Thank you for listening to Pictures Media Radio. Welcome to Policy and Rights,
the show about the government, policy and human rights. Welcome back to Policy
and Rights here in Depictions of Media Radio. I'm your host Michael Cloggs.
As we know the this situation in the Gaza strip has hit more than its
critical mass and with of course UH the Hamas having kidnapped people and holding hostages
Israel with with UH the only bombarding an area ha UH and launching a UH
ground invasion. That it is the non militants that are actually c caught in
the crossfire and there has been UH a hold up of getting humanitarian effort in
to the area. And this is the the from the World Health Organization.
As a press release they have the World Health Organization welcomes Egypt's decision to accept
eighty one injured and the sick from the Gods script for treatment. The WHO
WHO has been working to support the Egyptian Ministry of Health and the Population implanning
and establishing a comprehensive triage, stabilization and the medical evacuation system by providing ongoing
training for health care and staff. WHO is working with the Egyptian Red Crescent
society to ensure that psychological and trauma support services are available to patients. Our
experts have visited the Hawa Harsh, visited medical evacuation facilities and met with staff
and ambulance p PARAM paramedics who received advanced life support training. There are sixty
five ambulances equipped with full resuscitation and life support capabilities. Thirteen of those ambulance
teams included j trained emergency doctors in addition to paramedics with advanced life support training.
Ala Harsh Hospital has will be the main first R referral hospital. It
is fully equipped with resuscitation and intensive care facilities and a range of surgical teams
to manage severe patients, including major trauma and burns or Referral arrangements to second
lyne hospitals in Egypt are also in place. Thousands more people inside Gods continue
to need access to urgent and essential healthcare amid sword dishes of medicines, health
supplies, and other aids such as fuel, water and food. Those in
serious need include thousands of serious the injured civilians, many of them children,
and more than a thousand people need kidney dialysis to stay alive. More than
two thousand patients or in cancer therapy, be forty five thousand people with cardio
vascular disease and more than sixty thousand people with diabetes. These patients must be
able to have sustained access to healthcare inside Gaza. Hospitals and other health facilities
must be protected from bombardment and military use. So we've also heard from family
members of the of the hostages asking for Canadian help in getting their family members
returned. And we're gonna hear again from the United Nations with the UN Security
Council. They can't seem to come to an agreement or a resolution that would
send help to the Gaza Strip in order to help these people who are in
desperate need. So when don't we listen to the highlights from the UN Security
Council. Now one hundred and sixty second Meeting of the Security Council is called
to order. The provisional agenda for this meeting is the situation in the Middle
East, including the Palestinian question. The agenda is adoptant in accordance with Rule
thirty seven of the Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure. I invite the representatives of
Israel and Jordan to participate in this meeting. It's so decided, I propose
that the Council invite the Permanent Observer of the Observer State of Palestine to the
United Nations to participate in this meeting, in accordance with the provisional Rules of
Procedure and the previous practice in this regard. There being no objection, it
is so decided, in accordance with Rule thirty nine of the Council's Provisional Rules
of Procedure, I invited the following briefers to participate in this meeting. Mister
Philippi Lazzardini, commission Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Miss Catherine Russell, Executive Director of the
United Nations Children's Funds, and Miss Lisa Dartin, Director of the Humanitarian Financing
and Resourcing Mobilization Division of the Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. It's so
decided. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of Item two of the
agenda. I now give the floor to mister Philippi Lazzardini, Mister President,
Member of the Council. The last three weeks have been horrific. Almost everyone
in Israel, the Occupied Palestine territory and the broad region is in mourning.
The horrific attacks by Hamas in Israel on October seventh was shocking. The relentless
bombardment where the Israeli forces of the Gaza Strip are shocking. The level of
destruction is unprecedented. The human tragedy unfolding on the awards is unbreable. One
million people, how the population of Gaza were pushed from the north of the
Gaza Strip towards the south in three weeks. The south, however, has
not been spelled from bombardment, with significant number killed. I have said many
times and I will say it again, no place is safe in Gaza.
Now. Civilian remaining in the Norse are receiving evacuation notices from the Israeli forces,
urging themselves to receive scarce human turn assistance, but many, including pregnant
women, people with disabilities to sek on the wounded, are unable to move.
What happened continues to happen is forced displacement. Over six hundred and seventy
thousand spaced people are now in overcrowded on was schools and buildings. They live
in a holding unsanitary condition with limited food and water, sleeping on the floor
without mattresses, or outside in the open. Hunger and deserve are turning into
anger against the international community and in Gaza, the international community is better known
as UNWA. Mister President, Nearly seventy percent of those reported killed our children
and women, said the Children reported yesterday that nearly three thousand, two hundred
children were killed in Gaza in just three weeks. This surpasses the number of
children killed annually across the world's conflict zones since twenty nineteen. This cannot be
collateral damage. Most hospital and on what facilities, including those shattering displaced people,
have not been sparred. Too many people have been killed and injured when
seeking safety in places protected by international mediternal law. The current siege important Gaza
is collective punishment. Two weeks of full siege followed by the trickle of aid
last week, means that basic services are crumbling. Medicine is running out,
food and water are running out, fuel is running out. The streets of
Gaza have started overflowing with sewage, which will cause a massive health as are
very soon in the latest law. The communication blackout over the weekend has aggravated
the panic and distress of people. The blackout meant that people could not communicate
with their loved ones inside Gaza to know who is dead or who is alive.
They no longer knew whether they would receive breadth from Onoir. They felt
abundant and cut off from the rest of the world. The communications backcount has
accelerated the breaking down of civil order. Panic pushed thousands of desperate people to
add to the UNWA warehouses and distribution center where we save the food and other
supply we started receiving via Egypt last week. A further breakdown in civil order
will make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the largest un agents
in Gaza to continue operating. It will also make it impossible to bring in
convoys. I say this while being fully aware that on War is the last
remaining lifeline for the Palestinian people in Gaza. Member of the Council one wise
calling on you for support. I lost sixty four colleagues in just over three
weeks. The last tragic passing confirmed was two hours ago. Same year,
head of Secretary and Safety in the Middle Region was killed with his wife and
eight children. This is the highest number of You and ed Walker kills in
the conflict in such a short time. My thirteen thousand colleagues in Gaza are
from a community of one point seven million Palestine refugees out of two point two
million resident in the Gaza strip. Those who are alive have for the most
part lost relative French neighbors and are displaced. Like the majority of Gazen.
Many of my own colleagues now live, sleep, and work in unwashed shelters,
and yet they are showing exceptional dedication to you and value. No more
can do justice to thousands of on what staff will continue to walk trdlessly to
support the communities. These are teachers, doctors, social workers, engineer and
support staff, their mother and father. If they were not in Gather,
they could have been your neighbor, your friends, and they are operating one
hundred and fifty on wash shelter. They are keeping one third of our health
center open and run eighty mobile health teams. They support the entry of humanitarian
convoys and the storage and distribution of aid. They distribute the little fuel we
have left to hospital, bakeries and shelters. My own what colleagues are the
only glimmer of all for the entire Gazas straight a ray of light as humanity
sinks into its darkest power. But they are running out of fuel, out
of water, out of food and medicine, and will soon be unable to
operate. Let me be here. The handful of convoys being allowed through halfa
is nothing compared to the needs of over two million people trapped in Gaza.
The system in place to allow aid into Gaza is geared to fail unless there
is political will to make the flow of supplies meaningful, matching the unprecedented.
To many atturnees, mister President, Gaza has over two million people, half
of them children. Gazans are vibrant, educated people who as filed to have
normal lives, families, children, education and dreams of a better future.
Today films that they are not treated as as a civilian. Most of them
feel trapped in a war they have nothing to do with. They feel the
world is equating all of them to amas. This is dangerous and we know
this too well from previous conflicts and crisis. An entire population is being dehumanized.
The actrocities of Hamas do not absolve the State of Israel from its obligation
on the International Human gen Law. Every war has rules, and this one
is no exception. Hannah Areen said. The deaths of human empathy is one
of the first and most revealing signs of a culture that is about to fall
into barbarity. More than ever doesn't deserve our empathy. Its absence will depend
the polarization in the region and further push away any prospect of peace. Mister
President, when a lot of the focus is on Gaza, I want to
wish to reiteriate that another crisis is unfolding in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.
The United Nations has been sounding the alarm for months on the increased violence.
Palestinian fatalities this year are the highest since the UN started to keep report
in two thousand and five. At least one hundred and fifteen Palestinia have been
killed since October seventh, including thirty three children. The movement restriction imposed across
the West Bank are impacting our services, including schools and health center. Meanwhile,
the situation on the Israeli Lebanese border is getting worse, with regular exchanges
of fires and civilian casualties reported. In conclusion, I'm very worried about the
potential spin over of this conflict beyond Gaza unless the following is enforced. First,
there must be strict adherance to international humanitaran law. This means civilian and
civilian infrastructure, including un premises, school, hospital, places of worship and
shelter hosting civilian must be protected all over the Gather Strip, north and south
and at all times. This is not an option, it is an obligation.
Second, we need a safe, unimpeded, substanti and continuous flow of
humanitarian aid, including fuel, into the Gather Strip and across it. For
this we need an immediate humanitrancis fire. Third, on what still needs forms,
we have the necessary and largest presence on the ground. We can deliver
if we have the means and the resources, including the finances to pay staff
on the front lines. ONWA has received generous contribution towards its initial flash appear,
but without a fully funded con budget, we cannot pay salaries and deliver.
Finally, in these dark times, we must not lose sight of our
humanity. Our empathy should apply to all Palestinian Israeli, Jewish, Christians and
Muslim The rules of law of war must be followed by all parties at all
times in all places. Civilian must be protected, hostages released, and a
genuine Uminian response facilitated. An immediate uventan sisfire has become a matter of life
and death for millions. The present and future of Pardestinian and Israeli depend on
it. I urge all members state to change the trajectory of this crisis and
walk towards a genuine political solution before it's to date. Thank you, I
thank mister Zardini for his briefing. I now give the floor to Miss Catherine
Russell. Thank you to Ambassador Niesbe and Ambassador of France Denesi for convening this
meeting, and to members of the Security Council for this opportunity to speak about
the humanitarian situation in the State of Palestine and Israel. At UNICEF, we
firmly believe that the true cost of this latest escalation will be measured in children's
lives, those lost to the violence and those forever changed by it. After
little more than three weeks, the devastating tally is quickly adding up, with
rampant grave violations being committed against children. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
More than eighty three hundred Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including over
three thousand, four hundred children, with over six three hundred children injured.
This means that more than four hundred twenty children are being killed or injured in
Gaza every day, a number that should shake each of us to our core.
Of course, the violence being perpetrated against children extends beyond the Gaza Strip.
In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, at least thirty seven children
have reportedly been killed, and of course, more than thirty Israeli children have
reportedly been killed, while at least twenty children remain hostage in the Gaza Strip,
their fates unknown. Civilian infrastructure has also come under fierce attack. According
to the World Health Organization, in Gaza, thirty four attacks have been reported
against health care facilities, including twenty one hospitals. Twelve of Gaza's thirty five
hospitals, which are also being used as shelters for displaced people, can no
longer function. At least two hundred and twenty one schools and more than one
hundred and seventy seven thousand housing units have been damaged or destroyed. Meanwhile,
what little clean water remains in Gaza is quickly running in, leaving more than
two million people in dire need. We estimate that fifty five percent of water
supply infrastructure requires repair or rehabilitation. Only one desalination plant is operating at just
five percent capacity, while all six of Gaza's water waste treatment plants are now
non operational due to a lack of fuel or power. The lack of clean
water and sanitation is on the verge of becoming a catastrophe. Unless access to
clean water is urgently restored, more civilians, including children, will fall ill
or die from dehydration or water borne diseases. As if this wasn't enough,
children in both Israel and the State of Palestine are experiencing terrible trauma, the
consequences of which could last a lifetime. Studies have shown that violence and upheople
can induce toxic stress in children that interferes with their physical and cognitive development and
causes mental health problems over both the short and the long terms. We are
doing our best to reach all children in need, but the delivery of humanitarian
aid, especially in Gaza, is now extremely challenging. This is due to
both the current siege conditions imposed on Gaza and the highly dangerous circumstances under which
our staff are operating. Some of our staff have lost close family members,
including spouses and children, and of course we are grieving with UNRAH for their
staff members who have been killed. Two days ago, we lost contact with
our colleagues in Gaza when telecommunications were disrupted. This left them at even greater
risk and it made their work to help children even harder to accomplish. Excellencies,
UNICEF and our partners are committed to staying on the ground to deliver for
children, but make no mistake, the situation grows worse by the hour,
and with an out an urgent end to the hostilities, I am deeply afraid
for the fate of the region's children, but we and you have the power
to help lift children out of this spiral of violence. I implore the Secure
Garity Council to immediately adopt a resolution that reminds parties of their obligations under international
law. It calls for a cease fire, that demands the parties allow safe
and unimpeded humanitarian access, that demands the immediate and safe release of all abducted
children, and that urges parties to afford children the special protection to which they
are entitled. The Security Council should prioritize what is now a worsening displacement crisis,
with more than one point four million people in Gaza, the majority of
whom are children now displaced. As a Secretary General has said, the order
for one point one million Palestinian civilians to leave northern Gaza should be rescinded.
Demands for hospital evacuations should also cease. Given their protected status under international humanitarian
law. All parties must stop violence and prevent any grave violations committed against children.
We must have humanitarian access through all crossing points into the Gaza Strip through
safe and af efficient supply. Roots and parties must ensure the safe and unimpeded
movement of humanitarian supplies and personnel throughout the Gaza Strip for the delivery of humanitarian
assistance, including but not limited to, food, water, medicines, fuel
and electricity. Finally, measures to prevent electricity, food water and fuel from
entering Gaza from Israel must be immediately reversed so that civilians have access to the
services they need to survive. Excellency is UNSEF was created almost seventy seven years
ago out of the ashes of World War II. Since then, our commitment
to our mission has never wavered. We advocate for the rights of every child.
On behalf of all the children caught in this nightmare. We call on
the world to do better. Whether they are young people attending a music festival
or children going about their daily lives in Gaza, they all deserve peace.
Children do not start conflicts, and they are powerless to stop them. We
need all of us to put their safety and security at the forefront of our
efforts and to imagine a future where children are healthy, safe and educated.
No child deserves any less. Thank you. I thank Missus Russell for her
briefing. I now give the floor to Missus Liza Dufton. Thank you,
mister President. I'm delivering this statement on behalf of Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under
Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs mister Martin Griffiths, who's currently on mission in Israel
and the occupied Palestinian territory. The events that have unfolded since seventh October have
been nothing short of devastating and heartbreaking. We do not forget the fourteen hundred
people killed and thousands more injured and taken in the brutal Hamas attack. Indiscriminate
rocket fire continues from Gaza into populated areas of Israel, causing more civilian casualties
and displacements and trauma. We deplore that two hundred and thirty people held hostage
in Gaza. All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. We welcome all
diplomatic efforts to secure their release and demand that in the interim they be treated
humanely and be allowed to receive visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross.
As you've just heard from Commissioner General Lazzarini, the situation for the more
than two million people trapped in the Gaza Strip is catastrophic. They've now endured
a siege and continues bombardment for twenty three days. According to the Ministry of
Health in Gaza, more than eight thousand people have been killed, sixty six
percent of whom are said to be women and children. Tens of thousands more
have been injured. The scale of the horror people are experiencing Gaza is really
hard to convey. People are becoming increasingly desperate as they search for food,
water, and shelter. Amid the relentless bombing campaign that's white out whole families
and entire neighborhoods. In their desperation, people have resorted to breaking into u
and warehouses in search of food and water. Dehydration is an increasing concern,
as is the possibility of the spread of disease and other health concerns due to
unsafe water and break down in sewage treatment services. More than one point four
million people are internally displaced in Gaza, and hundreds of thousands of children,
women and men are crammed into overcrowded shelters and hospitals. Many of these people
have moved south in search of safety, but the reality is that nowhere is
safe and we simply don't have enough essential supplies to provide for the survival and
internally displace people at this scale. As we heard from Executive Director Russell,
the health care system is in tetters. Patients lie on the floors and in
corridors. Surgeons are operating without anesthesia. Out of an estimated fifty thousand pregnant
women, five thousand, five hundred are due to deliver within the next thirty
days. For the one thousand patients dependent on dialysis, and the one hundred
and thirty premature babies and incubators life hangs by a thread as hospital backup generators
run on fumes. Some nine thousand cancer patients are not receiving adequate care.
We're deeply concerned by allegations of military installations in the close vicinity of hospitals and
the request by Israeli authorities for hospitals, including Al Kuds and Shifa, to
be evacuated. There's nowhere say for these patients to go, and for those
on life support and babies and incubators, moving would almost certainly be a death
sentence. Mister President, The provision of humanitarian relief is extremely complex and challenging
due to the bombardment, the destruction of infrastructure, and, as we've said
repeatedly, the lack of fuel. We mourn the loss of sixty four unrecolleagues
and other humanitarian staff who've been tragically killed, and we extend our deepest condolences
to the families and colleagues. We have the utmost admiration for the bravery,
selflessness and commitment of humanitarian workers who are delivering aid to those in need in
this perilous environment. Mister President, we welcome the agreement that has allowed us
to get some relief into Gaza via the Rafa border crossing, but these deliveries
are drop in the motion compared to the vast scale of needs. It's imperative
that we're able to get humanitarian supplies and relief into Gaza safely, reliably,
without impediment, and at the scale required. In particularly urgent for us to
replenish fuel supplies, which are vital for powering most essential services, including hospitals
and water desalination plants, and to transport humanitarian relief inside Gaza, and more
than one entry point into Gaza is indispensable if we are to make a difference.
Karim Shalom between Israel and Gaza is the only crossing quipped to rapidly process
a sufficient sufficiently large number of trucks. Meanwhile, in the West Bank,
scores of civilians have been killed and incidents of settler violence have increased, causing
hundreds of civilians to be displaced. Likewise, the violence enclosure of checkpoints has
impeded access to essential services and food distribution. The permits of some one hundred
and fifty thousand to one hundred and seventy five thousand Palestinians from the West Bank
working in Israel and settlements are now suspended. The situations causing significant damage to
the West Bank economy and Palestinian institutions. We have very real fears about what
lies ahead. The current situation may pale in comparison with what is to come.
There's a genuine risk that this work would escalate further and spill over into
wider region. We must take urgent collective action to prevent this, Mister President.
In light of all that has been described today, what we're calling for
is for the parties to agree to pause the fighting on humanitarian grounds. It
would provide the required calm and safety for hostages to be released, and for
the UN to replenish supplies, relieve exhausted personnel, and resume assistance throughout Gaza
wherever civilians are in need. It would also provide much needed respite to civilians
who are living under unimaginably traumatic conditions. But with or without a pause in
the fighting, I reiterate that all parties on all sides must respect international humanitarian
law. This means allowing relief in and taking constant care to spare civilians and
civilian objects, including humanitarian and medical workers, facilities and assets. And this
applies whether civilians move or they stay. We are relying on the responsibility of
every member state here and across the UN to use all of their influence to
ensure that the rules of war are respect and not, as far as is
possible, civilians are spared fur their suffering. Thank you mister President Missus Dubton
for her briefing, and I shall now make statement in my capacity as the
Minister Foreign Affairs of Brazil. Distinguished representatives, I thank the briefers for their
extensive information on the humanitarian situation on the ground and command the work of their
teams in Locus and elsewhere. They honor once again the work of this organization
and everything it stands for. Following instructions of President Lula, I come back
before you again today with a profound sense of urgency and dismay. We must
always bear in mind the human faces on both sides of the conflict. Therefore,
I extend Brazil's deepest condolences to the families and friends of all civilians,
including the brave and dedicated United Nations personnel who have lost their lives in the
ongoing crisis stemming from the protracted conflict in Israel and Palestine, tragically reignited by
the terrorist actions by Hamas against Israel on October seventh. Nothing justifies such crimes.
All hostages must be immediately and unconditionally released, and access to them by
the Red Cross must be immediately granted. At the same time, the current
situation in Gaza is deeply appalling and indefensible by any human standard and under humanitarian
international humanitarian law. An aligning humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding before our eyes, with
thousands of civilians, including an overwhelming intolerable number of children, being punished by
crimes they have not committed. In three weeks, we have watched this conflict
claim the life of more than eight thousand civilians, of whom more than three
thousand are children. Since the last time I spoke in this council, just
last week, the count of children deaths increased by one thousand. Meanwhile,
the Security Council holds meetings and hear speeches without being able to take a fundamental
decision to end the human suffering on the ground. As thousands in Israel and
Palestine, more the loved ones, as Israeli agonized over the fate of hostages,
as Gazans suffer under relentless military operations that are killing civilians, including an
intolerable number of children. We have the means to get something done, and
yet we repeatedly and shamefully fail. Since October seventh, we have met several
times and considered four draft resolutions. However, we remain at impass during to
international during to internal disagreement, particularly among some permanent members, and thanks to
the persistent use of the Council to achieve self oriented purpose instead of putting the
protection of civilians above all, the grave and unprecedented human crisis before us require
that sterial rivalries be relinquished, that the Council is not able to discharge its
responsibility of safeguard and international peace and security due to old antagon antagonism is morally
unacceptable. Let us not fool ourselves. The eyes of the world are staring
at us and will not move away from from our distressing inability to act.
They all see that our incapacity to unite and response to the human crisis facing
us today questions the very resondant of this Council. Someone has even written that,
in addition to civilians, this body lies beneath the rebels in Gaza.
The difference is that we are our own saviors. We just need to do
what is right to spare innocent lives from the scourge of wars. There may
still be time to rescue the Council and sustain the hope that many of us
still have in our capacity to be true to our mandate under the Charter.
It is possible only if it's enough political will, if there is enough political
will to compromise and to be minimally balanced and inclusive in our diagnosis and way
forward. Failure to do so yet another failure. Failure will add an increasingly
higher cost in human lives above all, but also to multilateralism in general,
to the United States and to this Council in particular. Last week, whope
for consensus seemed to emerge, echoing the Sector General's call for humanitarian seas fire,
as the tenth Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly passed a resolution that
called for humanitarian truths leading to a cessation of hostilities. A light at the
end of the tunnel seemed to appear also when the Sector General, who had
personally been in the region to assess the situation on the ground, announced the
opening of the Rafa border crossing for some initial aid deliveries and some hostages were
released. The United Nations, through its Secretariat, under the leadership of the
UN Sector General Antonio Boterez Umbra, and other bodies and agencies, has been
working tirelessly to address the human crisis facing us. It rests on Security Council.
The responsibility to follow through the price of inaction is unacceptably high. The
growing urgency for the families of the hostages and the unbearable pain for the civilian
population in Gaza cannot be understated. The positive first step taken by the UN
bodies and agencies do not go far enough, as the escalation of the conflict
makes the situation more dire by the hour. The relevance of a resolution of
Security Council lies on the need for sustainable, sustained humanitarian aid and for granting
safe working conditions for those involved in rescuing hostages and providing humanitarian work. The
cessation of hostilities is therefore to the benefit of the civilian population on both sides.
All the risks of reinstating the obvious. I want to put it bluntly,
there cannot be rescuing of hostages and humanitarian aid undershells. This is why
Brazil and fellow Eating members have been working tirely to try to get this Council
to act more decisively since the last showdown around proposed resolutions. In Brazil's view,
the main goals are clear, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages
and the end of violence through whatever modalities can be agreed without further delay,
so that rapid safe are hindred and sufficient humanitarian aids can be delivered to the
strained people of Gaza. Besides the eight thousand lives lost, many more are
about to meet their Phato destiny as hospitals have no means to keep providing basic
treatment for the patients. Therefore, providing essential resources to those in Gaza,
including water, food, medical supply, fuel and electricity is urgent and imperative.
Surgeries are being performed without anesthesia. Lives are being lost at hospitals for
lack of energy and the most basic magic supply medical supplies, food and water.
Scars and prices have skyrocketed, and the flow of many Italian aid so
far amounts to little more than a photo up. Thanks and troops are on
the ground in Gaza and time for action is running out. My questions to
you all are, if not now, when, how many more lives will
be lost until we finally move from rhetoric to action. It is also critical
and urgent to allow for the safe and immediate evacuation of foreign nationals from Gaza
and from elsewhere in the region if they feel threatened. While every state has
the right and duty to protected citizens, actions must be consistent with international law
and international humanitarian law, in particular the principles of distinction, proportionality, precaution,
military necessity, and humanity. The right and duty to protect the state's
population cannot and should not come at the cost of more deaths of civilians and
more destructions of civilian infrastructure. The UN Sector General Uterres has repeatedly remind us
even wors have rules, any indiscriminate, indiscriminative attack against civilians and critical infrastruture
infrastructure, as well as depriving civilians of basic goods and service, are morally
justifiable and illegal under international humanitarian law. Brazil strongly condensed actions that blurred the
line between civilians and combatants. Today Andra shed light on the green and disheartening
in reality in gazam highlighting the objectionable level of destruction of civilian infrastructure and tragic
laws of innocent lives, including those of women, children, at least thirty
five and at least thirty five of its staff. The World Health Organization has
been constantly recalling the urgent need for the cessation of violence and for the humanitarian
action at times when Gaza's health infrastructure is on the verge of collapse. Beyond
the immediate and very urgent humanitarian considerations, a threat to regional stability looms and
any repercussion could be catastrophic. Brazil urges an united shift towards the escalation and
calls on all parties to act with the utmost restraint. A cessation of hostilities.
Hostilities is urgently needed to create the conditions for a full, durable and
respected ceasefire and the resumption of a credible peace process. All this is at
stake as we keep our efforts to get this Council to act with a unified
voice, Distinguished members of the Council International Humanetarian Law prof its a clear path
to avoid at least great or at least greatly alleviate civilians suffering. The framework
for collective action is clear. Our collective response to this crisis, which we
all fear will only worsen if nothing is done, will be a defining moment
for the United Nations. The staggering, staggering fact is that the Security Council
does not have a reasonable record when it comes to maintaining international peace and security
in the Middle East. Issues related to the region in general received thirty five
of the two hundred and fifty vetus of the permanent members. Since twenty sixteen,
the Council has not been able to pass a single resolution on situation in
Palestine. The situation in the Middle East is therefore, by far one of
the most blocked issues in the Security Council. Speaks of ineffectiveness of governance,
of the governance system, and of the lack of representation of certain parts of
the world in this body. A decision on the humanitarian aspects of the current
crisis will certainly not redress the historic failure of Security Council regarding the situation in
the Middle East. It will, however, stop further human suffering now,
thank you, sorry, I would like for the register to read again another
sentence that that that was misspelled in my speech, the sentences on page four.
Failure to do so, yet another failure, will add an increasingly higher
cost in human lives above all, but also to multilateralism in general and to
the United Nations and this Council in particular. I thank you. I resume
now my function as President of the Council. I now give the floor to
the Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates. Mister President, thank you for
your presence here with us in New York today and for the special dedication that
Brazil has given to peace in our region. I also pay special tribute to
our briefers today and to their team's dedicated work in the most unimaginable circumstances on
the ground in the Gaza Strip. Commissioner General Lazarini, I was very shaken
by your recent words to your staff over the weekend, in which you said
I am constantly hoping that this hell on Earth will soon come to an end.
I want to extend the UAE's deep condolences for the sixty four unroll workers
killed in this war. They paid the ultimate sacrifice for the life saving work
the United Nations does every day around the world, and we have failed to
protect them. Last Friday, one hundred and twenty one countries representing an overwhelming
majority of the world, issued an unambiguous call for an immediate, durable,
and sustained humanitarian truths in Gaza. They stood up for the humanitarian imperative,
for human rights, for international law, and most importantly, for the self
evident truth that Palestinian life is precious, equal and deserving of the full protection
of the law. We have heard many say that the two point two million
Palestinians in Gaza are not Hamas, that this is not a war against them.
And while these are welcome words, it is time that action reflected them
them. The more than eight thousand people that have been killed in Gaza,
and as we've heard today, seventy percent of whom were women and children,
were surely not all Hamas. Nearly one thousand children are missing and may be
trapped or dead under the rubble. They are not Hamas. Will we help
them. The number of Palestinian children killed in just three weeks of Israel's bombardment
of Gaza exceeds the total number of children killed in conflicts worldwide in each of
the last four years. As Miss Russell has so eloquently said, that should
stain our moral conscience if nothing else does. Children do deserve our special protection
and are entitled to it today. If we lean on the General Assemblies moral
authority in other settings, we must also respect it in this one. Indeed,
members of this Council have repeatedly expressed their concerns about the fraying of the
international order. This Council, ignoring the expressed will of the majority of the
world, may be what breaks it. Colleagues, we need a ceasefire now,
as Foreign Minister Vieira said, We need to ensure that safe, sustained
and at scale humanitarian aid reaches Gaza now, and that access to electricity,
clean water and fuel is restored now. The shutdown of cellular and internet services
over the weekend as part of the offensive meant that wounded civilians were searching for
help in the dark. As we have heard today, there have been over
seventy six attacks on healthcare, including twenty hospitals and clinics damaged or destroyed.
More than six hundred fifty thousand people are sheltering in unlaw facility let me be
absolutely clear on this point. These sites are protected by international humanitarian law.
Announcements that they are targets or warnings for them to evacuate do not, I
repeat, do not alter their protected status. We need to see the recission
of dangerous, unrealistic evacuation orders. On Saturday, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported
warnings from Israel to immediately evacuate Alcud's Hospital, which hosts hundreds of patients,
including newborn babies in incubators. Around twelve thousand civilians are also seeking refuge there.
Right now, as we sit here in this chamber in New York,
speaking to each other again and again and debating the language of our humanitarian resolution
and response, an evacuation order in these conditions is cruel, It is reckless,
and so is our delay as a security Council, Mister President. All
of Gaza's civilian population is at risk by the escalating hostilities, as are the
Israeli and international hostages taken by Hamas wrongly taken by Hamas. While our eyes
have been trained on Gaza, the occupied West Bank has not been spared from
violence either. Israeli settlers are escalating their attacks against Palestinian civilians and forcing their
displacement. These attacks must be prevented by the State of Israel. Across the
region. There have been several credible warnings of a wider escalation. The drums
of war are beating colleagues. Taking these warnings seriously begins with stopping this war
in Gaza. We do not serve Israel's security by enabling it to go on.
We cannot reverse the heeneous October seventh attacks by condoning this war, in
which civilians are paying the price. Ignoring what could happen day after day will
have devastating consequences, not only for Israelis and Palestinians, but for the prospects
of peace and stability in our region. Mister President, as we work on
responding to the General Assembly's clear corps on this body to live up to its
responsibilities under the UN Charter, we should also keep in mind always the dying
words of the dead, so that their memories are a blessing to us.
I'd like to speak today of an Arab poet, Heba Abuneta, a Palestinian
woman killed in Han units several days ago. My friends, circle diminishes,
turning into little coffins scattered everywhere as missile's launch. I can't grasp the fleeting
moments with my friends. These aren't just names, they are refined elections of
us with a unique face and identity. Colleagues, we may have failed the
dead, but we must channel our sorrow into saving the living. The time
to reverse course is running out. What we and one hundred and twenty one
countries are advocating for may be the harder road, but history warns us of
the consequences of not taking it. Thank you, I thank the Permanent Representative
of the United Arab Emitates, and I now give the floor to the Permanent
Representative of China here. Thank you, mister President, Mister President Visible.
I would like to thank Brazil for organizing today's meeting upon the request of UAE
and China. Hi. Thank Commissioner General Lazarini, A Executive Director Russell and
mister Dalton for their briefings. Your briefings underscored once again the gravity of the
situation in Gaza and the urgency for the Council to act. Last Friday,
the tenth Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly adopted by an overwhelming majority a
resolution calling for an immediate and a durable humanitarian part leading to a cessation of
hostilities. This reflected the widespread cores on the part of the international community.
Regretably and unacceptably, However, Israel, turning a deaf ear to the common
concerns of the international community, had chosen to further escalate its military operations in
Gaza and formerly declared the launch of a ground assault. Secretary General Guterish has
warned that the population in Gaza is facing a disaster of an avalanche. Having
one of the highest population density in the world, Gaza is a land that
has been under brocade for sixteen long years. The two point three million innocent
people are living in utter fear amidst the indiscriminate bombardment and have been cut off
from water, electricity, food and fuel for twenty one days. Just this
past weekend, they experience a communication blackout that lasted for nearly thirty six hours.
If like checked, unchecked, the situation will spiral further out of control
and even greater humanitarian catastrophe will be inevitable. We express our deep sympathy to
the people in Gaza who are struggling on the brink of life and death.
And we are equally, if not more, deeply worried about the Middle East
peace prospect process, which is on the brink of collapse. China solemnly calls
on the parties to the conflict to seize all hostilities, disengage, immediately set
in place if humanitarian choos, and make every effort to prevent the situation from
escalating further. China solemnly calls on Israel, as the occupying power, to
fulfill its obligations under the international humanitarian law, lift its siege over Gaza,
immediately rescind its evacuation order, and expetitiously restore the supply of basic necessities so
as to prevent an even larger humanitarian disaster. China solemnly calls for intensified diplomatic
efforts to facilitate the release of the hostages without delay, and to work on
this basis to seek to open up space for dialogue so as to return to
the track of a political settlement. China solemnly calls on all part China solemnly
calls on the power that has a special power on the parties concerned to put
aside their own self interests and the geopolitical considerations and make every effort to stop
the war and restore peace. Mister President, the decades long history of the
Palestinian Israel issue has taught us that the military means are not the solution.
Absolute security cannot be achieved by imposing collective banishment on civilians, and responding to
violence with violence will only exacerbit, hatred and confrontation. We call on the
parties to the conflict to abandon their blind faith in the use of force and
commit themselves breaking the cycle of violence and achieving common security. There is no
fire war in Gaza. It is a dangerous myth to think that a contained
war is possible there. Allowing the fighting in Gaza to continue could very well
turn it into a military catastrophe that will involf the entire region. The situation
in the West Bank and along the Lebanese is Really border has already sounded the
alarm. We call on all parties concerned about the spillover earth the conflict to
devote their efforts towards promoting a ceasfire in Gaza. As long as the war
rages, more violations of international humanitarian law are bound to happen without a comprehensive
ceasefire, humanitarian assistance, no matter how much there is will only be a
job in the ocean. What the people of Gaza need now is more than
just a reiteration by the Council of the importance of international humanitarian law and the
reputation of unfulfilled the promises of protection. What they need is concrete actions to
restore peace are called the law, the rule of law, and save lives.
The Council has so far held several meetings on the situation of Palestine and
Israel, and it cannot be said that there was no consensus at all.
The resolution just adopted by the General Assembly has also to the Council in the
right direction. In the face of the current critical situation. China once again
solemnly calls on the Council to strengthen unity, build consensus, undertake responsible and
a meaningful action as soon as possible. We believe that so long as we
focus on the most depression issues on hand, such as a ceasefire and an
end to the fighting, the protection of civilians and the prevention of a larger
humanitarian disaster, it is possible for the members of this Council to reach a
consensus and indeed, this is what they should do at this juncture. Silence
means a put years, and in action it's a tantamount to a green light.
The eyes of the world upon us and history we record our choice.
Thank you, mister President. I thank the Permanent Representative of China for his
statement, and I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of the United
States. Thank you. I missed the President, Commissioner General Lazzarini, Executive
Director Russell, and Director Dalton. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to
you and your teams for the courageous work done by you under the most difficult
circumstances. Humanitarian actors have stepped up, as they always do, to try
and save lives in the midst of the humanitarian crisis in Gazo. This work
is heroic, but tragically it comes with great risk. We moren the more
than sixty UN staff who've been killed in Gaza since the start of this conflict.
The lives of EWAN personnel must be protected, The lives of humanitarian workers
must be protected, the lives of journalists must be protected. The lives of
all civilians, innocent civilians, Israeli and Palestinians men and way, women,
children and elderly must be protected. There's no hierarchy when it comes to protecting
civilian lives. A civilian is a civilian is a civilian colleagues. Has been
three weeks since Hamas killed more than fourteen hundred innocent civilians and took more than
two hundred people hostage. Gaza base militants continued to fire barrages of rockets toward
Israel. Citizens from dozens of member states are still being held hostage by Hamas,
and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is growing more dire by the day.
At this moment of pain and sorrow and suffering, we must all come together.
We must all come together to call for the immediate and unconditional release of
all hostages, addressed the immense humanitarian needs of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. A
firm Israel's right to defend itself from terrorism and remind all actors that international humanitarian
law must be respected. That means Hamas must not use Palestinians as human shields,
an act of unthinkable cruelty and a violation of the law of war,
and that means Israel must take all possible precautions to avoid harm to civilians.
Yesterday, President Biden spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu and reiterated that while Israel has
the right and responsibility to defend its citizens from terrorism, it must do so
in a manner consistent with international humanitarian law. The fact that Hamas operates within
and under the cover of civilian areas creates an added burden for Israel, but
it does not lessen its responsibility to distinguish between terrorists and civilians colleagues. The
United States is also deeply concerned by the significant uptick in violence against Palestinian civilians
in the West Bain. We condemn the killings of Palestinian civilians and we urge
Israel to prevent these attacks, working with the Palestinian authority. The Biden administration
also shares the international community's concern about telecommunications shut downs in Gaza. We've made
this clear to Israeli leaders, and we understand communification networks have started to be
restored. This is essential. A shutdown of telecommunication imperils the lives of civilians,
un personnel, and humanitarian workers, and risks exacerbating the humanitarian price in
Gaza. Lives hang in the balance, and we must all step up,
as the United States has done. We are the single largest donor to the
Palestinian people, having contributed more than one billion dollars since twenty twenty one,
and President Biden recently announced an additional one hundred million dollars in humanitarian assistance for
the Palestinian people in Gaza in the West Bank. But of course, no
amount of aid will matter if it cannot reach people in need, and the
United States continues to work with Israel, Egypt, the UN, and other
partners to facilitate rapid and sustain assistance flow. Food, fuel, water,
medicine, and other essential services must be restored. And while the number of
trucks entering Gaza continues to increase, it is not nearly enough. The amount
of humanity uitarian assistance flowing into Gaza must be scaled up urgently. We must
do everything possible to save lives, and President Biden has expressed his support for
humanitarian pauses in the fighting to allow hostages to get out, to allow humanitarian
aid to reach Gaza and be distributed, and to allow safe passage for civilians,
which will help people access humanitarian assistance or moved to safer locations. We
also continue to urge all Member States to work to prevent any spellover of the
crisis. Last week, Secretary Blincoln asked this Council to send a firm United
message to any state or non state actor that is considering opening up another front
against Israel, or who may target Israel's partners, including the United States,
don't. This is a matter of international peace and security, and this Council
must speak out. That is one of the many reasons that last week the
United States put forward a strong and balanced Security Council resolution, one that we
consulted with all Member States on and we worked to forge consensus around. This
resolution received the support of the majority of this Council, but Russia and China
blocked this adoption. Following this veto, action moved to the General Assembly,
where Member States were asked to vote for a resolution that was grossly one sided
and was missing two key words hamas and hostage. These are deliberate omissions that
give cover and empower Hamasi's brutality. During the Emergency Special Session, we also
heard a few Member States implicitly endorse Hamasi's acts of violence, and I was
frankly shocked and appalled. It is outrageous and it must be called out.
It is unconscionable that Hamas's actions are not condemned by the General Assembly colleagues.
As I've said before, the United States will continue to engage with any Council
member, with any member state that is committed to adopting a strong and balanced
resolution, But any Council product must support direct diplomacy efforts that can save lives
and advance the prospects of a more peaceful and secure future for the region.
Even at this difficult moment, we must keep hope alive. We must work
toward a brighter future, a future where Israelis and Palestinians have equal measures of
security, freedom, justice, opportunity, and dignity. A future or Palestinians
realize their legitimate right to self determination and a state of their own. A
future where two democratic states Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace.
This is not the future Hamas wants to see, but it is the future
that we must all work to advance together. Thank you very much, mister
President. I thank the Permanent Representative of the United States for her statements,
and I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Ecuador Senior President,
Mister President, to begin, I wish to thank mister Philip Lasarini and Miss
Lisa Dutton and Catherine Russell for the grave briefings this afternoon. I wish to
thank them for all of the work of Unwacha and Judseph in such grueling circumstances
such as those being endured by these bodies on the ground. The events in
Gaza are of grave concern, Mister President. The situation of the civilian population
is desperate. The aid that is arriving is insufficient, The future is uncertain
and menacing. Telecommunication blackouts that have just been referred to and the beginning of
ground operations are worsening this state of affairs. Ecuador values the efforts that have
been made to render viable the entry of vital supplies from Egypt. We hope
that we will ultimately manage to establish a system which makes it possible to supply
the civilian population in a sufficient and continuous fashion. We recognize the right of
countries to protect their civilians when international law allows. However, at the same
time, we recall the obligation for that right to be exercised in full compliance
at all times with international law and international humanitarian law, as we have stated
on several occasions, As Ecuador and other members of the Council indeed have stated
on several occasions, we support the work of the Secretary General, that of
the United Nations System, and we support the work of its agencies who have
the mandate to provide humanitarian aid to the population affected by this conflict. My
country has appealed vehemently for the avoidance of the spillover of this violence to other
areas in the region. At this moment, I wish to draw particular attention
to the need to avoid exacerbating tensions and fueling the violence in the West Bank
and on the border between Lebanon and Israel. I reiterate our request to all
to act with a sense of responsibility and common sense. Anything else, and
death, more pain, and more suffering will be all that await mister President.
As I have said on several occasions in recent weeks, this Council must
speak out before in the face of the eruption of violence in the area and
its dire humanitarian consequences. All efforts must be made to achieve this goal.
Particularly, we must achieve reach agreements between those who have the power to prevent
with their will alone, the adoption of a decision which adjoins the majority support
of this Council. It is timely to recall here that exercising greater power brings
with it greater responsibility. The Council must bear in mind that this organization was
born to defend the dignity and worth of the human person, to ensure that
reason prevailed in international relations, and to create a better world for all.
It is our obligation, mister President, to strive so that we can always
discharge that mandate. I thank you, I think the Permanent Representative of Licuador,
and I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Switzerland Mass Thank
you, mister President, and I would like to thank you for the second
time sharing an emergency meeting of the Security Council on the situation in the Middle
East this month. I would also like to thank the Commissioner General of UNROUA,
Philippe Lazzarini, Director Liza doubt And of OCHA, and the Executive Director
of UNICEF, Catherine Russell, for their briefings and their efforts, and above
all, all of their efforts in these particularly tragic circumstances. We offer our
very sincere condolences to the un in particular to UNRUA for the dozens of personnel
who died in the course of their duties. Our condolences also go to the
relatives of the thousands of Israeli and Palestinian civilians, more than a third of
them children, who have lost their lives are tragically lost their lives in recent
weeks. Since the seventh of October, Switzerland has strongly condemned the acts of
terror, indiscriminate rocket fire against the Israeli population and hostage taking perpetrated by Hamas.
In this context, Switzerland expressed its solidarity with the Israeli people. All
hostages held in Gaza must be released immediately and unconditionally. We have recognized Israel's
legitimate concern for national defense and security, recalling that the legitimate needs of security
and military necessity are taken into account by international humanitarian law, which must be
respected by all parties to the conflict. We stress once again the binding nature
of all its rules without exception, in particular the principles of distinction, proportionality
and precaution in the conduct of hostilities. All violations of international law must be
investigated so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice, as it has done
on many occasions. Switzerland reiterates that the application of international humanitarian law and human
rights, in particular the protection of civilians is and must remain a priority for
this Council. It is therefore imperative to protect civilians and people who are no
longer taking part in hostilities. We must protect them from acts of terror in
Israel, and we must protect them in Gaza and the West Bank, where
the increase in violence, particularly by settlers, is worrying. We must exert
our influence on the parties to the conflict to ensure that international humanitarian law is
respected to halt the current spiral of violence and prevent it from spreading throughout the
region. As we have heard in Gaza, the entire population, almost half
of whom our children, is now under siege. Entirely Civilian infrastructure, including
unoir, schools and in particular hospitals, are protected by international humanitarian law.
They must be able to provide security and assistance to civilians. The population must
have access in sufficient quality and quantity to essential goods and services, including drinking
water, food, medical care, and fuel. Switzerland has been working very
actively within this Council and at the General Assembly for the respect for international humanitarian
law and the introduction of measures such as humanitarian pauses or truces to guarantee access
to aid. Such measures, accompanied by security guarantees, are necessary to enable
the personnel of impartial humanitarian organizations to work effectively to respond to the needs of
the population and to alleviate the worsening sanitary crisis in Gaza. This is all
the more necessary in the light of the intense occasion of hostilities in recent days,
Mister President. Unified action by this Council is therefore more necessary than ever
to put an end to the violence in sure respect for international law and work
towards peace. Switzerland will continue to make every effort to seek such action by
this Council so that it assumes its responsibility in the face of this crisis.
Thank you. I thank the Permanent Representative of Switzerland for her statement, and
I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Gabon. Thank you,
mister President. I thank Honour Commissioner General Philippe Lazarini, the Executive Director Catherine
Russell and Otcher Director Lisa Doc ten for their briefings on the current situation in
Gaza. I am quite frankly shocked to the core by their briefings and accounts.
I wish to thank the United Arab Emirates and China for convening this emergency
open briefing because we cannot as a security Council remain unmoved in the face of
the unbearable extent of the horror playing out before our eyes. The intensification of
Israel's air strengths, together with the ground operations of forces in Gaza, is
causing the huge death toll of this war to tragically skyrocket. This is a
heinous war which is morally unacceptable. The paralysis of this Council is unacceptable and
inconceivable. Ten thousand people, including one thousand children, have been killed since
the heinous attacks of Hamas in Israel on the seventh of October. It is
high time for this bloodbath to cease. Gabon once again staunchly condemns all deadly,
indiscriminate violence. We wish to say the following very clearly. Indeed,
civilian populations must be neither currency nor human shields, nor must they be the
target of collective punishment. All hostages must be released unconditionally, and Israel's right
to self defense must be exercised in accordance with international humanitarian law and with the
principles of proportionality, precaution and distinction. The cycle of the dehumanizing cycle of
violence against civilian populations must immediately stop. Within this Council, we must move
beyond the bonds of the political and geopolitical bonds that bind us to inaction.
We must move beyond divisions, rivalry and sterility to call for the immediate cessation
of hostilities and for unhindered humanitarian access to those in need, those civilians trapped
in the devastated ruins of Gaza. We call for the compliance with an implementation
of the resolution adopted by the General Assembly on the twenty sixth of October twenty
twenty three. We hail the efforts to restore calm undertaken by the countries in
the region. At the same time, we retreate the security the Secretary General's
appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire. We retraate our appeal for restraint and encourage all
states that have influenced that they can bring to bear on parties to ratchet up
efforts to bring parties to choose peace and to preserve human life. Mister President,
we are all aware of the risk that the Israel Palestine conflict poses to
peace and stability in the region as a whole and beyond. We must avoid
a conflagration which would stand as a point of no return and would lead us
into chaos once and for all. To conclude, I wish to reaffirm my
country's conviction that diplomacy, dialogue and negotiation, with a central role played by
the United Nations, are and remain vital channels to achieve a lasting solution to
this deadly crisis. We reiterate our commitment to the two state solution. Thank
you. I thank the Permanent Representative of Gabbon for his statement, and I
now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Malta. Thank you, President.
I thank the briefers today's briefers for their stock briefings and also thanking can
applaud your teams for your important work on the ground. Commissioner General Lazzarini,
we convey our sincere condolences for the tragic loss of honoral staff in these past
weeks. For years the agency has been an important stabilizing force in the region
in recent days. Your work has been nothing short of heroic and you can
count on our full support. President Malta is gravely concerned by the desperate situation
in Gaza. Such military operations will undoubtedly have a devastating impact on the more
than two million civilians trapped in the enclave. Let us not forget that these
civilians were already perilously vulnerable and living in dire conditions. During these last days,
thousands broken to unraal warehouses and distribution centers, taking wheat, flour and
other basic items. This illustrates how desperate this is. Situation on the ground
is and as worrying, is a worrying sign that civil orders starting to break
down. In parallel, Hamas continues rocket barrage into his ra Day territory,
with some reaching Tel Aviv. This is completely unacceptable. We unequivocally reject and
condemn these barbaric attacks, including the seventh October attack undertaking of hostages. These
are heinous acts of terrorism. We reiterate our call on Harmas to immediately release
all hostages safely and unconditionally, and urge parties with influence to continue negotiations.
To this end, Malta condemns all violence against civilians. All parties to the
conflict are obligated to abide by international law, including international humanitarian and human rights
law. They must take all feasible precautions to avoid and in any event minimize
harmed to civilians and civilian objects. These including objects indispensable to the survival of
the civilian population. We are utterly devastated to note the effects the conflict is
having on Palestinian and Israeli children. Thousands have perished, while the rest are
suffering unthinkable psychological traumas. We underscore that the killing and maiming of children,
attacks on schools, hospitals, places of worship, and denial of children's access
to humanitarian assistance are all grave violations. We also echo the concerns raised regarding
the children being held by hamas we reiterate our call for their immediate release and
for their special protection needs to be prioritized. President. The humanitarian crisis in
Gaza can no longer be ignored. Urgent action is needed. This is why
we voted in favor of the General Assembly resolution. Australia are the tenth emergency
Special Session. We welcome the provisions of this resolution calling foreign immediate, durable
and sustained humanitarian truth leading to a cessation of hostilities. This is the minimum
requirement to ensure protection of civilians. Meanwhile, we remain concerned that this Council
has been unable to act in the face of this accelerating crisis. We echo
the Secretary General's message that this is a moment of truth. Our immediate priority
must be to address the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe and to reverse current escalations. We
urge Council members to unite in good faith and act decisively for the sake of
regional and international security. We also stress that it is unacceptable that humanitarian actors
working through the most life threatening and extraordinary conditions to protect gas and civilians also
must content with communications blackouts. Connectivity is of utmost importance, not only to
the civilian population, but also so that aid responders can continue doing their critical
work. Malta reiterates the call also made on the European Council conclusions for the
continued rapids, safe and unhindered humanitarian access in Gaza, including through humanitarian corridors
and pauses, All efforts made by international actors in this regard are welcome.
Furthermore, we are alarmed at the precarious developments in areas outside of Gaza.
It is critical that the international community works together to prevent a spillovera which would
further increase internal tensions and destabilize the entire region. Malta underscores that any lasting
and sustainable plan for peace in the Middle East must be based on a two
state solution, in line with relevant Security Council resolutions and internationally agreed parameters.
The escalation, restraint and mediation are critical. The longer we fail to address
these imperatives, the harder it will become to climb out of the abyss and
towards the path of peace. Thank you, I think the Permanent Representative of
Mountham for her statement, and I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative
of France, Mocheur Polidon. Mister President, I thank the Commissioner General of
ANOIR, Executive Director of UNICEF and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
for their briefings. The terrorist attacks by Hamas and other groups against Israel on
the seventh of October have triggered unprecedented crisis. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is
tragic. Civilians are dying every day, including many children. The population is
going hungry, The lack of water brings with it the risk of epidemics,
and hospitals are overwhelmed. It is urgent that unfettered humanitarian access be guaranteed for
the Gaza strip that needs food, water and electricity. The number of convoys
must increase significantly in order to be commensurate with what is needed. A humanitarian
truce is needed, which could ultimately leave to lead to a ceasefire. France
has significantly increased its humanitarian assistance through the chartering of a special flight last weekend,
and welcomes the commitment of the Secretary General, the work of un agencies
and the work of humanitarian actors on the ground who are working in extremely difficult
conditions. Our most sincere condolences go to the United Nations following the deaths of
sixty three UNWA staff members. Civilians must be able to leave Gaza without being
impeded from doing so, and we have constantly requested that for our own nationals
and their families since the seventh of October nothing can justify the suffering of civilians
who must be protected. All victims deserve our compassion, and all lives are
valuable. Israel has the right to defend itself and the duty to do so
in compliance with international humanitarian law, sparing the civilian population. France voted in
favor of the resolution introduced by Jordan on behalf of the Arab Group, which
calls for a truce and humanitarian access and for the protection of civilians, which
condemns terrorist acts, and which calls for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.
And I recall our condemnation in the most energetic terms of the terrorist attacks
by Hamas, which in no way represents the Palestinian and which has nothing but
contempt for their suffering. I also reiterate our core for the hostages to be
released immediately and without condition. Following this vote in the General Assembly, this
Council must be able to fully shoulder its responsibilities and achieve a just decision based
on our common principles. France will continue to work on the new draft resolution
presented by Brazil so that it can be adopted quickly. Mister President, the
extreme severity of the situation in Gaza should not lead us to forget what is
happening in the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory. France firmly condemns the violence
perpetrated by settlers against the Palestinian population, acts of violence which are increasing in
the West Bank. We call on the Israeli authorities to put a stop to
this. We must prevent this engulfing the entire region. France remains extremely worried
following a launching of a shell that Land did in uniform headquarters in the south
of Lebanon on the twenty eighth of October. France is committed to avoiding a
spread of this conflict. This war has reminded us, as if any reminder
were necessary, that the world can no longer ignore the legitimate aspirations of the
Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace and security. We all are aware of
the conditions for this, namely the necessary security guarantees for Israel and a state
for the Palestinians. We must all mobilize in order to restore a political horizon.
The only viable solution is a two state solution, and France will continue
its engagement within this council for it to adopt a resolution as quickly as possible.
We owe this to the Israelis and the Palestinians. Thank you. I
thank the Permanent Representative of France for his statement, and I now give the
floor to the Permanent Representative of Albanian Thank you, mister President. And let
me thank Commissioner General Lazzarini, Executive Director Rousselle and Miss Dutton for the information
provided. We pay tribute to you, your work and your teams on the
ground, and mourn the loss of other sixty UN workers fallen in the line
of duty. The past three weeks have been dramatic for Israelis and Palestinians,
and tormenting for the Middle East and many elsewhere. The overall death toll in
civilian victims is frightening and unsustainable. We extend our condolences and deepest sympathy to
the families of all victims, Israelis and Palestinians alike. Mister President, seventh
of October will remain a defining moment in the never quiet history of the Middle
East. Hamas is brutality and terror, the worst in human behavior, will
not and must not be forgotten in the current utterly complex situation, there is
an accumulation of competing urgencies. The response to terror and the continued rocket launches
from Gaza, the liberation of hostages, the protection of civilians, the provision
of humanitary and help, and the increased risk of spillover of the conflict.
Let me quickly go through each of them. First. In its exercise of
the right of self defense, which we recognize and support, like for every
other country under attack, Israel is determined to eradicate Hamas. It should not
be portrayed mistakenly as a license to punish Palestinians. It is beyond any doubt
that conducting warfare in such a densely populated area as Gaza is difficult, challenging,
very demanding, and it must be conducted prudently, professionally and in compliance
with international midtern law. We profoundly regret every innocent life lost, without distinction.
While circumstances may be different, a loss is always a loss. Therefore,
there is need for maximum precaution not to harm those who are twice in
danger, first from Hamas and their policies on one hand, and a fight
they have not chosen on the other. It is therefore extremely important and urgent
to do everything possible that civilian populations are not found in that horpless place from
where there is no escape. Second, nothing can ever justify abducting and holding
hostages innocent people, children, women and elderly, even less so using them
as Hamas is doing. They must be liberated, They must be brought home.
We welcome efforts from various actors in this respect and urge them to continue.
Third, and hindered, umnitarian help at scale must be urgently provided to
all those in need. We cannot contemplate children die in the hospital because of
the lack of medicine or electricity or water, or lack of communications. We
cannot contemplate lack of food for entire families, adding to an already difficult situation
that total break down or law and order because of lack of basic commodities.
The Government of Israel has promised that soon aid with flaw in abundance, it
should happen immediately. Those who are spared from the fighting do not need to
die from hunger. Colleagues, we try to put ourselves in Israel's shoes,
feel the trauma of terror striking with the ferocity we cannot forget, face with
an existential question with countries and proxies that seek openly to destroy it. I
don't think anyone here or anywhere would feel at ease knowing that your next door
neighbor is just waiting for the right moment to kill you. How can this
not bring back horrible memories that fear and anxiety summarized in the Never Again Pledge.
But we also put ourselves in the very same way in the shoes of
the Palestinians, feeling the unexplainable pain of civilians caught in the midst of a
war that has befallen on them, a war first imposed by Hamas and the
likes decide did it elsewhere by their masters, who are rubbing their hands in
the face of casualties they had anticipated and hoped for in a turmoil of all
dangers. We feel for Palestinians, for who, for decades, at every
time they neared to the horizon of their future with their state, those against
would always be quicker to disrupt it and push it further away. We feel
for those thousands on both sides of this terrible divide who have lost their loved
once the families of the hostages, and all those torn apart by death and
grief and the insecurity of tomorrow. Wars are sometimes unavoidable because imposed, but
they are always brutal, They bring inevitable destruction, They cause victims and sadly
often casualties among those who don't deserve it. But even wars have laws and
they must be respected. We believe and trust that there is a there.
There is and must be a way to ensure that security of Israel and its
people, while insuring the security and of and the perspective of all Palestinians who
do not want war colleagues. Beyond the tragedy unfolding in Israel and Gaza,
the magnitude of the human suffering is impacting people across borders and identities, and
we notice a sharp increase in the hate and division, including the threat of
terrorism and targeted violence. This sharp and often confusing polarization fails to acknowledge our
common humanity and that the killing of innocent civilians, regardless of religion or ethnic
background, is wrong unacceptable. The frightening images of the bloodthirsty mob yesterday in
Dugistan hunting for Jewish people is another appalling illustration of intolerable and appalling rays of
anti Semitism. No one should stay indifferent to relies, to allow of relies
where people chant kill the Jews or destroy Israel. This is why there is
so much need for wisdom, responsibility and action on the ground and from this
Council, because otherwise confusion, hatred, tension and violence will continue, not
only in Gaza and the West Bank, but also elsewhere in the Middle East
and beyond, dividing societies fueled by strong emotions, ideologies and beliefs, overpowering
cold minds and reason, and overshadowing forward looking perspectives. Last, but not
least, Mister President, the serious risk of spillover Haspola is playing with fire
and attacks from the northern border are becoming more and more threatening. If this
continues, it may be a matter of time before the irreparable point is reached.
It must be resisted since it will only bring the region and all the
countries involved near a catastrophe. In this respect, we're also very concerned for
the situation in the West Bank. We condemn the extremest settler violence and Palestinians,
which is totally unacceptable. Such acts must be full investigated and those responsible
must be held accountable, mister President. In the face of so much complexity
and adversity, we think it is urgent to start thinking about the gazz of
tomorrow, the Gaza without Hamas, without extremists. There is need to offer
Palestinian civilians in Gaza a perspective, a new organization of life under a new
administration. Hamas has let them down, Hamas has brought war to them.
Hamas did not bring them prosperity because it invested in tunnels and rockets, in
hatred and death. We need to start thinking how the fabric of the society
can be repaired so that the children know that what shalom means instead of being
raised with and repeating death to the Jews. If not, the Hamas of
today will only be replaced by the Hamas of tomorrow, maybe with another name,
but with the same hatred, the same ideology, the same goals,
embroiled in a never ending cycle of hurting the other, acting falsely in the
name of God they disrespect, and acting falsely in the name of a future
they simply oppose. This is why there is a need to revive the political
process as soon as possible, because in its absence there will only be unhappiness,
poverty, discrimination, hatred, tension, never ending violence, victims and
as it has happened many times, exploitation by terrorists, extremists and their supporters.
And let's not fool ourselves. The next war will be only deadlier,
but it is preventable if we all work together with conviction and in good faith
for peace, for last in peace, and I thank you, I thank
the Permanent Representative of Albania. The show has been produced by Depictions Media.
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