UN Security Council On Gaza

Thank you for listening to Pictures Media Radio. Welcome to Policy and Rights, the show about the government, policy and human rights. Welcome back to Policy and Rights here in Depictions of Media Radio. I'm your host Michael Cloggs. As we know the this situation in the Gaza strip has hit more than its critical mass and with of course UH the Hamas having kidnapped people and holding hostages Israel with with UH the only bombarding an area ha UH and launching a UH

ground invasion. That it is the non militants that are actually c caught in the crossfire and there has been UH a hold up of getting humanitarian effort in to the area. And this is the the from the World Health Organization. As a press release they have the World Health Organization welcomes Egypt's decision to accept

eighty one injured and the sick from the Gods script for treatment. The WHO WHO has been working to support the Egyptian Ministry of Health and the Population implanning and establishing a comprehensive triage, stabilization and the medical evacuation system by providing ongoing training for health care and staff. WHO is working with the Egyptian Red Crescent

society to ensure that psychological and trauma support services are available to patients. Our experts have visited the Hawa Harsh, visited medical evacuation facilities and met with staff and ambulance p PARAM paramedics who received advanced life support training. There are sixty five ambulances equipped with full resuscitation and life support capabilities. Thirteen of those ambulance teams included j trained emergency doctors in addition to paramedics with advanced life support training.

Ala Harsh Hospital has will be the main first R referral hospital. It is fully equipped with resuscitation and intensive care facilities and a range of surgical teams to manage severe patients, including major trauma and burns or Referral arrangements to second lyne hospitals in Egypt are also in place. Thousands more people inside Gods continue to need access to urgent and essential healthcare amid sword dishes of medicines, health

supplies, and other aids such as fuel, water and food. Those in serious need include thousands of serious the injured civilians, many of them children, and more than a thousand people need kidney dialysis to stay alive. More than two thousand patients or in cancer therapy, be forty five thousand people with cardio vascular disease and more than sixty thousand people with diabetes. These patients must be

able to have sustained access to healthcare inside Gaza. Hospitals and other health facilities must be protected from bombardment and military use. So we've also heard from family members of the of the hostages asking for Canadian help in getting their family members returned. And we're gonna hear again from the United Nations with the UN Security Council. They can't seem to come to an agreement or a resolution that would send help to the Gaza Strip in order to help these people who are in

desperate need. So when don't we listen to the highlights from the UN Security Council. Now one hundred and sixty second Meeting of the Security Council is called to order. The provisional agenda for this meeting is the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. The agenda is adoptant in accordance with Rule thirty seven of the Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure. I invite the representatives of

Israel and Jordan to participate in this meeting. It's so decided, I propose that the Council invite the Permanent Observer of the Observer State of Palestine to the United Nations to participate in this 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 thirty nine of the Council's Provisional Rules

of Procedure, I invited the following briefers to participate in this meeting. Mister Philippi Lazzardini, commission Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Miss Catherine Russell, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Funds, and Miss Lisa Dartin, Director of the Humanitarian Financing and Resourcing Mobilization Division of the Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. It's so

decided. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of Item two of the agenda. I now give the floor to mister Philippi Lazzardini, Mister President, Member of the Council. The last three weeks have been horrific. Almost everyone in Israel, the Occupied Palestine territory and the broad region is in mourning. The horrific attacks by Hamas in Israel on October seventh was shocking. The relentless bombardment where the Israeli forces of the Gaza Strip are shocking. The level of

destruction is unprecedented. The human tragedy unfolding on the awards is unbreable. One million people, how the population of Gaza were pushed from the north of the Gaza Strip towards the south in three weeks. The south, however, has not been spelled from bombardment, with significant number killed. I have said many times and I will say it again, no place is safe in Gaza.

Now. Civilian remaining in the Norse are receiving evacuation notices from the Israeli forces, urging themselves to receive scarce human turn assistance, but many, including pregnant women, people with disabilities to sek on the wounded, are unable to move. What happened continues to happen is forced displacement. Over six hundred and seventy

thousand spaced people are now in overcrowded on was schools and buildings. They live in a holding unsanitary condition with limited food and water, sleeping on the floor without mattresses, or outside in the open. Hunger and deserve are turning into anger against the international community and in Gaza, the international community is better known

as UNWA. Mister President, Nearly seventy percent of those reported killed our children and women, said the Children reported yesterday that nearly three thousand, two hundred children were killed in Gaza in just three weeks. This surpasses the number of children killed annually across the world's conflict zones since twenty nineteen. This cannot be collateral damage. Most hospital and on what facilities, including those shattering displaced people,

have not been sparred. Too many people have been killed and injured when seeking safety in places protected by international mediternal law. The current siege important Gaza is collective punishment. Two weeks of full siege followed by the trickle of aid last week, means that basic services are crumbling. Medicine is running out, food and water are running out, fuel is running out. The streets of Gaza have started overflowing with sewage, which will cause a massive health as are

very soon in the latest law. The communication blackout over the weekend has aggravated the panic and distress of people. The blackout meant that people could not communicate with their loved ones inside Gaza to know who is dead or who is alive. They no longer knew whether they would receive breadth from Onoir. They felt abundant and cut off from the rest of the world. The communications backcount has

accelerated the breaking down of civil order. Panic pushed thousands of desperate people to add to the UNWA warehouses and distribution center where we save the food and other supply we started receiving via Egypt last week. A further breakdown in civil order will make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the largest un agents in Gaza to continue operating. It will also make it impossible to bring in convoys. I say this while being fully aware that on War is the last

remaining lifeline for the Palestinian people in Gaza. Member of the Council one wise calling on you for support. I lost sixty four colleagues in just over three weeks. The last tragic passing confirmed was two hours ago. Same year, head of Secretary and Safety in the Middle Region was killed with his wife and eight children. This is the highest number of You and ed Walker kills in

the conflict in such a short time. My thirteen thousand colleagues in Gaza are from a community of one point seven million Palestine refugees out of two point two million resident in the Gaza strip. Those who are alive have for the most part lost relative French neighbors and are displaced. Like the majority of Gazen. Many of my own colleagues now live, sleep, and work in unwashed shelters,

and yet they are showing exceptional dedication to you and value. No more can do justice to thousands of on what staff will continue to walk trdlessly to support the communities. These are teachers, doctors, social workers, engineer and support staff, their mother and father. If they were not in Gather, they could have been your neighbor, your friends, and they are operating one hundred and fifty on wash shelter. They are keeping one third of our health

center open and run eighty mobile health teams. They support the entry of humanitarian convoys and the storage and distribution of aid. They distribute the little fuel we have left to hospital, bakeries and shelters. My own what colleagues are the only glimmer of all for the entire Gazas straight a ray of light as humanity sinks into its darkest power. But they are running out of fuel, out of water, out of food and medicine, and will soon be unable to

operate. Let me be here. The handful of convoys being allowed through halfa is nothing compared to the needs of over two million people trapped in Gaza. The system in place to allow aid into Gaza is geared to fail unless there is political will to make the flow of supplies meaningful, matching the unprecedented. To many atturnees, mister President, Gaza has over two million people, half

of them children. Gazans are vibrant, educated people who as filed to have normal lives, families, children, education and dreams of a better future. Today films that they are not treated as as a civilian. Most of them feel trapped in a war they have nothing to do with. They feel the world is equating all of them to amas. This is dangerous and we know this too well from previous conflicts and crisis. An entire population is being dehumanized.

