U.N. Secretary General calls on Israel and Hamas

U.N. Secretary General António Guterres called on the
Palestinian Hamas movement to immediately release all the hostages and on
Israel to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. 

“In this dramatic moment, as we are on the verge of the
abyss in the Middle East, it is my duty as Secretary-General of the United
Nations to make two strong humanitarian appeals. I urge Hamas to immediately
release the hostages without conditions. And I call on Israel to grant rapid
and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid for the civilians in Gaza,” he
said. 

Guterres noted that water and electricity supplies, and
other essentials, are running out in the Gaza Strip. The U.N. has stocks of
food, water, non-food items, medicine and fuel in Egypt, Jordan, the West Bank
and Israel.