S/PV.9975 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Iraq, Israel, Kuwait and Senegal 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. Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations; and Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham, Director of the Coordination Division and Head and Representative of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I give the floor to Mr. Jenča. Mr. Jenča: I brief the Council for the second time this week as the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, placing over 2 million Palestinians in even greater peril and further endangering the lives of the remaining hostages. The latest decision by the Government of Israel risks igniting another horrific chapter in this conflict, with potential consequences beyond Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. On 8 August, Israel’s Security Cabinet reportedly approved Prime Minister Netanyahu’s proposed plan for defeating Hamas and endorsed five principles for ending the war: the disarmament of Hamas, the release of all hostages, the Gaza Strip’s demilitarization, Israeli security control over the Strip and the establishment of an alternative civilian administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority. The Prime Minister’s office also announced that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will prepare to take control of Gaza City, while providing humanitarian assistance outside combat zones. The IDF said that it is fully mobilized and preparing for an expanded military operation in Gaza. This is yet another dangerous escalation of the conflict. For now, we have limited official details of Israel’s military plans. However, according to Israeli media reports, the Government foresees the displacement of all civilians from Gaza City, by 7 October 2025, affecting some 800,000 people, many of whom have been previously displaced. Reports indicate that the IDF would then surround the city for three months. This would then, reportedly, be followed by an additional two months to seize control of central Gaza’s camps and clear the entire area of Palestinian armed groups. We are already witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe of an unimaginable scale in Gaza. Director Ramesh Rajasingham, from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, will shortly provide you with the latest updates in this regard. If these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza, reverberating across the region and causing further forced displacement, killings and The United Nations has been unequivocal. The only way to stop the immense human suffering in Gaza is through a full, immediate and permanent ceasefire. All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law, allowing rapid, safe, unimpeded and large-scale delivery of humanitarian aid to the population. Civilians — including humanitarian workers and those seeking aid — must be protected. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security. Palestinians must be able to return to their homes. In its 19 July 2024 advisory opinion (see A/78/968), the International Court of Justice stated that: “Israel, as the occupying Power, has the obligation not to impede the Palestinian people from exercising its right to self-determination, including its right to an independent and sovereign State, over the entirety of the occupied Palestinian territory”. As I emphasized to the Council a few days ago, there is no military solution to the armed conflict in Gaza or the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict (see S/PV.9972). There will be no sustainable solution without an end to Israel’s unlawful occupation and the achievement of a viable two-State solution. Gaza is, and must remain, an integral part of a Palestinian State. We must plan for Gaza’s future as we address the urgency of developments on the ground today. We must establish political and security frameworks that can relieve the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, start early recovery and reconstruction, address the legitimate security concerns of Israelis and Palestinians and forge a path for the realization of a viable two-State solution. In this regard, the political, humanitarian and security steps outlined in the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution of 29 July 2025 must be immediately implemented. Critically, these frameworks must facilitate a legitimate Palestinian Government that can reunify Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, politically, economically and administratively. This Government must represent Palestinians across the entirety of the occupied Palestinian territory. A united leadership is crucial to managing post-conflict Gaza and advancing Palestinian self-determination and sovereignty. I urge the Palestinian Authority to advance its stated goal of holding elections. Palestinians have the right to have their voices heard and to be meaningfully included in the process of shaping the future of the State of Palestine. Our ultimate goal remains unchanged: Israel and a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State, of which Gaza is an integral part, living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.

I thank Mr. Jenča for the information that he provided to us. I now give the floor to Mr. Rajasingham. Mr. Rajasingham: The suffering endured in Gaza over the past 22 months has been nothing short of soul-searing. Our shared humanity demands that this unacceptable catastrophe be brought to an immediate end. I will address three matters today. First, I am extremely concerned about the prolonged conflict, the reports of atrocities and the further human toll that is likely to unfold following the Government of Secondly, humanitarian conditions are beyond horrific. We have frankly run out of words to describe them. Whatever lifelines remain are collapsing under the weight of sustained hostilities, forced displacement and insufficient levels of life-saving aid. Hunger-related deaths are rising, especially among children with severe malnutrition. Since the escalation of hostilities in October 2023, the health authorities in Gaza have documented the deaths of 98 children from severe acute malnutrition — 37 alone since 1 July, just over a month ago. So this is no longer a looming hunger crisis; this is starvation pure and simple. Each day brings harrowing images of women, men and children killed and injured while desperately seeking assistance. The situation is untenable, especially for older people, people with disabilities, children without parental care and widowed women. Gaza lies in ruins. Almost everyone in Gaza has been displaced at some point over the past two years and at least once. Palestinians in Gaza have been forced into an area that amounts to less than 14 per cent of the territory, in areas that are not safe and are lacking basic services or shelter. Further expansion of military operations will make these conditions even worse. Families in Gaza are living in insecure and overcrowded conditions, many without shelter. Eleven per cent of some 6,500 households surveyed recently by humanitarian partners were reported to be living out in the open. No organization, United Nations or otherwise, has been able to bring shelter supplies into Gaza since 2 March. The lack of adequate shelter is particularly worrisome as we know that winter will soon be upon us. Given the scale of repeated displacement and current living conditions, preventing the entry of emergency shelter supplies defies the obligation to allow humanitarian relief for the population in need. The humanitarian system has effectively collapsed. Hospitals are not protected, doctors have been killed or detained, and facilities are working without sufficient medical supplies. Water and sanitation infrastructure, already at a critical failing point before the crisis, is now almost completely failing, and social cohesion is unravelling. So how are the people in Gaza expected to survive in these conditions? My third point is that the recent military tactical pauses have enabled some positive changes in humanitarian operations. Limited amounts of fuel have been allowed in and, on 5 August, the Israeli authorities approved a mechanism for the gradual resumption of the entry of controlled commercial goods into Gaza. This has resulted in different types of food returning to markets and a slight decrease in some prices. Our teams on the ground caution us that despite these developments, meaningful change for the population remains elusive, as humanitarian conditions remain largely unchanged. Security conditions have remained volatile. Fighting has continued. Crossing arrangements have remained inadequate. Humanitarian missions, though less frequently denied outright, can still take more than 18 hours, with teams stranded on dangerous roads. Extreme desperation is driving people to take the humanitarian aid in transit, but this need not be the case. Echoing the Secretary-General, I remain deeply concerned about the ripple effects of the expansion of Gaza military operations on the West Bank, where military operations, settler violence and home demolitions persist at unprecedented and alarming rates. A year ago, the International Court of Justice determined that Israel must bring its unlawful presence, policies and practices to an end as rapidly as possible. Developments in the West Bank are worsening an existing humanitarian situation that sadly remains less visible — not because it is less severe, but because global attention has been drawn elsewhere. Security Council members and indeed the international community listening, States and all those with any influence must look within our bruised collective conscience and summon the courage to do what is necessary to end this inhumanity and pain. It is also what international law demands. Civilians must be protected, their essential needs must be met, and hostages must be released unconditionally. Arbitrarily detained Palestinians must be freed. Israel must agree to facilitate humanitarian relief operations, both into and within the Gaza Strip, to reach the population in need. The International Court of Justice’s provisional measures indicated in the case Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel) remain in place, including the demand that Israel take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance. Life and dignity should be respected for all. International humanitarian law serves as a compass for conduct in war and is designed to ensure a minimum of humanity. The parties and all States must honour their commitment to this. The suffering must stop.

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

I thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Mr. Rajasingham for briefing us today. The United Kingdom requested this meeting alongside Denmark, France, Greece and Slovenia in response to the Government of Israel’s decision to further escalate its military operations in Gaza. As my Prime Minister said, this decision is wrong, and we urge the Government of Israel to reconsider immediately. Expanding military operations will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict. It will not secure the release of the hostages. It will only deepen the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. This is not a path to resolution. It is a path to more bloodshed. Just this week the Security Council heard harrowing testimony from Ilay David, the brother of Evyatar David, who was cruelly taken by Hamas on 7 October 2023 (see S/PV.9972). He has been held hostage in appalling and inhuman conditions for more than 21 months. We are clear that Hamas must disarm and can play no future part in the governance of Gaza, in which the Palestinian Authority must have a central role. But as many family members of the hostages have warned, the decision by the Israeli Government will do nothing to secure the return of the hostages. Instead, it risks further endangering their lives. The escalation will only exacerbate an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis, uprooting a million more people and forcing them into dangerously overcrowded, unsanitary and undersupplied areas. In Gaza, children and babies are suffering from starvation. Hundreds of civilians have been killed trying to access basic food supplies. That inhumanity cannot be justified. The partial aid access Israel granted in late July has proven woefully inadequate. We have a clear message for Israel. Urgently and permanently lift all restrictions on aid delivery. Yesterday, the United Kingdom announced a further $11.4 million for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ Occupied Palestinian Territory Humanitarian Fund. It is vital that the United Nations and established humanitarian partners can operate safely and at scale, in line with the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence. And Israel must not bar humanitarian non-governmental organizations from their essential work through unreasonable and arbitrary registration requirements. All land routes must be opened for essential supplies, including food, baby formula, medicine, shelter, fuel and clean water. A diplomatic solution is possible but both parties must step away from the path of destruction. We urge the parties to engage in good faith negotiations and to show political will to secure a ceasefire deal and commit to a path to peace. The recent conference on the two-State solution was a powerful demonstration of the international resolve to achieve a brighter future for the region. The United Kingdom will continue working with its partners on a long-term plan to secure peace in the region as part of a two-State solution. This is the only way to guarantee Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace, security and dignity.

