S/PV.9882 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Israel 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: Mr. Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations; and Mr. Eli Sharabi. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I give the floor to Mr. Khiari. Mr. Khiari: I am grateful for the opportunity to brief the Security Council regarding the humanitarian situation faced by the remaining hostages in Gaza. I would like at the outset to recognize Mr. Eli Sharabi and his unimaginable experience of pain and his remarkable resilience in the face of such immense loss. I extend to him my condolences for the tragic loss of his dear family — his wife, two daughters and brother. I pay him, all hostages, living and deceased, and their families and loved ones my deepest respect and support. I again extend my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families who lost their family members and loved ones during and after the horrific attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Israel on 7 October 2023. The United Nations continues to unequivocally condemn the appalling acts of terror that took place on 7 October and the continued holding of hostages in Gaza. Nothing can justify the intentional killing, torture, sexual violence and destruction — entire families murdered, burned in their homes or taken hostage. The events of that horrific day will not be forgotten. The participation in Security Council meetings of surviving hostages and their heart-wrenching testimonies and many months of agony serve as a stark reminder but also as a crucial symbol of endurance and hope for those still waiting to see their loved ones back home. Since the attacks, the Secretary-General and other senior United Nations officials have regularly met with the families of hostages and have been deeply moved by their stories, and by the torment and anguish they have endured. The ceasefire and hostage release deal that took effect on 19 January offered a glimmer of hope and respite by reuniting 25 Israeli hostages with their loved ones and returning the remains of eight deceased hostages, who were killed on 7 October or while in captivity, to their families. Their release and return were sadly also a moment of great anxiety, as most of the living hostages were paraded in front of crowds, and the coffins of the deceased, including those of two young children who were killed in captivity, were displayed publicly by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups during appalling ceremonies that violated international law. The United Nations has repeatedly condemned the parading of coffins containing the bodies of dead Israeli hostages and public displays accompanying the release of living and deceased hostages, including statements made under duress. The resumption of hostilities on 18 March adds further despair and uncertainty for those remaining hostages, their families and their loved ones. This resumption of hostilities amidst significant Israeli air strikes in Gaza has also been devastating for the civilian population in the Strip. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, including women and children. Since the resumption of hostilities one staff member from the United Nations Office for Project Services has also been killed and several have been injured. Commissioner-General Lazzarini of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) also reported that, in the past few days, another five UNRWA staff have been confirmed killed. I reiterate that civilians must be protected, including United Nations personnel. The rights and dignity of all those affected by the conflict, whether in Israel, the occupied Palestinian territory or elsewhere, must be respected and protected. We call on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law. The return to hostilities threatens all civilians in Gaza. I echo the Secretary-General’s call for the resumption of serious negotiations, for the ceasefire to be respected, for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to be re-established and for the remaining hostages to be released immediately and unconditionally. With every passing day, we move further away from the objective of returning the remaining hostages safely to their homes. That was also very clear from the remarks made by rescued hostage Ms. Noa Argamani to the Council last month (see S/PV.9868), when she told us that every moment under captivity was lived in danger. The resumed hostilities in Gaza, compounded by the lack of access and the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, are exposing the remaining hostages to constant danger and life-threatening conditions. As Under-Secretary-General Fletcher said when he briefed the Council earlier this week (see S/PV.9881), a renewed ceasefire is the best way of protecting civilians in Gaza, the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel, of releasing hostages and detainees and of allowing aid and commercial supplies in. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting human rights, defending humanitarian principles and supporting all efforts that promote peace, stability and a more hopeful future for all people in the Middle East. We are also convinced that the path to durable peace will be achieved only when Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace and security, in line with international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States. The United Nations stands ready to do all it can to support the parties in reaching that objective, and it will continue to do all it can to support an end to the suffering. Once again, I reiterate the Secretary-General’s deep concern at the conflict’s unbearable impact on the victims and his urgent call for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages.

I thank Mr. Khiari for his briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Sharabi. I used to live in Kibbutz Be’eri with my British-born wife, Lianne, and my daughters, Noiya and Yahel. It was a beautiful community. We were all passionate about creating the best life for our children and for our neighbours. At 16, I left Tel Aviv for Be’eri, seeking a peaceful home away from the concrete city. I found a loving community and knew that I would raise my family there. Many asked why we lived near Gaza, but to me Be’eri was heaven. Lianne came from Bristol in the United Kingdom, as a volunteer. She was meant to stay a few months, but she met me, and we fell in love. We were married for 23 years and had two wonderful daughters and a dog, Mocha. On 7 October 2023, my heaven turned to hell. Sirens began to sound. Hamas terrorists invaded. And I was ripped away from my family, never to see them again. For 491 days, I was kept mostly underground in Hamas’ terror tunnels, chained, starved, beaten and humiliated. I was held captive in the darkness, isolated from the world by Hamas terrorists. They took pleasure in our suffering. I survived on scraps of food, with no medical attention and no mercy. When I was released, I weighed just 44 kilogrammes. I had lost more than 30 kilogrammes — nearly half my body weight. For 491 days, I held on to hope. I imagined the life that we would rebuild. I dreamed of seeing my family again. Only when I returned home did I learn the truth: my wife and my daughters had been slaughtered by Hamas terrorists on 7 October 2023. I am here today, less than six weeks after my release, to speak for those still trapped in that nightmare: for my brother, Yossi, murdered in Hamas captivity, whose body is still held hostage; for Alon Ohel, who is still 50 metres underground — I swore to him that I would tell his story; for Hersh, Ori, Eden, Carmel, Almog and Alexander, murdered in cold blood by their captors; and for every hostage still in Hamas’ hands. I am here to tell the Council the whole truth. On the morning of 7 October 2023, at 6.29 a.m., the red alerts began to come through on Lianne’s phone. I told her not to worry. “It will be over soon”, I said. Minutes later, we heard that terrorists were infiltrating our community. They were inside the kibbutz. Again I reassured her that the army would come; they always come. We heard gunfire, screaming and explosions, and then we heard the terrorists at our door. We had no weapons, no way of fighting back. Lianne and I made a decision: we would not resist; we hoped that we could save our daughters. The door opened, our dog barked, the terrorists opened fire. Lianne and I threw ourselves over our daughters, screaming for the terrorists to stop. Suddenly 10 terrorists were inside my home. They took our phones. Two of them grabbed me. They took my wife and daughters to the kitchen. I could not see them anymore. I did not know what was happening to them. I was screaming their names, and they were screaming mine. I told Lianne not to be afraid, but that was fear beyond anything that I have ever felt. Then I knew that I was being taken. As they dragged me out, I called out to my girls: “I will be back.” I had to believe that. But that was the last time that I ever saw them. I did not know that I should have said goodbye to them forever. Outside was like a war zone. My peaceful home — my slice of heaven — was gone. I saw more than 100 terrorists filming themselves, celebrating, laughing, partying in our gardens as they massacred my friends and neighbours. They dragged me out, they dragged me to the border, beating me the whole way. My face was swollen, my ribs bruised. When we arrived in Gaza, a mob of civilians tried to lynch me. They pulled me from the car, but the terrorists rushed me away into a mosque. I was their trophy. I thought about Lianne, Noiya and Yahel. Were they still alive? Then, on 27 November 2023, Hamas took me into a tunnel, 50 metres underground. Again, the chains were so tight they ripped my skin. They never took them off, not for a single moment. Those chains tore at me until the day I was released. Every step I took was no more than 10 centimetres. Every walk to the bathroom took an eternity. I cannot begin to describe the agony. It was hell. I was fed a piece of pita a day, and maybe a sip of tea. Hunger consumed everything. They beat me. They broke my ribs. I did not care. I just wanted a piece of bread. There was never enough food. Sometimes, if we begged enough, we would get something extra. We had to choose an extra piece of pita or a cup of tea. Sometimes, they threw us dry date, and it felt like the greatest gift in the world. We had to beg for food and beg to use the bathroom. Begging was our existence. We strategized over every meal. One day, I cut myself with a razor, just to make them believe I was injured. I collapsed on my way to the bathroom so they would think I was too weak, and to encourage them to give us more food. It worked. They gave us more food. We survived off those small victories. Do members of the Council know what it means to open a refrigerator? It is everything. To be able to reach in and take a piece of fruit, an egg or a piece of bread. I dreamed of this simple act every day. For months we lived like this. I stopped counting the days. Living as a hostage, one does not know how the day will begin, nor how it will end, whether one will live or die. At any moment, I could have been beaten. At any moment, I could have been killed. I woke up every day and did not know when I would be able to eat. It could be noon, 5 p.m. or 11 p.m. That would be the only meal we would have. I hoped and prayed that there would be no surprises with the captors. I thought about how desperately I wanted to shower. We only got one bath a month, with half a bucket of cold water — toothpaste, toilet paper — forget it. Psychological terror was constant. Every day they told us: “The world has abandoned you. No one is coming.” By the time I met Alon Ohel, who is now 24 years old, we had already endured terrible captivity. We relied on each other for survival. Alon is a very talented pianist. And I remember how we would pretend to play the piano on his body to keep himself sane. He does not look like that any longer. One day, a terrorist took his anger out on me. He stormed in and beat me so badly that he broke my ribs. I could not properly breathe for months. Alon tried to protect me with his own body. Members could not believe how lucky I felt when Alon told me he had saved one painkiller pill. He gave it to me to get through the night. Alon still has shrapnel in his right eye from the day he was kidnapped. He never received medical care. He never saw the Red Cross. To this day he is blind in that eye. When I was released, he grabbed onto me, terrified to be left behind. He told me he was happy for me. I promised him it was just a matter of days before he would be home too. I was wrong. Just before my release, Hamas took pleasure in showing me a picture of my brother Yossi. This is my oldest brother, a husband for Nira and a father for Yuval, Ophir and Oren. They told me he was dead. It was like they had brought a massive hammer On 8 February 2025 I was released. I weighed 44 kilograms. That is less than the body weight of my youngest daughter, Yahel, may her memory be a blessing. I was a shell of my former self. I still am. I could not believe how I looked. I stood at that sick Hamas ceremony, surrounded by terrorists and the crowd of so-called uninvolved civilians, hoping my wife and daughters were waiting for me. At the handover, I met a representative from the Red Cross. She told me, “Don’t worry, you are safe now.” Safe? How could I feel safe surrounded by terrorist monsters? Where had the Red Cross been for the previous 491 days? Then I arrived home. They told me my mother and sister were waiting for me. I said, “Get me my wife and daughters.” And that was when I knew they were gone. They had been murdered. I am here today because I survived and I prevailed. But that is not enough. Not when Alon Ohel is still there. Not when 59 hostages are still there. Right now, Alon is trapped underground, alone, surrounded by terrorists who torment him. He does not know if he will ever see his mother, father or his entire beloved family again. I will not leave him behind. I will not leave anyone behind. Their time has almost run out. I am here before the Council now to give my testimony and to ask, where was the United Nations? Where was the Red Cross? Where was the world? I know that Council members have discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza very often. But let me tell them, as an eyewitness, I saw what happened to that aid — Hamas stole it. I saw Hamas terrorists carrying boxes with the emblems of the United Nations and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East on them into the tunnel. Dozens and dozens of boxes, paid for by Council members’ Governments, were feeding terrorists who tortured me and murdered my family. They would eat many meals a day from the United Nations aid, in front of us, and we never received any of it. When Council members speak of humanitarian aid, remember this: Hamas eats like kings, while hostages starve. Hamas steals from civilians. Hamas blocks aid from reaching those who truly need it. Four hundred and ninety-one days — that is how long I starved, how long I was chained, how long I begged for humanity. And in all that time, no one came. No one in Gaza helped me — no one. The civilians in Gaza saw us suffering. They cheered our kidnappers. They were definitely involved. I was freed less than six weeks ago. I met President Trump at the White House and thanked him for securing my release and that of many others. I appreciate his efforts to free those still held hostage by Hamas. I said to him: “Bring them all home.” I met with Prime Minister Starmer at 10 Downing Street. I said to him: “Bring them all home.” I am now here before the Council, at the United Nations, to say: “Bring them all home.” No more excuses. No more delays. If Council members stand for humanity, they must prove it: bring them home. My name is Eli Sharabi. I am not a diplomat. I am a survivor. Bring them all home — now.

