UN chief rings alarm bell on global security threat from Gaza war

UNITED NATIONS – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made a rare move on Dec 6 to formally warn the Security Council of a global threat from the Gaza war, as Arab states seek to use this alert to push the council to call for a ceasefire within days.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) gave the council a brief draft resolution, seen by Reuters, that would act on the letter from Mr Guterres by demanding an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Diplomats said the UAE aims to put the text to a vote on Dec 8, when the council is due to be briefed by Mr Guterres on Gaza. To be adopted, a resolution needs at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the five permanent members – the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain.

Deputy US Ambassador to the UN, Mr Robert Wood, said Washington does not support any further action by the Security Council at this time. “However, we remain focused on the difficult and sensitive diplomacy geared to getting more hostages released, more aid flowing into Gaza, and better protection of civilians.”

The US and ally Israel oppose a ceasefire because they believe it would only benefit Hamas. Washington, instead, supports pauses to protect civilians and allow for the release of hostages taken by Hamas in a

deadly Oct 7 attack on Israel

.

“The UAE draft resolution has the support of the Arab and OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) group. This is a moral and humanitarian imperative and we urge all countries to support the call of the Secretary-General,” the UAE mission to the UN posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour said Arab ministers would discuss the draft Security Council resolution with US officials during a visit to Washington this week. “On top of the agenda is this war has to stop,” he told reporters as Arab UN ambassadors stood with him. “A ceasefire has to take place and it has to take place immediately.”

‘New moral low’

The US abstained in November to allow the Security Council to adopt a resolution calling for pauses in fighting. A seven-day pause, which saw Hamas release some hostages and an increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, expired on Dec 1.

Mr Guterres told the council in his letter that the Gaza war “may aggravate existing threats to international peace and security”.

He invoked Article 99 of the founding UN Charter that allows him to “bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security”.

The article has not been used for decades, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

“We are facing a severe risk of collapse of the humanitarian system,” Mr Guterres wrote.

The implications for Palestinians could be irreversible and for regional security, he said, again calling for a humanitarian ceasefire to be declared.

Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan accused Mr Guterres of reaching a “new moral low” by sending the letter to the Security Council, adding that his “call for a ceasefire is actually a call to keep Hamas’ reign of terror in Gaza”.

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the conflict presented threats to regional and global security.

“We made quite clear that one of the things that we are trying to do is prevent this conflict from spreading,” he told reporters.

Israel says 1,200 people were killed and 240 others taken hostage during the Oct 7 attack by Hamas. It said it has focused its retaliation against Hamas in Gaza, bombarding it from the air, imposing a siege and launching a ground assault.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says that, so far, 16,015 people have been killed in the enclave of 2.3 million.

Mr Guterres told the Security Council in his letter that there was no effective protection of civilians and that “nowhere is safe in Gaza”.

Israel battled Hamas militants in Gaza’s biggest cities on Dec 7, leaving Palestinians struggling to survive a situation the UN described as “apocalyptic”.

Gazans crammed into Rafah city on the border with Egypt after receiving Israeli leaflets and messages saying they would be safe in the city. But an Israeli strike on a house there killed 15 on Dec 6, according to the city’s health officials.

The UN humanitarian office said on Dec 6 that most of the homeless in Rafah had been sleeping on exposed grounds and open spaces because there were not enough tents.

While some aid had entered Gaza from Egypt through the Rafah crossing, the surge in hostilities since a week-long truce collapsed on Dec 1 was hindering its distribution, the UN report said.

Israel said on Dec 7 its forces killed a number of gunmen in southern Gaza’s largest city, Khan Younis, including two militants who emerged firing from a tunnel. Israeli soldiers also raided a Hamas compound in Jabalia city, killing several gunmen and locating a network of tunnels, a training area and a weapons cache.

In Khan Younis, they encircled the house of Hamas leader Yahya Al-Sinwar. “His home may not be his castle, and he can escape, but it’s only a matter of time before we get him,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement on Dec 6.

Displaced civilians, meanwhile, were also fleeing to the desolate area of Al Mawasi on Gaza’s southern Mediterranean coast, which Israel has said is safe.

The former Bedouin village lacks shelter, food and other necessities, according to refugee organisations.

“There are no bathrooms. We cannot even wash if we want to pray,” displaced Palestinian Enas Mosleh told Al Jazeera television. “It is a completely remote area.” REUTERS