United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today once again called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as Israel announced that the initial stages of the operation to capture Gaza City are underway.
"It is vital to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza" to avoid the massive casualties and destruction that a military operation would cause in the Palestinian enclave's largest city, Guterres said, speaking to the press in Japan, where he is participating in a conference on African development.
He also called on the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel its decision to expand the construction of "illegal" settlements in the occupied West Bank.