I thank Mr. Sharabi for his briefing. I shall now give the floor to those Council members who wish to make statements.

I also want to thank Assistant-Secretary- General Khiari for his briefing. The United States condemns Hamas in the strongest terms for those heinous murders. Mr. Sharabi’s presence here in the face of the tragedy that he has experienced is moving. His brave testimony here is one of too many stories. On 7 October 2023, Hamas brutally massacred almost 1,200 people and took more than 250 people hostage. The terrorist organization indiscriminately murdered infants and grandparents, partygoers and Holocaust survivors. President Trump has been clear: Hamas must release all hostages immediately, or there will be hell to pay. Five Americans still need to come home. Edan Alexander can still return to his parents’ arms, but Hamas continues to hold the bodies of Itay Chen, Gadi Haggai, Judi Weinstein Haggai and Omer Neutra — all brutally murdered in Hamas’ captivity. Another 54 are held in Hamas’ tunnels and must be released immediately. Hamas bears sole responsibility for the war and the resumption of hostilities. The fighting could end tomorrow if Hamas released the hostages and laid down its arms. As Secretary Marco Rubio put it, this is an outrage. The pillars of America’s approach remain resolute: stand with Israel, stand for peace. Hamas has refused all attempts to extend the ceasefire in recent weeks, including a bridge proposal that would have provided calm beyond Ramadan and Passover and allowed time to negotiate a framework for a permanent ceasefire. It has now been 530 days since Hamas started this horrific conflict — one that has upended so many lives and caused such immense suffering. We must recognize Hamas’ savagery for what it is: the acts of a terrorist organization that purposefully committed the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. It was Hamas that engaged in sexual violence towards hostages, released multiple hostages in a condition reminiscent of that of Holocaust survivors and murdered and paraded the coffins of the Bibas children through the streets. It is Hamas that is responsible for the resumption of hostilities, refusing time and time again to accept proposals to extend the ceasefire. We recognize Egypt and Qatar’s interest in mediating negotiations, and we look forward to continued discussions with Arab partners on the future of Gaza without Hamas. Hamas is an impediment to peace and has no right to speak on behalf of Palestinians. Mr. Kariuki (United Kingdom) I thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his briefing. The United Kingdom joined the United States and France in calling for this important briefing. I would like to add my sincere gratitude to Eli Sharabi for the courage that he has shown today and every day since those horrific events of 7 October 2023. The suffering that he and his family have endured is beyond imagination. Hamas must be held accountable for their despicable actions, including the murder of his wife, Lianne, a British national, and his two daughters. His powerful testimony also serves as a reminder of the anguish that the remaining hostages held by Hamas continue to endure. The Council has called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in all four of our resolutions since 7 October 2023. I repeat that call today. That includes the release of hostage Avinatan Or and the return of deceased hostages We also remain deeply concerned by the appalling treatment of hostages during their captivity, which we heard Eli describe today, and the shocking images we have seen of their release. In its dedicated reports, the United Nations has concluded that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that sexual violence occurred during the 7 October attacks. The United Kingdom is also deeply concerned at reports of sexual and gender- based violence against Palestinian detainees by Israeli forces. Those allegations must be fully investigated. We reiterate our call for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to be granted unfettered and immediate access to the hostages in Gaza and to Palestinian detainees. Granting the ICRC access is a clear obligation under international humanitarian law. The suffering in Gaza has gone on for far too long. Just yesterday, we heard the tragic news that a United Nations compound in Deir Al-Balah was hit, killing and injuring humanitarian workers, including a British national. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. As my Foreign Secretary has said, that appalling incident must be investigated transparently and those responsible held to account. The protection of United Nations and humanitarian workers is non-negotiable. Israel must facilitate a rapid and unhindered resurgence in the flow of aid. We condemn the unacceptable statements from Defence Minister Katz, warning of the total destruction of Gaza. Both Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal in January, which provided for the release of all hostages through the three phases of the deal. With the Israeli air strikes this week, which have killed many Palestinian civilians, that deal has fallen apart and, with it, the best chance we had seen to return the hostages to their families and end their suffering. We call on the parties to urgently return to that deal, for the sake of the hostages and their families who continue to wait in agony for news of their loved ones, and for the sake of the Palestinians in Gaza who have already suffered terribly. Diplomacy must be the way forward, not bloodshed.

