New York [US], September 19: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an end to the escalation in violence in the Middle East amid reports of a fresh wave of electronic device detonations in Lebanon, which caused further deaths and injuries, UN News reported today.
Guterres was deeply alarmed by reports that a large number of communication devices exploded in Lebanon and Syria over the past two days, his Spokesperson said in a statement.
"The Secretary-General urges all concerned actors to exercise maximum restraint to avert any further escalation," the statement said.
He also called for the parties to recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) and immediately return to a cessation of hostilities to restore stability.
The statement concluded by saying the UN "supports all diplomatic and political efforts to end the violence that threatens to engulf the region".
Regarding the situation in Gaza, the United Nations Secretary-General described the level of death and destruction in the region as the worst he has witnessed during his tenure, calling it a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and completely unacceptable.
Guterres expressed his concern over the large number of UN staff killed in Gaza, particularly those working with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), describing it as intolerable and calling for effective accountability in this regard.
Source: Emirates News Agency