The actrocities of Hamas do not absolve the State of Israel from its obligation on the International Human gen Law. Every war has rules, and this one is no exception. Hannah Areen said. The deaths of human empathy is one of the first and most revealing signs of a culture that is about to fall into barbarity. More than ever doesn't deserve our empathy. Its absence will depend

the polarization in the region and further push away any prospect of peace. Mister President, when a lot of the focus is on Gaza, I want to wish to reiteriate that another crisis is unfolding in the West Bank, including Jerusalem. The United Nations has been sounding the alarm for months on the increased violence. Palestinian fatalities this year are the highest since the UN started to keep report in two thousand and five. At least one hundred and fifteen Palestinia have been

killed since October seventh, including thirty three children. The movement restriction imposed across the West Bank are impacting our services, including schools and health center. Meanwhile, the situation on the Israeli Lebanese border is getting worse, with regular exchanges of fires and civilian casualties reported. In conclusion, I'm very worried about the potential spin over of this conflict beyond Gaza unless the following is enforced. First,

there must be strict adherance to international humanitaran law. This means civilian and civilian infrastructure, including un premises, school, hospital, places of worship and shelter hosting civilian must be protected all over the Gather Strip, north and south and at all times. This is not an option, it is an obligation. Second, we need a safe, unimpeded, substanti and continuous flow of humanitarian aid, including fuel, into the Gather Strip and across it. For

this we need an immediate humanitrancis fire. Third, on what still needs forms, we have the necessary and largest presence on the ground. We can deliver if we have the means and the resources, including the finances to pay staff on the front lines. ONWA has received generous contribution towards its initial flash appear, but without a fully funded con budget, we cannot pay salaries and deliver. Finally, in these dark times, we must not lose sight of our

humanity. Our empathy should apply to all Palestinian Israeli, Jewish, Christians and Muslim The rules of law of war must be followed by all parties at all times in all places. Civilian must be protected, hostages released, and a genuine Uminian response facilitated. An immediate uventan sisfire has become a matter of life and death for millions. The present and future of Pardestinian and Israeli depend on it. I urge all members state to change the trajectory of this crisis and

walk towards a genuine political solution before it's to date. Thank you, I thank mister Zardini for his briefing. I now give the floor to Miss Catherine Russell. Thank you to Ambassador Niesbe and Ambassador of France Denesi for convening this meeting, and to members of the Security Council for this opportunity to speak about the humanitarian situation in the State of Palestine and Israel. At UNICEF, we firmly believe that the true cost of this latest escalation will be measured in children's

lives, those lost to the violence and those forever changed by it. After little more than three weeks, the devastating tally is quickly adding up, with rampant grave violations being committed against children. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. More than eighty three hundred Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including over three thousand, four hundred children, with over six three hundred children injured.

This means that more than four hundred twenty children are being killed or injured in Gaza every day, a number that should shake each of us to our core. Of course, the violence being perpetrated against children extends beyond the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, at least thirty seven children have reportedly been killed, and of course, more than thirty Israeli children have reportedly been killed, while at least twenty children remain hostage in the Gaza Strip,

their fates unknown. Civilian infrastructure has also come under fierce attack. According to the World Health Organization, in Gaza, thirty four attacks have been reported against health care facilities, including twenty one hospitals. Twelve of Gaza's thirty five hospitals, which are also being used as shelters for displaced people, can no longer function. At least two hundred and twenty one schools and more than one

hundred and seventy seven thousand housing units have been damaged or destroyed. Meanwhile, what little clean water remains in Gaza is quickly running in, leaving more than two million people in dire need. We estimate that fifty five percent of water supply infrastructure requires repair or rehabilitation. Only one desalination plant is operating at just five percent capacity, while all six of Gaza's water waste treatment plants are now

non operational due to a lack of fuel or power. The lack of clean water and sanitation is on the verge of becoming a catastrophe. Unless access to clean water is urgently restored, more civilians, including children, will fall ill or die from dehydration or water borne diseases. As if this wasn't enough, children in both Israel and the State of Palestine are experiencing terrible trauma, the

consequences of which could last a lifetime. Studies have shown that violence and upheople can induce toxic stress in children that interferes with their physical and cognitive development and causes mental health problems over both the short and the long terms. We are doing our best to reach all children in need, but the delivery of humanitarian

aid, especially in Gaza, is now extremely challenging. This is due to both the current siege conditions imposed on Gaza and the highly dangerous circumstances under which our staff are operating. Some of our staff have lost close family members, including spouses and children, and of course we are grieving with UNRAH for their staff members who have been killed. Two days ago, we lost contact with our colleagues in Gaza when telecommunications were disrupted. This left them at even greater

risk and it made their work to help children even harder to accomplish. Excellencies, UNICEF and our partners are committed to staying on the ground to deliver for children, but make no mistake, the situation grows worse by the hour, and with an out an urgent end to the hostilities, I am deeply afraid for the fate of the region's children, but we and you have the power

to help lift children out of this spiral of violence. I implore the Secure Garity Council to immediately adopt a resolution that reminds parties of their obligations under international law. It calls for a cease fire, that demands the parties allow safe and unimpeded humanitarian access, that demands the immediate and safe release of all abducted children, and that urges parties to afford children the special protection to which they

are entitled. The Security Council should prioritize what is now a worsening displacement crisis, with more than one point four million people in Gaza, the majority of whom are children now displaced. As a Secretary General has said, the order for one point one million Palestinian civilians to leave northern Gaza should be rescinded. Demands for hospital evacuations should also cease. Given their protected status under international humanitarian

law. All parties must stop violence and prevent any grave violations committed against children. We must have humanitarian access through all crossing points into the Gaza Strip through safe and af efficient supply. Roots and parties must ensure the safe and unimpeded movement of humanitarian supplies and personnel throughout the Gaza Strip for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, including but not limited to, food, water, medicines, fuel

and electricity. Finally, measures to prevent electricity, food water and fuel from entering Gaza from Israel must be immediately reversed so that civilians have access to the services they need to survive. Excellency is UNSEF was created almost seventy seven years ago out of the ashes of World War II. Since then, our commitment to our mission has never wavered. We advocate for the rights of every child. On behalf of all the children caught in this nightmare. We call on

the world to do better. Whether they are young people attending a music festival or children going about their daily lives in Gaza, they all deserve peace. Children do not start conflicts, and they are powerless to stop them. We need all of us to put their safety and security at the forefront of our efforts and to imagine a future where children are healthy, safe and educated. No child deserves any less. Thank you. I thank Missus Russell for her

briefing. I now give the floor to Missus Liza Dufton. Thank you, mister President. I'm delivering this statement on behalf of Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs mister Martin Griffiths, who's currently on mission in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. The events that have unfolded since seventh October have been nothing short of devastating and heartbreaking. We do not forget the fourteen hundred

people killed and thousands more injured and taken in the brutal Hamas attack. Indiscriminate rocket fire continues from Gaza into populated areas of Israel, causing more civilian casualties and displacements and trauma. We deplore that two hundred and thirty people held hostage

in Gaza. All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. We welcome all diplomatic efforts to secure their release and demand that in the interim they be treated humanely and be allowed to receive visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross. As you've just heard from Commissioner General Lazzarini, the situation for the more than two million people trapped in the Gaza Strip is catastrophic. They've now endured

