UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday reiterated his call for irreversible progress toward a two-state solution, in a message on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, reported Xinhua.

This year's International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which is observed annually on Nov. 29, comes after two years of horrific suffering in Gaza, and the start of a much-needed ceasefire, Guterres said.

Noting that survivors are mourning the deaths of tens of thousands of friends and family; hunger, disease and trauma run rampant; injustice also continues in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem; and hundreds of humanitarians have been killed, the UN chief said: "In so many ways, this tragedy has tested the norms and laws that have guided the international community for generations."

"The killing of so many civilians, the repeated displacement of an entire population and the obstruction of humanitarian aid should never be acceptable under any circumstances," he underscored.

As the recent ceasefire offers "a glimmer of hope," "it is now vital that all parties respect it fully and work in good faith towards solutions that restore and uphold international law," the UN chief stressed, adding that lifesaving humanitarian aid must be allowed to enter Gaza at scale, and the international community must continue to stand firmly with UNRWA, the UN relief agency for Palestinians.

"I repeat my call for an end to the unlawful occupation of the Palestinian Territory ... and for irreversible progress towards a two-State solution, in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security within their secure and recognized borders, on the basis of pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States," Guterres said.

"Let us stand in solidarity with their rights to dignity, justice and self-determination -- and work together to build a peaceful future for all," the UN secretary-general said.

In 1977, the UN General Assembly called for the annual observance of Nov. 29 as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On that day in 1947, the General Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine.

Meanwhile, different countries expressed solidarity with Palestinian people in observance of the day.

Norwegian FM vows continued support for Palestine's statehood

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide on Saturday urged the international community to step up efforts to end the war in Gaza and advance a two-state solution, as Norway marked the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

In a statement, Eide extended his condolences "to all those who have lost loved ones; children, parents, siblings and friends," and underlined the scale of the civilian suffering caused by the conflict.

"Over the past two years, over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, and many more have been injured. The suffering has been immense. Millions have been displaced. The situation in the West Bank is also very serious. The occupation, settler violence, and settlement expansion are making the situation increasingly intolerable," he said.

Eide said the current fragile ceasefire in Gaza offered, for the first time in more than two years, "a glimmer of hope," but warned that it would require concerted international engagement to translate that opening into sustainable peace.

"It is crucial that the international community stands united and strongly engages in the work to bring this war to an end and secure a lasting, political solution," he said, stressing his advocacy for the two-state solution.

The foreign minister stressed that any credible peace effort must address the underlying drivers of the conflict, including the occupation of Palestinian territory, and ensure Palestinian ownership of political processes.

Norway, Eide said, as a long supporter of Palestine's social and economic development, is committed to that engagement. "Norway will contribute where we can, so that the Palestinians can once again see a way out of the war and hope for the future, and so that a Palestinian state can become a reality," he added.

Slovenia reiterates support for Palestinian people

Slovenia reaffirmed its firm support for the Palestinian people on Saturday as the international community marked the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said the day serves as a reminder of "how fragile peace is and how difficult it is to build." It also paid tribute to "the resilience and dignity of the Palestinian people" and underscored the need to renew global efforts toward achieving freedom, justice, and peace.

Slovenia officially recognized the State of Palestine in June 2024 and has since expressed its solidarity through a series of concrete measures, the ministry noted. It stressed that Palestinians have endured "unimaginable suffering and the deprivation of fundamental rights for decades."

The move to recognize Palestine also reflects Slovenia's clear support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate right to statehood, the statement added.

According to the ministry, Slovenia has stepped up humanitarian and development assistance to Palestine in recent years. Over the past two years, it has provided more than 10 million euros (about 11.6 million U.S. dollars) in aid for Gaza, including contributions to international humanitarian organizations, material relief and development projects. Slovenia has also allocated an additional 1.2 million euros to help ensure the functioning of the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank.

The UN General Assembly established the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People in 1977. The two-state solution remains at the core of international efforts to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East.

Human chain formed in South Africa

Hundreds of people formed a human chain in Cape Town, South Africa's legislative capital, on Saturday to protest Israel's actions in Palestine on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

The rally, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and supported by pro-Palestinian organizations and political parties, also expressed support for people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and other regions facing crises.

Near the iconic Nelson Mandela glasses sculpture in Cape Town's Sea Point area, activists called for the release of Palestinian political prisoner Marwan Barghouti -- widely regarded as Palestine's Mandela -- along with those still held in Israeli prisons, many without charge.

Participants in the human chain also lifted a 2,000-square-meter quilt in the colors of the Palestinian flag, with each square representing and honoring Palestinians killed during the Gaza conflict.

Organizers urged the South African government to enact the Apartheid Bill, officially titled the Implementation of the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid Bill, 2025.

According to a statement released ahead of the rally, the landmark legislation currently before Parliament would give South African courts extraterritorial jurisdiction to prosecute apartheid crimes committed anywhere in the world.

The rally also called for comprehensive boycott, divestment, and sanctions measures against Israel, along with a halt to coal and arms exports to the country and the closure of its embassy in South Africa.

Tunisia marks solidarity day with renewed pledge of support

Tunisia on Saturday marked the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People with a ceremony at the International Diplomatic Academy of Tunis.

Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti hosted the event, which brought together Palestinian ambassador Rami Farouk Al-Qaddumi, UN Resident Coordinator Rana Taha, and members of the diplomatic corps, the Foreign Ministry said.

The ceremony opened with a documentary by Tunisian National Television on Palestinian resilience.

Nafti urged the international community to move from symbolic support to concrete steps to end the occupation and uphold international law. He reaffirmed Tunisia's support for Palestine's full UN membership.

Al-Qaddumi called for translating political recognition into the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, saying the cause remains a struggle for survival.

The event also featured an exhibition of archival materials on Palestinian identity and decades of hardship.

The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is a UN observance held each year on Nov. 29. The date marks the anniversary of Resolution 181, adopted in 1947, which calls for the partition of Palestine into two states, one Arab and one Jewish.