."

The Israeli military is working to transform the area between the Philadelphi Corridor and the Morag Corridor in the southern Gaza Strip, which includes the city of Rafah and its adjacent neighborhoods and constitutes one-fifth of the Gaza Strip's area, into a "buffer zone" after expelling its residents.