ISTANBUL, December 8. /TASS/. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hopes that the UN Security Council listens to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in his call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the Anadolu news agency quoted Erdogan as saying.

He outlined this position to his pool reporters upon his return from Greece, which he visited on December 7 on an official visit.

"UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says he has so far failed to be useful in his office. Let's see if he can deliver results. Guterres has hit the panic button on the global system. He says 'Remember your duty' to the elements that make up the structure set up to protect world peace. I hope that the UNSC will heed this call <...> and take steps to preserve peace in our world," the Turkish leader said.

Earlier, Guterres highlighted the need for a humanitarian ceasefire in which "the means of survival can be restored and aid delivered safely and in a timely manner." Guterres sent a letter to the Security Council president for the first time during his tenure as head of the world organization, using Article 99 of the UN Charter, according to which the secretary general has the right to call attention to "any matter which, in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security."

In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said that Guterres staying on as UN Secretary General "threatens world peace." According to him, the UN secretary general's request for the application of Article 99 of the UN Charter and the call for a ceasefire in Gaza "represent support for the Hamas terrorist organization."