New York/Gaza, 4 November 2023 (dpa/MIA) — UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed his horror at the shelling of ambulances in the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces.

"I am horrified by the reported attack in Gaza on an ambulance convoy outside Al Shifa hospital. The images of bodies strewn on the street outside the hospital are harrowing," Guterres said in a statement issued late on Friday evening.

Israel's army had previously said that it had attacked an ambulance, claiming it was being used by the Islamist militant group Hamas. The Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, contends that the ambulances were evacuating wounded people to Egypt.

The conflicting statements by both sides could not initially be independently verified.

Guterres said that he had "not forgotten" the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas militants in Israel on October 7 and once again called for the release of hostages.

At the same time, he added that for nearly one month, civilians in Gaza, including children and women, have been besieged, denied aid, killed, and bombed out of their homes.

"This must stop," he said, describing the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "horrific."

The UN secretary-general once again called for a humanitarian ceasefire and emphasized that international humanitarian law must be respected.