UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on his social media account X that the time has come to finish the conflict in the Gaza Strip and called on the parties to reach an agreement.
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The day before, US President Joe Biden said that Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement had agreed to the “framework” parameters of a truce in the Gaza Strip and were working on the details. The negotiation process through mediators on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages resumed a week ago. Prior to this, the negotiation situation had been at a standstill for more than a month.
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“Now is the time to end the terrible war in the Gaza Strip… It is time for the parties to show political courage and political will to finally reach an agreement,” Guterres wrote.
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The UN Secretary General added that this process needs to begin with an “immediate ceasefire” and “the unconditional release of all hostages.”
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On October 7, 2023, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.
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After this, fighters from the Palestinian Hamas movement entered the border areas, opened fire on military and civilians, and took more than 200 hostages. According to authorities, about 1.2 thousand people died.
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The Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords in the Gaza Strip, which included attacks on civilian targets. Israel announced a complete blockade of the enclave: supplies of water, electricity, fuel, food and medicine were stopped. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, the death toll in Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip since October 7 has exceeded 38 thousand, and more than 88 thousand people have been injured.
