Antonio Guterres

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Sunday said he regrets the Security Council's failure to demand a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, condemning the divisions that have "paralysed" the world body.

Mediation efforts are continuing to secure a new Gaza ceasefire and free more hostages held by Hamas despite ongoing Israeli bombardment that is "narrowing the window" for a successful outcome, Qatar's prime minister said Sunday.

The fierce offensive of Israeli forces against Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip continues. Meanwhile, Washington vetoed the UN Security Council's request for an immediate ceasefire.

The U.N. Security Council meets on Gaza Friday under acute pressure from Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and will vote on urging an immediate ceasefire after weeks of ruinous war.

Even though the civilian death toll in the Palestinian territory is mounting and living conditions are described as catastrophic amid Israel's bombardment, the outcome of the session is up in the air.

Israeli troops are fighting the radical Palestinian movement "Hamas" in the heart of the largest city in the southern part of Gaza - Khan Younis. At the same time, thousands of displaced civilians sought shelter near Egypt and in the enclave's desolate coastal area. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of the danger of an "imminent total breakdown of law and order" in Gaza.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres used a rarely exercised power to warn the Security Council on Wednesday of an impending "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza and urged its members to demand an immediate humanitarian cease-fire.

Israel carried out deadly bombardments in Gaza for a second day on Saturday after a week-long truce with Hamas collapsed despite international calls for an extension.

Clouds of grey smoke from the strikes hung over Gaza, where the Hamas-run health ministry said nearly 200 people had been killed since the pause in hostilities expired early Friday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has used the global platform of the COP28 summit in the United Arab Emirates to urge for peace in between Israel and Palestine, expressing Türkiye's readiness to this end.

DUBAI - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who is attending the COP28 climate change summit in Dubai, said on Friday the event was being held against the backdrop of global conflicts and turmoil while the challenges of conserving the planet, the only home to all humans, were growing steadily.

World leaders take centre stage at UN climate talks in Dubai on Friday, under pressure to step up efforts to limit global warming as the Israel-Hamas conflict casts a shadow over the summit.

The COP28 conference kicked off on Thursday with an early victory as nations agreed to launch a "loss and damage" fund for vulnerable countries devastated by natural disasters.