Guterres says nothing justifies 7 October atrocities and urges move to next phase of Gaza ceasefire

5 October 2026

On 5 October 2026, three years after the attack, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said "nothing can justify these atrocities". He recalled that more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed and 251 people were abducted into Gaza as hostages. He also noted UN agencies' figures that Israeli attacks have killed more than 70,000 people in Gaza, including 20,000 children. Guterres urged all parties to implement their commitments and move to the next phase of the October 2025 ceasefire under Security Council resolution 2803. He said the ceasefire should become permanent and aid should flow at scale.