S/PV.9868 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Israel and Kuwait to participate in this meeting. I propose that the Council invite the Permanent Observer of the Observer State of Palestine to the United Nations to participate in the 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 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Ms. Sigrid Kaag, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim; Ms. Noa Argamani; and Mr. Daniel Levy, President of the U.S./Middle East Project. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I give the floor to Ms. Kaag. Ms. Kaag: Before I start, I would like to acknowledge the presence of Ms. Noa Argamani, and I convey to her and to all hostages — living and deceased — and their families my deepest respects and support. And we grieve with all victims, their families and their loved ones. The Middle East today is undergoing a rapid transformation — its scope and impact remain uncertain, but it presents a historic opportunity. The people of the region can emerge from this period with peace, security and dignity. However, this may be our last chance to achieve the two-State solution. It cannot be repeated enough: nothing justifies the appalling 7 October 2023 terror attacks executed by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups, and I welcome the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire, including the release of 34 hostages. I echo the Secretary-General’s condemnation of the public parading of hostages released by Hamas, including statements made under duress, and of the appalling display of the coffins of deceased hostages. None of us will forget the harrowing pictures of the coffins of the Bibas children, who were taken hostage with their mother and killed while in captivity. The image of the Israeli hostages released show clear signs of ill-treatment, reflecting the very dire conditions to which they were subjected in Gaza. I reiterate that all hostages must be released unconditionally and that, while in captivity, they must be allowed to receive visits and assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross. The trauma is undeniable on both sides. In Gaza, death, destruction and multiple displacement have been inflicted upon the Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. While the first phase of the ceasefire has provided a surge of much-needed relief, far more remains to be done to address the more than 15 months of deprivation of basic human necessities and, above all, of loss of human dignity. In my most recent visit to Gaza, soon after the ceasefire came into effect, I was once again moved by the scenes of utter devastation among young and old and of despair due to loss, trauma and a sense of abandonment by the international community. As part of the ceasefire deal, 1,135 Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been released to date. Reports of serious ill-treatment and humiliation during their detention are concerning. The resumption of hostilities must be avoided at all costs, and I call on both sides to fully honour their commitments to the ceasefire deal and conclude negotiations for the second phase. I commend the mediators  — Egypt, Qatar and the United States  — for their steadfast work in securing the first phase and pursuing the second phase. As we address the immediate needs in Gaza, we must also build a future that offers protection, recovery and reconstruction. As Council members know, the World Bank, the European Union and the United Nations have released an updated Interim Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction. Initial estimates indicate that $53 billion will be required for that effort. The Arab States are leading efforts to devise a plan for the rebuilding of Gaza, with Egypt planning to host a conference dedicated to Gaza’s reconstruction. The United Nations is ready to support reconstruction efforts. Palestinian civilians must be able to resume their lives, rebuild and construct their future in Gaza. There can be no question of forced displacement. While international attention is focused on Gaza, I am concerned about military operations, attacks and mounting violence in the West Bank. Casualties, destruction and displacement continue to be reported, particularly in Jenin, Tubas and Tulkarm governorates, where refugee camps and infrastructure are heavily impacted. Many of those areas are in Area A, under the Palestinian Authority’s civil and security responsibility. Israeli forces have deployed air strikes and other heavy weaponry, while Palestinian militants have used improvised explosive devices and carried out shooting attacks. That takes place alongside continued violence and intimidation by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and attacks by Palestinians against Israelis. Following the detonation of three bombs on empty buses near Tel Aviv in a suspected terror attack, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have increased their troop presence in the West Bank. I am alarmed by the killing of a pregnant woman and young children during those operations. Such incidents must be thoroughly investigated and those responsible held accountable. Regarding continued illegal settlement activity, approximately 2,000 new housing units have been advanced in recent weeks, mostly in Area C. State land declarations and settler outposts impede Palestinian land use for farming, while demolitions and evictions have been accelerated. Severe movement restrictions continue to paralyse daily life for many Palestinians, hindering access to essential services and economic activity. Those developments, along with continued calls for annexation, present an existential threat to the prospect of a viable and independent Palestinian State, and thereby to the two-State solution. Israeli legislation that bans the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from operating in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem took effect on 30 January. The Secretary-General has condemned the breach of the inviolability of United Nations premises in occupied East Jerusalem. UNRWA’s work remains essential and must be allowed to continue unimpeded. As has been reported, the Palestinian Authority continues to implement agreed- upon reforms, including fiscal and public finance policy, governance and rule of law, for the investment climate and basic service provision. In early February, the Palestinian Authority issued a decree cancelling financial payments to the families Turning briefly to the region, in Lebanon, the election of the President and the formation of the new Government provide an opportunity to fully empower State institutions in laying the foundation for greater stability in order to extend State authority and address the country’s multifaceted challenges. I call on Lebanon and Israel to uphold their commitments under the cessation of hostilities and to undertake meaningful steps towards the full implementation of resolution 1701 (2006) to restore stability and allow the people on both sides of the Blue Line to return home. In south-west Syria, the United Nations is concerned about violations of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, and I urge the parties to uphold their obligations under the Agreement. Since I assumed the role of United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim, my team and I have actively engaged with all relevant parties. I have initiated consultations in the region and will continue to engage with key stakeholders. Those consultations have reaffirmed that there is no sustainable resolution to the current war or wider conflict that is not fundamentally political. As we engage in planning for Gaza’s future, we must ensure that, first, Gaza remains an integral part of a future Palestinian State; secondly, Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are unified politically, economically and administratively; and thirdly, there will be no long-term IDF presence in Gaza and Israel’s legitimate security concerns are addressed. We must commit to ending the occupation and a final resolution of the conflict based on United Nations resolutions, international law and previous agreements. I would like to make four key requests. First, continued support for the full realization of the ceasefire deal, including the release of all hostages, is critical. Secondly, it is crucial not to lose sight of the dangerous dynamics in the West Bank and the urgent de-escalation that is needed. Thirdly, the international community must continue to support the Palestinian Authority in its reform efforts and its resumption of responsibilities in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian security forces should also be empowered to carry out their responsibilities in areas under their control. Fourthly, we must politically and financially support Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction efforts. Peace in the Middle East is possible. We can achieve a future in which a safe and secure Israel exists alongside a viable and independent Palestinian State. That requires the continued concerted efforts, dedication and political courage of all parties. The United Nations will continue to play its role in the pursuit of lasting peace.

I thank Ms. Kaag for her briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Argamani. Ms. Argamani: My name is Noa Argamani, and it is a great honour to be here today. I was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on 7 October 2023 from the Nova music festival with my partner Avinatan Or. We were taken by force into Gaza and held in total fear, living in a nightmare. After eight months in captivity, I was rescued by Israeli soldiers. Me being here today is a miracle, but I am here to say that we have no time. As I speak, 63 hostages are still living in a nightmare, including my partner We are talking about innocent people who were taken from their beds, from a dance party, from their simple lives and plunged into pure hell. Members of the Security Council do not need me to tell them about 9-month-old Kfir, 4-year- old Ariel Bibas and their mother, Shiri — just a mother and her babies who were brutally murdered in captivity. The crime is unthinkable. We cannot imagine it, but it happened, and that is why we cannot leave anyone there. I know what it feels like to be left behind. I watched other hostages being released to their families. Every moment feels like the last moment of one’s life. Every second counts. While I was in Gaza, I was held with two little girls — Hila Rotem and Emily Hand. At that time, Emily was 8 years old, and Hila was 12. I had to be brave, not only for myself but also for the girls. I had to act as if everything was going to be okay, and that was why I kept telling them that as long as we were there together, alive in that room, nothing else mattered. I told them to ignore all the booming, all the sounds of shooting and everything that was around us. Hila and Emily were both released in the first hostage deal after 50 days. I watched them and two other women who had been with me in captivity going home to their families as I stayed behind. I was not in any category that could be released. I cannot even begin to describe how it felt to be the one left behind, but I know that is exactly how the hostages are feeling today, abandoned by the world. After 54 days in captivity, it was just me, Itai Svirsky and Yossi Sharabi. They had both been kidnapped from their houses in Kibbutz Be’eri. We were in a war zone, 24/7. It was terrifying, every day, every second. One evening, the house that we were being held in was blown up, and we found ourselves in the destruction. Itai was able to stand up, and Yossi and I were stuck under the rubble. I could not move. I could not breathe. I thought those were going to be the last seconds of my life. I screamed out loudly, so someone would hear me, and I heard Yossi screaming too. But after a few seconds I stopped hearing from Yossi. I was pulled out of the rubble and I tried to help Yossi, but it was already too late. Yossi was a close friend of mine, and he was a pure, kind soul. He will always be in my heart. Itai and I had to find somewhere else to hide, so one of our abductors took us to another house. But two days later, Itai was murdered by the same man. Itai had been with me since our first day in captivity. We told each other everything. He was my true soulmate. May his memory be a blessing. Hamas published a video of me describing what happened to Itai and Yossi and saying that I was injured and needed medical help. But of course, I got nothing — no doctors, no Red Cross, nothing. From that moment on I was by myself, with five terrorists holding me in the same house. It is crucial to understand that every second in captivity is dangerous. I did not think that I was capable of living. That is why it is absolutely critical that we put an end to this terrible tragedy. Without immediate action, many more innocent people will be killed, including my partner, Avinatan Or. Until Avinatan returns, my heart is in captivity. I have come before the Council today to say that members must not let the darkness take over. The Council must work hard to get everyone home now, working for the light and against the darkness. I have come to the United Nations to speak before the Security Council today because I believe that the entire international community must understand that the hostages are in hell. After losing so many friends, I can say that they deserve to come back home now. What kept me alive in captivity and

