(i24) United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has invoked a rarely-used provision of the UN Charter to urge the Security Council to take action to on humanitarian needs in Gaza.

For the first time since assuming office in 2017, Guterres utilized the charter’s Article 99, which allows the global body’s head to bring to the Security Council’s attention any matter which Guterres feels may “threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”

Writing to Security Council President José Javier De la Gasca Lopez Domínguez of Ecuador, Guterres on Wednesday called for the immediate release of the remaining Israeli hostages and mentioned the “abhorrent acts of terror by Hamas” on Oct. 7.

Addressing the military situation in Gaza, Guterres wrote that “Since the start of Israel’s military operation, more than 15,000 people have reportedly been killed, over 40 per cent of them children.”

For first time ever, @antonioguterres invokes Article 99 of UN Charter, urging Security Council to help avert a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

Appealing for humanitarian ceasefire, he says civilian population must be spared from further harm. https://t.co/vOFMPASWkQ pic.twitter.com/KxOG5isEmV

— United Nations (@UN) December 6, 2023

Expressing “profound concern” over the significant loss of human life in both Gaza and Israel within a brief period, Guterres wrote that he is calling on the Security Council to take action to prevent a “looming humanitarian catastrophe.”

A source has told i24NEWS that the United Arab Emirates plan to use Guterres’ letter as a weight behind a new draft resolution it is putting together on the conflict.

Five resolutions have been voted on in the Security Council pertaining to the current Israel-Hamas war. Only one- drafted by Malta- passed, with the United States and Russia abstaining. That resolution dealt mainly with the plight of women and children in the conflict, but has had little to no practical effect.