First of all, I would like to thank the Assistant Secretary-General for his briefing and Mr. Eli Sharabi for his poignant testimony. In my previous post in Geneva, I had the sad privilege of often meeting the families and loved ones of the hostages to express France’s solidarity and resolve to help secure their release. To Mr. Sharabi, I express my solidarity and my respect on behalf of my country, and I express our deepest condolences following the losses he has weathered — the loss of his loved ones. He should know that our solidarity is all the stronger because French nationals were also detained — one has returned, the other one never will. We will never forget the trauma endured by the hostages, their families and the Israeli people during the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas and other terrorist groups on 7 October 2023, attacks which were the worst antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust. The Council must also condemn them with one voice. France will continue to work tirelessly for the release of all hostages. We denounce the ordeal they have endured and are enduring. They are innocent civilians. They are being used by Hamas with confounding cynicism and cruelty. They have been, and are being, held captive in inhumane conditions, subjected to acts of torture that constitute unspeakable crimes. Hamas has never agreed to respect the norms of humanitarian law, whether it be respect for the dignity of individuals or simply International Committee of the Red Cross access to the hostages, as is their obligation. We recognize Israel’s right to protect its inhabitants and Israel’s duty to protect its country and its people. We recognize Israel’s right to defend itself. We condemn once again Hamas’ recent rocket attacks against Israel, and we condemn unequivocally Hamas’ use of torture and indiscriminate violence. However, will inflicting further suffering on the Palestinian population make Israel safer? The resumption of Israel’s bombing to ensure the release of hostages is not the solution — on the contrary — and France condemns it. The humanitarian blockade once again imposed by the Israeli authorities in Gaza must end. Furthermore, France condemns the attack on a United Nations building in the Gaza Strip on 19 March, which caused the death of an employee of the United Nations Office for Project Services and gravely injured several others. We convey our condolences to the victim’s family and to the United Nations. We wish a speedy recovery to those wounded. Responsibility for that very serious incident must be fully investigated. The protection of humanitarian personnel must be guaranteed. Moreover, we call on the parties to return to the path opened by the January agreement  — the unconditional release of all hostages in dignity, the immediate resumption of humanitarian aid, the ceasefire and the launching of peace negotiations. We extend our full support to the efforts of the United States, Egypt and Qatar to get the ceasefire back on track. Only a comprehensive political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will enable Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in peace and security. It is in that spirit that France and Saudi Arabia are preparing an international conference in June for the implementation of the two-State solution, to be held here in New York.

I begin by expressing our sincere appreciation to Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his briefing on these latest developments. I also listened to Mr. Eli Sharabi’s statement and wish to express my sincere condolences to him for the loss of his loved ones. Before proceeding further, I also want to express our deepest condolences for the tragic loss of the worker of the United Nations Office for Project Services and to extend our sympathies to those injured in recent attacks. Those attacks are unacceptable and must be thoroughly investigated. We demand that those responsible be held accountable. We welcome the exchange of hostages and prisoners, allowing them to return to their families and regain their freedom, and demonstrating what can be achieved through dialogue and the importance of continuing such engagement and mediation initiatives. We urge all parties to conduct the hostage and prisoner exchange process in full compliance with their obligations under international law. Furthermore, we call on all parties to build on that momentum to commit to the full implementation of the ceasefire in good faith. Our worst fears materialized a few days ago. The situation in both Gaza and the West Bank has deteriorated beyond our gravest concerns. The past 48 hours have witnessed a devastating escalation. Last night, Israel Defense Forces strikes struck multiple homes in the middle of the night, killing and injuring sleeping families, mainly women and children. That follows Tuesday’s attack, following which many of the casualties remain unaccounted for, still under the ruins of destroyed The past three weeks have seen a profound rollback of humanitarian progress, with the delivery of aid at scale effectively halted since 2 March. Gaza has been cut off from life-saving supplies including fuel, food, electricity and medication. We must reiterate that Israel, as the occupying Power, has a clear obligation under international law to ensure that civilians have access to essential goods and services, including humanitarian assistance. As we are all aware, the blockade, coinciding with the holy month of Ramadan, has worsened an already dire situation in Gaza. Reports indicate that only one out of 10 people in Gaza have access to clean water, and the only desalination plant has been forced to close owing to power cuts. We categorically condemn the use of starvation as a weapon of war and reject any attempt to leverage humanitarian aid as a bargaining chip in the ceasefire negotiations. Such tactics constitute a clear violation of international humanitarian law and human dignity. Equally alarming is the escalating violence in the West Bank, including the continued expansion of illegal settlement activities and the forced displacement of Palestinians from their homes. The international community must stand united against any attempts to alter the demographic composition or forcibly displace Palestinians from their camps and cities or annex any part of the West Bank or Gaza under any pretext. Such actions would constitute a grave violation of international law and amount to ethnic cleansing. Looking to the future, the path is clear. First, we must ensure unimpeded humanitarian access and address the severe lack of funding for the humanitarian response efforts, which currently stands at a mere 4 per cent of the required resources. Secondly, we call for an immediate renewal of the ceasefire and a cessation of all hostilities. All parties should commit to the implementation of resolution 2735 (2024) in every respect and engage in good faith with the mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the United States for the completion of the second and third phases of the ceasefire agreement. Last but not the least, the end to the occupation and the full recognition of a free, sovereign and independent Palestine with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in accordance with the relevant resolutions, remains the only sustainable option for resolving this long-standing conflict. In conclusion, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to international law and the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. The path ahead requires us to assume our collective duty to take immediate action with a view to demanding accountability, upholding justice and working towards a future in which Palestinian children no longer grow up under the shadow of war but rather can live in peace, dignity and prosperity in their land with their loved ones.

Panama welcomes the convening of this meeting and thanks the Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Mohamed Khaled Khiari, for the information that he conveyed. Panama wishes also to acknowledge the presence and courage of Mr. Eli Sharabi, whose harrowing experience reflects the profound suffering that the conflict has inflicted on so many families. His moving story attests to the immense human cost of this tragedy. Eli was released after 16 long and painful months of captivity in That attack, which marked the onset of this human tragedy, claimed approximately 1,200 lives and resulted in the abduction of approximately 250 people. Just as Eli was, 59 hostages continue to be deprived of their liberty in Gaza; only an estimated 24 of them are still alive and are facing an equally painful and even harsher reality. Those people cannot continue to be the victims of Hamas’ extremism. We demand, yet again, the immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages, who should have long since been released and never have been held. Just as Eli Sharabi lost his family and home, thousands of civilians in Gaza are now facing a similar plight today, with more than 49,000 dead and tens of thousands injured. Those who have survived languish amid pain and despair, confronting on a daily basis the agony of not having access to food, medicine or basic services. That extreme hardship blights the daily lives of thousands of innocent people, who did not ask for, or deserve, this war. After weeks of relative and fragile calm, which represented a promising hiatus, the break in the ceasefire on 2 March has again plunged the Strip into a spiral of violence, causing a marked upsurge in casualties, deepening the protracted humanitarian crisis and further imperilling the lives of the hostages still in Gaza. We cannot forget the 284 United Nations humanitarian personnel whose lives have been lost in Gaza since 7 October 2023. The courage and dedication that they have shown in persevering with their work despite the immense risks that they confront on a daily basis deserve our utmost appreciation. Panama pays tribute to their commitment and reaffirms its unwavering support for the invaluable work that they are performing under extreme conditions to save lives and alleviate human suffering. Panama believes that the Palestinian people in Gaza deserve a leadership that is committed to peace, security and respect for human rights. Any political solution that may forge a sustainable future for Gaza must be free from the influence of those who promote violence and extremism. That spiral of violence has been driven by years of mistrust and decisions that jettisoned the genuine quest for peace. Whenever extremism prevails over concord, it exerts a stranglehold on the suffering of those who are the least to blame  — the civilian population. That stranglehold, fuelled by years of mistrust and intransigence, has become so tight that is stifling any prospect of agreement and is further compounding the pain of the innocent. When that stranglehold releases its grip, it does not do so in silence but amid the heart- rending distress of mothers, fathers, siblings and children, who cry out in despair at their irreparable loss. Thus reverberates the lament of entire families — Israeli and Palestinian — who are seeing their lives shattered by unrelenting violence and hatred. The conflict cannot take that same road. It is imperative that constructive political will be shown for those tensions to be alleviated and paths to peace opened. On that road, Panama will extend solid support for the diplomatic path as the sole option capable of restoring the ceasefire, which provides for robust protection for civilians and humanitarian workers, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid. Achieving that requires adherence to and the fulfilment of the resolutions adopted by the Council and international rules, which call for the release of Israeli hostages and humanitarian access to Gaza.

