06:19United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that Lebanon could "become another Gaza" as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate.
"Gaza is a nonstop nightmare that threatens to take the entire region with it. Look no further than Lebanon," he said. "Lebanon is at the brink. The people of Lebanon, the people of Israel, and the people of the world, cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza." Furthermore, the secretary general condemned the 'abhorrent acts of terror' committed by Hamas but noted that "nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people."
"The speed and scale of the killing and destruction in Gaza are unlike anything in my years as secretary general," he added.
Guterres stated that 'we are in an era of epic transformation' amid challenges that the world is facing such as geopolitical divisions, climate changes and nuclear posturing, adding that "we are edging towards the unimaginable."
"The world of impunity, where violations and abuses threaten the very foundation of international law and UN charter," he continued. "A world of inequality where injustices and grievances threaten to undermine countries and even push them over the edge."
He also accused several governments of feeling entitled for a 'get out of jail free card,' stating: "They can thumb their nose in international humanitarian law. They can invade another country, lay waste to all societies or utterly disregard the welfare of their own people and nothing will happen."
Guterres' remarks come after Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed 558 people and wounded 1,835 others on Monday, according to Lebanese Minister of Health Firass Abiad. The Israeli army said it had launched 'intensive and precise' strikes against 'terrorist targets' across Lebanon, and called on civilians to evacuate from southern areas and Bakaa. Hezbollah also conducted strikes on Israeli military areas in northern Israel, with Israel media reporting more than 200 rockets fired.
Tensions escalated over the past week following the mass explosions of pagers and handheld radios used by Hezbollah, with subsequent Israeli strikes on the south of the country and rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel.
The Israeli army has been exchanging cross-border shelling with Hezbollah, and Lebanese and Palestinian factions, since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. Meanwhile, Guterres also highlighted the effects of climate change, saying the current worldwide disasters are not 'natural disasters but human disasters.'
"We are in a climate meltdown," he said. "Extreme temperatures, raging fires, droughts, and epic floods are not natural disasters, they are human disasters, increasingly fuelled by fossil fuels. No country is spared."
The High-Level Week of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, which began on September 23, features speeches from the Heads of State and Government from 193 member states, running until September 30. The assembly serves as a platform for addressing global issues through collective action.
'World cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza' - UN SecGen warns country on 'brink' amid growing Israel-Hezbollah conflict
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that Lebanon could "become another Gaza" as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate.
"Gaza is a nonstop nightmare that threatens to take the entire region with it. Look no further than Lebanon," he said. "Lebanon is at the brink. The people of Lebanon, the people of Israel, and the people of the world, cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza." Furthermore, the secretary general condemned the 'abhorrent acts of terror' committed by Hamas but noted that "nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people."
"The speed and scale of the killing and destruction in Gaza are unlike anything in my years as secretary general," he added.
Guterres stated that 'we are in an era of epic transformation' amid challenges that the world is facing such as geopolitical divisions, climate changes and nuclear posturing, adding that "we are edging towards the unimaginable."
"The world of impunity, where violations and abuses threaten the very foundation of international law and UN charter," he continued. "A world of inequality where injustices and grievances threaten to undermine countries and even push them over the edge."
He also accused several governments of feeling entitled for a 'get out of jail free card,' stating: "They can thumb their nose in international humanitarian law. They can invade another country, lay waste to all societies or utterly disregard the welfare of their own people and nothing will happen."
Guterres' remarks come after Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed 558 people and wounded 1,835 others on Monday, according to Lebanese Minister of Health Firass Abiad. The Israeli army said it had launched 'intensive and precise' strikes against 'terrorist targets' across Lebanon, and called on civilians to evacuate from southern areas and Bakaa. Hezbollah also conducted strikes on Israeli military areas in northern Israel, with Israel media reporting more than 200 rockets fired.
Tensions escalated over the past week following the mass explosions of pagers and handheld radios used by Hezbollah, with subsequent Israeli strikes on the south of the country and rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel.
The Israeli army has been exchanging cross-border shelling with Hezbollah, and Lebanese and Palestinian factions, since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. Meanwhile, Guterres also highlighted the effects of climate change, saying the current worldwide disasters are not 'natural disasters but human disasters.'
"We are in a climate meltdown," he said. "Extreme temperatures, raging fires, droughts, and epic floods are not natural disasters, they are human disasters, increasingly fuelled by fossil fuels. No country is spared."
The High-Level Week of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, which began on September 23, features speeches from the Heads of State and Government from 193 member states, running until September 30. The assembly serves as a platform for addressing global issues through collective action.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that Lebanon could "become another Gaza" as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate.
"Gaza is a nonstop nightmare that threatens to take the entire region with it. Look no further than Lebanon," he said. "Lebanon is at the brink. The people of Lebanon, the people of Israel, and the people of the world, cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza." Furthermore, the secretary general condemned the 'abhorrent acts of terror' committed by Hamas but noted that "nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people."
"The speed and scale of the killing and destruction in Gaza are unlike anything in my years as secretary general," he added.
Guterres stated that 'we are in an era of epic transformation' amid challenges that the world is facing such as geopolitical divisions, climate changes and nuclear posturing, adding that "we are edging towards the unimaginable."
"The world of impunity, where violations and abuses threaten the very foundation of international law and UN charter," he continued. "A world of inequality where injustices and grievances threaten to undermine countries and even push them over the edge."
He also accused several governments of feeling entitled for a 'get out of jail free card,' stating: "They can thumb their nose in international humanitarian law. They can invade another country, lay waste to all societies or utterly disregard the welfare of their own people and nothing will happen."
Guterres' remarks come after Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed 558 people and wounded 1,835 others on Monday, according to Lebanese Minister of Health Firass Abiad. The Israeli army said it had launched 'intensive and precise' strikes against 'terrorist targets' across Lebanon, and called on civilians to evacuate from southern areas and Bakaa. Hezbollah also conducted strikes on Israeli military areas in northern Israel, with Israel media reporting more than 200 rockets fired.
Tensions escalated over the past week following the mass explosions of pagers and handheld radios used by Hezbollah, with subsequent Israeli strikes on the south of the country and rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel.
The Israeli army has been exchanging cross-border shelling with Hezbollah, and Lebanese and Palestinian factions, since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. Meanwhile, Guterres also highlighted the effects of climate change, saying the current worldwide disasters are not 'natural disasters but human disasters.'
"We are in a climate meltdown," he said. "Extreme temperatures, raging fires, droughts, and epic floods are not natural disasters, they are human disasters, increasingly fuelled by fossil fuels. No country is spared."
The High-Level Week of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, which began on September 23, features speeches from the Heads of State and Government from 193 member states, running until September 30. The assembly serves as a platform for addressing global issues through collective action.