BAGHDAD, May 17 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday urged a permanent ceasefire, unconditional release of all hostages, and the free flow of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.

Guterres made the appeal when attending the 34th Arab League Summit, which kicked off in the Iraqi capital Baghdad earlier in the day.

"We reject the repeated displacement of the Gaza population, and we obviously reject any question of forced displacement outside of Gaza," the UN chief stressed, noting that "annexation is illegal. Settlements are illegal."

Guterres emphasized that "only a two-state solution can deliver sustainable peace," adding, "The world, the region, and most of all, the people of Palestine and Israel cannot afford to watch the two-state solution disappear before our eyes."

The UN chief also touched on issues related to Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya, and Somalia, expressing hope that all pending issues will find a just solution through dialogue.

The summit witnessed the participation of leaders and top diplomats of 22 Arab League member states, as well as representatives from regional and International organizations. It marks the second such event hosted by Iraq since the 2003 U.S. invasion, following a previous one in 2012. ■