I thank Assistant Secretary- General Khiari for his briefing. I also thank Mr. Sharabi for his statement. We extend our utmost sympathy for what he has endured and the loss of his loved ones. Events, however, are taking the contrary course. Since 17 March, Israel has begun to carry out large-scale air strikes and has resumed hostilities in Gaza, leading to the collapse of the ceasefire agreement and causing more suffering and death. China expresses its profound concern at this state of affairs. Subjecting Gaza to gunfire is unlikely to make the hostages safer. In fact, we hear that some families of the hostages are concerned that the resumption of fighting will put the hostages in greater peril and are hoping that the ceasefire will hold, which would be conducive to the hostages’ swift return home. The brutal reality has shown that achieving a permanent ceasefire is the best way to save lives and get the hostages home. We urge Israel to abandon its obsession with the use of force and stop its military operation against Gaza. We hope that the guarantors of the ceasefire agreement will adopt a just and responsible attitude and take action to promote the continued implementation of the three-phase ceasefire towards a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The people in Gaza, while fleeing the fighting, are yet again being subjected to a humanitarian catastrophe and displacement. Israel has successfully cut off access for aid supplies into Gaza, in addition to the power supply. It has issued orders of forced evacuation from multiple locations in Gaza. That amounts to the collective punishment of the 2 million civilians, and it cannot be justified. Preventing humanitarian supplies from entering Gaza could deprive the remaining hostages of their survival needs. Israel, as the occupying Power, should fulfil its obligations under international humanitarian law, immediately lift the blockade and fully restore access for humanitarian supplies into Gaza. We also oppose any attacks on United Nations personnel and humanitarians. The life of every individual is precious. Palestinians and Israelis have equal rights to survival and development. The decades-long cycle of the Palestinian and Israeli conflict have caused generations on both sides to live under its shadow. Only by fully implementing the two-State solution and achieving the independent statehood of Palestine and achieving peaceful coexistence between the two States of Palestine and Israel can we ensure the lasting security and well-being of the Palestinians and Israelis. We call upon the international community to step up efforts to advance the political process of the two-State solution. China will play a constructive role to restore peace in the Middle East and achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian question.

I thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his detailed briefing. I also thank Mr. Eli Sharabi for the powerful testimony of his unspeakable suffering, and I would like to convey the deepest condolences of the Government of the Republic of Korea for the loss of his loved ones. We still vividly remember the horror that shocked the entire globe on 7 October 2023, when a peaceful holiday morning in southern Israel suddenly changed into a nightmare. More than 1,200 Israeli citizens, including children, were brutally murdered by Hamas, and 251 innocent Israelis were forcibly kidnapped. Those horrific terrorist attacks, unjustifiable under any excuse, left Israelis unforgettably traumatized. We once again repeat our strong condemnation of the terrorist attacks by Hamas on that dark day. As we speak now, 59 hostages, living or dead, are still held in Gaza, and we are afraid that more than 30 out of the 59 hostages are presumed dead. Last month, we heard in this Chamber another example of powerful testimony from former hostage Ms. Noa Argamani. In her harrowing statement, she told us that the lives of the Israeli people cannot go on without those hostages still held in Gaza (see S/PV.9868). Talking about her partner, who is still held by Hamas, she stressed that the deal must go ahead in full. We call on all parties to this conflict to pay the utmost attention to her desperate voice. With the renewed offensive in Gaza, which started on Tuesday, we now hear, once again, the clear outcry of hostage families and released hostages, including Mr. Sharabi, who emphasized again and again that the remaining hostages must be brought home. While we demand the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages, we note that the most realistic way to ensure their safety and freedom is through the deal to secure the release of hostages and the ceasefire in Gaza. Therefore, we call on Israel to exercise restraint. Hamas must not endanger the lives of Palestinian civilians, and all parties should faithfully return to the negotiations. The Republic of Korea appeals to all parties to this conflict to prioritize alleviating the suffering of civilians and protecting them. We commend the ongoing efforts by the mediators  — Qatar, Egypt and the United States —and count on them, once again, to secure the ceasefire and the release of all hostages.

At the outset I would like to thank Assistant Secretary- General Khaled Khiari for his briefing. We also listened carefully to the representative of civil society. Consistent with universal human rights, no civilian  — irrespective of their background — should endure suffering. Every innocent life matters. Consistency is a fundamental principle in international relations. A selective attitude of cherry-picking towards international law, particularly international humanitarian law, is not acceptable. For a country to uphold its international obligations and contribute positively to global stability, it must obey the legal frameworks that govern human rights and humanitarian activities. Algeria, as a serious member of the international community, firmly respects and upholds all its international obligations. We firmly believe that the rule of law is the cornerstone of international law. Without adherence to international law, we risk descending into a jungle, in which might makes right and injustice prevails. Regrettably, that is precisely what we witness today. In the occupied Palestinian territories, what we see unfolding before us is not the rule of law, but rather an environment in which no rules are respected and basic human dignity is disregarded. Humanitarian access can be blocked. Children, women and elderly persons can be massacred. Workers, United Nations staff, journalists and medical staff can be targeted and killed. Those are the new rules that have been established in Gaza. Since 7 October 2023, members of the Council have constantly adopted resolutions calling for the release of all hostages. We have easily reached agreement on that matter, but we have failed to achieve one crucial call — for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. Today that is the cause of the suffering endured by all people in International humanitarian and human rights law guarantees the rights of individuals in captivity and ensures their dignity and humane treatment. Moreover, the principle of non-reciprocity, a cornerstone of international humanitarian law, prohibits revenge or retaliation. Even during times of conflict, the protection of human dignity must remain a priority. Suffering cannot justify more suffering. However, it is with great regret that we observe the Israeli occupying Power’s blatant disregard for those fundamental principles. Allow me to illustrate that. First, over 9,500 Palestinians are currently detained in Israeli prisons, with more than 3,400 being held under administrative detention and without charges or trial. Why were those individuals arrested? What legal grounds justify their detention? Secondly, since 7 October 2023, the Israeli occupying authorities have cut off all cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross, rendering detainees disappeared. Thirdly, one of the most grotesque violations involves the Israeli practice of holding the bodies of Palestinians who died before 7 October. The number of such bodies was estimated at approximately 400, some dating back as far as the 1980s. Today that number exceeds 600. The international community must come together to ensure full compliance with international law. Double standards and selective enforcement of those principles are unacceptable. The law must be upheld universally, without exception, to protect the rights of all individuals, regardless of their nationality or the conflict in which they find themselves. Only by holding all parties to the same legal standards can we hope to bring an end to the suffering and build a just and lasting peace.

We thank Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari for his briefing to the Council this morning. We also heard with sympathy the statement of Mr. Sharabi and commiserate with him on the loss of his family. Civilians have been the central victims of the current war in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories. Hostage-taking is prohibited under international law and constitutes a violation of fundamental humanitarian principles. The protection of civilians must be ensured in full compliance with international humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention. However, international law must be applied uniformly, universally and consistently. The issue of humanitarian violations must encompass the plight of the thousands of Palestinians who have suffered during this war. We cannot forget that thousands of Palestinians, including women and children, remain arbitrarily detained, subjected to torture and held in inhumane conditions in Israeli prisons. Many have lost their lives due to mistreatment and medical neglect. Our colleague from Algeria just outlined the suffering of Palestinian detainees. The international community must not turn a blind eye to their suffering. Justice and human rights cannot be applied selectively. By way of illustration, the recent report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Israel’s systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence since 7 October 2023 states: “Israeli forces have committed the crime against humanity of persecution based on gender.” (A/HRC/58/ CRP.6, para. 200) We must turn to ending the suffering in Gaza, in the occupied Palestinian territories and in the region. The ceasefire agreement facilitated by Egypt, Qatar We also deplore the killing of the official of the United Nations Office on Project Services the of the members of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, and we commiserate with their families. And we must ask whether this resumption of the war is good for the hostages. Is it good for the Palestinians? Certainly not. The ongoing attacks, blockade, mass displacement and relentless bombardment have created an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. The Palestinians are being killed indiscriminately and with impunity. That is not the way to secure the release of the hostages. Pakistan reiterates its urgent call for the full and immediate resumption and implementation of the ceasefire agreement in all its phases. That must include a permanent secession of hostilities, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, unrestricted humanitarian access and a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza. We support the full implementation of resolution 2735 (2024). That would be the best way to secure the release of the hostages. While Pakistan supports all efforts to alleviate human suffering and ensure the humane treatment of all civilians, we must not lose sight of the root cause of this endless cycle of violence and suffering. Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories, its persistent violations of international law and its indiscriminate military actions against the innocent and helpless people of Gaza continues to fuel instability and conflict in the Middle East. We saw some hope in the proposed Arab/Organization of Islamic Cooperation plan for the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza. It offered a realistic path to peace, one that we believe must be reinstated. A just and lasting peace can be achieved only through the revival of a credible and irreversible political process towards a two- State solution leading to the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian State within the pre-1967 borders and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. The upcoming conference in June to be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia presents an important opportunity to advance a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian question and to implement the two-State solution in accordance with international law and United Nations resolutions.

I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his briefing and Mr. Sharabi for his first-hand account of his experience. We are glad to see him well and express our condolences for his loss. Those who follow the Council’s deliberations in detail will have noticed that Slovenia’s tone has evolved. But we have always, every single time, advocated for respect for international law, the unconditional release of the hostages, the protection of Palestinian civilians, an immediate ceasefire and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. We have consistently asserted that people trapped in Gaza cannot continue to endure this terrible suffering, whether they be Israeli hostages or Palestinian civilians. We have always defended Council action, including to ensure the release of the hostages. I want to recall the resolution 2728 (2024), which was drafted by the 10 non-permanent members and adopted by the Council a year ago (see S/PV.9586). It includes a clear demand “for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” (para. 1). During the recent ceasefire, 25 hostages were released and the remains of eight more were returned. We welcome every life freed. We were devastated following the return of remains of those who died in captivity, in particular the Bibas family. We deeply regret that the negotiations to secure the release of every hostage have not continued and that the process of finding a peaceful solution through dialogue has stalled. Will cutting electricity, halting humanitarian aid or intensifying military operations truly bring the remaining hostages home alive, or will that put them in additional danger? We disagree that a return to fighting was a necessity. War is never a necessity, but a choice. There is no military solution to any conflict, and neither is there one to the one in Gaza. It is only peace that will bring the hostages home sooner. The best option for them to enjoy freedom again is respecting the ceasefire agreement in line with resolution 2735 (2024). We supported and joined the appeal by hostage Noa Argamani, made here in the Council Chamber a month ago (see S/PV.9868), for the deal to continue, in full and completely and in all its stages. We therefore once again thank and appeal to the mediators — the United States, Egypt and Qatar — to continue their tireless engagement. And we urge Hamas and Israel to return to the negotiating table in good faith. I would like to extend our condolences to all the families and friends of hostages who have lost loved ones. All the remaining hostages need to be released immediately. That is the demand we have continued to voice since 7 October. Hostages should be treated with humanity and with respect for their inherent human dignity, including during their release. The International Committee of the Red Cross must be granted access to them. I repeat that the suffering of hostages should never be a bargaining chip. Neither should humanitarian aid ever be weaponized. Finally, we fundamentally disagree with the notion that the loudest voices on human rights have gone silent. Not all of us. Slovenia proudly stands for human rights and the protection of all civilians in all situations. And with that in mind, we cannot accept that the war in Gaza continues to be fought by sacrificing the lives of Israeli hostages, Palestinian civilians and humanitarian workers.

I thank Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari for his important briefing. I also thank Mr. Eli Sharabi for his bravery in sharing his compelling personal and tragic testimony with us. He has our deepest condolences on the loss of his family. We acknowledge the letters dated 14 and 18 March 2025 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations regarding the plight of the hostages and their tragic humanitarian situation (S/2025/162 and S/2025/171). As the Council focuses on hostage-taking today, one undeniable reality of the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip is its devastating toll on civilians, both in Israel and in Gaza. Since the attack on 7 October 2023, hostages and civilians have endured extreme suffering, with severe humanitarian consequences. The unacceptable attack resulted in the abduction by Hamas and other armed groups of 250 individuals — men, women and children — ranging in age from nine months to 85 years. Categorically, that act constitutes a grave violation of international law. In the light of the unimaginable pain and suffering endured by the hostages and their families, Sierra Leone reiterates its firm and unequivocal demand for their immediate and unconditional release, as previously called for by the Council in resolutions 2712 (2023), 2720 (2023), 2728 (2024) and 2735 (2024). We note the endorsement in resolution 2735 (2024) of the agreed terms for the release of Palestinian detainees, and we call for the release of thousands of Palestinians detained in the State of Israel without trial, access or proper care, in violation of international law and their fundamental rights and dignity. We emphasize that the release of hostages and detainees must be conducted with dignity, and the ICRC must be granted immediate access, in accordance with international humanitarian law, to provide medical and humanitarian assistance. As we extend our deepest sympathies to the families of all victims of this conflict, including the hostages, we stress the importance of investigating violations, including allegations of mistreatment and abuse of hostages and detainees. Accountability must be ensured for all grave violations committed in the context of this conflict, including those arising from the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories. As the Security Council convenes to address yet another tragic aspect of this decades-long conflict, the Palestinian struggle for self-determination and the 7 October 2023 escalation, reports indicate that the Israel Defense Forces carried out pre-dawn attacks in northern and southern Gaza, killing over 70 Palestinians, including women and children. That comes just one day after more than 400 Palestinians, including 183 children, were killed following the Government of Israel’s breach of the ceasefire. As briefed by Assistant Secretary-General Khiari, one staff member of the United Nations Office for Project Services and five from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East were also killed. As a Council, we must collectively work to end this conflict. We must support efforts to protect civilians in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank and strive relentlessly towards a peaceful and sustainable resolution of the conflict. The recent post- ceasefire escalation of violence has already resulted in hundreds of casualties, and continued diplomatic engagement is essential to return to the ceasefire agreement and address outstanding issues. In conclusion, we must reiterate that hostage-taking is a grave violation of international law, and it triggers responsibilities for armed groups, States and the international community. It demands immediate action for the protection, release and legal accountability of all those involved. We also reiterate our call for a just and lasting political solution to this conflict, the immediate and full restoration of humanitarian aid access, respect for international law and the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers and a resolution that ensures security and coexistence for both Israelis and Palestinians, living side by side in peace and tranquillity.

