UN chief calls for permanent Gaza ceasefire ahead of 7 October anniversary
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza ahead of the third anniversary of the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. In a statement, he said it was time for the ceasefire to become permanent, for humanitarian assistance to be allowed at scale, and for international law to be respected. He also urged a political path to lasting peace across the region.
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Mr Guterres said the anniversary should be marked not only by mourning, but by renewed determination to build a different future. He said Israelis and Palestinians should be able to live side by side in peace and security, with their rights, dignity and aspirations fulfilled. He described the Hamas attack as abhorrent, saying it killed more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and led to the hostage-taking of another 251 people.
The UN chief also referred to the impact of the war on Palestinians in Gaza, saying they had faced massive loss of life, displacement and destruction. He did not give a death toll for Palestinians in his statement, but said their suffering also demanded an end. The Palestinian Health Ministry, which is under Hamas authority, says more than 74,200 people have been killed in Israel's military campaign in Gaza, and the UN has deemed those figures reliable.
The statement comes as the conflict enters another symbolic moment, with the anniversary of the 7 October attacks drawing renewed attention to the war's human and political costs. It also underlines the continuing gap between calls for a ceasefire and the conditions set by the parties on the ground. Israel says it will not withdraw its soldiers until Hamas disarmament has been verified, while Hamas has argued for gradual disarmament rather than immediate surrender of its weapons.
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Mr Guterres said a brief ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump in October 2025 had brought some relief, but had not yet delivered security, adequate humanitarian assistance or a credible path to recovery and peace. That assessment reflects the wider diplomatic challenge facing efforts to end the war and shape a post-conflict settlement. The conflict has also spread beyond Gaza, with Israel fighting on several fronts since the 2023 attacks, including in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah and in a war against Iran alongside the United States.
What remains unclear is whether the latest appeal will lead to any change in the positions of Israel or Hamas, or to a renewed diplomatic push. The immediate focus is on whether humanitarian access can be expanded and whether any ceasefire framework can move beyond temporary pauses. For now, the statement adds pressure on all sides as the anniversary approaches and the war continues without a confirmed political endgame.
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