<div><b>United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday called for a humanitarian cease-fire in the Gaza Strip amid Israeli bombardment of the Palestinian territory.</b></div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at the Doha Forum held in Qatar, Guterres criticized the UN Security Council’s “resounding silence” over the Gaza conflict.</div><div><br></div><div>“The horrific attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7, followed by the relentless Israeli bombardment of Gaza were met by a resounding silence from the Council. After more than one month, the Council finally passed the resolution, which I welcome,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>“The delay comes at a cost, the Council's authority and credibility were severely undermined and the resolution is not being implemented,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Guterres underlined that “there is no effective protection of civilians in Gaza.”</div><div><br></div><div>“The number of civilian casualties in Gaza in such a short period is totally unprecedented,” he said, noting that “the health care system is collapsing.”</div><div><br></div><div>The UN chief expected “public order to completely break down soon and then even a worse situation could unfold, including epidemic diseases and increased pressure for mass displacement into Egypt.”</div><div><br></div><div>Guterres called on the UN Security Council “to press to avert the humanitarian catastrophe.”</div><div><br></div><div>He also reiterated his “appeal for a humanitarian cease-fire to be declared.”</div><div><br></div><div>“Regrettably, the Security Council failed to do it but that does not make it less necessary, so I can promise I will not give up,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>The US vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution on Friday that demanded an immediate cease-fire to halt the ongoing bloodshed in the Gaza Strip as the death toll continues to mount.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel resumed its military offensive on the Gaza Strip on Dec. 1 after the end of a week-long humanitarian pause with Hamas.</div><div><br></div><div>At least 17,700 Palestinians have been killed and more than 48,780 others injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7 following the cross-border attack by Hamas.</div><div><br></div><div>The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures. - Anadolu Agency</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>