United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres renewed his call for a permanent truce in the Gaza Strip and the release of all hostages held by Hamas.

In a statement issued today, Tuesday, ahead of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Guterres said that the Palestinians are suffering from “one of the darkest chapters in their history,” reiterating his condemnation of “Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.”

However, he stressed that this “cannot justify collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” calling for “a long-term humanitarian ceasefire, unrestricted access to life-saving aid, the release of all hostages, the protection of civilians, and an end to violations of international humanitarian law.”