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.
