By Diyar Guldogan
WASHINGTON (AA) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted Wednesday that more than 2 million residents can not get sufficient aid in the Gaza Strip as he demanded a full cease-fire.
"The level of aid to Palestinians in Gaza remains completely inadequate to meet the huge needs of more than two million people, and although the total volume of fuel allowed into Gaza has also increased, it remains utterly insufficient to sustain basic operations,” Guterres told UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.
"Civilians in Gaza need a continuous flow of life-saving humanitarian aid and fuel into and across the area. Safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to all those in need is critical," he said.
Guterres welcomed the recent humanitarian pause between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, but said nowhere is safe in Gaza.
"Intense negotiations are taking place to prolong the truce -- which we strongly welcome -- but we believe we need a true humanitarian cease-fire," said Guterres.
He added that a two-state solution, based on UN resolutions and international law, must be ensured.
"The people of Gaza are in the midst of an epic humanitarian catastrophe before the eyes of the world," he added.
Qatar announced an agreement late Monday to extend an initial four-day humanitarian pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas for an additional two days, under which further prisoner exchanges will be carried out.
During the past five days, Israel received 60 hostages, including women and children, in exchange for the release of 180 Palestinians, including women and children, from Israeli prisons as part of a deal with Hamas.
Israel launched a massive military campaign in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.
It has since killed over 15,000 people, including 6,150 children and 4,000 women, according to health authorities in the enclave.
The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200.