I wish to thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Director Rajasingham for their briefings. Denmark joined France, Greece, Slovenia and the United Kingdom in calling for this urgent meeting. For months, the world has watched in despair as conditions in Gaza have grown more catastrophic by the day. Heartbreaking images and videos of suffering, destruction and death have been livestreamed on a daily basis. Instead of heeding our call to immediately end the war in Gaza, Israel has chosen to further escalate its offensive. We condemn the Israeli Government’s decision to expand the military operation in Gaza. We urge Israel to reverse its decision, which will not secure the release of the hostages nor help end the conflict. It will only cause further bloodshed and deepen the suffering of civilians. We categorically reject any forced displacement. The International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on this matter (see A/78/968) must be fully respected. Any unilateral attempts to alter the demography or status of the Gaza strip are unacceptable and constitute a clear violation of international law. We deplore the killing of starving civilians trying to get food. The alarming frequency and scale of these incidents are simply unacceptable. We reiterate our call for transparent investigations into these incidents. As we have said many times before, Israel must immediately change course. All restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid must be lifted. Civilians, including humanitarian and United Nations personnel, as well as civilian infrastructure, must be protected in accordance with international law. We must return to the United Nations-led humanitarian aid system at once. Humanitarian aid must cease to be politicized and used as a political bargaining chip in Gaza. Denmark firmly condemns the heinous terrorist attacks on 7 October 2023 perpetrated by Hamas. There can be no justification for that attack, nor for the continued maltreatment of the remaining hostages. However, Israel’s response must be exercised in compliance with international law and with full respect for international humanitarian law. The fight against terrorism cannot come at the expense of the rules that safeguard humankind. In conclusion, the violence in Gaza must end. To the parties, we demand a return to a ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian aid with no restrictions and the immediate and unconditional release of all the remaining hostages. Denmark will never go back on those principles and will continue to reiterate these demands. We will not tire in our support to the two-State solution, and we will not tire in our commitment to peace in the Middle East. We urge the warring parties to stop burying peace in the rubble.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this emergency meeting, which we requested together with our European partners on the Security Council. I would also like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča and Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for their briefings today. Given the gravity of Israel’s most recent announcements, we needed to sound the alarm. As we stated on 8 August, France condemns in the strongest terms the Israeli Government’s plan to expand its military operations to take control of Gaza City with a view to establishing military control over the entire Gaza Strip. It calls on the Israeli Government to reverse that decision. France reiterates its firm opposition to any plan for the occupation, annexation and settlement of the Gaza Strip and forced displacement of its population. Such actions would constitute further flagrant violations of international law of the utmost gravity, contrary to the fundamental principles on which the Organization is built, and in contradiction with the 19 July 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice. They would also represent a threat to regional security and lead to an absolute impasse. The extension and intensification of Israeli military operations in the most densely populated areas of Gaza would have tragic humanitarian consequences. In Gaza City and in the rest of the enclave, civilians are already living in appalling conditions. The images of children dying of hunger or civilians targeted as they search for food are unbearable. The implementation of the Israeli Government’s decision will not contribute to the security of Israel and its citizens, especially that of the hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. France one again urgently calls on Hamas to immediately and unconditionally release the hostages and to consider the ceasefire proposals rather than prolonging the suffering of the people of Gaza through its obstructionist attitude. France calls for the disarmament and surrender of Hamas. The future of the Gaza Strip must be part of a future Palestinian State led by the Palestinian Authority. France will continue to work for the implementation of the two-State solution, the only one that can guarantee lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians, as it did at the New York conference, which it co-chaired with Saudi Arabia. We call on all States to join this collective momentum by endorsing the New York Declaration, which proposes concrete measures to preserve the two-State solution and stabilize the Gaza Strip. In particular, it proposes the deployment of a temporary international stabilization mission to ensure the security of Israelis and Palestinians. After 22 months of suffering, the ordeal endured by the people of Gaza and the hostages must end immediately. We therefore call on the Israeli Government to reverse its decision to take military control of the Gaza Strip. France reiterates its call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of the hostages and the massive and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this urgent meeting upon the request of the European members of the Council. I also wish to thank Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča and Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham, Director of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for their briefings. Only days ago, the international community gathered in New York with a clear yet urgent message: the war in Gaza must end; the two-State solution must be realized; and Palestinians, Israelis and all peoples of the region deserve a fair chance at peace. Yet, recent developments seem to have pushed this proposal further out of reach. We condemn Israel’s decision to further expand its military operations in Gaza, and we urge Israel to reconsider it. Such actions would endanger the lives of all civilians in Gaza, deepen the humanitarian suffering and exacerbate the anguish over the fate of the remaining hostages. They would also worsen the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and risk further loss of life and the large-scale displacement of Palestinians. We strongly oppose any attempts to forcibly displace the Palestinian population and reiterate that any potential annexation of Gaza or any other part of the occupied Palestinian territories would contravene international law and numerous Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2334 (2016), jeopardize regional stability and security and undermine the prospect of a two-State solution. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is severe and worsening: hospitals are overstretched; starvation and malnutrition are worsening, especially among children; access to clean water remains limited; and civilians risk their lives daily in Greece has taken concrete steps to alleviate suffering in Gaza. Just yesterday, in close cooperation with the European Union (EU) and other partners of the region, we conducted an air drop of food supplies over Gaza. We also stress the need to fully implement the humanitarian steps agreed between Israel and the EU so as to improve the situation in Gaza. The expertise of the United Nations system — particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East — is pivotal. In addition, OCHA, as we heard again today, has repeatedly expressed its readiness to initiate a United Nations-coordinated humanitarian plan in the event of a ceasefire or a pause in hostilities. We reaffirm our unwavering support for the Agency in that regard. Greece’s position remains principled and consistent. We have repeatedly condemned the atrocities of 7 October 2023. Hamas’s rule in Gaza must end. All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. At the same time, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza must be addressed without delay, and we remain steadfast in our support for the international call to implement the two-State solution. Violence — in any of its forms — is never the answer. Dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable path to lasting peace. We therefore call on both parties to agree to an immediate and permanent ceasefire, to secure the release of all hostages and to advance efforts towards a two-State solution in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions, while guaranteeing Israel’s right to exist in peace and security.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this urgent meeting at the request of the members of the Council, including my own country, Slovenia. We thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Director Rajasingham for their briefings. Each time we come to the Chamber to discuss the situation in Gaza, we come thinking that we cannot possibly reach new depths. Yet, we convene again today, following the reprehensible announcement by the Israeli Cabinet that it intends to expand its military campaign and take control of the Strip. It is a plan of horror and destruction. It is a new low that Slovenia utterly rejects. It is a new low that will end in mass civilian casualties and suffering. It is a new low that will make Israelis less safe in the short and long term. It is a new low in spite of continuous appeals from the international community and numerous voices within Israel to end the war. Israel’s decision directly contradicts the July 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (see A/78/968), which declared that Israel must end its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory. It shows contempt for the two- State solution, which was resoundingly reinforced by almost the entire international community at the conference held just two weeks ago and which remains the official position of the Council, codified through its resolutions. Slovenia expresses its firm condemnation of this plan, and we call for its immediate reversal. Gaza’s death toll is simply staggering. Israel has pursued a deliberate policy of starvation and manufacturing a famine to pursue political and military gains, in a clear and blatant violation of international humanitarian law. The aerial photos of Gaza that have emerged in recent days show nothing but total destruction — a piece of land reduced to dust. And now we are faced with the prospect of further military Obvious questions arise. What will happen to those surviving Palestinians once Israel launches its takeover, particularly the 1 million people living in Gaza city, whose lives already hang in the balance, exhausted by attacks and denied aid? We will not be able to claim that we did not know. We know that civilians are destined to suffer further mass casualties. We know that they will be displaced once more, chased from corner to corner to tiny camps or even beyond. What will become of the hostages? Just four days ago (see S/PV.9972), we heard the heartbreaking testimony of Ilay David, brother of Evyatar David, who is still being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. He told us in clear terms that we cannot wait any longer. Who if not the Council can stop the killing? Every minute counts for Evyatar. Every minute counts for countless civilians caught in the fire in Gaza. We cannot simply accept a forever war and the continued destruction and traumatization of generations of Palestinians and Israelis. On Tuesday, Ambassador Mansour used the words “we choose peace”. The Palestinian Authority has made commitments to the comprehensive reforms necessary to govern Gaza and the West Bank. Does the Israeli leadership have the moral clarity to abandon military adventurism and choose peace? Does Hamas have the courage to choose peace, disarm and release the hostages immediately and without condition, in full dignity? All civilians in Gaza  — Israelis and Palestinians  — are hostages. Our responsibility to move and protect them against the upcoming military onslaught weighs heavily on our shoulders, including as an elected member of the Council. The impunity felt by the occupying Power must be stopped. We listen, and we hear a global cry for the war to stop, for the hostages to be freed and for aid to flow in. We must take action. That is why the Council was created, and that is why the Charter provided the Council with many tools to maintain peace and security. We stand ready to do whatever it takes to stop the killing and suffering.