I also wish to thank Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari for his briefing, as well as Eli Sharabi for his testimony here today. The tragic story of Eli Sharabi is a clear reminder that this war must end now. We extend our deepest condolences to him for the tragic loss of beloved family members, as well as to the families of victims and hostages. We reiterate our call for all hostages to be released immediately and unconditionally. Traumatic stories such as those of Noa Argamani’s, whose partner is still in captivity, are mere reflections of the scale of pain still endured by survivors in captivity and their loved ones. Likewise, the heartbreaking fate of the Bibas family highlights the urgent need to bring their agony and suffering to an end. Our thoughts remain with them. The long-awaited ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza was a great example of what could be achieved through political will, an opportunity to replace despair with hope for a better future. Hope on the horizon became visible when Israeli families were given the chance to finally rejoin their loved ones and Palestinian people were finally able to stop counting their dead. In that respect, we are very concerned about the resumption of hostilities in Gaza and the high toll on civilians. It is necessary to resume negotiations for the ceasefire’s renewal immediately so as to ensure the release of the remaining hostages and to protect the lives of the civilian population in Gaza. The world cannot — and should not — forget either the lives taken as a result of the horrendous terrorist attack on 7 October 2023 nor the lives of the remaining hostages. At the same time, we cannot — and should not — forget that the war in Gaza has left behind thousands of Palestinians dead, injured, separated from their families and internally displaced. The humanitarian crisis on the ground cannot be ignored. Millions are in urgent need of primary health services, education and shelter. Safe, unconditional, massive and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid at scale to the people in Gaza must be ensured. We share the grief with regard to the staff member of the United Nations Office for Project Services who died during the strike at the United Nations guest house in Gaza and offer our condolences to his family and the United Nations. Border crossing points must remain open. The role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East should not be undermined. Civilians and humanitarian workers must be protected in line with international humanitarian law. The political process must be revitalized with the aim of achieving a two-State solution, according to the relevant Security Council resolutions, while recognizing the right of Israel to exist in peace and security. In that vein, we look forward to the international conference to be held in June here in New York under the stewardship of France and Saudi Arabia as co-chairs. We welcome regional efforts to cohere around a single plan for the next phase in Gaza, and we stand ready to support and develop those ideas further. The Arab plan for the reconstruction of Gaza is a constructive proposal on the table and could help accelerate discussions on reconstruction, post- conflict planning and on the “day after’’. It is a good starting point that requires further engagement with Egypt and other key Arab players. The cycle of violence must end now, and the hostages must be released without delay. It is evident by now that this conflict has no military solution. As we have

We would like to thank Assistant Secretary General Khaled Khiari for his substantive briefing on the situation surrounding hostages in the Gaza Strip. Our hearts ached with sorrow as we listened to the tragic story of Mr. Eli Sharabi, who lost his entire family. Such cruelty can in no way be justified. We express to Mr. Sharabi our heartfelt condolences. We also mourn for all those, without exception, who have died as a result of the escalation that has been going on for nearly 18 months now. This endless, vicious cycle of violence must finally be broken. The unbearable suffering of peaceful civilians in the area of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict leaves no one indifferent. For that very reason, on 19 January, the international community welcomed the establishment of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which not only halted the spiralling violence that had claimed the lives of over 49,000 people but also paved the way to the long-awaited release of hostages held in Gaza and that of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. During the first phase of the deal, 25 hostages and eight bodies were handed over to Israel in exchange for nearly 1,800 Palestinian detainees. In addition, during the 42-day truce, both Gazans and the remaining Israeli hostages there indeed harboured hope for salvation: access to the enclave was unblocked, humanitarian activities were ramped up and United Nations agencies reported that humanitarian supplies to the enclave had increased. The whole world breathed a sigh of relief. However, as the end of the first phase neared, the prospects for the further implementation of the deal became increasingly dubious. Since the first day of the ceasefire, the Israeli leadership has consistently stepped up their hawkish rhetoric, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) maintaining its presence in the Strip. And it is unlikely that anyone in Israel even considered moving on to the second phase of the deal, which would have entailed a permanent ceasefire and the release of all the remaining hostages in Gaza. What happened was quite the opposite. In circumvention of the agreements reached through mediators, the Israeli authorities have stubbornly insisted on a purely technical extension of the ceasefire so as to secure the return of all the hostages. For a long time, the situation was up in the air, but the window of opportunity to relaunch a comprehensive peace process slammed shut on 18 March, when the IDF resumed air strikes on the Strip, killing more than 420 people, including a staff member of the United Nations Office for Project Services. Another five United Nations staff members were injured. As the Secretary-General stated, the total number of United Nations personnel killed since 7 October 2023 is at least 280. We align ourselves with the Secretary-General’s decisive condemnation of the attacks on United Nations personnel and his call for a full-fledged investigation into the incident. It was with deep regret that we heard of Israel’s resumed hostilities in the Gaza Strip. And, as far as we can tell, it involves not only air raids but also a ground operation. We strongly condemn any action that might lead to civilian casualties and further destruction of social infrastructure. We were particularly perplexed by the reports of indiscriminate Israeli air strikes on Al-Mawasi, even though Israel had As a result, today we also learned about the resumed shelling of Israeli cities from Gaza, including Tel Aviv, which was quite predictable, as violence begets violence. In parallel, Israel has resumed an all-out blockade of the Gaza Strip, cutting off the supply of water and electricity, even though that poses an obvious threat to the lives and safety of all those who remain there, including Israeli hostages. Such a decision is a particularly flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and could be conceived of as a war crime. The issue of survival facing the Palestinians is compounded by the critical situation surrounding the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which is the key entity in providing comprehensive assistance to the Palestinians. While “tightening the screws” in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli leadership is simultaneously taking unlawful steps, including the military operation in the West Bank. Tomorrow we will have an opportunity to discuss that topic in greater detail. It is with great regret that we have to state today that the hard-won ceasefire has turned out to be unsustainable. We can scarcely discuss its future prospects given that the Israeli military and political leadership is openly announcing its intention of using increasing force against Hamas and proceeding with negotiating a deal exclusively under fire. It seems that the choice in favour of war has already been made, and nobody knows how many new victims Palestine and Israel are to expect. We believe that the fragility of the agreements that Israel has just violated can also be explained by the fact that, from the very outset, the Security Council knew very little about the details of surrounding the deal. From the outset, the Council was deliberately cut off from the negotiating process, and the emphasis was placed solely on the efforts of other intermediaries. Hence the entire unique toolkit that the United Nations has at the disposal to address such issues went unused, even though — had it been used — it could have made a ceasefire sustainable. It is important for those who are going to work on restoring the ceasefire in the Strip to be cognizant of that fact. Despite the new escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we stand convinced that a diplomatic solution is not only possible but is the only viable option. We call on the Israeli and Palestinian sides, with the assistance of the mediators, to return to the negotiating table to craft a mutually acceptable compromise solution to the issues of releasing detainees, restoring a ceasefire and resuming full humanitarian access. That could pave the way to lasting normalization in the Gaza Strip and a full-scale reconstruction of the Palestinian enclave. We are convinced that that is exactly what both Palestinian civilians and the families and loved ones of the hostages remaining in Gaza want, including Mr. Maxim Harkin from Donbass. It is important for all regional players and the international community as a whole to work towards that end. The Israeli-Palestinian settlement process should be brought back to a political track, so as to satisfy both Israel’s legitimate security concerns and the Palestinians’ aspirations for a State of their own within the 1967 borders. We stand ready to work in the Security Council towards achieving that goal together with those who share this approach.

