Statement by Ambassador at the UN Security Council
meeting on Gaza.
Thank you, President, and thank you Special Coordinator
Wennesland for your briefing today.
Mr Lockyear I join others in offering condolences to the families
and friends of those who’ve lost their lives, and also I salute
the courage of those who’ve decided to stay. Your briefing to us
was harrowing and your message was unequivocal and clear and I
thank you for that.
Colleagues, we all know that Palestinian civilians are facing a
devastating and growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We want the
fighting to stop now.
But simply calling for a ceasefire now doesn’t make it happen and
won’t make it sustainable. That is why we are calling for
an immediate suspension in fighting to get aid in and hostages
out, and then progress towards a sustainable, permanent
ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and
death.
That means: the release of all hostages; the formation of a new
Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by
an international support package; removing Hamas’s capability to
launch attacks against Israel; Hamas no longer being in charge of
Gaza; and, a political horizon which provides a credible and
irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.
Current negotiations are critical to secure the release of the
hostages held in Gaza as well as progress towards our shared
objective of a sustainable ceasefire. The UK government continues
to work intensively with partners across the region to support
this and we call on all actors to do the same.
President, we are gravely concerned by the prospect of an Israeli
offensive on Rafah which would have disastrous consequences for
the civilians sheltering there with nowhere else to go.
Over half of Gaza’s population are sheltering in the area, and
the Rafah crossing is vital to ensure aid can reach the people
who so desperately need it.
That is why the immediate priority must be a suspension in the
fighting, which is the best route to secure the safe release of
hostages and significantly step up the aid reaching Gaza.
We are also gravely concerned that the UN World Food Programme
has had to pause deliveries of food aid to northern Gaza. We
continue to stress the need for Israel to support the UN to
distribute aid effectively across the whole of Gaza, including in
the north as the Special Coordinator referred to. And for Israel
to open more crossing points into Gaza. Nitzana and Kerem Shalom
must be open for longer.
Israel must also ensure effective deconfliction in Gaza, and take
all possible measures to ensure the safety of medical personnel
and facilities.
As we approach Ramadan, we urge all parties to call for calm and
not inflame tensions around the holy sites. We call on everyone
to respect their sanctity and security.
Now more than ever we need to generate momentum towards a
permanent peace. The UK will continue to work intensively in
support of a two-state solution which guarantees justice, peace
and security for the people of two states - Israel and Palestine.