a siege and continues bombardment for twenty three days. According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, more than eight thousand people have been killed, sixty six percent of whom are said to be women and children. Tens of thousands more have been injured. The scale of the horror people are experiencing Gaza is really hard to convey. People are becoming increasingly desperate as they search for food, water, and shelter. Amid the relentless bombing campaign that's white out whole families

and entire neighborhoods. In their desperation, people have resorted to breaking into u and warehouses in search of food and water. Dehydration is an increasing concern, as is the possibility of the spread of disease and other health concerns due to unsafe water and break down in sewage treatment services. More than one point four million people are internally displaced in Gaza, and hundreds of thousands of children,

women and men are crammed into overcrowded shelters and hospitals. Many of these people have moved south in search of safety, but the reality is that nowhere is safe and we simply don't have enough essential supplies to provide for the survival and internally displace people at this scale. As we heard from Executive Director Russell, the health care system is in tetters. Patients lie on the floors and in

corridors. Surgeons are operating without anesthesia. Out of an estimated fifty thousand pregnant women, five thousand, five hundred are due to deliver within the next thirty days. For the one thousand patients dependent on dialysis, and the one hundred and thirty premature babies and incubators life hangs by a thread as hospital backup generators run on fumes. Some nine thousand cancer patients are not receiving adequate care.

We're deeply concerned by allegations of military installations in the close vicinity of hospitals and the request by Israeli authorities for hospitals, including Al Kuds and Shifa, to be evacuated. There's nowhere say for these patients to go, and for those on life support and babies and incubators, moving would almost certainly be a death

sentence. Mister President, The provision of humanitarian relief is extremely complex and challenging due to the bombardment, the destruction of infrastructure, and, as we've said repeatedly, the lack of fuel. We mourn the loss of sixty four unrecolleagues and other humanitarian staff who've been tragically killed, and we extend our deepest condolences

to the families and colleagues. We have the utmost admiration for the bravery, selflessness and commitment of humanitarian workers who are delivering aid to those in need in this perilous environment. Mister President, we welcome the agreement that has allowed us to get some relief into Gaza via the Rafa border crossing, but these deliveries

are drop in the motion compared to the vast scale of needs. It's imperative that we're able to get humanitarian supplies and relief into Gaza safely, reliably,

without impediment, and at the scale required. In particularly urgent for us to replenish fuel supplies, which are vital for powering most essential services, including hospitals and water desalination plants, and to transport humanitarian relief inside Gaza, and more than one entry point into Gaza is indispensable if we are to make a difference. Karim Shalom between Israel and Gaza is the only crossing quipped to rapidly process

a sufficient sufficiently large number of trucks. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, scores of civilians have been killed and incidents of settler violence have increased, causing hundreds of civilians to be displaced. Likewise, the violence enclosure of checkpoints has impeded access to essential services and food distribution. The permits of some one hundred and fifty thousand to one hundred and seventy five thousand Palestinians from the West Bank

working in Israel and settlements are now suspended. The situations causing significant damage to the West Bank economy and Palestinian institutions. We have very real fears about what lies ahead. The current situation may pale in comparison with what is to come. There's a genuine risk that this work would escalate further and spill over into wider region. We must take urgent collective action to prevent this, Mister President.

In light of all that has been described today, what we're calling for is for the parties to agree to pause the fighting on humanitarian grounds. It would provide the required calm and safety for hostages to be released, and for the UN to replenish supplies, relieve exhausted personnel, and resume assistance throughout Gaza wherever civilians are in need. It would also provide much needed respite to civilians

who are living under unimaginably traumatic conditions. But with or without a pause in the fighting, I reiterate that all parties on all sides must respect international humanitarian law. This means allowing relief in and taking constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects, including humanitarian and medical workers, facilities and assets. And this

applies whether civilians move or they stay. We are relying on the responsibility of every member state here and across the UN to use all of their influence to ensure that the rules of war are respect and not, as far as is possible, civilians are spared fur their suffering. Thank you mister President Missus Dubton for her briefing, and I shall now make statement in my capacity as the

Minister Foreign Affairs of Brazil. Distinguished representatives, I thank the briefers for their extensive information on the humanitarian situation on the ground and command the work of their teams in Locus and elsewhere. They honor once again the work of this organization and everything it stands for. Following instructions of President Lula, I come back before you again today with a profound sense of urgency and dismay. We must

always bear in mind the human faces on both sides of the conflict. Therefore, I extend Brazil's deepest condolences to the families and friends of all civilians, including the brave and dedicated United Nations personnel who have lost their lives in the ongoing crisis stemming from the protracted conflict in Israel and Palestine, tragically reignited by the terrorist actions by Hamas against Israel on October seventh. Nothing justifies such crimes.

All hostages must be immediately and unconditionally released, and access to them by the Red Cross must be immediately granted. At the same time, the current situation in Gaza is deeply appalling and indefensible by any human standard and under humanitarian international humanitarian law. An aligning humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding before our eyes, with thousands of civilians, including an overwhelming intolerable number of children, being punished by

crimes they have not committed. In three weeks, we have watched this conflict claim the life of more than eight thousand civilians, of whom more than three thousand are children. Since the last time I spoke in this council, just last week, the count of children deaths increased by one thousand. Meanwhile, the Security Council holds meetings and hear speeches without being able to take a fundamental

decision to end the human suffering on the ground. As thousands in Israel and Palestine, more the loved ones, as Israeli agonized over the fate of hostages, as Gazans suffer under relentless military operations that are killing civilians, including an intolerable number of children. We have the means to get something done, and yet we repeatedly and shamefully fail. Since October seventh, we have met several

times and considered four draft resolutions. However, we remain at impass during to international during to internal disagreement, particularly among some permanent members, and thanks to the persistent use of the Council to achieve self oriented purpose instead of putting the protection of civilians above all, the grave and unprecedented human crisis before us require that sterial rivalries be relinquished, that the Council is not able to discharge its

responsibility of safeguard and international peace and security due to old antagon antagonism is morally unacceptable. Let us not fool ourselves. The eyes of the world are staring at us and will not move away from from our distressing inability to act. They all see that our incapacity to unite and response to the human crisis facing us today questions the very resondant of this Council. Someone has even written that, in addition to civilians, this body lies beneath the rebels in Gaza.

The difference is that we are our own saviors. We just need to do what is right to spare innocent lives from the scourge of wars. There may still be time to rescue the Council and sustain the hope that many of us still have in our capacity to be true to our mandate under the Charter. It is possible only if it's enough political will, if there is enough political will to compromise and to be minimally balanced and inclusive in our diagnosis and way

forward. Failure to do so yet another failure. Failure will add an increasingly higher cost in human lives above all, but also to multilateralism in general, to the United States and to this Council in particular. Last week, whope for consensus seemed to emerge, echoing the Sector General's call for humanitarian seas fire, as the tenth Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly passed a resolution that

called for humanitarian truths leading to a cessation of hostilities. A light at the end of the tunnel seemed to appear also when the Sector General, who had personally been in the region to assess the situation on the ground, announced the opening of the Rafa border crossing for some initial aid deliveries and some hostages were released. The United Nations, through its Secretariat, under the leadership of the UN Sector General Antonio Boterez Umbra, and other bodies and agencies, has been

