At Rafah, UN’s Guterres calls for immediate ceasefire
Mr. Guterres arrived in Cairo on Saturday, in a tradition that started when he served as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to shine a light on Muslim communities in distress, where he reiterated his urgent calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and the cessation of violence, notably in Gaza and Sudan. His visit underscores the UN’s commitment to addressing pressing humanitarian concerns in conflict zones.
During his time in Egypt, the Secretary-General will journey to northern Sinai, a region deeply impacted by conflict. There, he met with UN humanitarian workers in Rafah on the Egyptian side to discuss strategies to alleviate the suffering of those caught in the midst of conflict.
Early Saturday, the UN chief met with Palestinian civilians from Gaza and their families at the General Hospital in El Arish, Egypt, speaking with women and children who had been injured during the ongoing conflict.
He met with a 10-year-old boy who had lost his left hand and one of his legs. His brother had been killed and another sibling injured.
“Listening to the testimony of those that have been wounded, that have seen their parents and other members of their family killed or wounded, that have suffered so much, you cannot avoid feeling heartbroken…and to clearly say ‘we must silence the guns’; we need an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” he said.