The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, affirmed today, Saturday, during the Cairo Peace Summit, that “it is time to end this horrific nightmare,” in reference to the war waged by Israel on the Gaza Strip, which has entered its third week, while the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees announced (UNRWA) 17 of its employees were killed in Gaza.

An international summit began in Egypt - today, Saturday - called by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to discuss the future of the Palestinian issue and the peace process, and stopping the escalation in the Gaza Strip, and it is attended by a number of Arab and foreign leaders and heads of governments.

Guterres said in his speech, "The two-state solution is the only realistic basis for peace and stability... It is time to work to end this horrific nightmare, and to work to build a future worthy of the dreams of the children of Palestine and Israel."

The war broke out between the two sides after an unprecedented attack, on October 7, launched by the Al-Qassam Brigades - the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) - on Israeli settlements and military sites in the Gaza Strip.

The ongoing Israeli aggression against Gaza for two weeks has left 4,385 martyrs in the Strip as a result of Israeli air and artillery bombardment since the start of the war, most of them civilians, according to the latest tally of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, while on the Israeli side, more than 1,400 people were killed on the first day of the attack, according to Israeli authorities.

Numerous UNRWA employees killed

In the same context, at least 17 UNRWA employees have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the war, according to what its Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, said on Saturday.

Lazzarini said - in a statement - that "17 of our colleagues have been confirmed killed so far in this fierce war. Unfortunately, the actual number will likely be higher." The official explained that some of them were "killed in their homes, while sleeping among their families."

He added, "I confirm that since the outbreak of war, UNRWA has regularly provided all concerned parties with the geographical location of all its facilities in the Gaza Strip. However, at least 35 buildings have been damaged so far, some in direct strikes."

He pointed out that the ongoing air strikes and bombings, along with evacuation orders issued by Israeli forces, led to "the displacement of one million people and caused the death of a very large number of civilians," calling for "an urgent humanitarian ceasefire."

The UN official indicated that his agency's facilities "have become overcrowded", with 500,000 people taking refuge there.