Guterres Supports Transition Period Allowing Strengthened PA to Administer Gaza

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres addresses reporters in New York on Monday (UN)
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres addresses reporters in New York on Monday (UN)
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Guterres Supports Transition Period Allowing Strengthened PA to Administer Gaza

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres addresses reporters in New York on Monday (UN)
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres addresses reporters in New York on Monday (UN)

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on Monday for a “transition period” in the Gaza Strip, involving several countries and leading to a two-State solution between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
The UN Chief also noted that Gaza is witnessing an unparalleled and unprecedented level of civilian death, compared to any other conflict since he became Secretary-General in 2017.
At a press conference dealing with the latest emissions, Guterres said in New York that a humanitarian ceasefire was a crucial first step, along with unrestricted access for humanitarian aid, “the liberation of hostages” and an end to violations of international humanitarian law and protection of civilians.
Also addressing how the region can move forward once the fighting stops, the UN chief said that it was “important to be able to transform this tragedy into an opportunity.”
For that to be possible, he said, “it is essential that after the war we move in a determined, irreversible way to a two-State solution.”
Guterres affirmed that this means also that after the war, it is crucial to have a strengthened Palestinian Authority to assume responsibilities in Gaza.
But the PA cannot go into Gaza backed by Israeli tanks, he added — meaning the “international community needs to look into a transition period.”
“I do not think that a UN protectorate in Gaza is a solution. I think we need a multi-stakeholder approach in which different countries, different entities, will cooperate. For Israel, of course, the US is the main guarantor of its security. For Palestinians, the neighboring and Arab countries of the region are essential,” Guterres said.
He added that everybody needs to come together to make the conditions for a transition, allowing for “a strengthened PA, to assume responsibility in Gaza in a determined and irreversible way to a two-State solution based on the principles that have been largely established by the international community.”
Asked about his repeated calls for a ceasefire, Guterres said, “We are witnessing a killing of civilians that is unparalleled and unprecedented in any conflict since I have been Secretary-General.”
For seven years now, Guterres has published a “list of shame” of parties to armed conflict who commit grave violations against children.
In the “shame” reports, he said the highest number of children killed in one year by one actor was the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2017-2018, followed by the Syrian government and its allies before 2020. Both times the tally was in the hundreds.
“What is clear is that we have had in a few weeks thousands of children killed,” Guterres told reporters.



Türkiye Sends Massive Military Reinforcements to Northern Syria

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler attends the "Free Fire 2024" training on Thursday (Turkish Ministry of Defense)
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler attends the "Free Fire 2024" training on Thursday (Turkish Ministry of Defense)
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Türkiye Sends Massive Military Reinforcements to Northern Syria

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler attends the "Free Fire 2024" training on Thursday (Turkish Ministry of Defense)
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler attends the "Free Fire 2024" training on Thursday (Turkish Ministry of Defense)

Türkiye has sent major military reinforcements to its positions across various fronts in northwestern Syria, amid concerns over Israel expanding its attacks from Gaza to Lebanon and its strikes on targets in Syria.

In this context, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended a secret parliamentary session on Thursday to discuss developments and threats to national security in light of Israel’s growing attacks and their proximity to Türkiye’s southern borders.

During the session, Defense Minister Yasar Güler and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan presented an overview of the situation in the region, focusing on Israeli strikes and potential threats to the country’s national security. The meeting will remain classified for 10 years.

Güler warned against dragging the region into significant turmoil due to Israel’s efforts to spread “state terrorism” in Lebanon. He stressed that this situation compels his country to be prepared for all possible scenarios and to adopt preemptive policies.

In the past two weeks, the Turkish army has sent significant military reinforcements, including convoys of equipment, soldiers, and logistical supplies, to areas controlled by Turkish forces, the Syrian National Army, which is loyal to Ankara, and areas controlled by Hayaat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Friday that Türkiye had sent massive reinforcements, including over 190 military vehicles, such as armored vehicles, tanks, personnel carriers, and trucks loaded with logistical equipment and ammunition. These were distributed across several strategic fronts in Idlib and Aleppo provinces, amid Ankara’s efforts to maintain its influence and prevent the outbreak of large-scale confrontations between the Syrian army and opposition forces.

The Turkish reinforcements coincided with HTS’s preparations for a major military operation against Syrian government-controlled areas to expand its control in the countrysides of Latakia, Hama, Idlib, and in the city of Aleppo and its western countryside, an area known as the “Putin-Erdogan” zone.

In response, the Syrian army has also sent significant reinforcements to the frontlines with HTS, particularly in Aleppo and Idlib.

According to SOHR, Türkiye has firmly rejected any military action by HTS and warned that it will not allow any wounded HTS fighters to be treated on Turkish soil. It also said that the country would block any military supplies from passing through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing in northern Idlib, which is a lifeline for northern Syria.

Alongside the heavy military build-up, Turkish military command has issued orders for all its forces and allied factions in northern Syria to be on full alert and to raise their level of preparedness.

A Turkish military official said on Thursday that his country is closely monitoring the situation and that no significant displacement toward the border with Syria has occurred amid the Israeli escalation in Lebanon.

He emphasized that Türkiye’s military operations in northern Syria are focused on two main objectives: combating terrorist organizations, referring to the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), the largest component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and preventing new waves of displacement from within Syrian territory.

In light of these developments, Moscow announced that it is preparing to hold the 22nd round of the Astana peace talks for a political solution to the Syrian crisis, after a 10-month pause.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said preparations are underway to organize the meeting in Kazakhstan’s capital, according to the Russian news agency TASS.

The 21st round of Astana talks took place on Jan. 25, with the participation of the three guarantor countries (Russia, Türkiye and Iran), as well as delegations from the Syrian government and the Syrian opposition. Representatives from Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq also attended as observers, along with representatives from the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.