Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 08:47pm on 06 Dec 2023,Wednesday International
In an exceptional step, UN Secretary-General Guterres invoked Article 99 to compel the Security Council to address Gaza ceasefire demands. The UN chief wrote on X: "I've just invoked Art.99 of the UN Charter - for the 1st time in my tenure as Secretary-General. Facing a severe risk of collapse of the humanitarian system in Gaza, I urge the Council to help avert a humanitarian catastrophe & appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire to be declared." UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric revealed Guterres activated the rarely used UN Charter provision given the "scale of loss of human life" enabling him to flag "any matter threatening international peace." Describing it a “dramatic constitutional move”, Dujarric expressed hopes to spur ceasefire pressure internationally, calling it "arguably the most important invocation" and the chief's "most powerful tool”. Meanwhile, Hamas leaders asserted “no negotiations” without Israeli offensive halting even as 16,248 Palestinians and around 1,200 Israelis have died in the war since October 7.