I thank Ms. Argamani for her briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Levy. Mr. Levy: I thank the Council, the Chinese presidency and you, Mr. President, for inviting me to speak. I wish Special Coordinator ad interim Sigrid Kaag good luck in her new position. I would like to offer some thoughts on the immediate challenges and the broader scaffolding required for a better future. Israelis deserve security. Palestinians deserve security. Zero-sum outcomes can never deliver that. An inescapable anchor of this reality is acknowledging the power asymmetry between an occupying, colonizing State and an occupied, colonized people. But more importantly, before all of that, I really want to express how moving and good it is to see Ms. Argamani here — humbling and heart-warming. I, and I am sure many others, have seen other images of her from different times. Now, in these times, she has managed to accompany Prime Minister Netanyahu in Congress. She was on the stage for the inauguration of President Trump. Now she is here, and she is thankfully safe, though her partner is not yet. It was so important to hear her testimony of an awful experience that no human should ever be subjected to, because it reminds us that at the end of the day, this is about people — each story deeply personal — and about her strength in the face of adversity. It reminds us of the thousands on thousands of stories of individual hardship. It reminds us of the Israelis both fallen and still held captive, and the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed, with many more maimed or starved. It reminds us of the lives devastated and the schools, hospitals, shelters and entire neighbourhoods destroyed. And yet there is also the remarkable resilience of Palestinians, such as Dr. Hussein Abu Safia, the Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, still mistreated and held in Israeli detention. We really must not forget the names of the Bibas children, Ariel and Kfir, and the circumstances of their death; or the name of Laila Al-Khatib, a 2-year-old Palestinian killed in her home in the occupied West Bank just days ago while eating dinner with her family; or 5-year old Hind Rajab, bombed and denied medical attention, dead with her family; or those lost in the turned-off incubators of Al-Shifa Hospital. A minute of silence for each of the Bibas children would be appropriate, as would a minute of silence for each of the more than 18,000 Palestinian children murdered in Israel’s devastation of Gaza. That silence would extend to more than 300 hours. Our task is to prevent that conflict and that human suffering, the result of political conflict and preventable tragedies, and the many more tragedies that await if steps are not taken. When we peel back the layers, we are all people and we are all born equal. We can, and sometimes should, use strong and emotive language. But what we have at the end of the day is rules, laws, charters, conventions and rights, which are codified — not what is seen in the eye of the beholder, not what is subjective, but something that even if not always applied, is supposed to be applied and not ignored for some. This Organization is architect, author and arbiter of those rules and statutes and conventions, and whether what we are talking about is a non-State actor or a partisan resistance or a State, the question must always be whether it is acting in accordance with those conventions and laws and charters. When Hamas is culpable, it is held accountable and sanctioned heavily. When an Ambassador of a State stands on a United Nations rostrum with a little shredding machine and shreds the Charter of The prevention of humanitarian assistance, the targeting of aid workers and even workers of this institution, all while attacking bodies that uphold international law, such as the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, and claiming the moral high ground while making specious accusations that upholding the law is somehow motivated by antisemitism — all of that worries me because it also cheapens what is the very real and dangerous phenomenon of antisemitism. As I have suggested before in this Chamber, the absence of accountability and absolute impunity are guarantors of perpetual conflict, and I put it to Council members that they are ultimately doing the people of Israel no favours either. I want to offer a very brief checklist of what might be the scaffolding that we could construct peace on in the immediate and more medium term. First, as has already been mentioned, it is imperative to maintain and complete the ceasefire, release all the Israelis, including Ms. Argamani’s partner, exchange prisoners, ensure Israel’s full military withdrawal and surge the humanitarian assistance, which should never have been prevented. That requires that the parties implement their commitments. It will require making good on the withheld Palestinian prisoner release. It requires the guarantors to play their part. There is good reason to fear that the agreement could collapse and to fear a resumption of those tragedies, and in particular a possible renewed attempt to permanently depopulate northern Gaza. A number of the families of those still being held in Gaza and some families of those who have been released have taken to the squares and towns of Israel out of fear that their own Government does not intend to see it through. Secondly, the premise for a full ceasefire must learn from history and be based on reality. Hamas’ non-participation in governance in Gaza is achievable. The movement itself has said so. But no party to a conflict will negotiate its own dissolution unless it is destroyed on the battlefield or the root causes of the conflict are addressed. Hamas has not been defeated, and there will be resistance as long as the structural violence of occupation and apartheid continues. It is that simple. Thirdly, a familiar pattern of displacing Palestinians from refugee camps — 40,000 so far  — and of destroying infrastructure is being enacted now by Israel in the occupied West Bank, and Israeli Government ministers are threatening to annex the territory and make life unbearable for Palestinians. And that is happening after the International Court of Justice designated the entirety of the occupation as illegal. As we enter the month of Ramadan, there are reasons to be concerned that provocations might intensify in Jerusalem and at Al-Aqsa Mosque. In an environment in which ethnic cleansing is being openly discussed, we should not be surprised if that thought also reaches the West Bank. Fourthly, attempts to terminate the functioning of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) are an integral part of this pattern. The Council should be in no doubt that abruptly imploding UNRWA will contribute to greater insecurity and despair, a greater vacuum and an escalating social and political crisis. But one thing it will not do is change the status of the refugees or negate their rights. Fifthly, one of the most dangerous developments that the Council must be seized of is the lurch towards zero-sum thinking. Maybe it could be called the “apartheid is not enough” camp, whereby the continued physical presence of Palestinians is itself something that part of the Israeli polity cannot abide. The unlawful forced Lastly, given the above, if a commitment to two States is to be meaningful, then as Council members have said, the urgency of generating a radically revised incentive structure cannot be exaggerated. I would argue that it will quite simply have to be imposed on the occupying Power, and that is the stiff challenge facing the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution and the international conference due this summer. Partition was the solution bequeathed by the United Nations when it had fewer than 60 members. Thirty-three States voted for partition in 1947. Much of Africa, Asia and the Caribbean remained under Western colonial rule. In the absence of partition, what we have is a single dominion under an apartheid regime — all in a place where Christians, Jews and Muslims have lived together in the past. How much longer can we ignore the fact that in that single dominion, the legitimate alternative is the full enfranchisement of all of those within that space and equal and democratic rights for them all? Let me conclude by saying that I think we do see a surrounding region keen to assist more actively in resolving the situation, not by normalizing occupation but by integrating under peace and equality. In the global majority South, we have seen new waves of solidarity and something of the spirit of Bandung of 70 years ago. The launching of The Hague Group just three weeks ago takes that solidarity to a new level. Those States have committed to something that should be so self-evident — to upholding the rulings of the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice and the Security Council when it comes to Palestine. I urge all law-respecting States to consider joining that group. Globally speaking, we live in an era of multipolarity, in relation to which, if I may say so, China’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Wang Yi, said some days ago in Munich that equal rights, equal opportunities and equal rules must be the basic principles for avoiding the Pandora’s box of the law of the jungle, zero-sum games and exceptionalism. Applied to Israelis and Palestinians, that means that both peoples are part of the future of this land  — not at each other’s expense, but as peoples equally deserving of the right to live in peace, security and dignity.

I thank Mr. Levy for his briefing. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements. I call on His Excellency Mr. Georgios Gerapetritis, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece.

I am grateful for this unique opportunity for Council members to exchange views on a very critical issue at a critical time. I would like to thank our briefers, Ms. Kaag and Mr. Levy, for their briefings, and especially Ms. Argamani for her shocking and alarming personal testimony. Following decades of war and instability, the Middle East currently stands at a turning point. The ceasefire agreements in Lebanon and Gaza demonstrate that peace may indeed be attainable. During my recent tour of the region, I witnessed that new momentum from close up. The recent long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza and the hostage release agreement are a great example of that momentum and a reminder for all of us of what can be achieved through the exercise of political will. After all, Harrowing stories like Noa’s and Shiri Bibas’ will echo for years. They remind us how urgent it is to immediately release all hostages and to make sure that what Noa described a few minutes ago never happens again. It also reminds us that we need the ceasefire to hold and the conflict to end permanently. On the humanitarian front, the situation on the ground apparently remains alarming. Millions are in urgent need of primary health services, education and shelter. Therefore, the unhindered and continuous flow of aid into all parts of Gaza should remain a priority. In that regard, we welcome the increase in the delivery of humanitarian aid following the ceasefire agreement, the reopening of the Rafah border crossing and the reactivation of the European Union Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point, in which Greece is pledging to participate. Greece is present in all efforts to alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza. We have already welcomed — and we will continue welcoming — injured children from Gaza for treatment in Greek hospitals. We also continue to send humanitarian aid to support Palestinian families and, through the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Monastery of Saing Porfyrios in Gaza has proven a safe haven for a large number of fellow human beings, both Christians and Muslims. We cannot change the past, but we can start laying the foundations for the future. Post-conflict planning, including governance, security and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, is also essential. The Palestinians should have a leading role in that process. The displacement of people could lead to instability in the whole region. The international community should continue assisting the Palestinian Authority, helping it to address its immediate financial needs, to implement necessary reforms to promote good governance and strong institutions and to ensure deradicalization. The ceasefire agreement gives much-needed impetus for the revitalization of the political process and the creation of a sovereign Palestinian State on the basis of a two-State solution, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions, while recognizing the right of Israel to exist in peace and security. Sustainable peace is necessary to defeat extremist and radical forces in the whole region. With the Muslim holy month of Ramadan imminent, followed by Easter, which this year will be celebrated on the same day by all Christian denominations, we are reminded of the importance of the special status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Taking into consideration the universal importance of the holy sites, I wish to reaffirm Greece’s deep interest in the preservation of the status quo. Please allow me to make a few comments concerning the current situation in the broader region. New hope is emerging from Lebanon. Greece warmly welcomes the formation of a new Government in Lebanon, following the election of President Aoun and the appointment of Prime Minister Salam. The cessation of hostilities has also been a most welcome development, and we congratulate the United States and France on their contribution. Ensuring the long-term security of both Israeli and Lebanese citizens is the only path towards sustainable peace. The Lebanese Armed Forces, which are being gradually deployed south of the Litani River and securing the safe return of the displaced to their homes, are playing a very important role in the implementation of the provisions of the ceasefire agreement and of resolution 1701 (2006). As a non-permanent member of the Security Council, Greece will be When it comes to Syria, security and prosperity in Syria are of acute importance for regional stability. Therefore, safeguarding the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria is a shared aspiration and a shared goal. I recently visited Damascus, where I had a comprehensive discussion with interim President Al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Al-Shaibani. I also participated in the ministerial meeting on Syria held in Paris. My message has been clear and consistent in all my engagements: we support a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition, in the spirit of resolution 2254 (2015). That process should include all ethnic and religious communities as well as Syrian political forces. It should also pave the way to constitutional reform and fair elections, with a view to a democratic, representative, inclusive and non-sectarian Government with no foreign interference. As the international community rushes to address Syria’s needs after 14 years of civil war, Syria must accordingly demonstrate its goodwill and fully respect its neighbours’ sovereign rights, in accordance with international law, especially the international law of the sea. In my opinion, the process of returning to normalcy goes through the following four pillars: the gradual lifting of sanctions, institution-building, reconstruction and the return of Syrian migrants to their homes. Let me brief the Council on regional maritime security and the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, both of which are under extreme pressure, as the danger of prolonged insecurity due to Houthi attacks still looms. Maritime security is a declared priority for our Security Council tenure. As a maritime nation and a leading force in the European Union’s naval Operation Aspides, Greece will contribute to upholding respect for maritime security, the freedom of navigation and the protection of seafarers, in full compliance with international law. Against that backdrop, and working closely with our partners, we call for a comprehensive and inclusive political settlement in Yemen, under the auspices of the United Nations — the only pathway towards lasting regional peace and stability. As the region is undergoing profound changes, we must seize any positive momentum and spare no effort through this Organization and its bodies and agencies to help it take shape — in the form of more justice, more dignity and peace for all the peoples in the Middle East.

