UN Secretary General António Guterres has called for a "silence of weapons" in Gaza to mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims, AFP reported.
Guterres said that Ramadan is a celebration of "peace, reconciliation and solidarity. And yet, even though Ramadan has begun - the killings, bombings and bloodshed in Gaza continue."
He called for the release of the hostages and the removal of all obstacles to "ensure that life-saving aid is delivered with the necessary speed and on the necessary scale".
The UN says the lack of humanitarian aid means a growing risk of starvation in Gaza, where 2.4 million people are under almost total siege by the Israeli army, which is battling Hamas militants.
US President Joe Biden called for a temporary ceasefire ahead of Ramadan, but his call went unanswered.
"The eyes of history are watching. We cannot look away. We must act to avoid more preventable deaths," the UN chief said.
"Month after month we witness the killing and destruction of civilians on a level unprecedented in all my years as Secretary-General. Aid is "coming in pieces - if at all. International humanitarian law is in ruins," he added./BGNES