I thank you, Madam President, for convening today’s meeting. I also thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his briefing. I take this opportunity to extend to him and to the United Nations family our deepest condolences on the killings, over the past few days, of the six workers from the United Nations Office for Project Services the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. We also commend Mr. Sharabi for At the outset, Guyana stresses that the taking of hostages is a grave breach of international law, particularly common Article 3 to the Geneva Conventions. In that context, we once again condemn the taking of hostages by Hamas during the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel and emphasize the provisions of resolutions 2712 (2023), 2720 (2023), 2728 (2024) and 2735 (2024), which call for the release of all hostages. We further stress the imperative of ensuring humanitarian access to those individuals to attend to their medical and other needs. Guyana also emphasizes the obligation of parties to ensure that the remains of anyone who died while being held hostage or detained are handled with dignity and respect. Against that backdrop, allow me to underscore the following three points. First, there must be an immediate end to the ongoing hostilities in Gaza to create the conditions for peace, recovery and a lasting, just and comprehensive end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As Guyana has consistently emphasized, recurring cycles of violence between the two sides only hurt the prospects for a lasting peace and place both Palestinian and Israeli civilians at continued risk of harm, including death. It is therefore important to address the factors driving occurrences such as those witnessed on 7 October 2023. In that context, Guyana recalls Member States’ commitment as elaborated in the United nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy to address the conditions “conducive to the spread of terrorism, including but not limited to prolonged unresolved conflicts, dehumanization of victims of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, lack of the rule of law and violations of human rights, ethnic, national and religious discrimination, political exclusion, socio-economic marginalization and lack of good governance, while recognizing that none of these conditions can excuse or justify acts of terrorism” (General Assembly resolution 60/288, annex, I) Efforts to combat terrorism must continue to take these important factors into account. Secondly, the Security Council must be at the forefront of efforts to address breaches of international law that have implications for the maintenance of international peace and security. Given its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, the Council should be the first to demand accountability for such breaches. It must also be first to institute measures, in keeping with the scope provided by the Charter of the United Nations, to address violations of international law, including in circumstances where those violations feature as the taking of hostages or the administrative detention of innocent civilians. Accountability is an important deterrent. Thirdly and finally, the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict calls for principled consistency. By that I mean that there must be principled and consistent application of international law and principled and consistent responses to wrongdoing. The approach to this conflict should not be determined by convenience based on present circumstances, because that presents the risk of acting from expediency rather than principle. Guyana therefore appeals to the Council and to all Member States to consistently adopt a principled approach to the Palestinian question as we collectively seek to advance a lasting solution. Allow me to conclude by reiterating the need to bring a definitive end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which keeps manifesting in cycles of violence that produce volumes of hurt to both sides. Let us work to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza — to bring home the remaining men, women and children whom Hamas took hostage from Israel on 7 October 2023 and the Palestinians detained in Israeli jails Guyana is prepared to do its part to that end in compliance with international law.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Denmark. I thank Mr. Sharabi for his courageous testimony today. Words are not enough to express our condolences for his loss. No one should be forced to endure what he and his loved ones have gone through. I would also like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his important briefing. Denmark once again reiterates its firm condemnation of the heinous terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel on 7 October 2023. We re-emphasise that hostage-taking is a war crime and that the actions of Hamas pose a clear threat not only to Israel but to international peace and security. Today we express our deepest solidarity and grief with all those affected by the hostage-taking on 7 October. Our thoughts are with all those who are still held in Gaza, those who came out but are traumatized for life, those who were killed in Hamas captivity and those whose fate is still uncertain. Among those killed is a Danish-Israeli hostage, who we also mourn here today. We reiterate our demand for the immediate, unconditional, safe and dignified release of the remaining hostages. We also regret that the hostages have not been granted any humanitarian access to address their medical and other humanitarian needs as required under international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law. There has been far too much suffering since 7 October — suffering of Israelis, in particular those brutally killed or taken hostage, as well as their loved ones; and suffering of civilian Palestinians. More than 50,000 people have lost their lives, most of whom are civilians. It is time to break the cycle of violence. We deplore the breakdown of the ceasefire and the subsequent resumption of the Israeli air strikes and renewed ground operations in Gaza, with further devastation for the civilian population. There are reports of hundreds killed over the past few days. We deeply regret the death of a staff member of the United Nations Office for Project Services and echo the Secretary-General’s strong condemnation of all attacks on United Nations personnel. We call on Israel to live up to its obligations under international law, including the resumption of unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and to ensure that the basic needs of the civilian population are met. In conclusion, the suffering we are witnessing, on all sides, is immense, and the urgency to bring about peace cannot be overstated. Denmark stands firm in our calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages and for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza  — imperatives that can be achieved only through resumed negotiations. It is our hope that progress on this front will open the pathway towards the two-State solution, for the sake of those who have suffered, both those in Gaza and those such as Mr. Sharabi, and for future generations of Israelis and Palestinians, who deserve to live in peace. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. The representative of the United States has asked for the floor to make a further statement. On humanitarian aid getting into Gaza, I would just reiterate the position that we have articulated: that nobody wants to see Palestinian civilians in Gaza go hungry or thirsty and that we are working tirelessly to resolve this crisis. With respect to the report issued by the Commission of Inquiry (A/HRC/58/ CRP.6), cited by some in the Council today, on alleged sexual violence by the Israel Defense Forces, I would point out that that report conflates the acts of a few, who will be reprimanded by Israel, with the full-fledged sexual violence campaign orchestrated by Hamas on 7 October 2023. And that is disgraceful. With respect to the allegation that Israel is engaging in indiscriminate strikes, the United States would remind Council members that Israel is targeting Hamas leaders and operatives who continue to use civilian infrastructure and hide among the civilian population. The Council must condemn that practice.

I now give the floor to the Permanent Observer of the Observer State of Palestine.

