World must not look away from humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, UN chief tells Security Council

Palestine: ‘We are at a historic crossroad’

Riyad Al-Maliki, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the observer State of Palestine, said a truce must become a ceasefire.

“This is not a war,” he said. “This is a carnage that no one can justify. It must be brought to an end.”

People must be allowed to go back to their homes, Mr. Al-Maliki added.

“Over 15,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel. Over 10,000 of them are women and children. They have been killed by Israel. They did not lose their life; it was taken away. No one is safe in Gaza, not the children, not the doctors, not the humanitarian personnel, not the journalists, not the UN staff. They were killed at an unprecedented pace in modern history,” he said.

“We are at a historic crossroad,” he said.

‘We need international protection’

The protection of Palestinians cannot be ensured by the occupying forces who are complicit in these crimes, he said.

“We need international protection and international action to end impunity so as to prevent the recurrence of these crimes that occur daily and in broad daylight,” he said. “What our people are enduring now is the result of the international community’s failure to provide such protection and accountability.”

These actions have consequences far beyond the borders of Gaza.

Warnings went unheeded: Wennesland

Tor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, told the Security Council that amid the surging violence and extensive Israeli movement restriction, the Palestinian Authority’s longstanding fiscal crisis have worsened significantly.

The economic activity in the West Bank has ground to a halt and the economy of Gaza, collapsed, he said.

The decrease in revenue for the Palestinian Authority is impacting many critical services and the payment of public sector salaries, including to the security forces, he stated, warning “the situation is boiling and getting worse rapidly.”

“In the months before the war, I warned this Council regularly, that more must be done to help stabilize the situation in the West Bank, that is more the case now that ever before,” Mr. Wennesland said.

He went on to note that while much is unknown on how this war will end, some absolutes are clear.

“Acts of terror like those Hamas and others committed against Israel on 7 October must not be allowed to happen again, and Palestinians in Gaza in must never ever again experience the horrors they have endured,” he said.

Mr. Wennesland emphasized that the only viable path is one that leads to the end of the occupation and the realizing of a two-State solution in line with UN resolutions, previous agreements and international law.

“Our past efforts have certainly not been enough, a message that resonates today as we mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. There must be a new and different approach, or we are doomed to return to the path of managing a conflict that clearly cannot be managed,” he stated.

Guterres: Don't look away from 'epic humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza'

Welcoming the arrangement reached by Israel and Hamas, with the assistance of the governments of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, Mr. Guterres said the UN was working to maximize the positive potential of the current pause in fighting on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

“The pause has enabled us to enhance the delivery of aid into and across Gaza,” he said, noting that for the first time since 7 October, an inter-agency convoy delivered food, water, medical supplies, and shelter items to northern Gaza, specifically to four UNRWA shelters in Jabalia camp.

Aid simply 'inadequate'

But, the level of aid remains completely inadequate to meet the huge needs of more than two million people.

At the same time, all hostages must be released, he stressed.

The arrangement announced on 22 November has so far led to the release, over 5 days, of 60 hostages – 29 women, 31 children – held by Hamas and other groups since 7 October, he said, adding that in addition, another 21 hostages were released during the same period. The arrangement also saw the release of 180 Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Israeli jails, mostly women and children.

“This is a welcome start, but as I have been saying from day one, all hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally,” he said.

The Security Council resolution calls on all parties to refrain from depriving the civilian population in the Gaza Strip of basic services and humanitarian assistance indispensable to their survival, consistent with international humanitarian law, he said “much, much more is required to begin to address human needs in Gaza.”

Success will be measured in lives that are saved, suffering that is ended, and hope and dignity that is restored

That includes full restoration of water and electricity services and urgently addressing the collapse of food systems and deteriorating public health.

The Rafah border crossing does not have enough capacity, especially taking into account the slow pace of procedures, to meet these and other needs, he said, urging the opening of other crossings, including Kerem Shalom, and the streamlining of inspection mechanisms to allow for the necessary increase of lifesaving aid.

