Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, has warned that the escalating conflict in the Middle East could spiral beyond anyone’s control, urging an immediate halt to the fighting.
“The risk has never been greater,” Guterres wrote in a post on X, calling for urgent diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
“All unlawful attacks in the Middle East and beyond are causing enormous suffering and damage for civilians across the region — and pose a serious risk to the global economy, especially for the most vulnerable people,” he said.
According to Guterres, the situation could rapidly deteriorate if hostilities continue.
“This situation could spin out of anyone’s control. It is time to stop the fighting and begin serious diplomatic negotiations. The risk has never been greater,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Tom Fletcher, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, also criticized the enormous resources being spent on warfare.
He pointed to the “staggering sums of money” being used for military operations while governments continue cutting humanitarian aid budgets for people most in need.
“We are witnessing an increasingly deadly alliance between technology and killing without accountability,” Fletcher said.
