UN chief welcomes Gaza deal as path toward Palestinian statehood

(Reuters) -U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the agreement to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza on Thursday and said it represented a path toward self-determination of the Palestinian people.

"I urge all to  seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political  path forward," Guterres said at the United Nations. "A path towards ending the occupation, recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and achieving a two-state solution."

The U.N. chief pressed for full and sustained access for humanitarian workers in Gaza, where the Israeli bombardment that followed the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack has created a humanitarian crisis and displaced millions.

"The United Nations stands ready to provide its full support," Guterres said. "We and our partners are prepared to move – now.

"We have the expertise, the distribution networks, and community relationships in place to act. Supplies are in place, and our teams are on standby."

Guterres praised the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey for their role in this "desperately needed breakthrough" and called for a permanent ceasefire to be secured.

The 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Israel says of 251 people taken hostage during the attack, 48 remain, 20 of whom are alive.

Israel's campaign has killed more than 67,000 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to Gaza health authorities.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)