29 October 2023                                                            Kathmandu, Nepal

Excerpts from Secretary-General's joint press encounter with the Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’

Good afternoon.
It is a great pleasure to be back in beautiful Nepal.

The Prime Minister and I have just had a very productive meeting and I thank him for his wonderful hospitality. Indeed, the warm welcome that I received in Nepal is something I will never forget.

We are living in difficult and tense times. I know that even though the conflict in the Middle East is thousands of miles away, it has hit very close to home for the people of Nepal.

I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the ten Nepalese students killed in the terror attacks by Hamas in Israel on 7 October, and my best wishes for the safe return of Mr. Bipin Joshi, who is missing.

I have just arrived here from Qatar and I will continue to insist on the immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages in Gaza.

And I repeat my utter condemnation of the appalling attacks perpetrated by Hamas. There is no justification, ever, for the killing, injuring and abduction of civilians.

The situation in Gaza is growing more desperate by the hours. I regret that instead of a critically needed humanitarian pause supported by the international community, Israel has intensified its military operations.

The number of civilians who have been killed and injured is totally unacceptable.

All parties must respect their obligations under International Humanitarian Law.

That Law emerged from the tragedy and awful experiences of war. I have always been consistent in my call for strict compliance of the well-established principles and rule of International Humanitarian Law.

The protection of civilians is paramount.

The Laws of War establish clear rules to protect human life and respect humanitarian concerns. Those laws cannot be contorted for the sake of expedience.

The world is witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe taking place before our eyes.

More than two million people, with nowhere safe to go, are being denied the essentials for life – food, water, shelter and medical care – while being subjected to relentless bombardment.

I urge all those with responsibility to step back from the brink.

And I reiterate my appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and the delivery of a sustained humanitarian relief at a scale that meets the needs of the people of Gaza.

We must join forces to end this nightmare for the people of Gaza, Israel and all those affected around the world, including here in Nepal.

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Secretary-General's joint press encounter with the Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ | United Nations Secretary-General