At the outset, I thank you, Mr. President, for the prompt scheduling of this meeting — a meeting requested by almost all members of the Security Council and born of urgency. We extend our appreciation to Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Mr. Rajasingham for their sobering briefings on the catastrophic reality in Gaza. Yes, Gaza is facing hell. It is in the hands of an occupying Power that is threatening international peace and security. Algeria condemns in the strongest terms the decision of the Israeli Cabinet to displace the entire population of Gaza City and northern Gaza and to impose full military control over the Gaza Strip, as if Gaza were not already under occupation and as if Gaza were not already under inhuman siege. These are war crimes, and those who draw their maps in blood must not walk in the shadow of impunity. Justice must call them by name. There must be accountability. After 22 months of forced displacement, 22 months of starvation and 22 months of ethnic cleansing, such an operation would not merely ruin Gaza, it would annihilate what remains of it, as if killing more than 61,000 people were not enough, as if killing more than 18,000 children were not enough, as if killing more than 12,000 women were not enough and as if starving to death more than 200 human beings were not enough. The list is too long, too heavy and too dark to fit on a page, and yet, persisting in their genocidal tactics, the Israeli occupying authorities are planning more. Can members imagine what will be left if they execute their plan? The objective of the Israeli occupying authorities is crystal clear: to push an entire people out of their homeland. Palestinians shall have no State, no flag, no future in their land. No Palestinian shall stay from the river to the sea. Yet they forget that the Despite the brutality of the oppression, Palestinians will not abandon their homeland. Palestinians will not let go of their rights. We believe in their resilience, as we believe that Gaza, although wounded and bleeding, will one day rise again. Let us be clear: the Israeli authorities care nothing for international law. They care nothing for the Council. They care nothing for humanity itself. They act with brutality, cruelty and barbarity, stripping Palestinians of their very essence as human beings, reducing them to something less in their eyes  — to human animals. For them, Palestinians are just human animals. And so, they orchestrate the killing of Palestinians by every instrument: starvation, thirst, weapons and humiliation. Faced with this genocide, every voice has risen. The International Court of Justice investigates the plausible crime of genocide by the Israeli occupying Power. The International Criminal Court pursues those who sign their names in the records of war crimes. The General Assembly condemns, repeatedly, the occupation and demands its end. The Human Rights Council counts the wounds and denounces each violation. And yet, in this Chamber, the one entrusted with peace and security by the Charter of the United Nations, the Council sits silent. The Council says nothing. Silence is not neutral. Silence kills. The Security Council must rise to defend the child clutching the last crumb of bread; rise to shield the mother searching for her sons under rubble; rise to help the father wounded while seeking help to feed his children; rise to break the silence, to break the cycle of impunity. The Council must act decisively and resolutely, by resorting to its strongest tools, and act under Chapter VII of the Charter. The hour has come to impose sanctions on the hand that steals the land, on the flag that flaps over ruins. The hour has come to impose sanctions on the enemy of humanity.

I thank you, Mr. President, for the swift convening of this emergency meeting today. I also express gratitude to Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Mr. Ramesh, Head and Representative of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva, for their sobering briefings and tireless commitment. In the past 48 hours, Israel’s announcement of its intention to impose military control over the entire Gaza Strip is not an abstraction. It is a chilling blueprint for the next chapter of devastation to come. For the 2 million people still trapped in Gaza, this means the escalation of what has already become hell on earth, literally and figuratively, leading to the world’s worst man-made famine. It is a death sentence for civilians, where more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the escalation began, the majority of them women and children. More than 150,000 have been injured, and 90 per cent of Gaza’s population are now internally displaced, many living in makeshift shelters without clean water or food. The expanded military assault will make survival impossible for the civilian population. The International Court of Justice, in its recent advisory opinion (see A/78/968), reaffirmed the legal obligations of Israel regarding the occupied Palestinian territory. The Court was unequivocal: the occupation, the blockade, the denial of humanitarian access and actions resulting in collective punishment violate international law. The continued targeting of essential services and the forcible displacement of the Palestinian people from their land in Gaza or the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, directly contradicts the principles the Council exists to uphold. We have heard enough talk of security as a pretext for collective punishment. True security cannot be built upon the ruins of justice. There can be no peace while occupation persists and no real security unless the rights of Palestinians, including the right to self-determination, are recognized and protected. What is needed now is not another brief pause but an immediate and permanent ceasefire; not another limited corridor but full and unfettered humanitarian access so that food, water and medicine provided by agencies such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and OCHA can flow freely, not out of charity but as of right; not another partial exchange but the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and detainees so that no one endures inhumane conditions under illegal captivity, away from their families and loved ones; not more negotiations to nowhere but a genuine commitment to ending the occupation and realize the two-State solution that the Council and the world have long endorsed. We must not allow the language of military necessity to drown out the cries of the hungry and the displaced. The forced starvation of a population is not an accident of war; it is a crime under international law. The bombardment of neighbourhoods and the expulsion of families are not regrettable side effects; they are violations that demand accountability. In conclusion, this is not just a test for Israel and Palestine. It is a test for all humankind. Will we stand by, citing complexity and precedent, or will we act with the urgency and moral clarity that this moment demands? In these darkest moments, it is worth remembering what brought the United Nations into existence in the first place. Our Charter opens with a solemn pledge “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war” — a promise born from the ashes of the Second World War, when the world vowed “never again”. Yet eight decades later, we are confronted once more with the images and the realities of children buried beneath rubble, starvation used as a weapon, families uprooted and entire communities erased. If we cannot act now to uphold this promise in Gaza, we must ask ourselves what, then, is the purpose of the Council? What, in truth, remains of our solemn oath to future generations? Let the response not be the silence of the graveyard. And silence at a moment like this is not neutrality. For all the victims, it is a verdict.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting in a timely manner. I would also like to thank Assistant Secretary- General Jenča and Mr. Rajasingham for their concise and powerful briefings. The Republic of Korea is gravely concerned about the Israeli Security Cabinet’s recent approval of a plan to expand the war in Gaza and occupy Gaza City, as this plan entails significant and multifaceted risks. We urge Israel to retract this plan. In this context, I would like to address each risk in turn. First, the plan, if implemented, will devastate an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Daily images of starving Palestinian children and aerial scenes of Gaza’s near-total destruction demand that our attention focus on alleviating the dire humanitarian needs. However, the proposed military escalation will only deepen the extended suffering of an exhausted, sick and hungry population, not deliver the humanitarian relief that they so clearly need and for which the international community is urgently calling. The proposed plan’s primary target, Gaza City, is one of the few remaining areas where a large civilian population has sought tenuous refuge. A renewed full-scale operation against it will inevitably cause another round Secondly, this plan entails a grave risk to the lives of the hostages. The Council, including my country, has spoken with one voice in calling for their immediate and unconditional release. Yet, the announced plan, if implemented, will expose them to intensified hostilities and undermine diplomatic efforts towards their freedom. While Israel claims that it will push for the release of the hostages through a decisive military victory, such an outcome could make it more difficult to bring the hostages home  — a concern voiced by their families. Hamas’ explicit warning that any further military expansion could pose a risk to the hostages, which the Republic of Korea resolutely condemns, adds further weight to this concern. Meanwhile, we remind Hamas that the release of all hostages is imperative to prevent any further deterioration of the situation. Hamas’ continued holding of hostages, despite the ongoing despair of innocent civilians in Gaza, is unjustifiable under any pretext and nothing but a contemptible act. Thirdly, Israel should not undermine the prospect of a two-State solution and regional stability. The Republic of Korea has continuously reiterated its full support for the two-State solution, along with the vast majority of the international community, in line with the relevant Council resolutions, including resolution 2334 (2016), as the only viable path forward for bringing peace, security, prosperity and dignity to all people in the region. Yet Israel’s plan encompasses so many elements that are inconsistent with the resolution and may result in its seizing of full control of Gaza, while rejecting the Palestinian Authority. These actions are exactly the opposite of the resolution’s aims: the peaceful and sustainable coexistence of Israel and Palestine. Israel must therefore not only retract the plan but also cease any annexation efforts, including its West Bank settlement activities, which are clearly illegal under international law. In conclusion, let me make a final remark as a representative of a long- divided, once war-torn nation. The Republic of Korea understands perhaps more than most the tragic consequences of protracted conflict, as well as the urgency of multilateral assistance and humanitarian aid. Our history powerfully teaches us that military force alone cannot guarantee permanent peace and security; it can only defer the recurrence of conflict. That is why, despite the persistence of challenging circumstances, we remain committed to resolving differences through dialogue and cooperation, rather than through force. We therefore call once again on all relevant parties to sincerely engage with the ongoing mediation efforts of the international community aimed at securing a ceasefire, releasing the hostages and mobilizing and ensuring unhindered and dignified aid to Gaza at scale. Only through genuine dialogue, sustained commitment and mutual compromise can we hope to construct the robust foundation for a just and durable peace for all.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this emergency meeting at the request and with the support of almost all of the members of the Security Council. I also thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Mr. Rajasingham for their valuable briefings. Sierra Leone expresses its full solidarity with the leadership and personnel of the United Nations and all humanitarian partners who, despite immense challenges, continue to serve humankind with courage and dedication. This course of action is in direct contravention of the International Court of Justice’s 2024 advisory opinion on the Legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem (see A/78/968) and contrary to binding Security Council resolutions including resolution 242 (1967) and resolution 2334 (2016). Those instruments reaffirm the inadmissibility of acquiring territory by force, the illegality of settlement activity and the imperative of ending the occupation that began in 1967. As the Secretary-General has further warned, “There will be no sustainable solution to this conflict without an end to this unlawful occupation and the achievement of a viable two-State solution. Gaza is and must remain an integral part of a Palestinian State.” The scale of the humanitarian crisis is unprecedented. More than 61,000 civilians have been killed, 152,000 have been wounded and the entire population is on the brink of famine, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification alert. Humanitarian workers themselves are going without daily meals as access is blocked. Inaction by the Council and Member States with influence will lead only to further destruction, loss of life and the erosion of human dignity. The plight of the remaining hostages is a matter of serious concern, and Sierra Leone reiterates its call for their immediate and unconditional release. However, their situation cannot be used to justify violations of international law, measures of collective punishment or the unlawful annexation of territory. International law requires that civilians be protected at all times, without exception. Reoccupation and annexation will not address Israel’s legitimate security concerns. On the contrary, such measures are likely to deepen hostility, entrench instability and delay the normalization of relations with its neighbours. Genuine normalization, endorsed in the Arab Peace Initiative and consistent with the two- State solution, offers Israel the prospect of lasting peace, security and regional acceptance, but only if it is accompanied by an end to occupation and the realization of Palestinian statehood. The conflict demands both urgent action to halt the violence and a long-term commitment to a political horizon grounded in the two-State solution. Any action that ignores these objectives risks perpetuating instability in the occupied Palestinian territory and the wider region. Accordingly, Sierra Leone reiterates the following. First, the Council must remain united in demanding an immediate and lasting ceasefire and in using all diplomatic and political tools to ensure compliance with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. We also reiterate the need and legal obligation for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other armed groups since 7 October 2023, as well as all Palestinian detainees. We urge Hamas and the other armed groups to allow access to the Secondly, in line with the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures of 24 May 2024, Israel must, in full cooperation with the United Nations, ensure the unhindered provision at scale of basic services and humanitarian aid throughout Gaza, in full respect of international humanitarian law. Thirdly, recalling the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion of 19 July 2024 (see A/78/968), Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and must end as rapidly as possible. All policies and actions that harm the civilian population or undermine the viability of the two-State solution must cease immediately. Fourthly, accountability is essential. The Council must act to end the cycle of impunity that has allowed violations to persist for decades. All grave breaches of international law, including annexation, must be met with consequences. For decades, the United Nations has provided a clear framework for peace. Two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security within internationally recognized borders, with Jerusalem as the shared capital. These are not aspirational ideals, they are obligations arising from the resolutions of the Security Council and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The decision to reoccupy Gaza moves in the opposite direction, from law towards chaos, from diplomacy towards escalation. It risks destroying what remains of the credibility of the political process and further diminishing prospects for a negotiated settlement. The Council must reject any action that seeks to alter the status of Gaza by force and must reaffirm, unequivocally, that Gaza is an inseparable part of the Palestinian State. We must work collectively to uphold international law, to end the occupation and to realize the vision of two States living in peace, security and mutual recognition. The time for principled and decisive action is now.

I thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Director Rajasingham for their briefings. The United States Government believes that today’s meeting is emblematic of the counterproductive role that far too many Governments on the Council and throughout the United Nations system have played on this issue. Meanwhile, the United States has been working tirelessly to free the hostages, end this war and give civilians in Gaza a future free of Hamas. To do so, we need to place responsibility where it lies — with Hamas — and hold it and other Gaza terrorist organizations fully accountable. Today’s meeting, like so many other recent actions, undermines those efforts. Israel has accepted three ceasefire proposals. Hamas has consistently rejected them; it is not negotiating in good faith. We know this because we are in the room. The simple truth is that this war could end today if Hamas let the hostages and all of Gaza go free. Remarkably, instead of pressuring Hamas, members of this organ have encouraged and rewarded its intransigence, actively prolonging the war by spreading lies about Israel, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and the United States, and by handing propaganda victories to terrorists. The most recent round of negotiations collapsed because Hamas drew encouragement from efforts to target Israel with libels and lies, the ill-conceived and performative two-State solution conference and unilateral announcements regarding recognition of a Palestinian State. Just days ago, a Hamas official touted the wave The Government of Israel did not make its decision to advance its military campaign in a vacuum, but after months of Hamas’s intransigence. Hamas refuses to accept a ceasefire and continues to torture the hostages. The United States supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas’s terrorism. And, ultimately, Israel has a right to decide what is necessary for its security and what measures are appropriate to end the threat posed by Hamas and other similar groups. It is unfortunate that members have again taken advantage of today’s meeting to accuse Israel of genocide. These accusations are politically motivated and categorically false. They are part of a deliberate, cynical propaganda campaign, as Hamas attempts to win symbolic victories to compensate for total defeat in war. The United States refutes these allegations entirely. Israel has taken numerous measures to limit harm to civilians and to address humanitarian needs. The loss of civilian life in Gaza is tragic, but the responsibility for this rests with Hamas. The United States remains committed to, first, addressing humanitarian needs; secondly, freeing the hostages; and thirdly, achieving peace. Too often, members of the Council spotlight only the first, without acknowledging that the three issues are interrelated. No one wants to see innocent Gazans go hungry or thirsty. President Trump has addressed this, and he has said that the United States is going to be even more involved in these efforts. The United States has stepped up support for the secure delivery of humanitarian aid, because the international community has failed to prevent Hamas from diverting it and using it to support terrorism and oppression. The United States continues to work tirelessly to feed hungry civilians in a way that denies Hamas the opportunity to benefit. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is critical to that effort, as it continues to supply food directly into the hands of civilians. The GHF has distributed over 110 million meals, all while preventing Hamas looting. We call upon the United Nations to take advantage of the steps Israel has taken, including humanitarian pauses and designated corridors, as well as to work with the GHF, which has demonstrated that it can securely deliver aid to civilians in Gaza. As Ambassador Huckabee has said, we support the GHF scaling up to 16 distribution sites in order to address critical needs. Just last week the Council heard evidence that Hamas continues to starve innocent people held hostage underground and on the verge of death (see S/PV.9972). We cannot allow this to happen. We must hold Hamas accountable. The United States has made clear on multiple occasions that Hamas must be removed from power. As long as it remains, there will not be peace — not for Israel and not for the Gazans who deserve to begin a new chapter, free of Hamas. The United States calls upon members of the Security Council and all countries to demand that Hamas immediately release all hostages, living or dead, lay down its weapons and end this terrible conflict.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting with the urgency that the situation demands. I also thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Mr. Rajasingham of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for the information provided. After months of public expressions from various Israeli officials, we are confronted with the decision of the Israeli Security Cabinet to occupy Gaza City In both Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, we are witnessing — in real time and on a daily basis — decisions and actions that violate international law and threaten regional and international peace and security. It is striking that Israel continues to announce to the world beforehand — including in the Council — decisions that would violate international law if implemented. We have witnessed this with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and, more recently, with OCHA. The decision to take full control of Gaza is the latest instalment in Israel’s contemptible actions against the Palestinian people. It comes on top of numerous infractions committed over the decades since the decision was made for the Israeli State to be established in the land of Palestine in 1947. Indeed, Palestinians have lived through the Nakba and the ensuing years characterized by constant violence and dispossession owing to the Israeli occupation. Guyana reiterates its condemnation of the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel perpetrated by Hamas and other armed groups. Yet absolutely nothing justifies the collective punishment that Israel has perpetuated against the people of Gaza over the past two years. There are three questions that each Member State of the United Nations must ask itself. First, why is the occupying Power acting in such defiance of the international community, even though it is in contravention of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law? Secondly, why are the actions of the occupying Power not being met with strong, unified and collective positions from the Council? Thirdly, would any member State of the Council allow its citizens to be subject to this type of inhumane treatment by any actor, including a fellow Member State of the United Nations? The honest answers to these questions should inspire a sense of urgency in all of us to act now to end Israel’s war against Palestinians on every front that this war is being fought — in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem where Israel is continuing operations that are resulting in the displacement of Palestinians, in injuries and in fatalities; where settler violence has become normalized under the might of the Israeli security forces; where Palestinians continue to lose their property and livelihoods under vexing circumstances; where Israeli officials carry out provocative visits to holy sites, adding another layer to existing tensions; and in Gaza, which is bearing the weight of a humanitarian catastrophe characterized by famine, disease, death, displacement, denial and impunity. We, the Security Council, must respond to the fact that more than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023, and this number increases every single day. In an unfortunate move, Israel has now announced its intention to intensify its military operations in Gaza. With the scale of the destruction that has already taken place in Gaza, there are hardly any buildings left to target. Therefore, let us be clear about the objective of intensifying military operations in the Strip and what it would mean for Palestinians who have, to this point, managed to defy the odds and remain alive, humiliated and persecuted as they are. We must also consider what intensified military operations would mean for the United Nations personnel and humanitarians who continue to operate in Gaza. Their operations would be further curtailed since the already precarious security situation The Council must act in the face of everything that is taking place in Gaza and now in response to Israel’s annexation plans. The International Court of Justice was clear in its pronouncements regarding the illegality of any annexation of Palestinian territory by Israel. We must intensify our efforts to ensure that Israel completely vacate the Palestinian territory and withdraws to the pre-1967 lines, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions and the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (see A/78/968). Guyana also urges the Council to act collectively to achieve an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and end the violence against civilians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. We must also take action to enable conditions for a drastic improvement in the humanitarian situation in Gaza. We have taken note that Israel’s military plans involve providing humanitarian aid to civilians outside combat zones. Unfortunately, the operations of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) have already provided us with enough information on what the provision of aid by the GHF looks like — inadequate, dangerous and limited in reach. The Council must demand that the United Nations and its humanitarian partners be facilitated full humanitarian access to all civilians in need in Gaza, so that there can be a flood of assistance into the area in a rapid, safe and unhindered manner. Actions by other Member States must also complement Security Council action. In that regard, Guyana is encouraged by the decisions announced by some Member States in response to the decision of the Israeli Security Cabinet. Every Member State has a responsibility to ensure that it is not contributing in any way to the perpetuation of the war in Gaza and therefore the attempts to annihilate the Palestinian people. When appeals to morality, humanity and even legality fail to produce the required action, the Council must delve into its toolbox to save lives. We have long since reached this point, and Guyana is prepared to act with fellow Council members to take the relevant decisions.

Once again, we are meeting here in the Security Council as Gaza bleeds as a result of systematic, premeditated and deliberate violations of international law, including international humanitarian law, the Council’s own resolutions and binding orders of the International Court of Justice, and all of this is being committed with impunity by Israel, the occupying Power. I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča and Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for their sobering briefings. The complementary information shared by the two briefers presents a picture that is beyond belief — a tragedy unfolding before our eyes in clear sight and unfortunately in this time and age, while not enough has been done to stop it or to stop Israel, the occupying Power. Assistant Secretary-General Jenča described the Israeli decision to expand military operations in Gaza as a dangerous escalation, which, if implemented, would displace all civilians from Gaza City. Mr. Jenča referred to “another horrific chapter”, The Prime Minister of Pakistan has strongly condemned the Israeli Cabinet’s decision to take control of Gaza City, calling it a dangerous escalation in an already catastrophic war against the people of Palestine. In a joint statement yesterday, the ministerial committee mandated by the Joint Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit, along with other countries, including Pakistan, has expressed strong condemnation and categorical rejection of this announcement, denouncing it as an unacceptable escalation, a blatant violation of international law and a brazen attempt to entrench illegal occupation by force. This latest Israeli move aims to erase Palestinian presence, and contrary to what some claim and expect, this action will extinguish prospects for peace and undermine all regional and international efforts to peacefully resolve this conflict. So, let us be clear: it is the culmination of a campaign of ethnic cleansing. First, it violates international law and Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973) and 2735 (2024). Secondly, it threatens mass displacement of over a million Palestinians  — a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Thirdly, it actually follows a clear pattern that we have seen: sustained bombardment, killing and maiming of thousands, destruction of an entire infrastructure, dismantling of humanitarian systems, forced starvation and displacement — all culminating in occupation under the pretext of security. Those shielding Israel from accountability — through political cover, military support, or diplomatic protection  — are complicit and must share responsibility. They must reconsider their policies, for history will judge them harshly. Gaza is enduring a full-scale humanitarian catastrophe. For nearly two years, it has suffered indiscriminate bombardment, total blockade and deliberate deprivation and starvation — while violence and dispossession escalate in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The so-called humanitarian system is a cruel illusion. Famine is rampant. Civilians are being shot trying to collect food. As the representative of Slovenia rightly questioned, can there be a new low? Other colleagues have rightly expressed concern about the long term. But what will there be to salvage, in the long term? Pakistan believes that action is needed now. Under the circumstances, the Council must urgently demand that Israel, under Chapter VII of the Charter, refrain from its stated plan of occupying Gaza City. The Council should also call for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire; release of hostages and exchange of Palestinian prisoners; a complete halt to displacement and aggression; unhindered, large-scale humanitarian access; and protection of the legal and historical status quo at Jerusalem’s holy sites. The Security Council must be ready to impose a cost on Israel if it defies the demand of the Council and, indeed, the will of the international community. The Council must enact enforcement measures, including the deployment of an international protection force to save the besieged population. As our Prime Minister has affirmed, the root cause of this ongoing tragedy is Israel’s prolonged, illegal occupation of Palestinian territory. As long as this occupation endures, peace will remain elusive. Any attempt to sever Gaza from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory is a direct attack on the very foundation of the two-State vision. Gaza is, and will Pakistan reaffirms its full support for the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights, including the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent, viable and contiguous State of Palestine, based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. The recent High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution was timely. It must now be followed by coordinated international action to realize long- overdue peace and justice in the region. The Council must go beyond statements. It must act — to end aggression, protect civilians, restore justice and ensure accountability. The credibility of this body and the prospects of peace in the Middle East are at stake.

China supports the initiative of the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Greece and Slovenia to request to convene this meeting. We also thank Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča and Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham for their briefings. The Gaza conflict has persisted for 22 months, leading to over 61,000 civilian deaths and resulting in an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. Despite repeated calls from the international community for a ceasefire and cessation of fighting, the situation, worryingly, continues to evolve in an even more dangerous direction. Given the urgency at hand, the international community, including the Security Council, must take all necessary actions before a greater disaster unfolds. I wish to share four points. First, any attempt to occupy Gaza must be firmly opposed. The recent approval by Israel’s Security Cabinet of a plan to take over Gaza is a matter of grave concern for China. We urge Israel to stop this dangerous move at once. Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people. It is an integral part of the Palestinian territory. Any action that seeks to alter its demographic and territorial structure must be met with utmost rejection and resistance. Secondly, the illusion of military supremacy must be abandoned. Military means are not the way to solve this problem. An immediate ceasefire is the only right way to save lives and secure the release of hostages. Continually escalated military offensives in Gaza will only lead to more killings and deaths. We have also noted that an immediate ceasefire and the return of hostages are the very wishes of the Israeli people and the families of the hostages. The Israeli Government needs to listen to the calls of both the international community and its people, immediately stop escalating tensions and put an end to its military operations in Gaza. The country with significant influence over the parties must uphold a just and responsible stance and take concrete steps to push for a ceasefire. Thirdly, the humanitarian disaster in Gaza must be alleviated. Gaza is on the verge of famine, with nearly 200 people having already died of starvation. Israel issued forced evacuation orders, one after another, affecting over 87 per cent of the territory of Gaza and repeatedly displacing more than 1.9 million people. The lives of 2 million Gazans must not be the sacrifice of the war. The weaponization of humanitarian supplies is unacceptable. The collective punishment of the Gazan people is unacceptable. Attacking civilians and humanitarian workers as they search for supplies is, equally, unacceptable. Israel must fulfil its obligations Fourthly, it is crucial to reinvigorate the prospect of the two-State solution. Implementing the two-State solution is the only viable path to resolving the Palestinian question and achieving peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel. Last week’s high-level conference on implementing the two-State solution witnessed strong, resounding calls in support of the two-State solution. That positive momentum should be maintained at the international level so as to redouble efforts to advance the political process of the two-State solution and jointly counter any unilateral move that sabotages its foundation. China stands ready to work alongside the international community to advance an end to the war in Gaza, alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe, implement the two-State solution and ultimately achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian question.

