Last week, I delivered a letter to the President of the Security Council, invoking Article 99 of the Charter of the United Nations for the first time since I became Secretary-General in 2017.

I wrote that there is no effective protection of civilians in Gaza. As a matter of fact, during my mandate the number of civilian casualties in Gaza in such a short period is totally unprecedented.

The health care system is collapsing. I expect public order to completely break down soon and an even worse situation could unfold, including epidemic diseases and increased pressure for mass displacement into Egypt.

I said that we are facing a severe risk of collapse of the humanitarian system. The situation is fast deteriorating into a catastrophe with potentially irreversible implications for Palestinians as a whole and for peace and security in the region.

And I urged the Security Council to press to avert a humanitarian catastrophe and I reiterated my appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire to be declared.

Regrettably, the Security Council failed to do it, but that does not make it less necessary. So, I can promise I will not give up.