UN chief urges Israel to halt escalation, crossings be re-opened

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called for crossings into Gaza to be reopened immediately to allow essential aid in, and urged Israel to "stop any escalation" after it sent tanks into Rafah.

"Things are moving in the wrong direction. I am disturbed and distressed by the renewed military activity in Rafah by the Israel Defence Forces," he said.

"The closure of both the Rafah and Karem Shalom crossings is especially damaging to an already dire humanitarian situation. They must be re-opened immediately."

The Israeli military's thrust into the eastern sector of Rafah packed with displaced civilians came a day after Israel warned Palestinians in the area to evacuate ahead of a long-threatened ground operation.

"I urge the Government of Israel to stop any escalation, and engage constructively in the ongoing diplomatic talks," Guterres said.

"After more than 1,100 Israelis killed in the Hamas attacks of Oct.7 ... after more than 34,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, haven't we seen enough?" he said.

"Haven't civilians suffered enough death and destruction? Make no mistake -- a full-scale assault on Rafah will be a human catastrophe."

Agence France-Press