UN Secretary-General Condemns Gaza Destruction and Settlement Expansion

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a strong address at the UN General Assembly in New York, describing the scale of destruction and killing in Gaza as "unprecedented." He urged against allowing the "two-state solution to disappear" and called for an immediate ceasefire, the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid, and freedom of navigation in accordance with international law.

Guterres also sharply criticized Israel's policies in the West Bank, stating that "violence and settlement expansion are trampling the path to peace and the fear of ethnic cleansing." He was one of several world leaders speaking at the assembly, with a lineup that included the presidents of Brazil, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, and the emir of Qatar, as well as the prime ministers of the UK and France.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's address was expected to focus on Israel, particularly its actions in Gaza, and the need to recognize a Palestinian state. Meanwhile, the United States denied entry visas to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation for the second consecutive year, though Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, were granted permission to attend.

An American diplomat previously stated that the Trump administration required the PLO and PA to be held accountable for failing to uphold their commitments under the Oslo Accords and for harming peace prospects. The US State Department confirmed Iran's delegation could participate in the General Assembly's high-level debates as the host country.