United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in an interview on Wednesday that Israel’s conduct of its military operations in the Gaza Strip demonstrated what he described as something fundamentally wrong. His remarks focused on the scale of civilian casualties, the destruction across Gaza, and the broader failures of the campaign to achieve its stated goals.
Speaking in New York, Guterres said there were strong reasons to believe that war crimes may have been committed during the conflict. He added that the approach taken by the Israeli military showed a level of disregard for civilian life that raises serious concerns under international law.
Guterres said the declared goal of the operation was the elimination of Hamas, but after two years of fighting, the situation on the ground tells a different story. He noted that while much of Gaza lies in ruins, Hamas as an armed movement has not been fully dismantled. According to him, this contrast reveals deep flaws in the way the war has been conducted. He said that the devastation experienced by residents of Gaza far outweighs any strategic gains claimed by Israeli forces.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel that killed about one thousand two hundred people and resulted in more than two hundred hostages being taken. Israel responded with an extensive military campaign in Gaza that has continued for over two years. Gaza’s health authorities report that more than seventy thousand people have been killed since the start of the conflict, most of them civilians. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble, tens of thousands of families have been displaced, and basic services have collapsed under the strain of prolonged fighting.
Guterres said the high number of civilian deaths and the widespread destruction show a pattern that demands investigation and accountability. He said the international community must ensure that humanitarian principles are upheld, even during military operations. According to him, the scale of the crisis in Gaza highlights the urgent need for a ceasefire and renewed efforts toward a political solution.
The Secretary General also emphasized that lasting peace cannot be achieved through force alone. He said a viable path forward requires addressing the underlying issues that fuel the conflict, including security concerns for Israel and the political and humanitarian rights of Palestinians. Guterres urged global leaders to work toward a solution that prioritizes human life and leads to a sustainable peace.
His comments add to the growing international pressure on both sides to halt the fighting and engage in meaningful diplomacy. As the humanitarian toll continues to rise, he said the world cannot ignore the suffering of civilians caught in the conflict.
