United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the protection of civilians “must be paramount” in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas, warning that the Gaza Strip was becoming „a graveyard for children”, writes Reuters.

“We must act now to find a way out of this brutal, awful, agonizing dead end of destruction”, - Guterres told reporters, and again called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

Israel has vowed to wipe out Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, after the militants killed 1,400 people and took more than 240 hostages in an Oct. 7 attack. Israel has struck Gaza from the air, imposed a siege and launched a ground invasion. Palestinian health authorities said the death toll in Gaza exceeds 10,000.

“Gaza is becoming a graveyard for children. Hundreds of girls and boys are reportedly being killed or injured every day. Clear violations of international humanitarian law were being committed. The U.N. needs USD 1.2 billion to help deliver aid to 2.7 million people in Gaza and the West Bank. Ground operations by the Israel Defense Forces and continued bombardment are hitting civilians, hospitals, refugee camps, mosques, churches and U.N. facilities – including shelters. No one is safe”, - added Guterres.