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The UN chief condemned the killing of 12 civilians, mainly children and teenagers\u00a0in the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan and conveyed his deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and\u00a0wished a speedy recovery to all those injured.<\/p>\n
\u201cCivilians, and children in particular, should not\u00a0continue to bear the burden of the horrific violence plaguing the region,\u201d said a note issued on Sunday by Mr. Guterres\u2019s Spokesperson.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It went on to say that the Secretary-General calls on all\u00a0parties to exercise maximum restraint and reiterates once again his consistent call on all concerned to avoid any further escalation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe exchanges of fire\u00a0across the Blue Line must cease immediately. All parties must comply with their obligations under international law,\u201d said the note, adding that parties must urgently recommit to the full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701\u00a0and immediately return to a\u00a0cessation of hostilities.<\/p>\n
[Adopted by the Security Council in 2006, <\/em>resolution 1701<\/em> aimed at ending the war that year between Israel and Hezbollah. It calls for an end to hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, and the establishment of demilitarized zone.]<\/em><\/p>\n Also reacting to the \u201cabhorrent rocket attack\u201d, the UN\u2019s top Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland warned\u00a0Saturday on X that the region is on the brink<\/a>; \u201cthe world and the region cannot afford another open conflict. I urge all to exercise maximum restraint. The launching of rockets across the Blue Line must cease immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n In a joint statement released on Saturday, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon\u00a0and the Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), also condemned the attack.<\/p>\n \u201cWe deplore the death of civilians \u2013 young children and teenagers \u2013 in Majdal Shams. Civilians must be protected at all times, said, respectively, envoy Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and Lt. Gen. Aroldo L\u00e1zaro.<\/p>\n The two officials urged the parties to exercise maximum restraint and put a stop to the ongoing intensified exchanges of fire, fearing \u201cit could ignite a wider conflagration that would engulf the entire region in a catastrophe beyond belief.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n