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UN chief condemns 'senseless' attacks of Israel-Palestine; warns 'uncontainable' crisis

WION Web Team
United Nations, United StatesUpdated: May 16, 2021, 09:34 PM IST
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File photo of United Nations chief Antonio Guterres. Photograph:(PTI)

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He has also voiced his concerns against the recent attack on a high-rise building in Gaza that housed offices of media companies Associated press and Al-Jazeera

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged Israel and Palestine to stop the ongoing war and warned this could lead to an "uncontainable" crisis.

"Fighting must stop. It must stop immediately," Guterres said at a Security Council session. "It has the potential to unleash an uncontainable security and humanitarian crisis and to further foster extremism, not only in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel, but in the region as a whole."

Calling this "senseless", he said the violence from both sides is "utterly appalling" as more than 200 people have lost their lives in the violent encounters between the Israeli forces and Hamas group.

"This senseless cycle of bloodshed, terror and destruction must stop immediately," he said. "Rockets and mortars on one side and aerial and artillery bombardments on the other must stop. I appeal to all parties to heed this call."

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He has also voiced his concerns against the recent attack on a high-rise building in Gaza that housed offices of media companies Associated press and Al-Jazeera.

"Journalists must be allowed to work free of fear and harassment. The destruction of media offices in Gaza is extremely concerning," he said.

He also talked about the danger from the rise of extremist Jewish movements marching against the Palestinians.

"In Israel, violence by vigilante-style groups and mobs has added a further horrendous dimension to an already deteriorating crisis," Guterres said. "Leaders on all sides have a responsibility to curb inflammatory rhetoric and calm the rising tensions."