working tirelessly to address the human crisis facing us. It rests on Security Council. The responsibility to follow through the price of inaction is unacceptably high. The growing urgency for the families of the hostages and the unbearable pain for the civilian population in Gaza cannot be understated. The positive first step taken by the UN bodies and agencies do not go far enough, as the escalation of the conflict

makes the situation more dire by the hour. The relevance of a resolution of Security Council lies on the need for sustainable, sustained humanitarian aid and for granting safe working conditions for those involved in rescuing hostages and providing humanitarian work. The cessation of hostilities is therefore to the benefit of the civilian population on both sides. All the risks of reinstating the obvious. I want to put it bluntly,

there cannot be rescuing of hostages and humanitarian aid undershells. This is why Brazil and fellow Eating members have been working tirely to try to get this Council

to act more decisively since the last showdown around proposed resolutions. In Brazil's view, the main goals are clear, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and the end of violence through whatever modalities can be agreed without further delay, so that rapid safe are hindred and sufficient humanitarian aids can be delivered to the

strained people of Gaza. Besides the eight thousand lives lost, many more are about to meet their Phato destiny as hospitals have no means to keep providing basic treatment for the patients. Therefore, providing essential resources to those in Gaza, including water, food, medical supply, fuel and electricity is urgent and imperative.

Surgeries are being performed without anesthesia. Lives are being lost at hospitals for lack of energy and the most basic magic supply medical supplies, food and water. Scars and prices have skyrocketed, and the flow of many Italian aid so far amounts to little more than a photo up. Thanks and troops are on the ground in Gaza and time for action is running out. My questions to you all are, if not now, when, how many more lives will

be lost until we finally move from rhetoric to action. It is also critical and urgent to allow for the safe and immediate evacuation of foreign nationals from Gaza and from elsewhere in the region if they feel threatened. While every state has the right and duty to protected citizens, actions must be consistent with international law and international humanitarian law, in particular the principles of distinction, proportionality, precaution,

military necessity, and humanity. The right and duty to protect the state's population cannot and should not come at the cost of more deaths of civilians and more destructions of civilian infrastructure. The UN Sector General Uterres has repeatedly remind us even wors have rules, any indiscriminate, indiscriminative attack against civilians and critical infrastruture infrastructure, as well as depriving civilians of basic goods and service, are morally

justifiable and illegal under international humanitarian law. Brazil strongly condensed actions that blurred the line between civilians and combatants. Today Andra shed light on the green and disheartening in reality in gazam highlighting the objectionable level of destruction of civilian infrastructure and tragic laws of innocent lives, including those of women, children, at least thirty

five and at least thirty five of its staff. The World Health Organization has been constantly recalling the urgent need for the cessation of violence and for the humanitarian action at times when Gaza's health infrastructure is on the verge of collapse. Beyond the immediate and very urgent humanitarian considerations, a threat to regional stability looms and any repercussion could be catastrophic. Brazil urges an united shift towards the escalation and

calls on all parties to act with the utmost restraint. A cessation of hostilities. Hostilities is urgently needed to create the conditions for a full, durable and respected ceasefire and the resumption of a credible peace process. All this is at stake as we keep our efforts to get this Council to act with a unified voice, Distinguished members of the Council International Humanetarian Law prof its a clear path

to avoid at least great or at least greatly alleviate civilians suffering. The framework for collective action is clear. Our collective response to this crisis, which we all fear will only worsen if nothing is done, will be a defining moment for the United Nations. The staggering, staggering fact is that the Security Council does not have a reasonable record when it comes to maintaining international peace and security

in the Middle East. Issues related to the region in general received thirty five of the two hundred and fifty vetus of the permanent members. Since twenty sixteen, the Council has not been able to pass a single resolution on situation in Palestine. The situation in the Middle East is therefore, by far one of the most blocked issues in the Security Council. Speaks of ineffectiveness of governance, of the governance system, and of the lack of representation of certain parts of

the world in this body. A decision on the humanitarian aspects of the current crisis will certainly not redress the historic failure of Security Council regarding the situation in the Middle East. It will, however, stop further human suffering now, thank you, sorry, I would like for the register to read again another sentence that that that was misspelled in my speech, the sentences on page four.

Failure to do so, yet another failure, will add an increasingly higher cost in human lives above all, but also to multilateralism in general and to the United Nations and this Council in particular. I thank you. I resume now my function as President of the Council. I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates. Mister President, thank you for your presence here with us in New York today and for the special dedication that

Brazil has given to peace in our region. I also pay special tribute to our briefers today and to their team's dedicated work in the most unimaginable circumstances on the ground in the Gaza Strip. Commissioner General Lazarini, I was very shaken by your recent words to your staff over the weekend, in which you said I am constantly hoping that this hell on Earth will soon come to an end. I want to extend the UAE's deep condolences for the sixty four unroll workers

killed in this war. They paid the ultimate sacrifice for the life saving work the United Nations does every day around the world, and we have failed to

protect them. Last Friday, one hundred and twenty one countries representing an overwhelming majority of the world, issued an unambiguous call for an immediate, durable, and sustained humanitarian truths in Gaza. They stood up for the humanitarian imperative, for human rights, for international law, and most importantly, for the self evident truth that Palestinian life is precious, equal and deserving of the full protection

of the law. We have heard many say that the two point two million Palestinians in Gaza are not Hamas, that this is not a war against them. And while these are welcome words, it is time that action reflected them them. The more than eight thousand people that have been killed in Gaza, and as we've heard today, seventy percent of whom were women and children, were surely not all Hamas. Nearly one thousand children are missing and may be

trapped or dead under the rubble. They are not Hamas. Will we help them. The number of Palestinian children killed in just three weeks of Israel's bombardment of Gaza exceeds the total number of children killed in conflicts worldwide in each of the last four years. As Miss Russell has so eloquently said, that should stain our moral conscience if nothing else does. Children do deserve our special protection and are entitled to it today. If we lean on the General Assemblies moral

authority in other settings, we must also respect it in this one. Indeed, members of this Council have repeatedly expressed their concerns about the fraying of the international order. This Council, ignoring the expressed will of the majority of the world, may be what breaks it. Colleagues, we need a ceasefire now, as Foreign Minister Vieira said, We need to ensure that safe, sustained and at scale humanitarian aid reaches Gaza now, and that access to electricity,

clean water and fuel is restored now. The shutdown of cellular and internet services over the weekend as part of the offensive meant that wounded civilians were searching for help in the dark. As we have heard today, there have been over seventy six attacks on healthcare, including twenty hospitals and clinics damaged or destroyed. More than six hundred fifty thousand people are sheltering in unlaw facility let me be

absolutely clear on this point. These sites are protected by international humanitarian law. Announcements that they are targets or warnings for them to evacuate do not, I repeat, do not alter their protected status. We need to see the recission of dangerous, unrealistic evacuation orders. On Saturday, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported warnings from Israel to immediately evacuate Alcud's Hospital, which hosts hundreds of patients,

including newborn babies in incubators. Around twelve thousand civilians are also seeking refuge there. Right now, as we sit here in this chamber in New York, speaking to each other again and again and debating the language of our humanitarian resolution and response, an evacuation order in these conditions is cruel, It is reckless, and so is our delay as a security Council, Mister President. All of Gaza's civilian population is at risk by the escalating hostilities, as are the