I want to thank Special Coordinator ad interim Kaag for her briefing and for her very clear asks to us. I also want to thank Ms. Argamani and Mr. Levy for their really thought-provoking contributions. I am extremely glad to see Ms. Argamani here, safe and free, bringing us a first-hand account of the horror that she experienced in her captivity. After months of relentless devastation and suffering, the ceasefire in Gaza has finally offered hope and relief to the people on the ground and in the broader region. Despite being long overdue and facing persistent challenges, a sustained ceasefire is our best chance at seeing peace in the Middle East. The ceasefire is bringing closure to hostages and their families. We follow with a sense of relief the reunion of hostages with their families, and with deep sadness the return of the remains of those who did not survive. We offer our condolences to their families and loved ones. The dignified release of hostages remains one of our priorities. Even though many return only to the rubble of what was once their homes, the ceasefire is bringing hope to the people of Gaza — hope that life can be more than just suffering, hunger and destruction. The humanitarian situation in the Strip requires our continued attention. Ensuring unobstructed humanitarian access and A permanent ceasefire is the first step to lasting peace and the two-State solution. In the words of Ms. Kaag, it is the last chance to achieve the two-State solution — the endgame of the Security Council for more than 70 years. It is therefore not possible to simply go back to the status quo before the start of the Gaza war. The unspeakable devastation and suffering of civilians during the war make clear why the full implementation of resolution 2735 (2024) and the agreement reached through mediation is crucial. We continue to support our partners — Egypt, Qatar and the United States — in facilitating progress towards a permanent ceasefire, including through swift negotiation of the second phase. We agree with Ms. Argamani that the deal must go on. It is essential that all parties respect the terms of the agreement to preserve the ceasefire and implement it in full. We underline our utmost concern about any proposal for the relocation of Gazans. The Council clearly rejected any attempts to make demographic or territorial changes to Gaza in resolution 2735 (2024), adopted at the proposal of the United States. Gaza belongs to Gazans, and it is an integral part of the Palestinian State. Palestinians should decide their own future in line with the principle of self-determination. We recognize that the tasks of recovery and reconstruction in Gaza will be enormous and will require a joint international endeavour. We welcome and support the leadership exerted by our Arab partners. We are profoundly concerned about the situation in the West Bank, including civilian deaths, forced displacement, intensified operations, settler violence, movement restrictions and settlement expansions. Those operations further exacerbate tensions on the ground. International law and the decisions of international courts must be respected. Slovenia calls for full respect for the status quo of all holy sites. The upcoming religious holidays must represent an opportunity for reflection, and we appeal for appropriate conditions for peaceful celebration. Slovenia resolutely supports the two-State solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security. In that solution, we see the Palestinian Authority as an indispensable partner, which should be supported, encouraged to continue on its reform path and eventually assume its full responsibilities. Until then, we agree with Mr. Levy that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East remains irreplaceable, preventing a governance vacuum and ensuring stability. While peace seems to be a big word, it essentially boils down to everyday decisions to work for it. There are many more steps to be made for a lasting peace to persist in the Middle East. Yet the firm support of the international community and the Council for the ceasefire and the tangible results we have seen in recent weeks confirm that this is the right path to pursue. Dame Barbara Woodward (United Kingdom): I would like to start by thanking Special Coordinator ad interim Kaag and Mr. Levy for their briefings, and I extend special thanks Ms. Argamani for the kindness she showed to Hila and Emily and the courage and bravery she has shown in sharing her story with us today. I echo the remarks of Special Coordinator ad interim Kaag in support of the release of the remaining hostages and extend our condolences to those who are mourning the dead and the missing. We welcome the return of hostages during phase one, after an appalling ordeal, and we call for the release of all remaining hostages, including Avinatan Or, who also has links to the United Kingdom. We mourn the death of Oded Lifshitz, who had strong links to the United Kingdom, and we strongly condemn the vile killing of the Bibas family and the lack of dignity provided to the deceased hostages. We support The ceasefire agreement of 16 January marked a crucial first step towards ending the devastation and suffering in Gaza and achieving a sustainable peace. We are calling for three things. First, Palestinian civilians should be able to return home and rebuild their lives. The people of Gaza have suffered unimaginable horrors, with more than 46,000 people killed and homes and lives destroyed. The United Kingdom supports regional efforts to cohere around a single plan for the next phase and reconstruction in Gaza. Those plans should be Palestinian-led, with the Palestinian Authority front and centre, along with a strong role for civil society. Secondly, we welcome the improvement in aid supplies since the ceasefire agreement. But make no mistake, the humanitarian situation remains dire. We still need to see a sustained increase in the volume and types of goods reaching civilians, especially shelter and medical items. There can be no backsliding on that. We call for an urgent update to the list of dual-use items and technology to allow essential supplies in and for commercial deliveries to be reinstated. The ceasefire has demonstrated the central role of the United Nations and humanitarian actors, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. However, the humanitarian space is tightening, with ongoing visa restrictions and legislative proposals affecting non-governmental organizations. We therefore call on Israel to continue to work with the United Nations and its partners to ensure that aid reaches people in need. Thirdly, the United Kingdom is seriously concerned about the expansion of Israel’s operations killing and displacing civilians in the West Bank. We recognize Israel’s right to defend itself, but it must show restraint and ensure that its conduct is proportionate. Restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank are excessive. They fuel further instability and jeopardize the prospects for long-term peace. In conclusion, we urge all parties to sustain the ceasefire deal, implement the agreement in full and support efforts to move to phase two, for the hostages and their families, for Gazan civilians and for all Israeli and Palestinian people, who deserve a peaceful and secure future on the basis of a two-State solution.

We thank Special Coordinator ad interim Sigrid Kaag for her comprehensive briefing. I think she painted a grim and rather grave picture. She spoke of trauma, the fragility of the situation and what she termed as perhaps a last chance for a two-State solution, and we think that her four key requests merit the full support of the Security Council. We have also carefully noted the observations by the civil society briefers. Human suffering, asymmetrical power, root causes, occupation, apartheid, international law and accountability were the key words there. The war in Gaza has brought about an unfathomable human tragedy. More than 47,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed. More than 90 per cent of Gaza’s infrastructure — homes, businesses, hospitals and places of worship — has been reduced to rubble. That is not just destruction. It is an assault on an entire people’s existence. The scale of suffering demands not just our sympathy but decisive action. And after 15 months of relentless killing and devastation, the ceasefire brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the United States has offered a fleeting moment of relief. Pakistan welcomes that diplomatic breakthrough and commends the mediators. Yet we must not mistake that pause in violence for peace. The situation remains precarious. Delaying the release of Palestinian prisoners risks derailing But even if the guns have fallen silent in Gaza, a deeper crisis persists. Peace cannot take root as long as Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank continue with impunity. More than 50,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced in the largest mass expulsion since 1967. Military raids, settler violence and illegal land annexations are intensifying daily. They are not isolated incidents but part of a deliberate strategy to erase the identity of Palestinians from their own land. It is ethnic cleansing in real time. If the Council is serious about peace, it should ensure that the ceasefire extends beyond Gaza to all of the occupied Palestinian territory. To move beyond the perpetual cycle of violence and destruction, the international community must prioritize the pursuit of a just and lasting peace. In our view, it should entail the following. First, there must be a full and immediate implementation of the ceasefire, ensuring a permanent cessation of hostilities, Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, unrestricted humanitarian access and a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza, which will need to be supported by the international community and led and owned by the Palestinians. Pakistan fully supports the call for enforcing resolution 2735 (2024). A ceasefire that does not lead to a sustainable peace will only delay the next catastrophe. Secondly, there must be an end to Israel’s aggression in the West Bank. The destruction of refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarm, Nur Shams and Al-Fara’a mirrors the devastation in Gaza. Forced displacements and illegal annexations must be reversed, in line with resolution 2720 (2023) and resolution 2334 (2016). The legal and historical status of Al-Haram Al-Sharif/Al-Aqsa Mosque must be upheld. It is clear that stability cannot be achieved through continued occupation and oppression. Thirdly, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East must be allowed to operate without obstruction. Israel has a legal duty to facilitate its work under Article 2, paragraph 5, of the Charter of the United Nations. General Assembly resolution 79/232 reinforces that obligation and condemns all attempts to hinder humanitarian aid. The deliberate targeting of aid agencies is a moral outrage and a violation of international law. We cannot allow humanitarian relief to be weaponized. Fourthly, we must revive a credible, irreversible political process leading to the establishment of a Palestinian State. Full United Nations membership for Palestine is not a symbolic gesture but a legal and moral imperative. The June conference to be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia presents an important opportunity for peace that must be seized and fully supported by all of us, through concrete action and support for the Palestinian Authority. And let us be clear. Peace cannot and must not be dictated by the occupier. It must be grounded in justice, international law and the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. The upcoming emergency summit in Cairo of the League of Arab States and the subsequent meeting in Jeddah of the Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation are expected to provide crucial guidance on addressing the dire situation in Gaza and the broader Palestinian question. The leaders will reaffirm their solidarity with Palestine and send a resolute message rejecting any attempts to forcibly displace the Palestinian people or alter the status of the occupied territories. The Council must continue to stand firmly against forced displacement and annexation. A just peace demands more than diplomatic declarations. It requires enforcement, accountability, a rejection of impunity and pressure on the occupying Power to comply with the relevant United Nations resolutions and international Within this broader struggle for justice, we must also keep in mind the human suffering, as we have also heard today. We cannot forget the thousands of Palestinian prisoners languishing in Israeli custody. Arbitrarily detained, tortured and held in inhumane conditions, they suffer in silence. Some have perished from mistreatment and medical neglect. Those are war crimes. The world cannot afford selective morality. Double standards on human rights only embolden injustice and perpetuate the conflict. Israel’s illegal occupation of Arab territories is at the core of the turmoil in the Middle East. The full implementation of the Council’s resolutions with regard to Syria, Lebanon and Palestine is imperative for a just and lasting peace in the region. Pakistan stands resolutely with the Palestinian people in their righteous struggle for self-determination, freedom and statehood. A sovereign, independent and contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, is not just a political necessity — it is a moral imperative. If we truly believe in the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and if we stand for justice, the rule of law and the fundamental right of all peoples to live in dignity, we must act. Justice for Palestine cannot wait.