Allow me, at the outset, to thank Assistant Secretary- General Khaled Khiari for his briefing and to convey, through him, our condolences and solidarity for the United Nations staff members killed or injured while they were in United Nations premises  — some sustaining life-altering injuries and amputations — as a result of Israeli bombardments yesterday, as well as with regard to others from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East killed recently, as Mr. Lazzarini informed us. Those victims were upholding the United Nations most noble mission, trying to save lives and, as all humanitarians, having to do so at the peril of their lives. They were upholding the mandate conferred upon them by the Council in resolution 2720 (2023). They are entitled to protection as Palestinian civilians are entitled to protection, and both are being blatantly deprived of it. That demonstrates yet again the indiscriminate nature of Israeli attacks. Allow me to also acknowledge the testimony of Eli Sharabi and to extend our condolences for his loss. Maybe no one around this table can fully grasp what such a loss means — the killing of loved ones, prolonged captivity, fear and trauma — but we Palestinians can. We understand that pain, because we live it. Palestinians endure it every day. Entire families obliterated in massive and indiscriminate bombardments. Children shot by Israeli snipers in the head and in the chest. Communities uprooted by force. There is not a single Palestinian family who has not suffered a loved one killed, wounded, detained or displaced. And they have been enduring those horrors and injustices for decades, even though they reached an unprecedented scale in the past year and a half. When confronted with such loss, either we pursue justice or vengeance. Justice ends suffering; vengeance perpetuates it. We will not accept incitement against Palestinian civilians. We will not accept excuses for their killing and maiming and torture. We will not accept justification for collective punishment. We saw Israelis calling for, and cheering on, genocide. We saw Israelis signing bombs to be dropped on the heads of Palestinian families. We saw Israelis block humanitarian aid to a starving population. We saw Israelis attack innocent Palestinians. But we do not attribute those acts generically to Israeli We have a right to life too. A right to liberty and dignity. A right to live in peace in our ancestral land. Until when will our people have to suffer from the inability to see Palestinians as equals, to acknowledge their suffering and their loss, to remember that around 1 million Palestinian have experienced captivity, that many died while in Israeli jails, were killed or left to die? Not a single Palestinian had a family member visit them in an Israeli jail. Israel arrests our children, our doctors, our teachers, our workers, family members, by-standers, parliamentarians, academics and human rights defenders. Israel considers all Palestinians guilty. Until when will people pretend that they do not see the images of Palestinians coming out of Israeli captivity looking like ghosts, starved and traumatized, beaten, and some raped? Until when Israel will pretend that it bears no responsibility for the crimes it commits? Until when will our humanity and our rights be denied? We must note that, for over a year now, usually the ones who suffer the most, on either side, have been among the most passionate advocates for a ceasefire; for those who suffer the most have solidarity for each other. Their calls should be heeded, as many here mentioned with regard to another victim who gave testimony to us, asking for the ceasefire to be defended and for the three stages of the agreement to be implemented. Listen to her. Their suffering should not be used to inflict more death and devastation, or as an excuse for perpetual war, genocide, forced displacement and annexation, dehumanization and hate. The suffering of all civilians must end. We have a duty to end the occupation and conflict and to ensure that life prevails, to ensure that liberty prevails, to ensure that shared peace and security prevail, if we truly care about the victims and about our peoples. Many more hostages were released in 42 days than in 15 months of indiscriminate bombardment. If Netanyahu truly cared about the hostages, he would not have shattered the ceasefire that was allowing for their release. If anyone needed more evidence that Netanyahu could care less about the fate of the hostages, his decision to resume attacks against Gaza is the ultimate proof. All Israel had to do was to move forward in implementing the ceasefire. Everyone knows that truth, starting with the families of the hostages themselves, who are still demonstrating to stop the bloodshed and restore the ceasefire. Killing innocent Palestinian civilians by the hundreds every day and forcibly displacing our population, with the clear aim of annexing our land and ending our national identity, has nothing to do with hostages or security. It has everything to do with the attempt to destroy the Palestinian people as the means of seizing their land. The Israeli Minister of War addressed what he called “the residents of Gaza”, saying “soon, the evacuation of the population from combat zones will resume, and what follows will be far more severe — you will pay the full price. Return the hostages and remove Hamas — the alternative is total devastation.” After having confessed to weaponizing humanitarian aid, Israel is also confessing to its policy of collective punishment, indiscriminate attacks and wanton destruction and devastation. The Israeli Government cannot speak of humanity or denounce barbarism — not when it killed 400 Palestinians in one night, including 130 children, representing one of the largest single-day child death tolls in the past year. Not when it killed 50,000 Palestinians, maimed over 100,000 Palestinians and destroyed the lives of 2 million people. Not when it is starving our people. Not when it is forcibly displacing them. Not when it is abducting thousands and subjecting them to torture and beatings and degrading treatment and sexual violence. Not when it is holding the Israel considers it is barbarism only if it attributes the act to Hamas, but it is justified if it is committed by Israel. It is barbarism if the act is against an Israeli, and it is legitimate if the act is against a Palestinian. Look at that despicable double standard. Israel has a right to kill and maim, to arbitrarily detain and torture, to displace and destroy and devastate. And we have the right to die and disappear. That is not how international law works. There are prohibited actions regardless of the identity of the perpetrators and regardless of the identity of the victims. There are protections afforded to all civilians regardless of nationality, religion or race. Those prohibitions and protections must be upheld. Civilians should not be harmed. They should not fear being killed in their houses or abducted from their homes. Families should not be torn apart. They should be reunited in life, not death. We have been pushing for a ceasefire that guarantees that aim, while Israel continues advocating for more killing and more destruction. There is no military solution to this conflict. You cannot kill your way to a solution. You cannot negate the millions of Palestinians. As olive trees, we are deeply rooted in our land. You cannot kill all of us. Again: there is no military solution to this conflict, and you cannot kill your way to a solution. The Israeli Government is trying to convince its people that killing, dispossessing and displacing Palestinians is the only way forward, while even in the midst of this genocide, we have continued to plead for achieving our freedom through peaceful means. From this Chamber, our President said: “I am ready to negotiate and to talk peace”. And for those who have said how close Ramallah is to Jerusalem, he is ready — whether in Jerusalem, Ramallah or anywhere else — to talk peace with those who are ready and willing to talk peace. We have continued to plead for respect for international law, for two States living side by side — as many here often say — and for shared peace and security. It is for every Government around the world to now choose the vision they will rally behind and to use all the means available to them to see it prevail. Both-sidesism and balancing acts will not cut it. Members have to decide; they cannot play it both ways. The fate of millions of people cannot be left to the decisions of this Israeli Government, which caters far more to the survival of Netanyahu than the survival of hostages, that wants to get rid of the Palestinian people and steal Palestinian land and that wants to render occupation permanent and peace impossible. The ceasefire is a test. Failing at it means not only prolonging the agony and suffering caused by today’s horrors but also setting the stage for horrors to come. It is a test we cannot afford to fail. We have to defeat this option. Peace is the only option available to us, to them and to all members. Help us to move in the direction of peace and away from the direction of killing and war.

I now give the floor to the representative of Israel.

I thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his briefing today. I would also like to thank the United States, the United Kingdom and France for calling this important meeting. Before I begin, I want to thank Eli Sharabi for his courage today. There are no words that can begin to describe the strength it takes to be here after everything he has endured. None of us can truly comprehend the pain, the suffering and the loss he has endured —the torment of 491 days in captivity, the terror of returning to a home that no longer exists, the weight of knowing that his entire world was taken from him. Yet despite all of that, he sits here today, not for himself but for those who remain behind. The cruelty here is not just from Hamas, it is also from the silence of the world. Eli Sharabi testified before the Council today and laid bare the horrors of his captivity. He described the torment he endured and spoke for the other hostages still in Hamas’ hands. Now the question that demands an answer is this: where is the world? Where is its outrage? Where is the international outcry for their release? Where is the demand from every nation to bring them home? Since 7 October 2023, the Council has adopted 77 resolutions in this Chamber. There has not been a single resolution condemning Hamas. Meanwhile, there are those in this Chamber who refuse to even mention the hostages. Algeria has spent months in this Chamber condemning, accusing and criticizing Israel. But when a human being sits before them today, after enduring the worst of humankind at the hands of those they defend, they could barely acknowledge his presence. They could not find the decency even to say his name. That is outrageous. And the world can see it. For 530 days the Council has erased the hostages. It has spoken about Gaza without mentioning the crimes of Hamas. It has debated humanitarian assistance without acknowledging the humanitarian crimes that Hamas is deliberately inflicting on the hostages It has had the audacity to talk about a ceasefire without demanding that those held in Hamas’ terror tunnels be freed. How can it claim to stand for international law while ignoring the hostages? How can it speak of human rights when it refuses to recognize the most horrific human rights abuse in the world? How can members sit in this Chamber, look Eli Sharabi in the eye, and say nothing? The massive amounts of humanitarian aid that Israel has facilitated, coordinated and allowed into Gaza have reached every segment of the population except one: the hostages. While Gazan civilians benefit from food, medicine, shelter and support, these innocent individuals languish in conditions that defy human comprehension. Those hostages have not seen an ounce of that aid. Think of how many trucks, how many containers. We listened to Elie, who said he got a quarter of a pita a day. There are many on the Council who never fail to scream for more aid, more tracks, more shipments, more access. Yet they have never once demanded that a single piece of that aid be delivered to our hostages. Not a single word has been spoken. Not a single demand has been made. Not a single resolution has been adopted to insist that those in the most desperate need of humanitarian assistance actually receive it. The United Nations inaction on the plight of the hostages is a moral collapse of the highest order. To be clear: it is not just the Council that has failed. The entire United Nations system has forsaken its responsibility. Many agencies that claim to be the protectors of humankind have abandoned the hostages entirely. Where was the Security Council? The General Assembly? The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs? UNICEF? The so-called Human Rights Council? The International Committee of the Red Cross, which has not conducted one visit or inspection? We heard the absurd equation made about the detainees in Israel. They have three meals a day. They have medical treatment. They have visits from the Red Cross. Before the war, they had visit from families. How can they compare it? The There is one absolute certainty in this situation: the war will not end until the hostages are freed. Isarel did not choose this war; Hamas did. It was Hamas that invaded Israel and Eli’s home. It was Hamas that slaughtered our people. And for three months, it was Hamas that stalled negotiations. Hamas was given the chance to extend the ceasefire. Hamas was given the opportunity to bring relief to the people of Gaza. Hamas was given a choice, and they chose war. Israel has therefore resumed its military operations against Hamas with increasing force. The Israel Defense Forces is striking Hamas terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip. Terrorist infrastructure, weapon stockpiles and command centres are being dismantled. That will continue until every last hostage is home This war does not end with hostages left underground. This war does not end until Hamas is defeated. The choice is simple. If members want a ceasefire, then pressure Hamas to release the hostages immediately. Eli Sharabi should not have to be here today. He should have never been taken. He should have never been starved, chained and brutalized. He should have never lost his wife, his daughters, his brother. And yet here he is, a survivor of the worst of humankind, asking the world to save those still trapped in that nightmare. I ask members to take a moment and reflect as we speak here today. There are 59 Eli Sharabis underground, desperate for freedom. Imagine their faces. Imagine those screams and their cries. Imagine what they would say to members today. Will they listen, or will they look away? This moment will not be forgotten. There is no neutrality here. There is no middle ground. There is only right or wrong. We will never stop fighting for the hostages. We will never abandon them. We will never sit idly by as terrorists hold our people as trophies. We will bring them home — all of them.