Israeli and international hostages taken by Hamas wrongly taken by Hamas. While our eyes have been trained on Gaza, the occupied West Bank has not been spared from violence either. Israeli settlers are escalating their attacks against Palestinian civilians and forcing their displacement. These attacks must be prevented by the State of Israel. Across the region. There have been several credible warnings of a wider escalation. The drums

of war are beating colleagues. Taking these warnings seriously begins with stopping this war in Gaza. We do not serve Israel's security by enabling it to go on. We cannot reverse the heeneous October seventh attacks by condoning this war, in which civilians are paying the price. Ignoring what could happen day after day will have devastating consequences, not only for Israelis and Palestinians, but for the prospects

of peace and stability in our region. Mister President, as we work on responding to the General Assembly's clear corps on this body to live up to its responsibilities under the UN Charter, we should also keep in mind always the dying words of the dead, so that their memories are a blessing to us. I'd like to speak today of an Arab poet, Heba Abuneta, a Palestinian woman killed in Han units several days ago. My friends, circle diminishes,

turning into little coffins scattered everywhere as missile's launch. I can't grasp the fleeting moments with my friends. These aren't just names, they are refined elections of us with a unique face and identity. Colleagues, we may have failed the dead, but we must channel our sorrow into saving the living. The time

to reverse course is running out. What we and one hundred and twenty one countries are advocating for may be the harder road, but history warns us of the consequences of not taking it. Thank you, I thank the Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emitates, and I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of China here. Thank you, mister President, Mister President Visible. I would like to thank Brazil for organizing today's meeting upon the request of UAE

and China. Hi. Thank Commissioner General Lazarini, A Executive Director Russell and mister Dalton for their briefings. Your briefings underscored once again the gravity of the situation in Gaza and the urgency for the Council to act. Last Friday, the tenth Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly adopted by an overwhelming majority a resolution calling for an immediate and a durable humanitarian part leading to a cessation of

hostilities. This reflected the widespread cores on the part of the international community. Regretably and unacceptably, However, Israel, turning a deaf ear to the common concerns of the international community, had chosen to further escalate its military operations in Gaza and formerly declared the launch of a ground assault. Secretary General Guterish has

warned that the population in Gaza is facing a disaster of an avalanche. Having one of the highest population density in the world, Gaza is a land that has been under brocade for sixteen long years. The two point three million innocent people are living in utter fear amidst the indiscriminate bombardment and have been cut off from water, electricity, food and fuel for twenty one days. Just this past weekend, they experience a communication blackout that lasted for nearly thirty six hours.

If like checked, unchecked, the situation will spiral further out of control and even greater humanitarian catastrophe will be inevitable. We express our deep sympathy to the people in Gaza who are struggling on the brink of life and death. And we are equally, if not more, deeply worried about the Middle East

peace prospect process, which is on the brink of collapse. China solemnly calls on the parties to the conflict to seize all hostilities, disengage, immediately set in place if humanitarian choos, and make every effort to prevent the situation from

escalating further. China solemnly calls on Israel, as the occupying power, to fulfill its obligations under the international humanitarian law, lift its siege over Gaza, immediately rescind its evacuation order, and expetitiously restore the supply of basic necessities so

as to prevent an even larger humanitarian disaster. China solemnly calls for intensified diplomatic efforts to facilitate the release of the hostages without delay, and to work on this basis to seek to open up space for dialogue so as to return to

the track of a political settlement. China solemnly calls on all part China solemnly calls on the power that has a special power on the parties concerned to put aside their own self interests and the geopolitical considerations and make every effort to stop the war and restore peace. Mister President, the decades long history of the Palestinian Israel issue has taught us that the military means are not the solution.

Absolute security cannot be achieved by imposing collective banishment on civilians, and responding to violence with violence will only exacerbit, hatred and confrontation. We call on the parties to the conflict to abandon their blind faith in the use of force and commit themselves breaking the cycle of violence and achieving common security. There is no fire war in Gaza. It is a dangerous myth to think that a contained

war is possible there. Allowing the fighting in Gaza to continue could very well turn it into a military catastrophe that will involf the entire region. The situation in the West Bank and along the Lebanese is Really border has already sounded the alarm. We call on all parties concerned about the spillover earth the conflict to

devote their efforts towards promoting a ceasfire in Gaza. As long as the war rages, more violations of international humanitarian law are bound to happen without a comprehensive ceasefire, humanitarian assistance, no matter how much there is will only be a job in the ocean. What the people of Gaza need now is more than just a reiteration by the Council of the importance of international humanitarian law and the

reputation of unfulfilled the promises of protection. What they need is concrete actions to restore peace are called the law, the rule of law, and save lives. The Council has so far held several meetings on the situation of Palestine and Israel, and it cannot be said that there was no consensus at all. The resolution just adopted by the General Assembly has also to the Council in the

right direction. In the face of the current critical situation. China once again solemnly calls on the Council to strengthen unity, build consensus, undertake responsible and a meaningful action as soon as possible. We believe that so long as we focus on the most depression issues on hand, such as a ceasefire and an end to the fighting, the protection of civilians and the prevention of a larger humanitarian disaster, it is possible for the members of this Council to reach a

consensus and indeed, this is what they should do at this juncture. Silence means a put years, and in action it's a tantamount to a green light. The eyes of the world upon us and history we record our choice. Thank you, mister President. I thank the Permanent Representative of China for his statement, and I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of the United

States. Thank you. I missed the President, Commissioner General Lazzarini, Executive Director Russell, and Director Dalton. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to you and your teams for the courageous work done by you under the most difficult circumstances. Humanitarian actors have stepped up, as they always do, to try and save lives in the midst of the humanitarian crisis in Gazo. This work

is heroic, but tragically it comes with great risk. We moren the more than sixty UN staff who've been killed in Gaza since the start of this conflict. The lives of EWAN personnel must be protected, The lives of humanitarian workers must be protected, the lives of journalists must be protected. The lives of all civilians, innocent civilians, Israeli and Palestinians men and way, women, children and elderly must be protected. There's no hierarchy when it comes to protecting

civilian lives. A civilian is a civilian is a civilian colleagues. Has been three weeks since Hamas killed more than fourteen hundred innocent civilians and took more than two hundred people hostage. Gaza base militants continued to fire barrages of rockets toward Israel. Citizens from dozens of member states are still being held hostage by Hamas, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is growing more dire by the day. At this moment of pain and sorrow and suffering, we must all come together.

We must all come together to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, addressed the immense humanitarian needs of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. A firm Israel's right to defend itself from terrorism and remind all actors that international humanitarian

law must be respected. That means Hamas must not use Palestinians as human shields, an act of unthinkable cruelty and a violation of the law of war, and that means Israel must take all possible precautions to avoid harm to civilians. Yesterday, President Biden spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu and reiterated that while Israel has the right and responsibility to defend its citizens from terrorism, it must do so

in a manner consistent with international humanitarian law. The fact that Hamas operates within and under the cover of civilian areas creates an added burden for Israel, but it does not lessen its responsibility to distinguish between terrorists and civilians colleagues. The United States is also deeply concerned by the significant uptick in violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bain. We condemn the killings of Palestinian civilians and we urge

Israel to prevent these attacks, working with the Palestinian authority. The Biden administration also shares the international community's concern about telecommunications shut downs in Gaza. We've made this clear to Israeli leaders, and we understand communification networks have started to be restored. This is essential. A shutdown of telecommunication imperils the lives of civilians, un personnel, and humanitarian workers, and risks exacerbating the humanitarian price in

