UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has expressed his ongoing support for the Istanbul process in relation to the war in Ukraine.
Guterres said in a statement on Monday that he had called Turkish president, Recep Erdogan, to discuss the humanitarian corridors and evacuation of people in Ukraine.
No fewer than 1,964 civilians have been killed and 2,613 injured in Ukraine since the war began on Feb. 24, according to UN estimates, with the true figure believed to be much higher.
More than 4.7 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries so far, with over seven million more internally displaced.
According to the statement, Guterres called Erdoğan on Sunday to discuss humanitarian assistance for the people of Ukraine.
“The secretary-general expressed his ongoing support for the Istanbul process in relation to the war in Ukraine and reiterated the need for humanitarian corridors for the distribution of aid and the evacuation of people.”
“They also discussed the situation in Jerusalem, during which the Secretary-General reaffirmed his position that the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem must be upheld and respected. Any provocation must be avoided at all costs,” said the statement.
Meanwhile, senior UN officials, including Guterres, have expressed concern over a spate of violent incidents at the al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem, an important religious site for both Muslims and Jews.
According to media reports, more than 150 people were injured in clashes between Palestinians, and Israeli police on Friday, which took place during a tense period of Israeli-Palestinian relations.
The Palestine Red Crescent said most of the Palestinian injuries came from rubber bullets, stun grenades, and police batons, whilst Israeli police reported injuries to three officers, as a result of stone-throwing.
The fighting at the compound follows recent attacks in Israel that left at least 14 dead, and subsequent raids by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, in which 25 Palestinians died, according to reports.
Guterres called on leaders on all sides to help calm the deteriorating situation and insisted that “provocations” on the Holy Esplanade must stop immediately, to prevent further escalation.
The status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem, he said, must be upheld and respected.
The secretary-general reiterated his commitment to supporting Palestinians and Israelis to resolve the conflict, on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions, international law, and bilateral agreements.
In a separate statement, Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, called for political, religious, and community leaders on all sides to help calm the situation, avoid spreading inflammatory rhetoric, and speak up against those seeking to escalate the fighting.
Wennesland warned that allowing tensions to spiral further risks another escalation and urged the authorities on both sides to immediately de-escalate the situation and prevent any further provocations by radical actors.
Wennesland is in close contact with key regional partners and the parties to calm the situation.