UN chief welcomes Security Council's adoption of US-drafted Gaza resolution

HAMILTON, Canada

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the Security Council's adoption Monday of a US-drafted resolution authorizing a Board of Peace and an International Stabilization Force (ISF) in the Gaza Strip.

"The adoption of the resolution on Gaza by the Security Council is an important step in the consolidation of the ceasefire, which the Secretary-General encourages all parties to abide by," said his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, in a statement.

Urging diplomatic efforts to match concrete action, Guterres said: "It is essential now to translate the diplomatic momentum into concrete and urgently needed steps on the ground."

"The United Nations is committed to implementing the roles entrusted to it in the resolution, scaling up humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza and supporting all efforts to move the parties toward the next phase of the ceasefire," he said.

Guterres also hailed "the continued diplomatic efforts of Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, the United States and regional states" as he noted "the importance of moving towards the second phase of the US plan, leading to a political process for the achievement of the two-State solution, in line with previous United Nations resolutions."