Gaza. Lives hang in the balance, and we must all step up, as the United States has done. We are the single largest donor to the Palestinian people, having contributed more than one billion dollars since twenty twenty one, and President Biden recently announced an additional one hundred million dollars in humanitarian assistance for

the Palestinian people in Gaza in the West Bank. But of course, no amount of aid will matter if it cannot reach people in need, and the United States continues to work with Israel, Egypt, the UN, and other partners to facilitate rapid and sustain assistance flow. Food, fuel, water, medicine, and other essential services must be restored. And while the number of trucks entering Gaza continues to increase, it is not nearly enough. The amount

of humanity uitarian assistance flowing into Gaza must be scaled up urgently. We must do everything possible to save lives, and President Biden has expressed his support for humanitarian pauses in the fighting to allow hostages to get out, to allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza and be distributed, and to allow safe passage for civilians,

which will help people access humanitarian assistance or moved to safer locations. We also continue to urge all Member States to work to prevent any spellover of the crisis. Last week, Secretary Blincoln asked this Council to send a firm United message to any state or non state actor that is considering opening up another front against Israel, or who may target Israel's partners, including the United States, don't. This is a matter of international peace and security, and this Council

must speak out. That is one of the many reasons that last week the United States put forward a strong and balanced Security Council resolution, one that we consulted with all Member States on and we worked to forge consensus around. This resolution received the support of the majority of this Council, but Russia and China blocked this adoption. Following this veto, action moved to the General Assembly, where Member States were asked to vote for a resolution that was grossly one sided

and was missing two key words hamas and hostage. These are deliberate omissions that give cover and empower Hamasi's brutality. During the Emergency Special Session, we also heard a few Member States implicitly endorse Hamasi's acts of violence, and I was frankly shocked and appalled. It is outrageous and it must be called out. It is unconscionable that Hamas's actions are not condemned by the General Assembly colleagues.

As I've said before, the United States will continue to engage with any Council member, with any member state that is committed to adopting a strong and balanced resolution, But any Council product must support direct diplomacy efforts that can save lives and advance the prospects of a more peaceful and secure future for the region. Even at this difficult moment, we must keep hope alive. We must work toward a brighter future, a future where Israelis and Palestinians have equal measures of

security, freedom, justice, opportunity, and dignity. A future or Palestinians realize their legitimate right to self determination and a state of their own. A future where two democratic states Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace. This is not the future Hamas wants to see, but it is the future that we must all work to advance together. Thank you very much, mister

President. I thank the Permanent Representative of the United States for her statements, and I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Ecuador Senior President, Mister President, to begin, I wish to thank mister Philip Lasarini and Miss Lisa Dutton and Catherine Russell for the grave briefings this afternoon. I wish to thank them for all of the work of Unwacha and Judseph in such grueling circumstances such as those being endured by these bodies on the ground. The events in

Gaza are of grave concern, Mister President. The situation of the civilian population is desperate. The aid that is arriving is insufficient, The future is uncertain and menacing. Telecommunication blackouts that have just been referred to and the beginning of ground operations are worsening this state of affairs. Ecuador values the efforts that have

been made to render viable the entry of vital supplies from Egypt. We hope that we will ultimately manage to establish a system which makes it possible to supply the civilian population in a sufficient and continuous fashion. We recognize the right of

countries to protect their civilians when international law allows. However, at the same time, we recall the obligation for that right to be exercised in full compliance at all times with international law and international humanitarian law, as we have stated on several occasions, As Ecuador and other members of the Council indeed have stated on several occasions, we support the work of the Secretary General, that of the United Nations System, and we support the work of its agencies who have

the mandate to provide humanitarian aid to the population affected by this conflict. My country has appealed vehemently for the avoidance of the spillover of this violence to other areas in the region. At this moment, I wish to draw particular attention to the need to avoid exacerbating tensions and fueling the violence in the West Bank and on the border between Lebanon and Israel. I reiterate our request to all

to act with a sense of responsibility and common sense. Anything else, and death, more pain, and more suffering will be all that await mister President. As I have said on several occasions in recent weeks, this Council must speak out before in the face of the eruption of violence in the area and its dire humanitarian consequences. All efforts must be made to achieve this goal.

Particularly, we must achieve reach agreements between those who have the power to prevent with their will alone, the adoption of a decision which adjoins the majority support of this Council. It is timely to recall here that exercising greater power brings

with it greater responsibility. The Council must bear in mind that this organization was born to defend the dignity and worth of the human person, to ensure that reason prevailed in international relations, and to create a better world for all. It is our obligation, mister President, to strive so that we can always

discharge that mandate. I thank you, I think the Permanent Representative of Licuador, and I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Switzerland Mass Thank you, mister President, and I would like to thank you for the second time sharing an emergency meeting of the Security Council on the situation in the Middle

East this month. I would also like to thank the Commissioner General of UNROUA, Philippe Lazzarini, Director Liza doubt And of OCHA, and the Executive Director of UNICEF, Catherine Russell, for their briefings and their efforts, and above all, all of their efforts in these particularly tragic circumstances. We offer our very sincere condolences to the un in particular to UNRUA for the dozens of personnel

who died in the course of their duties. Our condolences also go to the relatives of the thousands of Israeli and Palestinian civilians, more than a third of them children, who have lost their lives are tragically lost their lives in recent weeks. Since the seventh of October, Switzerland has strongly condemned the acts of terror, indiscriminate rocket fire against the Israeli population and hostage taking perpetrated by Hamas.

In this context, Switzerland expressed its solidarity with the Israeli people. All hostages held in Gaza must be released immediately and unconditionally. We have recognized Israel's legitimate concern for national defense and security, recalling that the legitimate needs of security and military necessity are taken into account by international humanitarian law, which must be

respected by all parties to the conflict. We stress once again the binding nature of all its rules without exception, in particular the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution in the conduct of hostilities. All violations of international law must be investigated so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice, as it has done

on many occasions. Switzerland reiterates that the application of international humanitarian law and human rights, in particular the protection of civilians is and must remain a priority for this Council. It is therefore imperative to protect civilians and people who are no longer taking part in hostilities. We must protect them from acts of terror in Israel, and we must protect them in Gaza and the West Bank, where

the increase in violence, particularly by settlers, is worrying. We must exert our influence on the parties to the conflict to ensure that international humanitarian law is respected to halt the current spiral of violence and prevent it from spreading throughout the region. As we have heard in Gaza, the entire population, almost half

of whom our children, is now under siege. Entirely Civilian infrastructure, including unoir, schools and in particular hospitals, are protected by international humanitarian law. They must be able to provide security and assistance to civilians. The population must have access in sufficient quality and quantity to essential goods and services, including drinking

water, food, medical care, and fuel. Switzerland has been working very actively within this Council and at the General Assembly for the respect for international humanitarian law and the introduction of measures such as humanitarian pauses or truces to guarantee access to aid. Such measures, accompanied by security guarantees, are necessary to enable the personnel of impartial humanitarian organizations to work effectively to respond to the needs of

the population and to alleviate the worsening sanitary crisis in Gaza. This is all the more necessary in the light of the intense occasion of hostilities in recent days, Mister President. Unified action by this Council is therefore more necessary than ever to put an end to the violence in sure respect for international law and work towards peace. Switzerland will continue to make every effort to seek such action by this Council so that it assumes its responsibility in the face of this crisis.

