Addressing ambassadors on behalf of the UN Secretary-General António GuterresChief of Cabinet Courtenay Rattray warned that, in addition to the dire situation in the war-torn enclave, the risk of further regional spillover is growing by the day.
End collective punishment
Mr Rattray reiterated his strong condemnation of the brutal attacks by Hamas and other armed groups on October 7 last year, stressing that nothing can justify collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
He noted that Israeli military operations and fighting in Gaza have intensified in recent weeks, while Palestinian armed groups from the enclave continue to fire rockets at Israeli cities.
“Rafah lies in ruins – and the Rafah border crossing remains closedwhich further hampers humanitarian operations. Nearly two million people have been displaced – almost the entire population of Gaza – and many of them multiple times,” he said.
“Nowhere in Gaza is safehe emphasized.
Palestine: Stop the Israeli Occupation Now
Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer for the Observer State of Palestinesaid Israel has been creating a humanitarian catastrophe for months, with famine at its core, using starvation, dehydration and the spread of disease as “the ultimate weapons.”
“Two million people who faced a blockade for 17 years are now facing a hermetic siege, dying of hunger and disease, while food and medicine are available just meters away,” he said, adding that Israel had so far “pretended” that the blockade, walls and military rule were about security.
He stressed that there is a reason why Israel behaves this way, saying: “Everything in history tells it that it will get away with it. It is betting that this time will not be an exception. But this time must be the exception and change must begin now.”
A global consensus has emerged
While the Security Council adopted resolution 2735 in June to reach an immediate ceasefire that would lead to a permanent cessation of hostilities, he said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “does not care about the lives of Palestinian civilians or even the lives of the hostages,” nor about international law or human decency, and only about his own political survival.
However, in recent weeks, a global consensus has emerged in support of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the two-state solution, in accordance with UN resolutions and international law, he said, referring to the International Court of Justice (IGH) cases against Israel.
“There is more agreement on the Palestinian issue than on any other issue on the international agenda,” he added.
More to come…
