The horrific assault by Gaza-based militants additionally noticed greater than 250 kidnapped, together with many ladies and youngsters.
“It’s time for the discharge of the hostages. Time to silence the weapons. Time to cease the struggling that has engulfed the area,” mentioned António Guterres, calling for peace, the restoration of worldwide legislation and justice for all victims and survivors.
‘Scarred souls’
The assault “scarred souls”, the UN chief added, with victims struggling unspeakable violence, together with clear circumstances of sexual assault.
“This can be a day for the worldwide group to repeat within the loudest voice our utter condemnation of the abhorrent acts of Hamas, together with the taking of hostages.”
Mr. Guterres mentioned over the previous yr he has met households of a few of these nonetheless being held within the enclave, to be taught extra about their lives, hopes and desires “and shared of their anguish and ache.”
“I can not think about the torture they’re pressured to endure daily,” he added, saying that Hamas and different militants should permit the Worldwide Committee of the Pink Cross to go to the hostages and supply essential care.
He expressed his solidarity with all of the victims of the 7 October assault, collectively their family members.
‘Maintain on to hope’
Addressing the aftermath of the brutal bloodbath, the Secretary-Normal famous that the fear unleashed that day had led to “a wave of stunning violence and bloodshed.”
“The battle that has adopted the horrible assaults of 1 yr in the past continues to shatter lives and inflict profound human struggling for Palestinians in Gaza and now the individuals of Lebanon,” he mentioned, including that he had “spoken out about this typically and clearly.”
He mentioned the UN was dedicated to working in direction of the discharge of all hostages, ending struggling throughout the area and forging an enduring peace in keeping with the rules of worldwide legislation and justice.
Finally, he added: “Within the midst of a lot bloodshed and division we should maintain on to hope.”
He known as on the worldwide group to “by no means cease working for an enduring answer” to the battle between Israel and Palestine, the place all of the nations of the Center East can lastly reside collectively “in peace and dignity and with respect for each other.”
