Antonio Guterres asserted that the people of Palestine have legitimate grievances but the collective punishment of Palestinians can never be justified. 

Cairo, Egypt: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the the “reprehensible assault” by Hamas militants on Israel can never justify the “collective punishment” meted out to the Palestinian people by the Israeli forces.

Speaking at the Cairo Peace Summit in Egypt, which convened by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to de-escalate hostilities between Israel and Gaza-based Hamas militants, Guterres asserted that the people of Palestine have legitimate grievances but the collective punishment of Palestinians can never be justified.

“The grievances of the Palestinian people are legitimate and long, but nothing can justify the reprehensible assault by Hamas that terrorized Israeli civilians. At the same time, these abhorrent attacks can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” Guterres said, according to UN News.

The UN chief said that hundreds of trucks “teeming with food and other essential supplies” were on the Egyptian side while across the border, two million people were going without water, food, fuel, electricity and medicine.

“Those trucks need to move as quickly as possible in a massive, sustained and safe way from Egypt into Gaza,” he said, adding that the UN is working nonstop with all parties towards a continuous delivery of aid at the scale that is needed, UN News reported.

The UN Chief further stressed that the near-term goals must be clear, repeating his call for immediate, “unrestricted and sustained humanitarian aid to Gaza, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages by Hamas, and a humanitarian ceasefire now.

Guterres stressed the need to uphold international humanitarian law, which includes protecting civilians and not attacking hospitals, schools and UN premises that are currently sheltering half a million people, UN News reported.

He also emphasized the need not to lose sight of “the only realistic foundation for a true peace and stability”, namely a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians.

“The time has come for action…action to end this godawful nightmare. Action to build a future worthy of the dreams of the children of Palestine, Israel, the region and our world,” UN News quoted him as saying.

The UN chief arrived at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza in northern Sinai in Egypt on Friday to oversee the UN efforts to pass humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Earlier in the day, over 3,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid started entering Gaza, as the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza opened on Saturday for the first time since the horrific attack on Israel by Hamas, Times of Israel reported.

More than 200 trucks carrying roughly 3,000 tons of aid, which had been positioned near the crossing for days, began heading into Gaza. The Egyptian state television also showed several trucks entering the gate, Times of Israel reported.

(With ANI inputs)