HAMILTON, Canada

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday stressed the importance of refraining from "any form of ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians amid a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Speaking at a meeting organized by a UN committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Guterres said: "At its essence, the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people is about the right of Palestinians to simply live as human beings in their own land."

"We have seen the realization of those rights steadily slip farther out of reach. We have seen a chilling, systematic dehumanization and demonization of an entire people (in Gaza)," he said.

Recalling the "catalog of destruction and unspeakable horrors" from the Gaza genocide, Guterres noted the "nearly 50,000 people - 70% of them women and children," who were killed by Israeli attacks.

"The majority of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and water facilities, that has been destroyed. The overwhelming majority of the entire population have faced displacement after displacement, hunger and disease," he said.

Noting that children do not have access to education, he stressed that "a generation, left homeless and traumatized."

While Guterres hailed the ceasefire and hostage deal, he stated that it "is the time to be crystal clear about objectives going forward."

He first emphasized the need to "keep pushing for a permanent ceasefire and the release of all hostages without delay," and said: "We cannot go back to more death and destruction."

"Second, in the search for solutions, we must not make the problem worse. It is vital to stay true to the bedrock of international law. It is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing," he said.

Guterres further stressed the need for a two-state solution as his final point, which he argued that "any durable peace will require tangible, irreversible and permanent progress toward the two-state solution, an end to the occupation, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with Gaza as an integral part."

The UN chief also expressed "grave concern" over the recent escalation of violence by illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

"The violence must stop. As affirmed by the International Court of Justice, Israel's occupation of the Palestinian Territory must end. International law must be respected, and accountability ensured," he said.

Urging to "work toward preserving the unity, contiguity, and integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza," Guterres said that "a strong and unified Palestinian governance is crucial."

"The international community must support the Palestinian Authority to this end," he said.