Josep Burrell calls the European members of the Security Council to support Guterres' request for a ceasefire in Gaza
Josep Borrell, the head of foreign policy for the European Union, has urged European members of the United Nations Security Council to endorse UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
In a post on the social network X early Thursday morning, Borrell stated, "I asked members of the UN Security Council and other like-minded partners to support the request of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s call." Borrell emphasized the urgent need for the UN Security Council to take immediate action to prevent a complete collapse of the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Antonio Guterres activated Article 99 of the UN Universal Charter on Wednesday in an unprecedented move.
This article empowers the UN Secretary-General to convene an urgent meeting of Security Council members when there is a threat to "global security and peace."
It marked the first time Guterres utilized this provision to call for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Middle East.
Guterres also appealed to Israel to permit all UN agencies to assist Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The move comes amid escalating tensions and violence in the region, with international calls for a cessation of hostilities.
In response to Guterres's decision to activate Article 99, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations demanded his resignation.
