(21 Aug 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Yokohama, Japan – 21 August 2025
1. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arriving for media briefing
2. Reporter filming
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, U.N. Secretary-General:
"And talking about peace, I must reiterate that it is vital to reach immediately a ceasefire in Gaza, and the unconditional release of all hostages and to avoid the massive death and destruction that a military operation against Gaza City would inevitably cause."
4. Guterres during briefing
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, U.N. Secretary-General:
"Simultaneously, the decision by the Israeli authorities to expand illegal settlement construction, which would divide the West Bank must be reversed. All settlement construction is a violation of international law."
6. Guterres listening to question
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, U.N. Secretary-General:
"We see Japan as a messenger of peace in a world that unfortunately is full of conflicts, and in the situation in which we have a Security Council that has been unable to find the necessary consensus because of the divides, geopolitical divides amongst superpowers. The UN Security Council has been unable to find the consensus that is necessary to put an end to all these conflicts."
8. Wide of briefing
STORYLINE:
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres repeated his call for a ceasefire in Gaza on Thursday with Israel preparing to launch a new assault in Gaza City and other heavily populated areas.
At a briefing on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama, Guterres said the expanded operations would cause "massive death and destruction" in the territory, around 75% of which is already largely destroyed and controlled by Israel.
An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said Wednesday that troops would gradually move into Gaza City, including parts where they have not previously operated and where the official said Hamas still has military and governing capabilities.
The official, who declined to offer a precise timetable for the operation, said the process of mobilizing reserves would unfold over several weeks.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the operations will eventually expand to built-up refugee camps in central Gaza dating back to the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation, as well as Muwasi, a sprawling displacement camp along the coast.
The U.N. secretary-general also Israel’s settlement project in the occupied West Bank which would effectively cut the territory in two was illegal under international law and should be reversed.
Settlement development in E1, an open tract of land east of Jerusalem, has been under consideration for more than two decades, but was frozen due to U.S. pressure during previous administrations.
Guterres lamented "geopolitical divides amongst superpowers" preventing the U.N. Security Council from stepping in to stop ongoing conflicts around the world.
The TICAD conference, co-hosted by United Nations, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Bank and African Union Commission (AUC), focuses on promoting Africa’s development, peace and security, through the strengthening of relations in multilateral cooperation and partnership.
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