The United Nations has sounded the alarm over Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, warning that recent improvements in food access remain highly unstable. Speaking at UN headquarters in New York, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that while famine has been temporarily averted, the risk of a renewed catastrophe remains acute amid ongoing hostilities and access restrictions.

“Gains Are Fragile, Perilously So”

Guterres said more than 75% of Gaza’s population — approximately 1.6 million people — are projected to face extreme levels of acute food insecurity and critical malnutrition risks.

While reduced hostilities and increased humanitarian access have helped prevent famine for now, Guterres cautioned that the situation could rapidly deteriorate. He noted that in more than half of Gaza, areas remain inaccessible due to the continued presence of Israeli troops, leaving farmland and entire neighborhoods out of reach.

Ongoing strikes and military operations, he added, continue to drive up civilian casualties and expose humanitarian workers to serious danger.

Call for a Durable Ceasefire

Reiterating the UN’s demands, Guterres called for a sustained ceasefire and an expansion of humanitarian access into Gaza.

He emphasized the need for more border crossings, the lifting of restrictions on critical supplies, reduced bureaucratic obstacles, secure internal routes, reliable funding, and full access for humanitarian organizations, including NGOs.

Ceasefire Phase Two Must Move Forward

Addressing Israel’s refusal to proceed to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan, Guterres said there should be no justification for delaying progress.

“It is essential to move to phase two, and there should be no pretext to avoid it,” he said, stressing that the full implementation of phase one — particularly the ceasefire itself — remains crucial to stabilizing conditions on the ground.

West Bank Situation ‘Rapidly Deteriorating’

Guterres also warned that international attention must not drift away from the occupied West Bank, where conditions are worsening rapidly.

He cited escalating Israeli settler violence, land seizures, demolitions, and tighter movement restrictions, noting that tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced following Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank.

ICJ Rulings and UNRWA Support

The UN chief stressed that provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice regarding the occupied Palestinian territory are legally binding and must be implemented.

He reaffirmed strong support for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), describing it as indispensable for delivering aid and essential services to Palestinians.

‘A Horizon of Hope’

Guterres concluded by saying the crisis in Palestine is the result of political decisions, urging an end to prolonged suffering and the cycle of violence.

“Palestinians need a horizon of hope,” he said. “The ceasefire must be fully implemented, and the endless cycle of violence must be broken.”