HAMILTON, May 6 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday conveyed his concern over reports of a planned expansion of Israel's occupation in Gaza, warning of more civilian deaths and destruction, Anadolu Ajansi reported.
"I can tell you that the Secretary-General is alarmed by these reports of Israeli plans to expand ground operations and prolong its military presence in Gaza," his spokesperson Farhan Haq told a news conference.
Stressing that Israel's reported plans "will inevitably lead to countless more civilians killed and the further destruction of Gaza," he added: "What’s imperative now is an end to the violence, not more civilian deaths and destruction."
"Gaza is, and must remain, an integral part of a future Palestinian state," he said, reiterating Guterres' call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, as well as the release of all hostages.
Earlier in the day, Israel's Security Cabinet unanimously approved a plan to expand its ongoing military onslaught on the Gaza Strip and occupy territories inside the enclave.
More than 52,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023.
-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU
