UNITED NATIONS, Oct 9 (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday he was "deeply distressed" by an announcement that Israel will initiate a complete siege of the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas over the weekend.

"I am deeply distressed by today's announcement that Israel will initiate a complete siege of the Gaza Strip, nothing allowed in – no electricity, food, or fuel," Guterres said.

Guterres said the situation in Gaza was "extremely dire" before the surprise assault by the militant group, adding that it will "only deteriorate exponentially."

"I urge all sides and the relevant parties to allow United Nations access to deliver urgent humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians trapped and helpless in the Gaza Strip," he said while appealing to the international community to mobilize immediate humanitarian support.

Hamas gunmen burst across the fence from Gaza on Saturday, killing Israeli soldiers and civilians and taking dozens of hostages back to the coastal enclave.

Israel responded with its heaviest bombardment of Gaza and could be contemplating a ground assault on the territory it withdrew from nearly two decades ago after 38 years of occupation.

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