We would like to thank Ms. Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, ad interim, for her detailed briefing on the situation in the region. We listened attentively to Mr. Levy and to the personal testimony of Ms. Argamani. What happened on 7 October 2023 and thereafter in Israel and the Gaza Strip marked an entirely new low in our conception of what constitutes cruelty and a disproportionate response to it. The death in captivity of the two Israeli children whose bodies were returned to their families in Israel last week can leave no one who believes that human life is priceless indifferent — just as it is impossible for us not to be shocked at the deaths of the 18,000 Palestinian children who have perished in Gaza during the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In January, Russia convened a meeting of the Security Council focused on issues related to children in the light of the events in Gaza (see S/PV.9846). Tens of thousands have been injured or are missing, and children in Gaza continue to suffer from a lack of humanitarian aid and from hunger and disease. Behind each such episode lies a colossal human tragedy. We offer our condolences to the families and friends of all the children who have been lost to this terrible and totally unnecessary conflict. We mourn not only them but all who have perished during the worsening Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Cruelty should not beget cruelty. The endless and vicious cycle of violence must end. Numerous responsible members of the Council, including Russia, have tried to end the conflict and secure a ceasefire throughout the 15 long months that it has lasted. Thanks to the position of the Biden Administration, which sided with Israel in every respect, that has long eluded us, and it was not until 19 January of this year that a glimmer of hope emerged when the agreements between Israel and Hamas finally came into effect. From the moment that resolution 2735 (2024) was adopted in June of last year, the American mediators had insisted that an agreement was going to be reached any day, but in doing so they hindered Council members from adopting any decisions or sending any signals that could have expedited the process. The long- awaited ceasefire in Gaza has led to the release of the first hostages, including a Russian national, Alexander Trufanov, and of Palestinians held in Israel. The deal also lifted the blockade on humanitarian access to all who are suffering and in need and opened up the possibility that deliveries to the Strip could be expanded. In that context, we are increasingly concerned about the ongoing crisis surrounding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which entered a new, acute phase with the entry into force of the Knesset laws, which are in violation of Security Council resolutions and prohibit the Agency from operating on so-called “sovereign Israeli territory”. Given the key role that the Agency has played in carrying out humanitarian operations on the ground and providing comprehensive aid to Palestinians, undermining its work will compound the hardship that the inhabitants of Gaza, East Jerusalem and the West Bank are already enduring. There is no alternative to UNRWA and if it were to be dismantled it is Israel, the occupying Power, that would be responsible for carrying out its work. Nor should we forget the Agency’s role in the process of achieving a settlement in the Middle East, in particular in the context of resolving a key final-status issue, that of the Palestinian refugees. I think it is clear to all of us that without the resumption of a comprehensive peace process based on universally recognized international legal decisions, the region will continue to teeter on the brink of a major war. That is not to downplay the importance of the fragile ad hoc agreements, but we absolutely cannot limit ourselves to them. Nor should we be proposing solutions that harm the interests of one party and prioritize the concerns of the other. Furthermore, it is important to take into account the interests of all the countries in the region and of the key players that can contribute to establishing lasting, long-term and sustainable peace in the Middle East. As the primary organ for the maintenance of international peace and security, the Security Council should not consider the situation in the region solely through the lens of the most recent Palestinian-Israeli escalation in Gaza. We should not turn a blind eye to Israel’s military operation in the West Bank, where it is using heavy weaponry. Other extremely perilous and destabilizing moves include the expansion of the zone of occupation in the Syrian Golan Heights and Lebanon, bans on the movement and return of internally displaced persons and such obvious provocations as flyovers by combat aircraft during the funeral in Beirut of Hizbullah’s assassinated Secretary- General, Hassan Nasrallah. Besides that, we should not ignore the irresponsible statements by some politicians in West Jerusalem who are trying to suggest that the deal was aimed only at securing the return of the Israeli hostages rather than a permanent ceasefire and a way out of an unprecedented and acute crisis. For our part, we reaffirm our principled position in favour of a permanent and lasting ceasefire in Gaza leading to the release of all hostages and prisoners. We also advocate a swift resumption of the peace process on the universally recognized and international legal basis of the establishment of two States. We are convinced that without a just and lasting settlement that fulfils the legitimate rights and aspirations of the Palestinians to their own State, we will not be able to spare the Middle East fresh outbreaks of violence. We hope that those who are working on further regional

At the outset, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Special Coordinator ad interim, Ms. Sigrid Kaag, for her sober and insightful briefing. We also listened attentively to the representatives of civil society. The situation in the occupied Palestinian territory remains a source of grave concern despite the reduction in violence in Gaza following the January ceasefire agreement. But the situation continues to be volatile, with ongoing oppression and escalating tensions in the West Bank. With no hope of a political horizon or a durable solution, the Palestinian people could continue to suffer indefinitely. In that context, I would like to highlight the following key points. First, the ceasefire agreement must be fully implemented. It has provided a crucial window for the delivery of humanitarian aid and has allowed the people of Gaza to experience a temporary reprieve from unthinkable hardship. Algeria calls on all parties to uphold their commitments under the ceasefire agreement and adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law. The ceasefire must be maintained, in line with resolution 2735 (2024), which emphasizes that the ceasefire will continue as long as negotiations are ongoing and that the mediators will work to ensure that negotiations continue until all the agreements are reached. To us, a return to hostilities is unacceptable. In our view, the ceasefire must also be extended to the West Bank. Secondly, the destruction in Gaza is catastrophic, and the suffering of Palestinians continues, even in the relative calm of recent weeks. The scale of needs is immense, and it requires a coordinated international response. A comprehensive plan for reconstruction is indispensable to ensure that Gaza recovers and to ensure that the Palestinian people remain on their ancestral lands. In that regard, the role of United Nations agencies, especially the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, is essential in providing the necessary support and resources for that monumental task. Thirdly, having implemented its scorched-earth policy in Gaza, the Israeli occupying Power is now turning its focus to the West Bank, where the levels of destruction and settler violence are alarmingly high, particularly in Tulkarm, Jenin and Tubas. That is coupled with aggressive settlement expansion and the daily demolitions of Palestinian homes. It is clear that Israeli politicians are actively inciting violence in the West Bank to serve internal political agendas. The Israeli Finance Minister declared that “our goal for 2025 is to demolish more than what Palestinians are building in the West Bank”. That is a direct assault on the prospects for peace and stability and on the prospects of the two-State solution. Fourthly, the weakening of the Palestinian Authority is a dangerous path that threatens the very existence of the Palestinian national project. It is a deliberate strategy by the Israeli occupying Power, which dreams of a land free of Palestinians, from the river to the sea. In that context. Algeria condemns the recent Israeli decision to seize $90 million in Palestinian tax revenues. That move further undermines the ability of the Palestinian Authority to govern and to fulfil its responsibilities. Algeria firmly believes that the Palestinian Authority must be empowered to carry out its duty across all occupied territories. Only by strengthening legitimate Palestinian governance can we pave the way for sustainable peace. In Algeria’s view, there are no double standards. Every innocent life must be protected. That principle lies at the heart of international humanitarian law, which protects civilians, particularly women and children, during armed conflict. We believe in justice that knows no boundaries. No one is above the law, and no one should be granted impunity. It is imperative to establish an international Nearly 18,000 children have been killed in Gaza. Do they deserve independent investigation and accountability? More than 8,000 innocent women have been killed in Gaza. Do they deserve independent investigation and accountability? More than 1,000 health workers have been killed in Gaza while performing their duties. Do they deserve independent investigation and accountability? More than 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza. Do they deserve independent investigation and accountability? Accountability and justice are essential to prevent the repetition of such horrors. Those who believe that the ceasefire ended the suffering of the people in Gaza are mistaken. Just yesterday, five newborn babies froze to death in the hospital in Gaza City. This is cruel. It is unacceptable. And it will forever remain a stain on the conscience of humankind. The Palestinian people will not forget their land. The Palestinian people will not relinquish their rights, and they will not give up their struggle for freedom. The occupation will never be accepted. Abnormal situations can never be normalized. The international community must therefore address the root cause of the suffering — namely, the illegal occupation — and the ceasefire agreement should serve as the foundation of a comprehensive and durable peace plan under international law. We have no more time to waste. The ruling of the International Court of Justice (see A/78/968) and General Assembly resolution ES-10/24 are clear: the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory should be brought to an end. The international meeting that is to be held in June is an opportunity that we must seize for an irreversible path towards the establishment of a Palestinian State along the borders of June 1967. As President Abdelmadjid Tebboune rightly stated: “It is our duty to unite our efforts, reinforce our resolve and ensure that Palestinians attain their rightful reality. Promise it to them by international law, in full and without conditions”. That reality is the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian State, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Let me also thank Special Coordinator ad interim Kaag, Ms. Argamani and Mr. Levy for their substantive and useful briefings. For decades, the international community has discussed the Israeli-Palestinian question, determined to reach a lasting peace through a two-State solution. That remains as urgent as ever. The first month of the ceasefire has brought much-needed relief to the Israeli people and the civilian population of Gaza. We urge all parties to do their utmost to uphold the ceasefire and ensure its full implementation. As we have heard here today, the suffering of the innocent people who were taken hostage by Hamas on 7 October 2023 has been immense. It is hard to fully comprehend the terror that they have endured. I thank Ms. Argamani for sharing her shocking experience and her perspective with us today. It takes much courage and strength to do so. Let me be clear: as stated many times before, we condemn the terrorist actions of Hamas and reiterate our call for all remaining hostages to be released immediately and without conditions. That must be done in a private, dignified and safe manner. We regret that that has not been the case so far. Our condolences go to the grieving families whose loved ones tragically did not make it out alive, and our thoughts are with those who are still waiting to be reunited with their loved ones, including Ms. Argamani. The ceasefire is saving lives, and the humanitarian consequences of the resumption of hostilities are simply unconscionable. We must do all we can to avoid Gaza now faces the daunting task of reconstruction. The international community must support those efforts. Denmark and the European Union (EU) stand ready to do so within the proper framework. We note in that regard the active role taken by Egypt and other countries of the region in developing a comprehensive plan for Gaza’s early recovery and reconstruction. We hope that those and other efforts can lead to a better future for the civilian population of Gaza, who have long suffered from Hamas’ brutal leadership and the devastating consequences of war over the past 16 months. In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, we are deeply concerned about the escalating violence and large-scale security operations. We recognize the legitimate security concerns of Israel and the need to combat terrorism. However, we reiterate that security operations should be carried out in accordance with international law, including international human rights law. We are deeply alarmed by the continuing expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, the drastic increase in settlements and extensive movement restrictions. We recall that the settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the prospects for a two-State solution. The continuous settler violence must stop, and the perpetrators must be held accountable. Recent attempts to forcibly enter and close down UNRWA in East Jerusalem, challenging Palestinian children’s rights education, are deeply concerning. UNRWA has a unique mandate to provide State-like services to millions of Palestinians — services that UNRWA will deliver until they can eventually be handed over to Palestinians. Hindering that mandate risks undermining the prospects of a two-State solution. We also emphasize the importance of reforming and revitalizing the Palestinian Authority so that it is able to effectively exercise its governance and security responsibilities in the West Bank. Together with the EU, we will continue to support the Palestinian Authority along its path of reform. Meanwhile, we call on Israel to release the withheld clearance revenues. In conclusion, the Middle East is at a crossroads. After immense suffering, death and destruction, we must deliver lasting peace to the peoples of Israel and Palestine  — a peace with security and dignity, as mentioned by the Special Coordinator ad interim. The formula for that is well known. It is the realization of two States — Israel and Palestine — living side by side in peace and security. Denmark remains fully committed to that goal.

At the outset, I would like to thank Special Coordinator adinterim Sigrid Kaag and Mr. Daniel Levy for their briefings. In particular, I would like to thank Ms. Noa Argamani for her testimony. I believe that everyone here in the Chamber has taken her testimony very seriously and has understood loud and clear the message that she wanted to convey today. For the past month, Israelis, Palestinians and the entire world have been witnessing what firm political will can bring to the region. The family members of those Israeli hostages brutally and unjustifiably held by Hamas for more than a year have finally been reunited with their loved ones. Palestinian prisoners were also freed by Israel. Hundreds of trucks now enter Gaza every day, and law and order there has been improved. Now is the time to think about a peaceful tomorrow. And it is clear that, in order to prepare for the days to come, which will be beneficial to both Israelis and Palestinians, the current ceasefire deal must be extended to its second phase. We To that end, we call on the parties to the conflict to sincerely implement the current phase of the ceasefire, the hostage release agreement, with the utmost commitment. We share the emotional devastation of Israelis in finding out that one of the bodies retrieved last Thursday was not that of the expected hostage. Hamas must make every effort to return all hostages, living and dead, with dignity, to their family members. Israel must also abide by the agreed conditions of the deal and guarantee the entry into Gaza of essential humanitarian aid, including medical equipment, shelters and materials for recovery. Temporary medical evacuations should also be ensured for those in need. We appreciate the ongoing efforts by the mediators — the United States, Qatar and Egypt — and believe that they will continue to make the greatest possible effort to encourage the parties to reach a productive outcome soon. The ceasefire in Gaza must serve as a stepping stone for durable stability in Israel, Palestine and beyond. In that regard, we remain deeply concerned about the current situation in the West Bank, including Israel’s military operations, the demolition of Palestinian homes and violence by settlers against Palestinian civilians and their property. We are also concerned about reports from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) that Palestinians’ access to education has been seriously undermined by restrictions and physical attacks on schools. We call on Israel to remain committed to all of its international obligations, such as the protection of civilian infrastructure and the inviolability of United Nations facilities, including UNRWA schools. We also call on Israel to ensure accountability for illegal actions by its nationals, including settlers. Furthermore, the ongoing Israeli presence in Lebanon and Syria will not pave the way for sustainable peace. It is rather fostering hostility, undermining the new Governments, empowering armed groups and eroding regional trust. We call on all parties to uphold international obligations that support regional stability and peace. For more than a year, we have borne witness to the extreme suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians, including children. The harrowing return last week of the small, lifeless bodies of the Bibas brothers reminded us once again that the current confrontation, which has resulted in endless agony, should be brought to an end as soon as possible. Far too many children have died. In order to arrive at a lasting solution, the legitimate aspirations and security concerns of both Israelis and Palestinians should be fully considered on the basis of a two-State solution. We note that multiple suggestions for recovery and reconstruction in Gaza are being discussed in the international community and hope that sincere discussions will lead to a viable, rights-based plan for reconstruction in Gaza, in line with international law. The Republic of Korea, as a member of the Security Council, will keep engaging in that process.

I thank the Special Coordinator ad interim, Ms. Sigrid Kaag, for her briefing, and have taken careful note of the perspectives offered by Mr. Levy. I commend Ms. Argamani for her bravery during her harrowing ordeal in Gaza and thank her for sharing her experience with us today. Guyana has been closely following developments in the occupied Palestinian territory. The pressing questions for us, as for many Member States, concern the continued implementation of the ceasefire in Gaza and ending the violence in the occupied West Bank. On both fronts, strong diplomatic efforts are required, given the negative trends that we are seeing. The Council must make every effort to ensure We have seen the respite afforded to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians through the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza. We have taken note, for example, of the fact that more than 57,000 metric tons of food have been brought into Gaza since the ceasefire, supporting more than 1.8 million people with full rations of food parcels. However, notwithstanding some improvements, we are concerned about the fact that thousands of people still cannot access adequate shelter. Many sick and seriously wounded people are unable to access the care they need, owing to a decimated healthcare system. The situation is exacerbated by the rate of denial of the relevant authorizations needed for people, particularly children, who require medical evacuation to other countries. The continued characterization of certain critical goods as dual-use items adds to the humanitarian strain that many Palestinians are still enduring. We also regret that as Palestinians are experiencing immense suffering, the lifeline they have found in the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been taken away. That has happened despite decisions taken by Member States on enabling the Agency to continue implementing its mandate, as established by the General Assembly. We again call on Israel to abide by its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations to ensure that the work of the United Nations, including that of UNRWA, is not hindered in the occupied Palestinian territory. Guyana urges the parties to fully abide with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and human right law. We call for the unconditional and dignified release of all hostages and Palestinians detained in Israel without charge. Guyana also emphasizes the obligation to treat hostages and detainees with respect and dignity, and stresses that they should be allowed visits by the Red Cross. We have closely followed the matter involving the members of the Bibas family who were taken hostage on 7 October 2023. We are saddened that not all those who were taken hostage were released alive to Israel. There must be full accountability for all the atrocities perpetrated during this war, including the taking of hostages, the killing of civilians, the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of people and the use of starvation as a weapon of war. It is critical that the ceasefire in Gaza continue to hold, and we urge the parties to prioritize the lives of civilians as they negotiate the remaining phases of the ceasefire agreement. Gaza must not be plunged into war once again after 15 months of death and destruction. And while our eyes are on the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, the threat of an inferno in the occupied West Bank is real, and many of the same patterns we observed as the Gaza war developed are now being witnessed in the West Bank. Guyana urges the Council to work collectively to prevent further displacement, death and destruction in the occupied West Bank. The cumulative effect of Israel’s continued violent occupation of Palestinian territory is the systematic undermining of the possibility of a two-State solution and the entrapment of the Palestinian people in a cycle of violence and poverty. Israel’s operations in the occupied West Bank, for example, have had a negative impact on the capacity of the Palestinian Authority to govern the area. We urge the international community to continue supporting a lasting, just and comprehensive solution of the Palestinian question in line with a two-State solution. Israel’s settlement policies and practices must end and it must adhere to its obligation to bring its occupation of Palestinian territory to a swift end, in line with the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice and General Assembly resolution ES- 10/24. I would like to reiterate three appeals. I want to conclude by emphasizing Guyana’s unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people and our commitment to contributing positively to the quest for a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

At the outset, I would like to thank the Special Coordinator ad interim, Ms. Sigrid Kaag, for her comprehensive briefing and continued efforts to facilitate mediation and the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza. We also express our appreciation for the vital role of the United Nations and regional partners in promoting peace and stability in the region, especially in the light of current challenges. We listened carefully to the briefings today. We welcome the recent prisoner exchange, which we regard as a positive step towards building trust between the relevant parties, and we call for full compliance with international law in implementing it. The ceasefire agreement represents a decisive step towards ending the hostilities and alleviating the suffering of civilians in Gaza. We urge the two parties to fulfil their obligations under the agreement and to refrain from any action that could threaten the truce. The agreement must serve as a basis for a sustainable peace that can guarantee the protection of civilians and allow the provision of urgent humanitarian aid. In that connection, we call for initiating the transition from the first to the second phase of the agreement so that the ceasefire can hold and lead to a lasting peace. All military operations in all the occupied Palestinian territories must end, in particular in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The continued attacks, illegal arrests, settlement expansion and excessive use of force all undermine the spirit of the ceasefire agreement and impede the mediation efforts aimed at maintaining stability. The international community must clearly condemn those violations, and all parties must exercise the utmost restraint in order to prevent further escalation. The mediation efforts will not succeed if the aggression continues unchecked. The next phase must include comprehensive measures to facilitate reconstruction efforts, especially with a view to rebuilding the healthcare sector in Gaza. Medical facilities have sustained great damage, leaving thousands without access to basic care. We further underscore the need to guarantee the free and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza without classifying life-saving items as dual-use goods. Humanitarian aid must be completely neutral and free from politicization. We also underline the need to establish a central mechanism for medical evacuation that can guarantee access to urgent medical treatment for those in critical need. Access to adequate healthcare is a fundamental human right and everything possible must be done to evacuate injured civilians safely and rapidly. We have been following with great concern the recent restrictions that the Israeli authorities have imposed on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). UNRWA is the backbone of humanitarian aid in Gaza. It provides vital assistance, healthcare and education to millions of Palestinian refugees. Banning its operations is compounding the humanitarian crisis and depriving vulnerable groups of essential services. In the face of those challenges, collective support for UNRWA is essential if we are to ensure that it can continue to provide its aid, education and healthcare services to millions of Palestinians. We urge the international community to collectively support UNRWA in ensuring that it can operate effectively and provide life-saving assistance to all those in need.

I thank Special Coordinator ad interim Sigrid Kaag for her valuable update on the overall situation in the Middle East, particularly regarding the status of the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and the ongoing escalation in the West Bank. I am also grateful to Mr. Daniel Levy for his contribution and would like to say a special thank-you to Ms. Noa Argamani for her personal testimony and call for action, which we must heed. At the outset, Sierra Leone is encouraged by the steady progress in implementing the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that took effect in January this year. The first phase provides an opportunity for the conflicting parties to fulfil their obligations under international law and humanitarian law, ensuring the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. We are encouraged by the renewed sense of relief and optimism that the pause in hostilities is bringing to civilians in the Gaza Strip and to the hostages who have been held by Hamas since October 2023, despite the uncertainty that still looms. We urge all the parties to uphold the terms of the agreement and demonstrate even greater political will and commitment as they proceed to the next phase of negotiations. Sierra Leone will continue to express its full support for the mediators and their steadfast dedication to the process. It is our hope that the pause will lead to a permanent end to the conflict and a lasting ceasefire, extending throughout the entire occupied Palestinian territory. We have taken note of the letter dated 21 February 2025 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations (S/2025/111), concerning the tragic case of the Bibas family. In view of the tragedy experienced by all the families affected, it behoves the conflicting parties and leadership to commit to the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement. As we express our deepest sympathies to all the victims, including the hostages and their families, we reiterate our call for investigations into allegations of abuses against hostages and prisoners and for accountability for the grave crimes committed in the context of the conflict in Gaza and the ongoing occupation of Palestine. In the context of the release of hostages and prisoners, we recognize the critical role of the International Committee of the Red Cross. We also commend the humanitarian workers on the ground, who are providing urgent assistance to the thousands of civilians returning to rebuild their homes. Sierra Leone, however, remains concerned by the operational and administrative challenges faced by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as it strives to meet the needs of the population in the occupied Palestinian territory. We reiterate our call for UNRWA to be allowed to continue its operations, as it remains a vital lifeline for the Palestinian people. Reports from the West Bank are deeply troubling, with more than 40,000 civilians displaced after weeks of sustained violence and destruction. Sierra Leone is gravely concerned about the ongoing military operations in the areas surrounding Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas and about the arrest and detention of civilians and the At this juncture in our efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian issue, Sierra Leone wishes to emphasize the following points. First, the surge in humanitarian assistance must be sustained, and humanitarian actors should be granted unimpeded access across the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. We support the call from humanitarian experts for increased commercial activity to reduce civilian dependence on humanitarian aid and to revitalize the local economy. We also stress the urgent need for Israeli authorities to approve the entry of items deemed as dual-use items for medical purposes and to expedite the approval processes for the evacuation of children and other patients requiring specialized medical treatment. Secondly, we recognize the importance of early recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza, which are crucial for rebuilding lives and institutions that will help safeguard peace and secure the future of Palestinians. Both the Gaza Relief and Early Recovery Plan and the Gaza and West Bank Interim Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment offer valuable strategies in that regard. Thirdly, the international community must continue to strengthen the political framework for a two-State solution that ensures the self-determination of the Palestinian people, based on international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions. Over the years, it has become clear that only a diplomatic and political resolution can bring about lasting peace, and the Israel-Palestine conflict is no exception. We look forward to participating in the upcoming international conference under the auspices of the United Nations in June. In conclusion, it is imperative that the parties prioritize peace and continue to uphold and implement the ceasefire agreement, and we collectively remain steadfast in our commitment to resolving the long-standing conflict between Israel and Palestine. Only through sustained dialogue, adherence to international law and a collective will to achieve a peaceful resolution can we ensure a future of security, dignity for both Israel and Palestine and self-determination for the Palestinian people. The international community must continue its efforts to support a just and lasting solution grounded in the principles of peace and justice for both Israelis and Palestinians.

