STORY: UN chief warns Lebanon is on verge of all-out war
SHOOTING TIME: Oct. 8, 2024
DATELINE: Oct. 9, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:26
LOCATION: UN Headquarters
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. pan left and zoom in of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres walking to the podium
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
3. various of Guterres listening to questions by journalists
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
5. pan right and zoom out of Guterres leaving

STORYLINE:

Lebanon is "on the verge of an all-out war," but there is still time to stop, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday.
   
Speaking to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, Guterres said the Middle East "is a powder keg with many parties holding the match."

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
"I have warned for months of the risks of the conflict spreading. The Middle East is a powder keg with many parties holding the match. The situation in the occupied West Bank is boiling over. And now, in Lebanon, attacks - including on civilians -- are threatening the entire region. Over the last few days - exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and others in Lebanon and the Israel Defense Forces -- have intensified across the Blue Line, in total disregard of Security Council resolutions 1701 and 1559. Large-scale Israeli strikes deep into Lebanon - including Beirut -- have killed more than 2,000 people over the last year - and 1,500 in just the past two weeks alone. The toll has already surpassed the 2006 war in Lebanon. Attacks by Hezbollah and others south of the Blue Line have killed at least 49 people over the last year. Lebanese authorities report over one million people have been displaced in Lebanon - and 300,000 people have fled to Syria. Over 60,000 people remain displaced from northern Israel. Recently, the IDF started incursions across the Blue Line. We are on the verge of an all-out war in Lebanon - with already devastating consequences. But there is still time to stop. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected. Members of our own peacekeeping force in Lebanon -- UNIFIL (UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon) - continue to carry out their mandates to the extent possible. The mission relies on full compliance by all parties. I want to again express my gratitude and admiration to our peacekeepers and troop contributing countries. The men and women of UNIFIL are serving in what is today the most challenging environment for peacekeepers anywhere. All actors must ensure their safety and security."

Guterres said the past year "has been a year of crises -- humanitarian crisis, political crisis, diplomatic crisis, and a moral crisis," and "the nightmare in Gaza is now entering an atrocious, abominable second year."
   
Over the last year, following the attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, "Gaza has become ground zero to a level of human suffering that is hard to fathom," with over 41,000 Palestinians reportedly killed, mostly women and children, and thousands more missing, he said.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
"No place is safe in Gaza and no one is safe. International law is unambiguous: civilians everywhere must be respected and protected - and their essential needs must be met, including through humanitarian assistance. All hostages must be released. I strongly condemn all violations of International Humanitarian Law in Gaza."
   
The UN chief reiterated the calls for an immediate ceasefire both in Gaza and Lebanon, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, and immediate lifesaving aid to all those who desperately need it, and the calls for irreversible action for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. 

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from UN Headquarters.
(XHTV)