We are disappointed that the Panamanian presidency, ignoring requests from the majority of Security Council members, including the Russian Federation, for an extraordinary meeting to be convened immediately, decided to hold it only today, despite the extremely perilous developments in the occupied Palestinian territory as a result of the Israeli leadership’s announcement of its decision to escalate hostilities in the Gaza Strip, with a view to occupying it. We thank Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča and Head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva Ramesh Rajasingham for their briefings. The other day, the world was shocked at the news that the Security Cabinet of Benjamin Netanyahu’s Government had decided to send troops into Gaza and place the Strip under the total control of Israeli security forces with the aim, as the Israeli Cabinet put it, of defeating Hamas. These actions by the Israeli leadership are a gross violation of international law and demonstrate its open disregard for both appeals from the international community and decisions of the Security Council, while dealing a very serious blow to the prospects for a two-State solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. We strongly condemn the Netanyahu Government’s intentions to seize Gaza. Against that backdrop, we join the calls for West Jerusalem to refrain from such extremely dangerous steps, which undermine the already fragile prospects of a peaceful settlement of the Middle East conflict. We insist that Israel strictly comply with the rules of international law and the well-known legal basis for the Middle East peace process, including the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly. We further underscore that Israel’s plans run counter to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 19 July 2024, which, among other measures, unequivocally required Jerusalem to immediately end its occupation of the Palestinian territories. Furthermore, the adoption of such a plan essentially marks Israel’s official and public admission of its objective to capture and occupy the enclave. As is well known, after the disengagement from Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli settlements there in 2005, the Israeli leadership stated that there was no occupation — a position inconsistent with interpretations under international law, given Israel’s continued control over the perimeter of the Strip, its airspace and coastline. It turns out that, for all those years, Israel had been establishing, and is now intensifying, precisely such an occupation regime in Gaza, with all the obligations that that entails of Literally a few days ago, here in the Council, at Israel’s initiative, we discussed in detail the situation surrounding the Israeli hostages in Gaza (see S/PV.9972). Most Council members clearly and unambiguously stated that one of the main preconditions for the release of all detained persons was an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. It was specifically thanks to the pauses in the bloodshed and to active diplomacy, rather than to the reckless escalation of hostilities, that it was possible to rescue more than 140 people from the enclave over the past year and a half. Unfortunately, West Jerusalem, once again, has failed to heed the calls of the global majority, the voices of reason within Israel and the relatives of the hostages themselves. Instead of a negotiation process, the Israeli authorities opted for an escalation of the violence, thereby jeopardizing the safety and lives of the Israeli hostages, who, as we have seen, are already living in unbearable conditions, exacerbated by the acute food and water shortages in Gaza. It turns out that the Israeli Minister for Foreign Affairs, who was among us on 5 August, hypocritically shedding crocodile tears in the Chamber over the fate of the Israeli hostages, already knew that the Israeli Cabinet would soon take such a decision, effectively ruling out the prospect of their returning alive. Apparently, it was important for Mr. Saar to prepare the ground for it and promote a media image of supposed solidarity and sympathy from Security Council members, so as to subsequently continue killing Palestinians. Such an attempt to manipulate the Security Council for domestic Isreali purposes simply beggars belief. Equally incomprehensible is how the Jewish people, who faced the Holocaust during the Second World War, can now be putting Palestinians in ghettos and seeking their complete annihilation. How quickly the lessons of history are forgotten. It is also clear that the implementation of the Israeli leadership’s plans to fully cleanse the enclave will only compound the humanitarian situation in Gaza further. After all, new mass forced displacements have already been announced, which spell more suffering for the civilian population, further casualties and more bloodshed. Given the course that the conflict in Gaza is taking, we have no reason to believe the public statements of the Israeli authorities about their intention to provide the civilian population outside the areas of hostilities with everything that they need. The methods that Israel uses to distribute food are well known: they are inhumane, are antithetical to the rules of international humanitarian law and lead only to the deaths of civilians. This is clearly demonstrated by the activities of the so-called “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation”: more than 1,500 Palestinians have already died at food distribution sites. It should not be forgotten that the planned displacement of civilians during hostilities and the use of starvation as a weapon may be characterized as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Furthermore, such acts may fall within Article 2, paragraph C, of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which Israel ratified in 1950. In conclusion, we would like to note that the day before yesterday, in an interview with an American television channel, Netanyahu spoke of his intention to establish an alternative Administration in Gaza that would give Gazans “a different future”. According to Netanyahu, such an Administration would not be Palestinian, which runs counter to the numerous and universally recognized positions, grounded in international law, that regard the Gaza Strip as an integral part of a future Palestinian State. For our part, we suggest reflecting on the following rhetorical questions. What sort of future can people have under occupation, and what are the relatives of the more than 60,000 dead, who no longer have any future, to be told? How many more For our part, we have consistently and unwaveringly advocated for a diplomatic settlement of the Palestinian question on the basis of the “two States for two peoples” formula, which would address Israel’s legitimate security concerns and the Palestinian people’s legitimate aspirations for their own State. The alternative is the death of tens of thousands more innocent people, including the Israeli hostages, who have been held captive for almost two years. The Security Council simply must not allow such a scenario to come to pass, and I hope that Washington will finally realize this soon. For now, as we understand it, despite the State Department’s assurances that it will pursue “real and serious diplomatic efforts to end the suffering in Gaza, free the hostages and achieve lasting peace”, the United States is simply washing its hands and handing West Jerusalem carte blanche in Gaza.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Panama. Panama thanks the Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, Mr. Miroslav Jenča, and the Head and Representative of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva, Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham, for their valuable briefings, and likewise thanks the delegations that requested this emergency meeting in the light of the events that could further exacerbate the devastating situation in the Gaza Strip. We also welcome the presence of the delegations from Israel, Iraq, Kuwait, Senegal and the Observer State of Palestine. Panama has maintained, and reiterates today, that it is always better to choose the path of moderation, where dialogue arises and occurs, and of human dignity, as the foundation of coexistence upon which peace must be built. In this context, we note with deep concern the surprising recent announcements regarding a possible operation to take control of the densely populated Gaza City, which has already been severely affected by the war, and even more concerning is the possible extension of that control to the rest of the Strip. Such action, under the current conditions, would entail incalculable humanitarian risks for hundreds of thousands of Gazan civilians and for the hostages who remain in captivity, in addition to further deepening the divide between the parties and distancing them from the negotiating table. In our view, it should be noted that any major use of force must be assessed in the light of its humanitarian consequences, its impact on the prospects for a political solution and in accordance with obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law. More than 675 days of conflict have left more than 62,000 civilians dead, among them 10,000 children, more than 125,000 wounded and entire populations forcibly displaced from one end of the Strip to the other time and again. The scale of destruction in Gaza is catastrophic: hospitals and schools collapsed, neighbourhoods reduced to rubble, millions of people suffering from hunger and thirst, leaving entire generations scarred by violence. That tragic reality shows that the exclusive use of force has not offered a way out of the current war, nor has it resolved the underlying causes that have plagued the conflict for almost eight decades. On the contrary, the use of force has reinforced the logic of extremes, fuelling a cycle of violence that blocks any path to a viable political solution. With the attacks of 7 October 2023, Hamas provoked the war, killing and abducting of innocent civilians, betting on extremism as its only and cruel strategy. That is the terrain on which it seeks to sustain itself, because it knows that in war Acting with the restraint that the moment demands does not amount to weakness in the face of Hamas’ cruel extremism. It would project a political will that breaks with the warmongering logic that has dominated this crisis and opens up space to protect lives and move towards a sustainable solution. Despite the prolonged stalemate in negotiations, we believe that there is no alternative to moderation and dialogue, which has already yielded concrete, albeit unfortunately temporary, results for the benefit of civilians. We encourage the actors who maintain established channels of communication with the parties to redouble their mediation efforts to achieve a sustainable ceasefire; facilitate the immediate, dignified and unconditional release of hostages; and ensure adequate, safe and continuous access to vital humanitarian assistance. The experience of the days when the truce was in place, albeit fragile, showed that it is possible to stop human suffering, allow the delivery of vital assistance without restrictions and make progress in the release of all hostages still held by Hamas, whose actions we condemn once again. The civilian population in Gaza does not need more fire. It needs water, medicine, food and protection. It needs to be freed from violence, bombs, death, blood, the tunnels of fear, torture and hunger. To that end, different decisions and actions are required, ones that offer political solutions to a cruel stalemate that has prolonged suffering for too long. Those actions must be supported by existing humanitarian mechanisms and the proven capacity of United Nations agencies to provide effective and neutral assistance. Panama deeply values and supports the work that United Nations agencies and other humanitarian actors continue to carry out under extreme conditions on the ground. We urge that their protection be fully guaranteed, as well as the conditions necessary for them to operate safely, sustainably and without restrictions. Panama renews its commitment to a political solution that guarantees human dignity, humanity, peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. I resume my functions as President of the Council. I now give the floor to the observer of the Observer State of Palestine.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting based on a request supported by nearly every member of the Security Council to address the grave situation in Gaza and further shocking developments. I would also like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenča for his report and Mr. Rajasingham for his briefing. Israel is killing Palestine in Gaza. That is its objective. And there, more than 2 million victims are enduring unbearable agony which the human mind can barely comprehend. We are not allowed to fail them any longer. We do not have the luxury to feel guilt or shame. We owe them action now to stop this genocide. There is something undeniable. Israel does not care about what the international community says. It is obvious. The only thing that matters now is what we do. What will force Israel to change course is our ability to transform justified condemnations into just actions. And history will judge us all. We appreciate the description given by almost everyone here of the depth of the pain and tragedy that our people are enduring. While that is good, it is not sufficient. There must be action; something must be done about it. It must be stopped. But this analysis and description do There is an international plan adopted by the International high-level Conference on Palestine, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France. It starts with ending the use of starvation as a weapon of war; ending the war on Gaza through a ceasefire; the release of the hostages and prisoners; a massive surge of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in coordination with, and under the leadership of, the United Nations and in line with humanitarian principles; and the full withdrawal of Israel from Gaza. The plan foresees the Palestinian National Authority resuming its sole governmental and security duties in the Gaza Strip, with regional and international support, and Hamas handing over its weapons to the Palestinian National Authority in the context of an end to the war and in line with the objective of an independent Palestinian State. It sets forth an irreversible pathway to an independent and sovereign Palestinian State leading to shared peace and security and regional integration. Many of those gathered here referred to the results of that historic international conference held approximately two weeks ago here in the General Assembly. If Israel’s concern was actually the end of Hamas rule or Hamas disarming, if its concern was actually security, it would have rallied behind this plan and would have been happy to see it adopted by almost the entire international community. Israel is seeking to cement its full military control over the Gaza Strip and is prolonging this war — not to end Hamas rule or disarm it, but to prevent independent Palestinian statehood. That is the truth. The Israeli Government has said that clearly, over and over again. Someone here today made reference to a statement made by Prime Minister Netanyahu indicating that he does not want to see a Palestinian governing body to oversee Gaza’s affairs. He wants that oversight to be provided by somebody else, not Palestinians. The Prime Minister said that; it is not a secret. It is not an accusation; it is a fact. Israel proved long ago it was not concerned about the fate of the hostages. One need only look at the tens of thousands demonstrating in Tel Aviv and other cities who are seriously concerned and are demanding an immediate ceasefire. If this insanity can take place against our people in the Gaza Strip, then this is the execution or the death of the hostages, because that is the position of the families and the tens of thousands demonstrating in Tel Aviv. This latest decision is one more blatant demonstration of that. The Israeli Government dehumanized and demonized Palestinians to such an extent that its genocide against them through mass killing and starvation, including of children, is opposed in Israel only by some brave voices. Israel proved long ago that its goal is the destruction of the Palestinian people through forced transfers and massacres in order to facilitate its annexation of our land. If some people believe what Prime Minister Netanyahu said yesterday and today — that there is a huge global lie, that there is no starvation of people in Gaza and that two gentlemen from the United Nations leadership are also participating in spreading lies — then why does the Security Council not go to Gaza? Representatives can take 100 journalists from their countries and other countries in order to verify exactly what is happening there. If he is so sure about this global conspiracy about the lie, let him prove it by inviting and allowing people to go to the Gaza Strip to see exactly what is happening there. He should let people take journalists with them so that they can verify exactly what is happening in Gaza. Despite all of the efforts of Mr. Netanyahu and his Government, he has no credibility. He failed to convince almost anyone here or any of dozens of countries outside the Chamber of the truth of his narrative or that of his Government or of his Foreign Minister, who came here to try to manipulate the humanitarian story of a Such illegal and immoral plans cannot be met with only outrage. That is not sufficient. They require the mobilization of all the tools available to stop them, and we truly appreciate the massive reaction by almost all countries in all corners of the globe — whether Arab, Muslim or European countries or countries sitting around this table — in condemnation, as representatives of five of them stood, in a brave and principled way, outside the Chamber. They did not do so to please or reward anyone, but to act on the basis of principles and convictions in condemning this plan of the Israeli Government and demanding that it stop the plan, not to allow it to be implemented and that it reconsider. Israel proved long ago it does not care about the Charter of the United Nations, international law or the resolutions of the Council if not accompanied by consequences. These facts have led many to rightly wonder — how on Earth is Israel still allowed to sit around this table and in these United Nations? Had it been another country, the Council would have imposed sanctions a long time ago. Countries around the world are adopting more and more measures to end all forms of complicity and to advance accountability, and we appreciate these efforts. Germany, for example, decided not to send weapons to Israel to kill our people in Gaza. All States should undertake such steps immediately. Of course, it would be wonderful if they implemented their resolutions, and it would be even more wonderful if they adopted additional resolutions, accompanied by measures. But if that is not possible, I ask States to act in their national capacity. They have tools available to them, in addition to the tools available to the Security Council. Many are using such tools, and I urge others to use them and to ask yet others to do many other things, including recognize the State of Palestine. All States should undertake such steps immediately. However, in the face of such contempt and 2 million lives being destroyed, with people, including children, killed, maimed, displaced, starved, humiliated, mutilated, buried alive, burned alive, abducted, tortured, orphaned, bereaved, shattered and torn apart, the measures taken do not match the level of the crimes committed so as to truly deter them. Two million people continue to endure pain and agony that no human or nation should ever be forced to endure. They matter. Every single one of them matters, and no one matters more than them. The position of Palestine is unequivocal: we reject all harm to civilians. And our civilians are not less civilians. Their lives are not less worthy. We have never justified and have always rejected harming or killing Israeli civilians or taking them hostage, but we reject any attempt to justify the massacres committed by Israel against Palestinian civilians, its abduction of thousands of Palestinians, its starvation policy, its displacement policy or its annexation policy. There is no justification whatsoever for such barbarity and such impunity. We have called for a ceasefire over and over again, and we were clear that Hamas must work with the mediators to remove any obstacle or excuse that would prolong this war. We appreciate the efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the United States in that regard. We presented plans and proposals and cooperated with every effort to facilitate an agreement to end the war on our people, while reiterating clearly that the absence of such an agreement in no way allows Israel to pursue its war of atrocities against the Palestinian people, including these plans to try to expel 1 million people from Gaza City and have several divisions of the Israeli army controlling all corners of the Gaza Strip. Neither has a ceasefire agreement been reached nor have the massacres stopped. The devastation of our people and the annihilation of life in Gaza continue as we speak. As they have done for more than 20 years since the Arab Peace Initiative, the region and Palestine are making the choice of peace. I said it loud and clear a few days ago in the statement to which Ambassador Žbogar referred (see S/PV.9972), in spite of the pain, hardship and insanity and the fact that people are perhaps not thinking logically, we are not losing our minds or allowing our heart to dictate our decisions. We extend our hand in the direction of peace. We accept the declaration adopted by the majority of nations during the historic High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, and we urge those that have not joined to send their letters to the two co-Chairs — Saudi Arabia and France — declaring their commitment and abiding by the declaration of the 19 leaders of that Conference, namely, the two co-Chairs and the 17 co-Chairs of the round tables. Peace is much better for everyone than war. We do not need more wars. We must stop the killing, occupation, devastation, hostages and prisoners. We must respond to the call of millions of people in all corners of the globe, in all capitals, who are saying: peace now, ceasefire now, release of hostages and prisoners now; stop the starvation and send food, medicine and water at scale to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip; allow for the reconstruction of Gaza and the implementation of the two-State solution, starting by ending this illegal occupation, the independence of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, thereby establishing the two-State solution as a reality on the ground. This option is much better than the option of what Netanyahu and his Government are planning to do against our people in the Gaza Strip. As if what is happening to them were not enough, they want to add more devastation, more agony and more pain. They want to wipe them off the face of the Earth. We will not allow them to do that, and members should not allow them to do that. We are willing to work with the United States Administration, Saudi Arabia and France, the members of the Council and other regional and international partners to bring this war on our people to an end now, end the bloodshed and suffering now and once and for all and achieve freedom and shared peace, security and prosperity. We have a duty to act and cannot waver. Members’ actions today will determine the fate of millions of people tomorrow — at least those who survive until then — and the fate of our region for generations to come.