I thank the Special Coordinator ad interim and Mr. Levy for their briefings and Ms. Noa Argamani for her testimony. France was deeply moved to follow the return to Israel of the remains of Ms. Shiri Bibas, her two children — Ariel and Kfir — and Mr. Oded Lifshitz. France extends its sincerest condolences to their families and relatives. We were very shocked to learn that Hamas had initially not returned the body of Ms. Bibas to her relatives. That is an unspeakable act. France reaffirms its solidarity with the families of all the hostages. Our thoughts are especially with the relatives of our compatriot Mr. Ohad Yahalomi, who is still being held. We stand with the Israeli people after the terrorist attacks committed by Hamas on 7 October 2023, which we have condemned and which constitute the worst antisemitic massacre since the Shoah. France will continue to work tirelessly for the release of all hostages. France calls on the parties to fully respect and maintain the ceasefire in Gaza. That is essential, after 15 months of bombings and thousands of civilian victims in Gaza. The discussions under way on the extension of the ceasefire must be France supports the efforts of the United States, Qatar and Egypt to facilitate the talks. In support of the ceasefire, France deployed specialized personnel at the Rafah crossing point as part of the European Union Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point. Israel must guarantee access to the entire Gaza Strip for humanitarian actors and facilitate their work, in accordance with international law. We reiterate our support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and all humanitarian actors. The situation in the West Bank is very worrisome. France calls on the Israeli authorities to show the utmost restraint, to comply with international humanitarian law and to ensure the protection of the civilian population. Settlement activity is illegal. It must cease, as must settler violence, which is also illegal. It is time for the Council to address the future of the Gaza Strip and reconstruction. France condemns any forced displacement of the Palestinian population. It would be contrary to international law and dangerous for the stability of the region. France supports the efforts of Egypt and those of the Group of Arab States to draw up a plan for the day after and the reconstruction of Gaza. The Palestinian Authority must be able to govern in all of the Palestinian territories. Hamas cannot be part of the solution. The future of Gaza cannot be separated from a comprehensive political settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. France reiterates its commitment to the effective implementation of the two-State solution, with security guarantees for both Israelis and Palestinians. Only that prospect can ensure a just and lasting peace. It is with that objective in mind that France will co-chair, along with Saudi Arabia, an international conference for the implementation of the two-State solution, to be held here in New York in June.

Panama welcomes the convening of this meeting and thanks Ms. Sigrid Kaag for her briefing and her explanation of the situation in the West Bank and Gaza. We also welcome the participation of the delegations of Israel, the Observer State of Palestine and Kuwait in this meeting. In addition, we appreciate the briefing and testimony of Ms. Noa Argamani, which was undoubtedly dramatic, and that of Mr. Daniel Levy, for his sincerity. Panama once again reiterates its strong condemnation of the atrocious terrorist acts of 7 October 2023, perpetrated by Hamas, which were the trigger of the current conflict. It also reiterates the importance of the parties’ full compliance with the agreements. Panama reaffirms its steadfast support for the right of the people of Israel to live in peace and security within recognized borders. At the same time, Panama underscores the need for a solution that guarantees peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. The Council’s resolutions highlight the importance of implementing the provisions set out therein that can be applied to the current context, especially in the face of the persistent challenges affecting the civilian population and humanitarian assistance. It is regrettable that the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate in some respects. In the West Bank, some actions on the ground continue to breed despair and cause suffering among the population. The expansion of settlements continues to change the dynamics on the ground, exacerbating tensions and rendering any prospect of stability more difficult. In Gaza, the humanitarian crisis continues to reach alarming levels. More than 1.5 million people have been displaced. Health centres are collapsing, vital humanitarian assistance continues to face obstacles As this humanitarian crisis intensifies, the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, established after intense diplomatic efforts, has been holding, despite some setbacks — caused either intentionally or unintentionally — that have complicated the parties’ fulfilment of their obligations and portend a serious risk of collapse. Current tensions surrounding the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners have undermined the stability of the process and threaten to unleash a new escalation of violence. If this ceasefire fails, the human cost will be incalculable, and the prospects for regional peace and stability will be diminished even further. We have already — categorically and on several occasions — condemned the attacks perpetrated by Hamas. Israeli hostages can no longer be used as tools to exert pressure, and there can be no justification for the suffering inflicted upon them by the merciless captivity, such as that of Noa Argamani, who enlightened us in this meeting with the moving testimony of her own personal experience. We commend her on her courage, her detachment and the wisdom of her gentle message. The lives of hostages cannot be bargaining chips in negotiations without guarantees. The abduction, parading and use of hostages as propaganda constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law and must cease immediately. There is no justification or context that can render it acceptable to instrumentalize human beings in this manner. Panama stresses that trust is built with political will and concrete actions, not threats. We urge those with influence over the parties to the conflict to continue to push for diplomatic solutions in order to ensure the implementation of the agreements reached so that a sustainable peace can also be achieved, and to initiate the urgent reconstruction that will serve as an incentive to recover the trust that has been lost. The cessation of hostilities does not, in and of itself, resolve uncertainty about the future of Gaza, where humanitarian and institutional devastation demands reconstruction and effective governance in order to attain lasting stability. The international community must go beyond stopping the violence and address the conditions that have prolonged this conflict. Entire generations of Israelis and Palestinians have grown up in the shadow of violence — children who, instead of learning in schools, have had to survive, their childhoods cut short by a never-ending conflict. Tens of thousands of lives have been snatched away. They are not figures or cold statistics; they were people with names, with stories, with dreams that will never be fulfilled and with families that are now mourning them and that will continue to be marked by the emptiness of their absence. Their deaths cannot be regarded as an inevitable consequence of the conflict. Every death reminds us of the urgency of finding a solution that will end this suffering. And those who have survived, who now live amid the rubble in what they once called home, along with those who have been released after months of captivity, deserve something that is essential: dignity.

I thank Special Coordinator ad interim Sigrid Kaag and Mr. Daniel Levy for their briefings. And the United States wants to especially thank Noa Argamani for coming here today to provide such compelling testimony to the depravity of Hamas and of what she endured. The United States stands with her and with all hostages. And we join other members of the Council who have expressed condolences to those who lost loved ones, and in demanding the release of those still in captivity, including her partner. The depth of Hamas’ cruelty knows no ends, and we are appalled and horrified by their desecration of the remains of Shiri Bibas. This is a gruesome scene, and we join the people of Israel in mourning the loss of several members of the Bibas family. Kfir was not even a year old when he was taken, along with his 4-year- old brother Ariel. They were cruelly murdered by Hamas. We also mourn the loss of Oded Lifshitz — a lifelong peace activist whose remains were also returned to Israel. The only solace is that their remains can be returned to their families for a proper burial. Despite the squalid conditions in which he was held, we are glad that American citizen Sagui Dekel Chen was released after nearly 500 days in captivity. We must never forget the lives taken as a result of the brutal Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October 2023 and the horrors endured by countless innocent people in the war that followed as a result of Hamas’ actions. Hamas still holds 63 hostages, including New Jersey native Idan Alexander and the remains of four Americans murdered by Hamas in Gaza. The taking of hostages is a despicable, criminal act. All hostages must be released now. As President Trump has made clear, the future of Gaza must look different. We cannot rely on the tired ideas of the past and expect better results. Bold thinking is needed to avoid ending up in the exact same place  — death, destruction and instability — which is untenable for Israelis, Palestinians and the region. We have seen Hamas cynically weaponize the suffering of Palestinians by using civilian infrastructure to store caches of weapons, house fighters and coordinate attacks. As long as Hamas stands as a force that can govern, as a force that can administer or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible. Hamas must be eliminated. It must be eradicated. Any plan for reconstruction in Gaza must ensure that Hamas is fully removed from power and held accountable for its 7 October terrorist massacre. We look forward to a plan from our Arab partners on the future of Gaza that reflects that vision. As Israel continues to balance its safety and security requirements, we recognize its efforts to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. We urge countries to support that effort through additional funding to scale up much-needed aid. The United States reiterates that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is not, and never has been, the only option for providing humanitarian assistance in Gaza. UNRWA’s work has been tainted and its credibility called into question, owing to the terrorist ties of its staff that were exposed during the 7 October attack. It was Israel’s sovereign decision to close UNRWA’s offices in Jerusalem, based on conditions on the ground. Other United Nations agencies can and have done that work, with appropriate safeguards to ensure that assistance is not diverted, looted or misused by terrorist groups. Turning to the wider region, we must acknowledge that the Middle East continues to suffer from the nefarious influence of Iran, which continues to sow chaos. Behind every terrorist group like Hamas, behind every act of violence, behind every destabilizing activity and behind everything that threatens peace and stability for the millions of people who call this region home is Iran. The United States will not allow Iran to manufacture or acquire nuclear weapons, through which the regime would seek to render itself immune from external pressure. As the result of the ceasefire, the countries of the Middle East have a historic opportunity to reshape their region in a way that affords its people a better path forward. An expansion of the Abraham Accords can lead to greater regional integration between Israel and its neighbours in a unified bloc to counter Iran and

