HAMILTON, Canada

The UN chief on Monday warned that the Gaza Strip is being starved before the eyes of the world, calling the situation part of a broader "systemic reality" that is dismantling the foundation for peace in the Middle East.

"The truth is: we are at a breaking point. The two-state solution is farther than ever before," Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a high-level conference at UN headquarters in New York.

"Nothing can justify the obliteration of Gaza that has unfolded before the eyes of the world. The starvation of the population," he stressed.

Guterres added that the "creeping annexation of the occupied West Bank is illegal. It must stop. The wholesale destruction of Gaza is intolerable. It must stop."

"These are not isolated events. They are part of a systemic reality that is dismantling the building blocks of peace in the Middle East," he said.

In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.​​​​​​​

'Sine qua non for peace in the Middle East'

He urged the international community to act decisively to end the occupation and support peace efforts.

"Today's conference is a rare and indispensable opportunity. We must ensure that it does not become another exercise in well-meaning rhetoric," he said.

Guterres stressed that the high-level conference "must serve as a decisive turning point" for "ending the occupation, and realizing our shared aspiration for a viable two-state solution."

"The two-state solution remains the only framework rooted in international law, endorsed by this assembly, and supported by the international community," he said.

He stated that "two independent, contiguous, democratic and sovereign states recognized by all and fully integrated into the international community" is the "only credible path to a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians."

"And it is the sine qua non for peace across the wider Middle East," he added, acknowledging that such a path would require all actors to "make difficult decisions."

"Bold and principled leadership will be required from all sides," Guterres said, pledging UN support for such efforts.

A three-day international conference on finding a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian issue and implementing a two-state solution began at UN headquarters in New York on Monday.

The conference is co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, and has established eight working groups, each focusing on a different theme.

The conference focuses on concrete, time-bound steps that can be taken to implement a two-state solution in light of current developments.