Guterres Calls on Israel to Open Rafah and Kerem Shalom Crossings

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Israel today, Tuesday, to immediately reopen the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, urging Benjamin Netanyahu's government to "halt the escalation." Guterres stated, "I am troubled and dismayed by the resurgence of military activity in Rafah." He added that "the simultaneous closure of the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings is particularly detrimental to the already desperate humanitarian situation. They must be reopened immediately," warning that a "wide-scale attack" on the densely populated Rafah would be a "humanitarian catastrophe." Guterres urged both Israel and "Hamas" to make every effort to reach a ceasefire agreement, warning Israel that any attack on Rafah would be a "strategic error, a political catastrophe, and a humanitarian nightmare." He called on Israel to stop any escalation and positively engage in ongoing diplomatic discussions.