UN chief calls on Israel to protect civilians in besieged North Gaza

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern Wednesday for civilians suffering under Israel’s siege in north Gaza.

"People suffering under the ongoing Israeli siege in North Gaza are rapidly exhausting all available means for their survival," Guterres wrote on X.

Emphasizing the need to protect civilians and ensure they receive the necessary humanitarian assistance, he reminded Israel of its obligations under international law, saying "that’s what international humanitarian law requires."

The Israeli army has intensified its assault in northern Gaza amid a suffocating siege that has left tens of thousands of people without food and water.

The onslaught, which began on Oct. 5, is the latest episode in Israel’s brutal offensive that has killed nearly 42,800 people, mostly women and children, and injured more than 100,400 since last October following an attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced nearly the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.