UN chief Antonio Guterres says six months of war has made Gaza a “humanitarian hellscape”.

He adds that a ceasefire would defuse tensions in the Middle East.

The secretary-general’s comments were made to the Security Council before a scheduled vote on full UN membership for Palestine.

The US is expected to block the move.

Meanwhile there are reports that the New York City Police Department has stormed the campus of Columbia University, where students have been camped out in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

The protesters have reportedly been demanding that the institution divest from Israel.

University administrators allegedly told students on Wednesday to remove a protest camp on campus and called the police a day later.

Al Jazeera says it has verified video showing arrests being made.