UN chief: 'Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people'

UN Chief, Antonio Guterres has condemned the "relentless death and destruction" inflicted on Palestinians by the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza.

In a speech marking 6 months of war, he described the "catastrophic hunger" inflicted on Gazans by Israeli blocks on aid as "incomprehensible, and entirely avoidable."

“Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people," he said.

Guterres added that he is "deeply troubled" by reports that the Israeli military uses artificial intelligence to target alleged Hamas fighters at home with their families, incurring a large number of civilian casualties.

“No part of life and death decisions which impact entire families should be delegated to the cold calculation of algorithms,” he said.

Guterres concluded by calling for "an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of
all captive, the protection of civilians, and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid," adding that it would be "unforgiveable" to fail to meet these demands.

“Six months on, we are at the brink: of mass starvation; of regional conflagration; of a total loss of faith in global standards and norms," he said.