Guterres made his comment as he expressed his deep concern about the Israeli government's announcement that it is "legalising" nine settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank. Such outposts are illegal under international and even Israeli law.

This came during a meeting with Palestine's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Riyad Malki on the sidelines of the Conference of the Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court held in The Hague in which they discussed the latest political developments in the region.

Israel's Channel 13 TV conducted a poll, asking Israelis to comment on Chief of Staff of Israeli Army Aviv Kohavi's remarks about a military operation in Gaza to achieve calm for 15 years.