United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday appealed for the protection of civilians caught in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas and stressed the need for proportionality and precaution by all parties.
"Protection of civilians on both sides is paramount and must be respected at all times," Guterres said in a statement. "International humanitarian law establishes clear rules that cannot be ignored. It is not an a la carte menu and cannot be applied selectively."