THE UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said today that there was no effective protection for civilians in Gaza and that no place in Gaza was safe, hours before the United Nations Security Council voted on a request to implement a humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Her atrocities Hamas do not justify “in any case the collective punishment” of PalestiniansGuterres also ruled today.

I “unequivocally condemn” her Hamas attacks October 7thbut “the atrocities committed by Hamas can in no way justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” said Antonio Guterres, who for the first time invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter on Wednesday in order to achieve the emergency convening the Council on a matter which “could endanger the maintenance of international peace and security”.

“If Hamas’ indiscriminate firing of rockets at Israel and the use of civilians as human shields constitute violations of the law of war, such behavior does not absolve Israel of its own violations,” he stressed, once again describing a humanitarian situation. at a critical point’ and the risk of a ‘complete breakdown of public order’ in the Gaza Strip.

“The world and History are looking at us. It is time to act,” he added before the Council members, asking them to “push for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.”

The Security Council vote was postponed until later

Following the invocation of Article 99 by Antonio Guterres, the United Arab Emirates prepared a draft resolution, which was to be put to a vote this morning local time.

But at the request of the UAE, the vote was postponed for several hours and rescheduled for this afternoon local time, after a scheduled meeting between Arab ministers and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

A resolution needs at least 9 votes in favor and no vetoes from the five permanent members, the US, Russia, China, France and Britain, to pass. The US says it does not support any further action by the Council at this time.

Both Washington and Israel oppose a ceasefire because they believe it would only benefit Hamas. Instead, Washington supports ceasefires to protect civilians and to allow the release of hostages held by Hamas after the deadly October 7 attack.

“While the United States strongly supports a lasting peace in which both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security, we do not support calls for an immediate cease-fire,” the deputy ambassador of the United States told the Council. USA at the United Nations Robert Wood.

“This would only plant the seeds for the next war, because Hamas has no desire to see a permanent peace,” he stressed.

The vote is now scheduled for 17:30 local time (00:30 Greek time), immediately after Blinken is expected to meet in Washington with ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian Authority and Turkey .