Thank you. I thank the Permanent Representative of Switzerland for her statement, and I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Gabon. Thank you, mister President. I thank Honour Commissioner General Philippe Lazarini, the Executive Director Catherine Russell and Otcher Director Lisa Doc ten for their briefings on the current situation in Gaza. I am quite frankly shocked to the core by their briefings and accounts.

I wish to thank the United Arab Emirates and China for convening this emergency open briefing because we cannot as a security Council remain unmoved in the face of the unbearable extent of the horror playing out before our eyes. The intensification of Israel's air strengths, together with the ground operations of forces in Gaza, is causing the huge death toll of this war to tragically skyrocket. This is a

heinous war which is morally unacceptable. The paralysis of this Council is unacceptable and inconceivable. Ten thousand people, including one thousand children, have been killed since the heinous attacks of Hamas in Israel on the seventh of October. It is high time for this bloodbath to cease. Gabon once again staunchly condemns all deadly,

indiscriminate violence. We wish to say the following very clearly. Indeed, civilian populations must be neither currency nor human shields, nor must they be the target of collective punishment. All hostages must be released unconditionally, and Israel's right to self defense must be exercised in accordance with international humanitarian law and with the principles of proportionality, precaution and distinction. The cycle of the dehumanizing cycle of

violence against civilian populations must immediately stop. Within this Council, we must move beyond the bonds of the political and geopolitical bonds that bind us to inaction.

We must move beyond divisions, rivalry and sterility to call for the immediate cessation of hostilities and for unhindered humanitarian access to those in need, those civilians trapped in the devastated ruins of Gaza. We call for the compliance with an implementation of the resolution adopted by the General Assembly on the twenty sixth of October twenty twenty three. We hail the efforts to restore calm undertaken by the countries in

the region. At the same time, we retreate the security the Secretary General's appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire. We retraate our appeal for restraint and encourage all states that have influenced that they can bring to bear on parties to ratchet up efforts to bring parties to choose peace and to preserve human life. Mister President, we are all aware of the risk that the Israel Palestine conflict poses to

peace and stability in the region as a whole and beyond. We must avoid a conflagration which would stand as a point of no return and would lead us into chaos once and for all. To conclude, I wish to reaffirm my country's conviction that diplomacy, dialogue and negotiation, with a central role played by the United Nations, are and remain vital channels to achieve a lasting solution to this deadly crisis. We reiterate our commitment to the two state solution. Thank

you. I thank the Permanent Representative of Gabbon for his statement, and I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Malta. Thank you, President. I thank the briefers today's briefers for their stock briefings and also thanking can applaud your teams for your important work on the ground. Commissioner General Lazzarini, we convey our sincere condolences for the tragic loss of honoral staff in these past

weeks. For years the agency has been an important stabilizing force in the region in recent days. Your work has been nothing short of heroic and you can count on our full support. President Malta is gravely concerned by the desperate situation in Gaza. Such military operations will undoubtedly have a devastating impact on the more than two million civilians trapped in the enclave. Let us not forget that these

civilians were already perilously vulnerable and living in dire conditions. During these last days, thousands broken to unraal warehouses and distribution centers, taking wheat, flour and other basic items. This illustrates how desperate this is. Situation on the ground is and as worrying, is a worrying sign that civil orders starting to break down. In parallel, Hamas continues rocket barrage into his ra Day territory,

with some reaching Tel Aviv. This is completely unacceptable. We unequivocally reject and condemn these barbaric attacks, including the seventh October attack undertaking of hostages. These are heinous acts of terrorism. We reiterate our call on Harmas to immediately release all hostages safely and unconditionally, and urge parties with influence to continue negotiations.

To this end, Malta condemns all violence against civilians. All parties to the conflict are obligated to abide by international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law. They must take all feasible precautions to avoid and in any event minimize harmed to civilians and civilian objects. These including objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population. We are utterly devastated to note the effects the conflict is

having on Palestinian and Israeli children. Thousands have perished, while the rest are suffering unthinkable psychological traumas. We underscore that the killing and maiming of children, attacks on schools, hospitals, places of worship, and denial of children's access to humanitarian assistance are all grave violations. We also echo the concerns raised regarding the children being held by hamas we reiterate our call for their immediate release and

for their special protection needs to be prioritized. President. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza can no longer be ignored. Urgent action is needed. This is why we voted in favor of the General Assembly resolution. Australia are the tenth emergency Special Session. We welcome the provisions of this resolution calling foreign immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truth leading to a cessation of hostilities. This is the minimum

requirement to ensure protection of civilians. Meanwhile, we remain concerned that this Council has been unable to act in the face of this accelerating crisis. We echo the Secretary General's message that this is a moment of truth. Our immediate priority must be to address the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe and to reverse current escalations. We urge Council members to unite in good faith and act decisively for the sake of

regional and international security. We also stress that it is unacceptable that humanitarian actors working through the most life threatening and extraordinary conditions to protect gas and civilians also must content with communications blackouts. Connectivity is of utmost importance, not only to the civilian population, but also so that aid responders can continue doing their critical

work. Malta reiterates the call also made on the European Council conclusions for the continued rapids, safe and unhindered humanitarian access in Gaza, including through humanitarian corridors and pauses, All efforts made by international actors in this regard are welcome. Furthermore, we are alarmed at the precarious developments in areas outside of Gaza. It is critical that the international community works together to prevent a spillovera which would

further increase internal tensions and destabilize the entire region. Malta underscores that any lasting and sustainable plan for peace in the Middle East must be based on a two state solution, in line with relevant Security Council resolutions and internationally agreed parameters. The escalation, restraint and mediation are critical. The longer we fail to address these imperatives, the harder it will become to climb out of the abyss and

towards the path of peace. Thank you, I think the Permanent Representative of Mountham for her statement, and I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of France, Mocheur Polidon. Mister President, I thank the Commissioner General of ANOIR, Executive Director of UNICEF and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for their briefings. The terrorist attacks by Hamas and other groups against Israel on

the seventh of October have triggered unprecedented crisis. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is tragic. Civilians are dying every day, including many children. The population is going hungry, The lack of water brings with it the risk of epidemics, and hospitals are overwhelmed. It is urgent that unfettered humanitarian access be guaranteed for the Gaza strip that needs food, water and electricity. The number of convoys

must increase significantly in order to be commensurate with what is needed. A humanitarian truce is needed, which could ultimately leave to lead to a ceasefire. France has significantly increased its humanitarian assistance through the chartering of a special flight last weekend, and welcomes the commitment of the Secretary General, the work of un agencies and the work of humanitarian actors on the ground who are working in extremely difficult

conditions. Our most sincere condolences go to the United Nations following the deaths of sixty three UNWA staff members. Civilians must be able to leave Gaza without being impeded from doing so, and we have constantly requested that for our own nationals and their families since the seventh of October nothing can justify the suffering of civilians who must be protected. All victims deserve our compassion, and all lives are valuable. Israel has the right to defend itself and the duty to do so

in compliance with international humanitarian law, sparing the civilian population. France voted in favor of the resolution introduced by Jordan on behalf of the Arab Group, which calls for a truce and humanitarian access and for the protection of civilians, which condemns terrorist acts, and which calls for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.

