By SCM Staff Writer I Monday, October 13, 2025
UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a plea for sustained humanitarian access and political resolve on Monday, stating that a recent ceasefire has offered the people of Gaza and Israel a “fragile hope of calm after months of devastation.”
The Secretary-General’s comments underscored the precarious nature of the current truce, which has allowed for the resumption of vital, large-scale aid operations into areas previously inaccessible due to fighting.
“With the ceasefire in effect, the people of Gaza & Israel are beginning to glimpse the fragile hope of calm after months of devastation,” Mr. Guterres wrote in a statement published across U.N. channels.
Scaling Up Operations Amid Vast Needs
The U.N. and its implementing partners are now focused on reaching hundreds of thousands of civilians who have been living in dire conditions. Mr. Guterres confirmed that efforts were being “rapidly scaling up operations, reaching communities in areas that were cut off for months, delivering life-saving assistance.”
The recent conflict—the latest and one of the most destructive cycles in the region—brought an unprecedented scale of destruction to the Gaza Strip, overwhelming health services, causing mass displacement, and crippling civilian infrastructure.
For many months, aid convoys struggled to reach northern and central parts of Gaza, where starvation warnings and a near-total collapse of services created a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
The current scaling up of relief efforts—including food, medicine, and fuel—is aimed at stabilizing a population facing massive shortages.
However, the international organization warned that the current level of aid remains insufficient to meet the deep and widespread needs resulting from the protracted violence.
A Call for Lasting Peace
Mr. Guterres stressed that the humanitarian challenges remain far from over, despite the momentary quiet.
“But the needs remain vast, and sustained access & funding are critical,” he cautioned, turning his attention from the immediate crisis to the political imperative.
The Secretary-General concluded with a direct call for policymakers and international actors to seize the moment offered by the cessation of hostilities.
“I call on all to consolidate the ceasefire & transform it into lasting peace,” he stated, emphasizing that the cessation of violence must be leveraged to address the underlying political drivers of the conflict and ensure a sustainable future for both Israelis and Palestinians.
