Invoking a rarely used article of the UN Charter,
Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday called on the
Security Council to “press to avert a humanitarian catastrophe”
in Gaza and unite in a call for a full humanitarian ceasefire
between Israel and Palestinian militants.
In a letter to the Council, Mr. Guterres invoked Article 99,
contained in Chapter XV of the
Charter.
This says that the UN chief “may bring to attention of
the Security Council any
matter which in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of
international peace and security.”
In a statement to journalists along with the letter, UN
Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that this was the first time
Mr. Guterres had felt compelled to invoke Chapter 99, since
taking office in 2017.
Scale of loss
Mr. Dujarric explained that the UN chief was taking the step
“given the scale of the loss of human life in Gaza and Israel, in
such a short amount of time”.
He described the use of Article 99 as a "dramatic
constitutional move" that Mr. Guterres hoped would put
more pressure on the Council - and the international community at
large - to demand a ceasefire between the warring parties.
"I think it's arguably the most important invocation", Mr.
Dujarric told reporters at UN Headquarters, "in my opinion, the
most powerful tool that he [the Secretary-General] has."
The letter was sent to the President of the Security Council in
New York late on Wednesday morning.
Since the 7 October terror attacks by Hamas militants in southern
Israel and the ongoing bombardment and ground operation by
Israeli forces into the Gaza Strip, the Security
Council passed one
resolution in mid-November, after four failed attempts
to find consensus previously, calling for “urgent and extended
humanitarian pauses”.
Following a week-long pause in hostilities during which some of
the 240 hostages being held by militants in Gaza were exchanged
for Palestinian prisoners, fighting began again on 1 December,
leading the Secretary-General to register his deep
regret.
‘Appalling human suffering’
In his letter to the Council president, Mr. Guterres said the
more than eight weeks of fighting overall had “created appalling
human suffering, physical destruction and collective trauma
across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
He highlighted the more than 1,200 “brutally killed” by militants
on 7 October, including 33 children, and the 130 people still
being held captive.
“They must be immediately and unconditionally
released. Accounts of sexual violence during these
attacks are appalling”, the UN chief added.
As Israel continues to target Hamas fighters, he said civilians
throughout the Strip face grave danger, with over 15,000
reportedly killed, over 40 per cent of them children.
Around 80 per cent of Gazans are displaced, over 1.1 million
seeking refuge in UN Palestine refugee agency (UNRWA) shelters.
Hospitals now ‘battlegrounds’
Mr. Guterres said there is simply no effective protection for
civilians and nowhere is safe.
“Hospitals have turned into battlegrounds”, he added, saying that
amid the constant bombardment of all parts of Gaza “and without
shelter or the essentials to survive, I expect public order to
completely break down soon”.
Turning to the 15 November Council Resolution 2712, he said the
current conditions were making it impossible to scale up
humanitarian supplies, to meet the huge needs of civilians – as
the resolution demands.
“We are simply unable to meet those in need inside Gaza”, he
wrote, and facing “a severe risk of collapse of the humanitarian
system.”
The consequences of that have irreversible implications for
Palestinians and the peace and security of the
entire region, he argued.
‘This is urgent’
“Such an outcome must be avoided at all cost.
The international community has a responsibility to use all its
influence to prevent further escalation and end this crisis.
“I reiterate my appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire to be
declared. This is urgent. The civilian population must be spared
from greater harm.”
He stressed that with a ceasefire, there was hope “and
humanitarian assistance can be delivered in a safe and timely
manner”.