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of China. I thank Ms. Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad  interim,  for her briefing and thank Mr. Daiel Levy for his statement. I also thank Ms. Argamani for her briefing. I express my deep sympathy for what she has been through. The 15-month-long conflict has caused unimaginable suffering to both the Palestinian and Israeli civilians. We sincerely hope that all the detainees  will be released and reunited with their families as soon as possible and that the 2  million survivors of the conflict in Gaza will not be plunged into war again. Therefore, the Gaza ceasefire agreement must be fully and continuously implemented  to ensure a permanent ceasefire. We are gravely concerned about the recent frequent violations of the ceasefire agreement and strongly call on the parties concerned  to fully implement the ceasefire agreement. In particular, the provisions on access of humanitarian aid and the release of detainees, among others, must be implemented strictly, seriously and in good faith. In that process, the dignity of all, including the deceased, should be respected. Negotiations on the second phase have been deferred. The international community should encourage and support the parties in moving ahead with the negotiations as soon as possible. In particular, countries with a major influence on the parties should play a role to that end. The massive Israeli attacks on the West Bank have lasted over a month, creating the largest displacement of Palestinians since 1967. Israel has also indicated  that it will maintain a long-term military presence in the West Bank. The situation continues to escalate. The developments are worrisome. War must not be reignited in the West Bank. The West Bank must not become the next Gaza. China calls on Israel to stop its military operations in the West Bank, cease the settlement expansion, and curb settler violence in earnest. And we call on all parties to work together for early de-escalation of the situation. The fundamental crux of the decades-long Palestinian issue lies in the failure to implement the two-State solution and to establish an independent State of Palestine. Gaza and the West Bank, including East  Jerusalem, are inalienable parts of the State of Palestine and the homeland of the Palestinian people, not bargaining chips for political deal-making. The post-war governance of Gaza must follow the principle of the Palestinians governing Palestine. The international community should provide support for the reconstruction of Gaza. The role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in the humanitarian relief and post-war reconstruction of Gaza is irreplaceable, and its normal mandate delivery must be guaranteed. We call on the international community to step up efforts to advance the political process of the two-State solution and to provide necessary guarantees to that end. Along with the international community, China will continue its unremitting efforts to restore peace in the Middle East and to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine. I resume my functions as President of the Council. I now give the floor to the Permanent Observer of the Observer State of Palestine.

We thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting at this critical time. We also express our thanks to Special Coordinator ad Israel’s plan is clear in Gaza, in East Jerusalem and in the rest of the West Bank: get rid of Palestinian demography to seize Palestinian geography. It has a recurrent dream that it will end the conflict through the disappearance of the Palestinian people. That will never happen. We have often repeated that there is not a people too many in the Middle East; there is an independent State missing. The failed recipes of the past will never deliver a different future. Our history is filled with wars that Israel promised would be decisive and were not, of mass forcible displacement that was supposed to end the Palestine question and did not. The idea that more injustice, more brutality, more oppression would lead to peace is madness. The idea that more killing, more maiming, more displacing will bring security is delusional. There is no military solution to the conflict; there is only a political one. As we sit here and speak, on the ground, Israel is trying to make sure that a political solution — the only one that leads to peace — is not viable anymore. It is destroying the two-State solution in the hope of making its unlawful annexation of Palestinian land permanent. It continues entertaining the idea of emptying the Gaza Strip of its people through so-called voluntary migration — the code name for forcible mass displacement. It is conducting a large-scale military assault against the Palestinian people in the West Bank, notably against refugee camps, which has led to the largest displacement of Palestinian population there since 1967, with more than 40,000 Palestinians displaced and now stating it will not allow their return and intends to stay there for a year. While the Arab world is trying to find a way out of the hell Israel left behind in Gaza, Israel is unleashing hell in the West Bank. When we speak of the utter and wanton destruction of Gaza, of human tragedy and people’s ordeal, of the devastation, of how Gaza was made unliveable, let us not forget Israel’s responsibility, as it deliberately spread destruction across all of Gaza with the very purpose of making it unliveable. There is only one way forward: to preserve the ceasefire in Gaza and ensure its full implementation in line with resolution 2735 (2024) and end the escalation and aggression in the West Bank, leading to a permanent cessation of hostilities. The ceasefire must be permanent. There must be a reconstruction of Gaza while its people remain in Gaza and while they participate and benefit from such reconstruction. The Palestinian Government must assume its full responsibilities throughout the occupied Palestinian territory and should be enabled and supported in that endeavour. There must be a cessation of all the policies that entrench the occupation and conflict instead of ending them, ending the occupation, achieving the independence of the State of Palestine and implementing the two-State solution. There has been enough bloodshed, enough agony and enough suffering. Israel has killed at least 50,000 Palestinians. It has maimed, displaced, arbitrarily arrested, tortured and caused suffering for millions of Palestinians. Our children have been killed, amputated, orphaned, displaced and traumatized. This has to stop. In recent days, we saw another attempt by the Israeli Government to dehumanize the Palestinian people as a whole and to justify the killing of our children. There can be no justification for harming children anywhere. Israel has killed thousands of Palestinian children, often in atrocious conditions. Layan Hamadeh, 15 years old, was with her mother, father, her three siblings and her cousin in a car. They were evacuating from Gaza City in the morning. She called emergency services after her parents and her siblings were shot dead. “They That was a recording of her call. After the salvo of bullets, Layan went quiet. A few moments later, her 6-year-old cousin, Hind Rajab, picked up the phone. Let me show the Council her picture. She said to the dispatcher, “They are dead. I am in the car. The tank is next to me. It is moving. It is very, very close and moving. Talk to me. When someone ... can you, can you hang up. Please come take me, please. It is almost night. The night is approaching. I am scared. Please come take me.” Listen to the voice of Hind Rajab and imagine her agony and the agony of her family and of thousands upon thousands of Palestinian families. The dispatcher stayed on the phone with her, trying to reassure her that God would protect them, playing counting games. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society sent an ambulance with two emergency respondents, Yusuf Al-Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoun, to rescue her. They never made it. It took 12 days until rescue teams were able to reach the area. They found the two members of the rescue team dead, and they found Hind, her aunt, her uncle and her four cousins, all dead. Our children deserve compassion and solidarity. They are born into a terrible reality, and one generation after another fall victim to it. They are not less deserving of the Council’s outrage for their killing and their inhumane treatment. All families are entitled to the dignified burial of their loved ones. And as the Council asserts this principle, remember the images of Palestinian mothers and fathers collecting what remained of the bodies of their children in plastic bags or carrying their corpses while being displaced for miles. Remember the thousands that remained under the rubble because we were not allowed to rescue them. Remember the hundreds of Palestinians corpses still detained by Israel. When Israel decides to delay the release of hundreds of prisoners, including women and children, that is collective punishment. Israel has abducted thousands of civilians, who were subjected to inhumane treatment and then released or disappeared. Did the Council see the images of our released prisoners, who were often starved, with marks and scars on their bodies? Does the Council know that Israel subjected them to beatings before their release or to humiliating and degrading treatment? Does the Council know that Israel made them wear clothes with provocative slogans and then filmed them? Or have those images never made it to the Council? Has the Council seen them? I am sure it has. Israel considers all those actions normal and justified. Are not all Palestinians presumed guilty by Israel? As my friend from Algeria said, there can be no double standards. If the Council cares about humanity and international law, it must not exclude the Palestinians. Be fair. Deal with everyone, especially the children. Be fair. Justice does not serve only one group of people and ignore other children. It serves all of them. It is always strange to see Israeli officials who have called for and justified genocide speak of the need for deradicalization. The most extremist views are out there in the public sphere, including that Palestinians do not exist or do not deserve to exist, that raping and torturing prisoners is justified, that starving Palestinian civilians is morally justified, that all our children are guilty. And those are not only theoretical views; Israel is acting upon them. And if it is the one committing the action, it is no longer barbarism. To the contrary, it is only to safeguard civilization. That is a narrative that countries in these Halls know well, a narrative to justify the oppression of entire nations. What we need is not more violence, but to break the cycle of violence. That is what we need. We can always find justification for revenge, but will it ever solve the problem? We owe it to our peoples, to our children to end the conflict, not to find We have repeated many times how important it is to be consistent. The rules of humankind and legality do not change with nationality, religion or race. Human dignity should always be preserved, and civilians should always be protected, not killed, not paraded and not ill-treated. The sanctity of human life should be respected and the respect owed to the dead should be honoured. We reject all actions that run counter to those principles. As we ask representatives to know the stories of our children and to remember their names, we offer our condolences to the Bibas family. Nothing justifies what happened to Kfir and Ariel Bibas or their mother, Shiri. They should have been safe in their homes with their families, as our children should be safe in their home with their families. I challenge representatives to recall their sense of humanity if they have it. We are collectively failing them — failing to offer the protection they deserve, failing to stop the suffering, failing to offer a different future. In Gaza, the loss of children and the loss experienced by children can barely be grasped. What they need now is not further uncertainty, but the knowledge that the world will be on their side. We said from the first day this assault will be against the Palestinian people as a whole through indiscriminate killing and wanton destruction. We said only a ceasefire can allow Palestinians and Israeli families to be reunited in life, can put an end to the mass starvation of Palestinians and can stop the effort aimed at their forcible displacement. We said that Israelis goal was and remains annexation and that, after Gaza, Israel will intensify its assault on the West Bank. How many hostages were released in military actions and how many hundreds of Palestinians have perished in those military attacks that were supposed to rescue the hostages but led to the death of many of them? And how many hostages have been released through ceasefire agreements? Ceasefires work. Ceasefires save lives. For the United States, the conclusion of the agreement and its implementation is about the hostages. But for Israel, was it? The next few days yet again test its true priorities. Will Israelis destroy the ceasefire and resume fighting or will they, will all members, will all of us make the ceasefire permanent to save lives? The fate of our people is not to be killed, displaced, occupied and oppressed. No people would accept such a fate. Help us to demonstrate to our people that there is a peaceful path that leads to freedom, justice and peace. Palestinians and Israelis are not destined to be eternally at war. Peace is possible. And after all the suffering, peace is indispensable. It is imperative. We need it. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.

I now give the floor to the representative of Israel.

