UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres speaks during a press cenference at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama, Kanagawa prefecture, south of Tokyo. AFP
“It is vital to reach immediately a ceasefire in Gaza,” the Secretary-General told reporters on the sidelines of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), “and the unconditional release of all hostages and to avoid the massive death and destruction that a military operation against Gaza City would inevitably cause.”
Guterres' call for a ceasefire came as Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire targeted areas to the northwest and southeast of Gaza City overnight on Thursday.
Hospital sources in Gaza reported that 41 people have been killed by Israeli army fire in several parts of the strip since dawn, including 11 who were waiting for aid.
"We are not waiting. We have begun the preliminary actions, and already now, army troops are holding the outskirts of Gaza City," the Israeli military said early on Thursday, announcing the first steps in its push to occupy the city.
The UN chief's statements also come two days after Cairo and Doha confirmed that Hamas has accepted a 60-day truce-prisoner exchange proposal that Israel previously agreed to.
Qatar said the latest proposal was "almost identical" to an earlier version approved by Israel, while Egypt said Monday that "the ball is now in its (Israel's) court".
On Wednesday, Hamas lambasted the plans to take control of Gaza City, saying in a statement it showed its "blatant disregard" for efforts to broker a ceasefire and captive release deal.
On the West Bank front, the UN chief condemned the Israeli government’s decision to approve a long-shelved settlement expansion project in the occupied territory.
“The decision by the Israeli authorities to expand illegal settlement construction, which would divide the West Bank, must be reversed. All settlement construction is a violation of international law,” he insisted.
On Wednesday, Israel gave final approval for the new expansionist settlement project in the E1 zone, a 12 sq km (five sq mile) stretch of land east of Jerusalem where about 3,400 residential units are planned.
The new settlement construction would allow Tel Aviv to entrench its ongoing plans to annex the occupied Palestinian territory and thwart any hopes for an independent Palestinian state.
On Thursday, Britain and France were among 20 Western nations to sign a joint statement on Thursday condemning Israel’s approval of the major settlement project as “unacceptable and a violation of international law," urging Tel Aviv to halt expansion in line with UN resolutions.
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