• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
• Israeli military operations are likely to cause significant civilian displacement.
• Israel currently controls approximately 75% of Gaza amid ongoing conflict.
• Guterres criticizes Israel's new West Bank settlement plan as a violation of international law.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, warning of the humanitarian implications as Israel begins its military offensive in Gaza City. He emphasized that such a ceasefire is vital "to avoid the death and destruction that a military operation against Gaza City would inevitably cause," during remarks made in Japan, where he is participating in the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

As Israel pursues its plan to seize Gaza City, the conflict has already seen significant casualties and displacement. The Israeli military is mobilizing tens of thousands of reservists, and as Guterres noted, the operations are "likely to force many more Palestinians to move." Currently, Israel holds around 75% of the Gaza Strip, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, according to Africanews and Africanews.

Moreover, Guterres condemned Israel's decision to expand settlement construction in the West Bank, stating that such actions "must be reversed" as they violate international law and threaten the viability of a two-state solution. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has expressed that this construction will isolate communities and further complicate peace efforts, as highlighted by Reuters and Channel News Asia.