On October 13, local time, United Nations Secretary-General Guterres issued a statement through a spokesperson, welcoming the continued implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, including the release of Israeli detainees and Palestinian detainees.
Guterres praised the continued efforts of the governments of Qatar, Egypt, the United States and Turkey to promote mediation and thanked the ICRC for its irreplaceable role in ensuring the security and humanity of the release operations.
The statement pointed out that with the entry into force of the ceasefire agreement, the people of Gaza and Israel finally saw a fragile and precious dawn of calm after months of fighting. The United Nations and its partners are stepping up efforts to expand humanitarian operations across Gaza, and United Nations agencies have entered previously cut off areas to deliver relief supplies to local people.
While these actions are an important first step towards stabilization and restoration of basic human dignity, the demand for Gaza remains huge and continued access and financial support are crucial.
The Secretary-General called on all sides to consolidate the outcome of the ceasefire and turn it into lasting peace, while urging regional and international parties to take the moment to resume a credible political process to the goal of two independent, sovereign and democratic states – Israel and Palestine – to live peacefully together on the 1967 border, with Jerusalem as their capital, within safe and recognised borders, in line with international law, UN resolutions and other relevant agreements.