He spoke to reporters at the UN headquarters prior to his departure to Spain for an international conference on fundraising for development, saying that the Israeli-Iran conflict had dominated the headlines, but the Gaza civilian light letter remains urgent and miserable.
“Families have evacuated many times, and are now limited to less than a fifth of Gaza’s land,” he said.
“Even these reduced spaces are under threat. Bombs are falling on tents, families, people who can’t run anywhere.”
Guterres described the situation as the most severe since the onset of war, citing an acute shortage of food, fuel, medicines and shelters.
“A search for food should never be a death sentence,” he said. It highlighted the danger that Palestinians are simply trying to survive.
He has repeatedly called for three urgent measures. An immediate ceasefire, unconditional release of all hostages, and complete, unstoppable humanitarian access.
On Friday, he once again sought those requests, stressing that aid workers were starving, hospitals distributed life-saving supplies and civilians were locked in unsafe zones.
A rapid increase in aid is needed
“What we need now is a surge. Trickle has to become ocean,” he said.
The UN chief emphasized that Israel as an occupation right has a legal obligation to promote humanitarian relief.
“For those in power, I say, it enables our operations as international humanitarian law requires. For those influential, I say: use it,” he added.
Earlier this week, a small convoy of UN medical supplies has entered Gaza for the first time in months, Guterres noted, adding that it merely underscored the need for overwhelming scale.
He also warned that the way aid is provided must be ensured by civilian security, emphasizing that “options to place hopeless people in or near militarized areas are inherently unsafe.”
“We have a solution: a detailed plan based on humanitarian principles of humanity, equity, neutrality and independence,” he said.
“It worked in the final ceasefire, so we have to be allowed to work again.”
rhm/