UN chief 'gravely concerned' about further spillover of Gaza conflict

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "gravely concerned" about the spillover of the Gaza conflict, and urges all parties to exercise "maximum restraint" for regional peace, his spokesman said on Friday.

"As the hostilities between Israel and Hamas and other groups in Gaza intensify, the Secretary-General remains gravely concerned about the further spillover of this conflict, which could have devastating consequences for the entire region," Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

The longer the conflict in Gaza continues, the greater the risk of regional conflagration, given the risk of escalation and miscalculation by multiple actors, he added.

"The Secretary-General is increasingly concerned about the spillover effects of the continuing attacks by armed groups in Iraq and Syria, as well as the Houthi attacks against vessels in the Red Sea, which have escalated in recent days.

"The Secretary-General urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint and take urgent steps to de-escalate tensions in the region," Dujarric stressed.