'True humanitarian ceasefire' needed

But, humanitarian aid alone will not be sufficient, he said, adding that the private sector is needed to bring in critical basic commodities to replenish completely depleted shops.

"Success will be measured in lives that are saved, suffering that is ended, and hope and dignity that is restored", he said.

“The people of Gaza are in the midst of an epic humanitarian catastrophe before the eyes of the world,” he said. “We must not look away.”

He welcomed the ongoing intense negotiations to prolong the truce.

“But, we believe we need a true humanitarian ceasefire, and we must ensure the people of the region finally have a horizon of hope by moving in a determined and irreversible way toward establishing a two-State solution, on the basis of United Nations resolutions and international law, with Israel and Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security, he said. “Failure will condemn Palestinians, Israelis, the region and the world to a never-ending cycle of death and destruction.”

Secretary-General António Guterres is in the chamber primarily to report back on the latest dire humanitarian situation, according to the resolution.

He told ambassadors and ministers that more than two-thirds of those killed in Gaza so far have been children and women.

In a matter of weeks, a far greater number of children have been killed by Israel than in any year, by any party to a conflict, since he has been Secretary-General, the UN chief said.

“Over the past days there has been a “glimmer of hope and humanity” for both hostages and their families, and civilians in Gaza amid the ceasefire.

Before the current ceasefire, we witnessed serious violations of international law in Gaza, he said, with 80 per cent of Gazans now forced from their homes.  

He also said rocket attacks on Israel have continued by Palestinian militants along with the use of civilians as human shields: “this is also inconsistent with international humanitarian law obligations”, the UN chief added.

The meeting has just been called to order by the Chinese foreign minister. A host of foreign ministers from the region and beyond are being invited to speak in addition to Council members, together with Palestine and Israel.

Wednesday marks the sixth and final day of a truce between Hamas and Israel that was facilitated by Qatar. Humanitarians have urged the warring sides to support repeated international calls to extend the pause in fighting, which has facilitated the reported release of at least 85 hostages by Hamas, and of more than 180 Palestinian prisoners by Israel. 

China holds the presidency until the end of November and the meeting around the horseshoe table will take place at a ministerial level, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi due to be in the chair, and many other top diplomats from world capitals in attendance. 

The meeting is due to start at 09:30 AM local time.

Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to report back on the implementation of that 15 November resolution – the first expression of unity on the Council over the crisis since the Hamas terror attacks and subsequent Israeli offensive – along with Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland.

Here’s a reminder of the highlights from that mid-November meeting and you can watch it in full here, or catch up with the extended UN Meetings Coverage report, here. 

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 15 NOVEMBER

• The UN Security Council succeeds in finding unity, adopting resolution 2712 on the Israel-Palestine crisis that began on 7 October, with 12 members voting in favour, none against and three abstentions (Russia, United Kingdom, United States), calling for “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors” in Gaza for “a sufficient number of days” to allow full, rapid, safe and unhindered access for UN agencies and partners
• The Council “calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups, especially children, as well as ensuring immediate humanitarian access”, by the terms of the resolution
• The Council, by additional provisions in the text, calls on all parties to refrain from depriving the civilian population in Gaza of basic services and aid indispensable to their survival, consistent with international humanitarian law
• The resolution does not condemn the Hamas attacks of 7 October which began the current wave of violence and battle for control of Gaza
• The Council rejected an amendment proposed by Russia, with five votes in favour, one against and nine abstentions
• “Our vote today translates into real human lives,” said the ambassador of Malta, penholder of the newly adopted resolution
• Ambassadors from the UK and US separately regretted to note that the draft failed to condemn Hamas and voiced support for civilian protection and rapid aid delivery measures
• Russia’s ambassador said a real ceasefire is needed and “the Council will need to make a decision on further steps”, including what observers to send to the conflict area and which UN contingent will be involved
• “This madness must be brought to an end,” said Palestine’s Permanent Observer to the UN, adding that: “It is time for peace”
• Israel’s Ambassador said the crisis could be brought to an immediate end if all Israeli hostages are returned unscathed and Hamas laid down their arms and turned themselves in