I thank Special Coordinator ad interim Kaag for her briefing. Today marks a historic and deeply emotional moment. For the first time, a freed hostage has shared her story before the Security Council. Noa Argamani is not just a witness or a victim of Hamas’ cruelty; she is a survivor with unimaginable bravery and dignity. She endured the unthinkable and emerged to speak for those who still cannot. We are honoured by Noa’s presence, and we are praying every day for the safe return of her partner, Avinatan Or, and the 62 other hostages who remain in captivity. We thank Noa for her courage, for her voice and for speaking here today for those who cannot. But Noa should not have to be here today. She should not have to relive the trauma before the Council, nor should she have to remind the world of what Hamas is. And yet here she is, because for months so many around the world and on the Council have chosen to look away. After Noa’s testimony, I am not sure how anyone in this Chamber could possibly object to such a draft resolution. We have heard many times in this Chamber doubts raised about our determined efforts. I am sure we will hear it again. However, there is no longer any need to justify why Hamas must be eradicated. The truth is undeniable. Hamas is a terrorist organization that slaughters, tortures and kidnaps civilians. Israel will therefore continue to act. We will not be deterred. We will eliminate Hamas — believe me when I say it. We will bring our people home, and we will secure the safety and future of Israel. Today, when Council members look at Noa sitting here in the Chamber, I ask them to remember the story behind the face they saw on that motorcycle. I ask them to remember the months she spent hidden from the world, to remember Yossi Sharabi and Itay Svirsky, who died beside her. I ask them to remember Avinatan Or, who still waits in the dark to be brought into the light. This is not simply Noa’s story. It is a story of every hostage and every family shattered by Hamas’ terror. It is a story that will not end until each one of them is back home. The question now is whether the Council will help write that ending or continue to look away. For months, Hamas has psychologically tortured and toyed with families desperate for answers. It released the hostage list at the last possible moment, forcing families into a cycle of unbearable uncertainty. It refused to provide the Red Cross with access to the captives, leaving parents to go to sleep each night not knowing whether their children were dead or alive. Worst of all, they played with the hostages themselves — as the Council heard from Noa — forcing them into their despicable theatre of cruelty. Every time hostages are released, Hamas stages a sickening and vile ceremony designed to prolong the suffering of those still held captive. Just this past Saturday, those monsters brought them to the site and forced Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal to watch one of those ceremonies from inside a van. As they pleaded for their own release, their captors took every opportunity to prolong their suffering. That is not a political strategy, but a calculated sadistic manipulation of human suffering. Nowhere has the cruelty been more evident than with the Bibas family. For over 500 days, Israelis and so many around the world — and many here — have asked themselves the same question: is the Bibas family, with those two beautiful boys, still alive? Now we know the answer. Hamas did not just murder Ariel and Kfir. It slaughtered them in the most deprived way imaginable. They did not shoot Kfir. They did not shoot Ariel. They killed them with their bare hands. These monsters looked into the eyes of a 9-month-old baby and his 4-year-old brother and strangled, beat, twisted and shattered them with their hands. One would imagine that there is nothing more sickening than that atrocity, but somehow, there is. To hide their crime, they mutilated their tiny bodies to make it seem as though they died in an air strike. That is Hamas. That is who they are in their souls — child murderers, butchers. And still, the Council hesitates. Still we hear statements that draw a parallel between Israel and Hamas, as though this were a symmetrical conflict. It is not. On one side, there are families holding onto hope. On the other side, there is an organization that murders infants and holds onto their bodies until it serves a political and propagandist purpose. Believe me, no matter what happens, our commitment to freeing all the hostages and completely eradicating Hamas is unshakable. Tomorrow we will bury the bodies of Ariel, Kfir and Shiri Bibas. Yarden Bibas’ family is gone. The nation of Israel will come to a stop. We will escort the bodies of Ariel, Kfir and Shiri to their final resting places. For months Yarden endured unimaginable agony, unsure if his wife and children were alive, all while they were suffering in Hamas’ hands. Now, thank God, he is back in Israel, but his torment continues. Instead of captivity, he faces an unbearable silence. Where his wife and children should be, there with nothing. Hamas has lost any right or chance to be involved in the future of Gaza. The world has seen, through the story of Noa Argamani, the stories of Kfir and Ariel Bibas, and the stories of countless others, the extent of their cruelty. For the sake of the hostages, their families and all those who truly seek peace — in the Chamber, in Israel, in Gaza — it is time to let go of past conceptions. It is time to think beyond the frameworks of the past and build a new reality, one where terrorists do not hold entire communities hostage and where life is sacred once more. The path forward requires courage, imagination, out-of-the-box thinking free of past conceptions and status quos. It also requires the Council to stand united against Hamas’ tactics and of terror and manipulation. To be able to build a better future, one must lay a solid foundation, a moral foundation. There is no avoiding the fact that this foundation requires a basic resolution condemning Hamas for their atrocities. I will not drop this issue. I will continue to remind the Council of its failing until it is finally corrected.

I now give the floor to the representative of Kuwait.

It is my honour to take the floor on behalf of the Group of Arab States. At the outset, as we approach the end of the Chinese presidency, the Arab Group would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, your team and China, a friendly country, and to thank you for all of your efforts at the helm of the Council. You have been methodical and transparent. We also thank Ms. Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim, for her detailed briefing. The Arab Group continued its constructive action this month. We organized many high-level meetings with United Nations officials and leaders of various United Nations bodies. We also held meetings with many political and regional groups, and one with the President of the Security Council, who in turn conveyed the contents of our meetings and concerns to the Council. The goal of all of those meetings was to emphasize key messages having to do with the danger in the West Bank and the north, in particular. We have all seen what has befallen the people of the West Bank in the past two days. What we have been warning about has happened in front of the entire international community. What we are witnessing in the West Bank is an escalation that is unprecedented in more than two decades. Israel, the occupying Power, has entered the West Bank with its army and tanks, pursuing its continued and despicable dream of forcibly displacing the Palestinian people from their territory. That unjustified aggression, which runs counter to all principles of international law, including international humanitarian law and the Charter of the United Nations, In that context, the Arab States stress the need to put an end to the Israeli settlements, which were already rejected and condemned by the international community. We reaffirm the Arab position which rejects any attempts to annex land and displace Palestinians, whether in Gaza or the West Bank. That constitutes a war crime under international conventions, including article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, which prohibits the forcible transfer of protected persons from occupied territory regardless of the motive. Furthermore, we insist on the need for the international community to take effective measures aimed at ensuring that the Palestinian people can remain on their land and enjoy all their legitimate rights. We call on the international community to play a more active role to stop the aggression in the West Bank and the attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites in Al-Quds Al-Sharif. The actions by Israel, the occupying Power, demonstrate that it is not seeking calm but rather is attempting to undermine the Gaza ceasefire agreement through its brutal escalation in the West Bank. Is there any doubt among Member States that the occupying entity will continue its manipulation and not honour its commitments in order to undermine any chance of achieving peace so that it can continue its crime of genocide against the Palestinians? Will the Security Council stand idly by in the face of those flagrant violations, which are war crimes and crimes against humanity? Is the Council waiting for a repetition of the bloody scene and the humanitarian tragedy caused by the occupying Power in the Gaza Strip? Or will the Council finally wake up from its slumber now that tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed or displaced? The Arab Group expresses its categorical and unequivocal rejection of any form of displacement of the brotherly Palestinian people from their territory and historic homeland. We also refuse to hold the States in the region responsible for any consequences of such displacement. We condemn the attacks against the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in that regard. Those calls for displacement will further complicate the inflamed regional and international situation and will negatively affect the security and stability in the region and will have serious consequences for international peace and security. We welcome the position of the international community in firmly rejecting those calls, which are illegal under international law. If the Security Council remains unable to put an end to that tragedy, which has lasted for 16 months, it must commit to at the very least implementing its resolutions, in particular, resolution 2735 (2024), which calls for, among other things, an immediate, a full and complete ceasefire, the return of Palestinian civilians to their homes and neighbourhoods in all areas of Gaza and the safe and effective distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale, and it rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce the territory of Gaza, and reiterates its unwavering commitment to the two-State solution, consistent with international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions. Indeed, the adoption of that resolution provided a glimmer of hope that the Israeli aggression on Gaza would be put to an end. However, it became clear that Israel, the occupying Power, is not respecting international legitimacy and is continuing to do everything it can to create obstacles to achieve peace and end the aggression. What Israel, the occupying Power, is doing is making the ceasefire agreement more fragile. It does not respect the major efforts undertaken by the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America towards reaching that agreement. Let us recall that the main objective of the agreement was to achieve a lasting and sustainable ceasefire that creates a political horizon leading to the In that regard, we, along with the entire international community, look forward to the convening of the high-level international conference for the peaceful settlement and implementation of the two-State solution, which will be held at the General Assembly in June and co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France. We call on all Member States to participate actively and at the highest level in that very important conference. On the basis of the aforementioned and given that the occupying Power does not respect international law and continues to make unilateral decisions that threaten the region in particular and international peace and security in general, in addition to undermining the multilateral efforts of this Organization, the Arab Group calls for the operationalization of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. The Commission was established in 2021 pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution S-30/1. Indeed, the violations committed by Israel, the occupying Power, constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the deliberate targeting and killing of children in the Gaza Strip. In that regard, we are referring to more than 17,000 children. The Arab Group reaffirms its firm and unwavering position in support of the rights of the Palestinians. We stress that the main cause of the conflict is the occupation, which has no end in sight. If we want peace and security, the Palestinian issue must be resolved by ensuring the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital, on the borders of 4 June 1967, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of international law, Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002. With regard to the friendly Republic of Lebanon, the Arab Group welcomed the announcement of the cessation of hostilities on 27 November 2024. However, the occupying Power is continuing its flagrant violations of all international norms and its violations of the terms of the agreement, despite Lebanon’s full commitment to it. The date for the withdrawal of the Israeli occupying Power from the remaining sites and villages it has occupied since October 2024 has passed. Yet, the occupying Power has no respect for international conventions. It is not looking for peace. Quite the contrary, it is looking to undermine peace and security in the region and in the world. The Arab Group calls on the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility and to compel Israel to fully withdraw from all of the occupied Lebanese territory and to implement its relevant resolutions, mainly resolution 1701 (2006). We will not have stability until the withdrawal takes place. Furthermore, UNIFIL plays an essential role in this stage, in particular, given the need for Israel to withdraw beyond the Blue Line. UNIFIL is also there to observe the implementation of resolution 1701 (2006). We call on the international community to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Republic of Lebanon and to support its reconstruction efforts. We also call on it to support the Lebanese Armed Forces to make sure that the Lebanese State can restore its control over the entire territory. When it comes to the brotherly country of the Syrian Arab Republic, we firmly denounce the ongoing and evolving Israeli incursions into the buffer zone and neighbouring sites near Mount Hermon and in Qunaytirah and Dara’a and rural Damascus governorates. These constitute additional aggressions and flagrant violations of international law. We also denounce the statements made by the Prime Minister of the occupying entity — statements that threatened the unity and By way of conclusion and to go back to Palestine, which is the main cause for Arabs and the number one priority for the Arab Group, we remind the international community that the occupying Israeli army has shown the greatest cowardice possible since the beginning of the aggression of Gaza. They have had no respect for the bodies of the dead, whose remains have been left exposed. They have attacked homes and destroyed infrastructure. That shows the greatest possible cruelty, given this human tragedy. This is what we have seen on various sites and social media platforms.