Guterres Calls For An Immediate & Permanent Ceasefire In Gaza Strip

Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR at a Press Conference after 66th session of Excom. 9 October 2015. UN Photo / Jean-Marc Ferré
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday renewed his urgent call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression and the blockade imposed on aid delivery.

In a statement issued on Monday, Guterres welcomed the release by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) of Israeli prisoner Idan Alexander, a US citizen.

In his statement, Guterres called for ensuring the “swift, unhindered, and safe” delivery of humanitarian aid to the population of the Gaza Strip, who are experiencing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis due to the ongoing Israeli aggression and its prevention of humanitarian and medical aid.

In the same context, the Secretary-General emphasized that “aid is not negotiable,” reiterating his call for “an immediate and lasting ceasefire and the immediate release of all remaining prisoners.”