I now give the floor to the representative of Israel.

I thank our briefers here today. Despite some extraordinary and brazen language in the statements we heard here, I will attempt to address the supposed reason for the convening of this meeting. On Thursday night, Israel’s security Cabinet approved the Prime Minister’s proposal to defeat the Iran-backed Hamas terrorist organization. This is the same organization that is responsible for the 7 October 2023 attack, currently holding 50 As our briefers stated earlier, I wish to reiterate the five clear principles that the Israeli Security Cabinet adopted for concluding the war: one, the disarming of Hamas; two, the return of all our hostages, both living and deceased; three, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip; four, Israeli security control in the Gaza Strip; five, the establishment of a non-Israeli, peaceful Civil Administration, governed neither by Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority. This is the only way to ensure a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike. Prime Minister Netanyahu has made it clear — Israel’s goal is not to take over Gaza but to free Gaza from Hamas and enable a peaceful Government to rise in its place. This is the path to stability. This is the path to peace. Hamas’s repeated refusal to agree to ceasefire arrangements, together with horrific images of Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, exposing yet another aspect of the organization’s monstrosity, make it clear that Hamas will not relinquish its control over Gaza through peaceful means. Nonetheless, despite a broad international consensus that Hamas cannot remain in power, and despite clear evidence of its refusal to give up control, parts of the international community continue to oppose Israel’s efforts to act against Hamas. This position is both contradictory and difficult to reconcile with the stated goal of ending Hamas’s rule. Some who criticize Israel make sure to call for the unconditional release of the hostages, merely to clear their conscience. But how can one ignore the fact that Hamas is exploiting the hostages and the Gazan population to maintain its position, benefiting from attempts to pressure Israel and from the willingness of some countries to recognize a Palestinian State? As Secretary of State Rubio said, talks with Hamas fell apart on the day President Macron made the unilateral decision that he is going to recognize the Palestinian State. Those messages, largely symbolic in their minds, actually have made it harder to get peace and harder to achieve a deal with Hamas. As was mentioned before, Hamas itself has even admitted this. The pressure should not be placed on Israel, who suffered the most horrific attack against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, but on Hamas, in order to demand the immediate and unconditional release of our hostages. Yet, in a complete inversion of morality and logic, this body has urgently convened to chastise the one democracy in the Middle East, the nation standing on the front line of the battle against radical extremist terrorism. If this body truly believes in justice and morality, then let its urgency be directed where it belongs — towards dismantling Hamas, towards freeing our hostages, towards ensuring that such atrocities never happen again. Anything less is not urgency, it is hypocrisy.

I now give the floor to the representative of Iraq.

