The American website "Axios" said that the UN Security Council is expected to meet tomorrow, Friday, to discuss the war in the Gaza Strip, after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged him, in a rare step, to use all his influence to prevent a "humanitarian catastrophe" in the Strip.

The website indicated on Thursday that, following Guterres' move, Russia and the UAE called for an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Friday.

The UAE mission to the Security Council presented a draft resolution aimed at a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, for “humanitarian reasons.” The mission stated, in a statement via “X”, that “the situation in the Gaza Strip is catastrophic and may reach an irreversible point, and we cannot wait any longer.” She continued: "The Council must act decisively to demand a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons."

It continued: "The draft resolution submitted by the UAE enjoys the support of the Arab Group and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which is a moral and humanitarian necessity."

The Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, on Wednesday, in press statements with the ambassadors of Arab countries, referred to the efforts of member states of the Security Council to draft a new resolution calling for a ceasefire, while emphasizing the need to monitor the implementation of this ceasefire by the United Nations agencies. .

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, sent an urgent appeal to the Security Council, calling for “help in avoiding a humanitarian catastrophe, and calling for the declaration of a humanitarian ceasefire.”

This announcement indicates the rare step taken by Guterres, for the first time since he assumed the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations in 2017, when Article 99 was activated to draw the attention of the Security Council to current challenges that may endanger international peace and security.

Following this step, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen attacked Guterres, considering that his mandate represents a “threat to world peace.”

Cohen said in a post on “X”, “Guterres’ mandate represents a threat to world peace. His demand to activate Article 99 (of the United Nations Charter) and the call for a ceasefire in Gaza constitute support for the terrorist organization Hamas.”

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan also attacked Guterres, describing his message as a "new moral decadence." Erdan accused the UN Secretary-General of using Article 99 “only to put pressure on Israel.”

This comes as Israel continues its war on the Gaza Strip for the sixty-second day, amid continuing violent bombardment and the threat of expanding the aggression, despite international warnings of the deteriorating humanitarian, health and environmental conditions.

Source: Alaraby Al-Jadeed