Cairo, Egypt - The UN chief said Monday the situation in Gaza was "appalling and apocalyptic," warning that the horrors visited by Israel on Palestinians in the territory are "reminiscent of the gravest international crimes."

In remarks read out on his behalf at a Cairo conference aimed at increasing humanitarian aid, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged the international community to "build a foundation for sustainable peace in Gaza and across the Middle East."

Kicking off its devastation of Gaza after the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, Israel has killed over 44,000 people in Gaza, with the total number believed to be orders of magnitude higher.

Guterres highlighted the devastating toll of the conflict and the urgent need for international action, which has so far been blocked by the Israel's main ally, the US.

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"Malnutrition is rampant... Famine is imminent. Meanwhile, the health system has collapsed," he said.

Gaza now has "the highest number of children amputees per capita anywhere in the world", with "many losing limbs and undergoing surgeries without even anesthesia."

Guterres also criticized Israel's severe restrictions on aid delivery, calling the current levels "grossly insufficient" and adding: "We are witnessing acts reminiscent of the gravest international crimes."

According to UNRWA, the agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, only 65 aid trucks per day had been able to enter Gaza this past month, compared to a pre-war average of 500.

International aid organizations have repeatedly raised alarm over the deteriorating conditions in Gaza, warning that civilians are on the brink of famine. Aid shipments reaching the enclave are now at their lowest since the start of the war.

Israel blamed aid issues on what it says is the inability of relief organizations to handle and distribute large quantities of aid.

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That line was firmly rejected by Guterres, who said the blockade of aid to Gaza "is not a crisis of logistics" but rather "a crisis of political will and of respect for fundamental principles of international humanitarian law."

UNRWA said all the attempts it made to deliver aid into northern Gaza had either been "denied" or "impeded" between October 6 and November 25.

On Sunday, UNRWA said it was forced to halt aid deliveries through the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza, due to a complete breakdown in civil order that has led to looting of food trucks.

Israel has repeatedly and systematically targeted not only humanitarian workers responsible for delivering the aid, but also local authorities in charge of protecting it, amid widespread accusations of the use of starvation as a weapon of war.

It has ignored multiple orders by the International Court of Justice amid a genocide case launched by South Africa, and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.