New York, 7 October 2025 (dpa/MIA) - On the second anniversary of the October 7 massacre carried out by Islamist terrorists in Israel, UN Secretary General António Guterres urged the parties to end the Gaza war.

"Put an end to the hostilities in Gaza, Israel and the region now," Guterres said in a statement dated Tuesday.

He said the latest proposal by US President Donald Trump offered an opportunity to bring the conflict to an end. "After two years of trauma, we must choose hope. Now," he added.

Since Monday, mediators have been meeting with representatives of the Islamist Hamas movement and Israel in the Egyptian town of Sharm el-Sheikh to discuss Trump's peace plan.

On October 7, 2023, terrorists from the Palestinian militant organization Hamas, together with other Islamist militants, carried out the deadliest massacre in Israel's history. Around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were abducted and taken to the Gaza Strip.

Guterres again called on the Islamist militants to release the hostages still held in Gaza "unconditionally and immediately."

"End the suffering for all. This is a humanitarian catastrophe on a scale that defies comprehension," he said.

Guterres stressed that a permanent ceasefire and a credible political process are essential to prevent further bloodshed and pave the way for peace.

MIA file photo