(VOVWORLD) - Global leaders called for cessation of the violence that has ravaged the Middle East for months at the General Debate of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday.
 A scene of wreckage after Israel's airstrike on the Al-Bureij refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, September 23, 2024. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) |
UNGA President Philemon Yang called “for an immediate ceasefire” for the Hamas-Israel conflict, “the unconditional release of hostages, and for all parties to abide by international law, including international humanitarian law, and work towards a just and lasting solution grounded in the United Nations Charter, relevant resolutions, and international law, ensuring dignity for both Palestinians and Israelis.
Addressing the meeting, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for “global solutions” as the world faces “challenges unlike any we have ever seen” and deepening geopolitical divisions. "We are edging towards the unimaginable -- a powder keg that risks engulfing the world," he added.
In his speech at the UN General Assembly, US President Joe Biden said a full scale war is not in anyone’s interest and, despite escalating violence, a diplomatic solution is the only path to peace. He said the US and several other intermediaries are making continuous efforts to reach such a solution.
However, many other leaders expressed pessimism about the current situation in Lebanon. According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the international community urgently needs to form an alliance to prevent the escalation of violence between Israel and Hezbollah.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said recent attacks by the Israeli military on Lebanese territory have expanded the conflict in the Middle East and will lead to new disasters.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the conflict in the Gaza Strip is expanding dangerously to Lebanon and called for a ceasefire.
The General Debate of the UNGA’s 79th session began on Tuesday, discussing conflicts in the Middle East, as well as rising sea level, antimicrobial resistance, and the total elimination of nuclear weapons, a long-standing goal of the UN.