I would like to make a statement on behalf of the Group of Arab States. At the outset, Mr. President, allow me to congratulate you on assuming the presidency of the Security Council this month. We thank you for this opportunity to deliver this statement. We would also like to thank Mr. Jenča and Mr. Rajasingham for their thorough briefings. The Middle East region is at a critical juncture in the terrible and brutal war waged by Israel against the Gaza Strip and the resulting humanitarian tragedy, which is worsening the situation for the population of the Gaza Strip, more than 2 million people, more than half of them women and children. The world is seeing painful Against the backdrop of these very dangerous results of the Israeli policies, the world learned of the dangerous decision taken by the Israeli Government to invade the Gaza Strip and to impose full control over it. The Arab Group, in the strongest possible terms, condemns the plan adopted by the Israeli Cabinet to consolidate its occupation of the Gaza Strip and to expand its total military control over it. This is a continuation of flagrant Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law and clearly undermines peaceful solutions as well as the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent State, with Jerusalem as its capital. The Arab Group considers the announcement calling for the imposition of so-called Israeli sovereignty on the occupied West Bank as a flagrant violation of international law and of the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, which affirm that all measures and decisions aimed at legitimizing the occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967 are null and void, including settlement building activities. Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory. This unilateral Israeli action does not bring with it any legal effects and cannot, in any way, modify the legal status of the occupied Palestinian territories, first and foremost, Jerusalem, which remains an integral part of those territories. These measures only exacerbate the rising tension in the region, which is being exacerbated by the Israeli aggression against Gaza and the ensuing humanitarian catastrophe. The Arab Group condemns civilians in Gaza being subjected to death, hunger and humiliation. We condemn the repeated use by the Israeli occupation of starvation as a weapon of war and food as a lever to exert pressure. We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the policies of blockade and the forced displacement of innocent civilians, as well as the repeated targeting of civilian facilities, including hospitals, displaced persons camps and vital infrastructure. They constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. We call upon the international community to act immediately to end the aggression; to recognize the catastrophe and the famine in Gaza; to break the blockade imposed upon the Gaza Strip; and to guarantee the delivery of humanitarian assistance and relief, as well as medical assistance. International organizations must have access to Gaza and their teams must be protected so that they can fully play their role. We also call for support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and for international accountability mechanisms to be activated to address Israeli crimes. The Arab Group welcomes the commitment by the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt to continue their tireless efforts with the United States of America to mediate in Gaza in order to reach a comprehensive and immediate agreement on a ceasefire, which would end the war and put an end to the humanitarian suffering in the Gaza Strip, while also guaranteeing the protection of civilians and the exchange of detainees and prisoners, paving the way for an end to the crisis and a relaunch of recovery and reconstruction efforts. The Arab Group had already asked the Council, and it reiterates its appeal today, to exercise its mandate, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, the Council being the main organ responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, to adopt a resolution, under Chapter VII, that will guarantee that Israel, the occupying Power, respects the relevant resolutions of the Council for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and to take effective measures to force Israel to end its The Arab Group categorically objects to attempts to undermine the sanctity of Al-Haram Al-Sharif and all Muslim and Christian holy sites in the occupied Palestinian territories, including the Israeli occupation forces’ recent targeting of the Holy Family Church in Gaza City. The Arab Group underscores the need to respect the legal and historical status quo of the Muslim and Christian holy sites in the city of Jerusalem and affirms that Israel, the occupying Power, has no sovereignty over Palestinian land and Palestinian heritage sites. In this regard, the Arab Group strongly condemns the storming of the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque by dozens of Israeli settlers, led by the Minister of National Security of the occupation Government. It also strongly condemns the Israeli occupation ’s plan to transfer authority for the administration and oversight of the Al-Haram al-Ibrahimi from the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs and the Municipality of Hebron to the Jewish religious council in the Qiryat Arba settlement. These measures constitute flagrant violations of international laws and legitimate international resolutions and are acts of provocation towards Muslims worldwide. The Arab Group warns that a continuation of these violations will fuel violence throughout the region. Accordingly, it calls on the international community to assume its moral and legal responsibility to safeguard Palestinian holy sites and to compel the Israeli occupation authorities to end their criminal plans aimed at obliterating the authentic identity of the Palestinian people. The Arab Group affirms that the use of force leads to more killing, destruction and misery and will not lead to peace. There is no alternative to securing justice for the Palestinian people and to achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement of the question of Palestine in accordance with the principles of international law and resolutions of international legitimacy. The Arab Group reaffirms its commitment to a just and comprehensive peace as a strategic choice for ending the occupation and resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict in accordance with international law and resolutions of international legitimacy, including resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 497 (1981), 1515 (2003) and, most recently, 2334 (2016), as well as the principle of land for peace and the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002. The end to the colonial occupation of the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories must include the occupied Syrian Golan and the occupied Lebanese territories and entail the establishment of an independent and fully sovereign State of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital and the restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self- determination, the right of return and compensation for Palestinian refugees, which is an issue that must be resolved in accordance with General Assembly resolution 194 (III). In this regard, the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, held last month and co-chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and France, embodied the collective will of the international community to contribute effectively and seriously to advancing the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine, to make concrete commitments for a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement and to contribute to establishing peace, security and stability throughout the region. The Arab Group welcomes the statement issued on 29 July by a number of States on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories (A/CONF.243/2025/1, annex), which issued a clear demand for an end to the aggression against the Gaza Strip, an immediate end to the policies of genocide and the systematic starvation, accountability for the crimes committed and the imposition of sanctions on Israel, the occupying Power, including its leadership and its terrorist settler militias.

I now give the floor to the representative of Kuwait.

Allow me to begin by thanking you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting and congratulating you and your country on assuming the presidency of the Security Council. (spoke in Arabic) I am honoured to deliver this statement on behalf of the member States of the Gulf Cooperation Council, namely the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, the Sultanate of Oman and my country, the State of Kuwait. We would like to thank Mr. Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary- General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, and Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham, Head and Representative of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva, for their valuable briefings. We reaffirm our strong, principled position in support of the Palestinian cause and our repudiation of all forms of occupation and settlement. We express our serious concern about, and categorical condemnation of, the perilous decision announced by the Israeli Government to invade, and assume full control of, the Gaza Strip. That decision poses a direct threat to the lives of more than 2 million Palestinians, mostly women and children, and marks a new stage in the genocide and the forced displacement, annihilating any prospect of a two-State solution. It constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. Any full-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip will affect not only the Palestinian people but also the region as a whole, drawing it into an unprecedented spiral of chaos and escalation for which Israel will bear full responsibility, just as the international community will bear the consequences of its silence and failure to prevent it. The international community, with the Security Council at the helm, must assume its legal, moral and historical responsibilities. The fact that the scenes of genocide are being repeated before the eyes of Council members without decisive deterrent action being taken is a serious failure of the international system and threatens to undermine the Council’s role and credibility, in particular on this matter. It also sends a harmful message to communities that international laws are applied selectively. Urgent and binding measures must be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations to stop this brutal aggression, guarantee international protection for the Palestinian people, ensure safe and sustainable delivery of humanitarian, medical and relief assistance, support the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and reject any attempts to undermine its role. In that regard, we appreciate the tireless and ongoing efforts of the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt, in coordination with the United States of America, to reach an agreement on a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire, stop the aggression, protect civilians, ensure the exchange of prisoners and detainees, create the conditions for the return of displaced persons to their homes and facilitate We all witnessed recently the convening of the high-level international conference for the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue and the implementation of the two- State solution, led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic, which embodied the will of the international community to relaunch a serious political process for the establishment of an independent Palestinian State on the borders of 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. In that regard, we welcome the fact that a number of friendly countries have recognized the State of Palestine. However, Israel, the occupying Power, continues its unilateral policies in violation of international law, defying the will of the international community and undermining the commitments and efforts made during the conference. We also condemn Israel’s continued violations in Jerusalem and the West Bank, including the expansion of settlements, the expulsions and displacement of residents, repeated incursions into Islamic and Christian holy sites, and attempts to change the historical and legal status quo. Any attempt to impose a new colonial reality in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank completely undermines the basis of the two-State solution and transforms it from an international commitment into a political mirage. We warn that the continuation of those policies will lead to an escalation of the cycle of violence. The Gulf Cooperation Council affirms that the only way to achieve security and peace in the region is to end the Israeli occupation of the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories and to realize the independence of a fully sovereign State of Palestine and guarantee the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among which is their right to self-determination, to return and to live in dignity on their land, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions, in particular resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 497 (1981), 1515 (2003) and 2334 (2016). The provisions of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 19 July 2024 (see A/78/968) must also be implemented. In conclusion, our message from this rostrum is clear: Israel’s impunity is no longer acceptable and the continued aggression against Gaza is a real test of the credibility of the international system and its ability to protect peoples and international peace and security.

I now give the floor to the representative of Senegal.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you, Mr. President, and thank you, Sir, for allowing the delegation of Senegal, which is Chair of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, to address the Council on an issue that no one can ignore: the human tragedy unfolding before our eyes in Gaza. I also welcome the insightful remarks made by Mr. Miroslav Jenča and Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham. Senegal expresses its deep indignation at this tragedy: more than 60,000 lives destroyed, massive destruction, a population starving, dispossessed and trapped by military attacks, which are nothing less than cruel and illegal collective punishment. It is unarmed citizens who are facing the Israeli army. We must oppose Israel’s destructive force with the credible and unwavering force of law. Following the international conference on the two-State solution, Israel’s announcement of its total takeover of Gaza is a flagrant violation of international law and a direct challenge to the human conscience. If the world remains a spectator, Senegal strongly condemns the attacks against holy sites, both Muslim and Christian, including the Holy Family Church and the provocative intrusions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. The international community must protect Al-Aqsa and preserve the sanctity of Jerusalem. We call on the Security Council to take collective action in the name of humanity to put an end to the disaster in Gaza. That requires the following. First, we must have a military embargo and restrictions on arms destined for the occupying Power. Secondly, we must immediately implement resolution 2735 (2024), that is, a lasting ceasefire, the release of hostages and unhindered humanitarian access. Thirdly, we must recognize the State of Palestine as a full Member of the United Nations and deploy an interposition mission. If this total takeover goes ahead, impunity will become the norm, and we will have condoned one of the worst ethnic cleansings in history. States must act now, implement the advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice’s and execute the warrants of the International Criminal Court so that the perpetrators, accomplices and sponsors are held accountable for their crimes. Lastly, I would like to reiterate my country’s call on all States that cherish justice and humanity, both as a legal obligation and a moral duty, to embrace the aspirations of the Palestinian people for peace, stability and sovereignty within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine. Humankind is watching us. History will judge us.