UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- About 1.6 million people in the Gaza Strip, or more than 75 percent of the population, are projected to face extreme levels of acute food insecurity and critical malnutrition risks, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday.

At a press encounter, Guterres said famine there "has been pushed back," and more people are able to access the food they need to survive, as the United Nations and its partners are preparing more than 1.5 million hot meals every day and delivering general food assistance packages across Gaza.

Clean water is reaching more communities, some health facilities have reopened, and in the wake of the winter storms, the international community acted immediately to provide support, Guterres said.

"This is a testament to the hard work of humanitarians and Member States, along with growing cooperation with the Civil-Military Coordination Center," he said.

"But gains are fragile -- perilously so," said the UN chief.

Since October, the United Nations has done everything possible to keep lifelines open, but needs are growing faster than aid can get in, he said.

"We need a truly durable ceasefire," said Guterres, calling for more crossings, the lifting of restrictions on critical items, the removal of red tape, safe routes inside Gaza, sustained funding and unimpeded access.

The UN chief also noted the "rapidly deteriorating situation" in the West Bank, where he said Palestinians face escalating Israeli settler violence, land seizures, demolitions and intensified movement restrictions.

"International law -- including international humanitarian law and international human rights law -- must be upheld across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem," he stressed.

Guterres said the International Court of Justice's Advisory Opinion of Oct. 22, 2025 was clear: Israel is under the obligation to allow and facilitate humanitarian aid, to cooperate with the United Nations in carrying out its mandates, and to respect the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its personnel, including in times of armed conflict.

"These are binding and must be implemented," Guterres stressed.

"This is a crisis born of human decisions. It can be resolved through human choices -- if there is the political will to act," he added. ■