United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has utilized Article 99 of the UN Charter to draw the attention of the Security Council to the worsening conditions in the besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza. According to Article 99, the Secretary-General can bring any matter to the Security Council that, in his opinion, may threaten international peace and security. This grants Guterres the right to address the Security Council without needing an invitation from a member state. In a letter to the Security Council, Guterres expressed concern about the lack of action and the significant deterioration in Gaza, leading him to invoke Article 99 for the first time since taking office in 2017. He warned of a potential breakdown of public order in Gaza, emphasizing the catastrophic situation with irreversible implications for Palestinians and regional peace and security.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen criticized Guterres, labeling his tenure as “a danger to world peace” after invoking this rare UN procedure over the Gaza war. Cohen accused Guterres of supporting the Hamas terrorist organization by activating Article 99 and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Meanwhile, Hamas resistance fighters engaged Israeli forces in southern Gaza’s main city of Khan Yunis as Israel continued its invasion. Israeli troops advanced into Khan Yunis, displacing civilians, while Hamas reported fierce battles and the destruction of military vehicles. The Israeli army claimed to have penetrated defensive lines, conducted targeted raids, and found and destroyed tunnel shafts in the city. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned the imminent approach to the home of Hamas’s chief in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, who is considered a top military target.
The conflict has led to a dire humanitarian situation, with civilians fleeing bombardments and facing displacement. The Palestinian government reported a death toll of more than 16,000, mostly women and children, and warned of the war’s spread into the southern Gaza Strip. Humanitarian organizations expressed concerns about displaced civilians having nowhere to go. The situation is exacerbated by Israeli bombardments following civilians to new locations, as seen in Rafah on the border with Egypt. The war has triggered global concern over mass civilian casualties, shortages of essential supplies due to the Israeli siege, and fears of a wider regional conflict. The international community, including the UN, is closely monitoring the situation.
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