And I recall our condemnation in the most energetic terms of the terrorist attacks by Hamas, which in no way represents the Palestinian and which has nothing but contempt for their suffering. I also reiterate our core for the hostages to be released immediately and without condition. Following this vote in the General Assembly, this Council must be able to fully shoulder its responsibilities and achieve a just decision based

on our common principles. France will continue to work on the new draft resolution presented by Brazil so that it can be adopted quickly. Mister President, the extreme severity of the situation in Gaza should not lead us to forget what is happening in the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory. France firmly condemns the violence perpetrated by settlers against the Palestinian population, acts of violence which are increasing in

the West Bank. We call on the Israeli authorities to put a stop to this. We must prevent this engulfing the entire region. France remains extremely worried following a launching of a shell that Land did in uniform headquarters in the south of Lebanon on the twenty eighth of October. France is committed to avoiding a spread of this conflict. This war has reminded us, as if any reminder were necessary, that the world can no longer ignore the legitimate aspirations of the

Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace and security. We all are aware of the conditions for this, namely the necessary security guarantees for Israel and a state for the Palestinians. We must all mobilize in order to restore a political horizon. The only viable solution is a two state solution, and France will continue its engagement within this council for it to adopt a resolution as quickly as possible.

We owe this to the Israelis and the Palestinians. Thank you. I thank the Permanent Representative of France for his statement, and I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Albanian Thank you, mister President. And let me thank Commissioner General Lazzarini, Executive Director Rousselle and Miss Dutton for the information provided. We pay tribute to you, your work and your teams on the ground, and mourn the loss of other sixty UN workers fallen in the line

of duty. The past three weeks have been dramatic for Israelis and Palestinians, and tormenting for the Middle East and many elsewhere. The overall death toll in civilian victims is frightening and unsustainable. We extend our condolences and deepest sympathy to the families of all victims, Israelis and Palestinians alike. Mister President, seventh of October will remain a defining moment in the never quiet history of the Middle

East. Hamas is brutality and terror, the worst in human behavior, will not and must not be forgotten in the current utterly complex situation, there is an accumulation of competing urgencies. The response to terror and the continued rocket launches from Gaza, the liberation of hostages, the protection of civilians, the provision of humanitary and help, and the increased risk of spillover of the conflict.

Let me quickly go through each of them. First. In its exercise of the right of self defense, which we recognize and support, like for every other country under attack, Israel is determined to eradicate Hamas. It should not be portrayed mistakenly as a license to punish Palestinians. It is beyond any doubt that conducting warfare in such a densely populated area as Gaza is difficult, challenging, very demanding, and it must be conducted prudently, professionally and in compliance

with international midtern law. We profoundly regret every innocent life lost, without distinction. While circumstances may be different, a loss is always a loss. Therefore, there is need for maximum precaution not to harm those who are twice in danger, first from Hamas and their policies on one hand, and a fight they have not chosen on the other. It is therefore extremely important and urgent to do everything possible that civilian populations are not found in that horpless place from

where there is no escape. Second, nothing can ever justify abducting and holding hostages innocent people, children, women and elderly, even less so using them as Hamas is doing. They must be liberated, They must be brought home. We welcome efforts from various actors in this respect and urge them to continue. Third, and hindered, umnitarian help at scale must be urgently provided to all those in need. We cannot contemplate children die in the hospital because of

the lack of medicine or electricity or water, or lack of communications. We cannot contemplate lack of food for entire families, adding to an already difficult situation that total break down or law and order because of lack of basic commodities. The Government of Israel has promised that soon aid with flaw in abundance, it should happen immediately. Those who are spared from the fighting do not need to

die from hunger. Colleagues, we try to put ourselves in Israel's shoes, feel the trauma of terror striking with the ferocity we cannot forget, face with an existential question with countries and proxies that seek openly to destroy it. I don't think anyone here or anywhere would feel at ease knowing that your next door neighbor is just waiting for the right moment to kill you. How can this not bring back horrible memories that fear and anxiety summarized in the Never Again Pledge.

But we also put ourselves in the very same way in the shoes of the Palestinians, feeling the unexplainable pain of civilians caught in the midst of a war that has befallen on them, a war first imposed by Hamas and the likes decide did it elsewhere by their masters, who are rubbing their hands in the face of casualties they had anticipated and hoped for in a turmoil of all

dangers. We feel for Palestinians, for who, for decades, at every time they neared to the horizon of their future with their state, those against would always be quicker to disrupt it and push it further away. We feel for those thousands on both sides of this terrible divide who have lost their loved once the families of the hostages, and all those torn apart by death and

grief and the insecurity of tomorrow. Wars are sometimes unavoidable because imposed, but they are always brutal, They bring inevitable destruction, They cause victims and sadly often casualties among those who don't deserve it. But even wars have laws and they must be respected. We believe and trust that there is a there. There is and must be a way to ensure that security of Israel and its people, while insuring the security and of and the perspective of all Palestinians who

do not want war colleagues. Beyond the tragedy unfolding in Israel and Gaza, the magnitude of the human suffering is impacting people across borders and identities, and we notice a sharp increase in the hate and division, including the threat of terrorism and targeted violence. This sharp and often confusing polarization fails to acknowledge our common humanity and that the killing of innocent civilians, regardless of religion or ethnic

background, is wrong unacceptable. The frightening images of the bloodthirsty mob yesterday in Dugistan hunting for Jewish people is another appalling illustration of intolerable and appalling rays of anti Semitism. No one should stay indifferent to relies, to allow of relies

where people chant kill the Jews or destroy Israel. This is why there is so much need for wisdom, responsibility and action on the ground and from this Council, because otherwise confusion, hatred, tension and violence will continue, not only in Gaza and the West Bank, but also elsewhere in the Middle East and beyond, dividing societies fueled by strong emotions, ideologies and beliefs, overpowering

cold minds and reason, and overshadowing forward looking perspectives. Last, but not least, Mister President, the serious risk of spillover Haspola is playing with fire and attacks from the northern border are becoming more and more threatening. If this continues, it may be a matter of time before the irreparable point is reached. It must be resisted since it will only bring the region and all the

countries involved near a catastrophe. In this respect, we're also very concerned for the situation in the West Bank. We condemn the extremest settler violence and Palestinians, which is totally unacceptable. Such acts must be full investigated and those responsible must be held accountable, mister President. In the face of so much complexity and adversity, we think it is urgent to start thinking about the gazz of

tomorrow, the Gaza without Hamas, without extremists. There is need to offer Palestinian civilians in Gaza a perspective, a new organization of life under a new administration. Hamas has let them down, Hamas has brought war to them. Hamas did not bring them prosperity because it invested in tunnels and rockets, in hatred and death. We need to start thinking how the fabric of the society can be repaired so that the children know that what shalom means instead of being

raised with and repeating death to the Jews. If not, the Hamas of today will only be replaced by the Hamas of tomorrow, maybe with another name, but with the same hatred, the same ideology, the same goals, embroiled in a never ending cycle of hurting the other, acting falsely in the name of God they disrespect, and acting falsely in the name of a future

they simply oppose. This is why there is a need to revive the political process as soon as possible, because in its absence there will only be unhappiness, poverty, discrimination, hatred, tension, never ending violence, victims and as it has happened many times, exploitation by terrorists, extremists and their supporters.

And let's not fool ourselves. The next war will be only deadlier, but it is preventable if we all work together with conviction and in good faith for peace, for last in peace, and I thank you, I thank the Permanent Representative of Albania. The show has been produced by Depictions Media. Please contact us at depictions dot media for more information