The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates welcomed the initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in his call to hold a Security Council session to bear its responsibilities towards the necessity of an immediate ceasefire, against the backdrop of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, based on Article (99) of the United Nations Charter.

In a press statement today, Thursday, the ministry considered this initiative "a very necessary step," consistent with the tasks assigned to the Council and international legitimate institutions, and in harmony with the widespread international warnings about the humanitarian disaster that has befallen the Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip as a result of the genocidal war waged by Israel.

The ministry strongly condemned the attack and incitement practiced by the occupying state and its officials against the UN Secretary-General, considering them political terrorism aimed at deterring the UN Secretary-General from performing his role and carrying out his duties in accordance with the UN Charter, international law, and human rights principles.

The ministry called on world leaders and countries to support Guterres' initiative and rally around it to urge the Security Council to fulfill its commitments and take a decision to cease fire.

The UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric commented on the letter from the Secretary-General António Guterres to the President of the Security Council yesterday, Wednesday, which activated - for the first time - Article Ninety-Nine of the United Nations Charter, due to the scale of loss of human lives in Gaza and Israel within a short period.

A statement distributed by the UN Media Center in Cairo stated that the mentioned article provides that "the Secretary-General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security."

Secretary-General António Guterres stated on the X platform: "In the face of the grave danger of the collapse of the humanitarian system in Gaza, I urge the Security Council to help prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire."

The UN spokesman pointed out that this is the first time António Guterres has activated Article Ninety-Nine of the Charter since becoming Secretary-General in 2017.

In response to journalists' questions about the meaning and significance of the speech, Dujarric said that the Secretary-General thus activates the authority granted to him by the Charter, which can be described as a major constitutional step, and said that this article is the strongest tool the Secretary-General possesses within the framework of the United Nations Charter.

The spokesman mentioned that the activation of the article has not happened for decades, and said that several previous speeches referred to the threats facing international peace and security, but without relying on this article.

Dujarric said the United Nations is approaching a point of total paralysis of its humanitarian operations in Gaza, where about 15,000 people have been killed, including 130 UN workers.

He added that the Secretary-General does not use the word "catastrophe" lightly and expressed hope that the Security Council will listen to the Secretary-General's call.