{"id":292668,"date":"2024-01-12T11:21:12","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T16:21:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=292668"},"modified":"2024-01-24T13:51:50","modified_gmt":"2024-01-24T18:51:50","slug":"as-israels-aerial-bombardments-intensify-there-is-no-safe-place-in-gaza-humanitarian-affairs-chief-warns-security-council-12jan2024","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/as-israels-aerial-bombardments-intensify-there-is-no-safe-place-in-gaza-humanitarian-affairs-chief-warns-security-council-12jan2024\/","title":{"rendered":"As Israel\u2019s Aerial Bombardments Intensify, \u2018There Is No Safe Place in Gaza\u2019, Humanitarian Affairs Chief Warns Security Council – Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Press Release"},"content":{"rendered":"
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12 JANUARY 2024<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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9531ST MEETING (PM)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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SC\/15564<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Delegates Reject Statements Proposing Palestinians Resettle Outside Territory<\/h4>\n

A staggering 85\u00a0per\u00a0cent of the total population of Gaza \u2014 1.9\u00a0million civilians \u2014 have been forcibly displaced amid Israel\u2019s military operations, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator told the Security Council today, as delegates categorically rejected any statements proposing that Palestinians should be resettled outside of Gaza, including from members of the Israeli Government.<\/p>\n

Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, painted a grim picture of the horrific situation in Gaza, where more than 23,000 people have been killed and more than 58,000 injured since 7\u00a0October. \u00a0Shelters are overflowing, food and water running out, the risk of famine growing by the day and the health system collapsing, with winter \u201cexacerbating the struggle to survive\u201d. \u00a0Describing as \u201cdeplorable\u201d that facilities critical to the survival of civilians have come under relentless attack, he said that, as ground operations move southwards, aerial bombardments have intensified in areas where civilians were told to relocate for their safety.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore and more people are being crammed into an ever-smaller sliver of land, only to find yet more violence and deprivation, inadequate shelter and a near absence of the most basic services,\u201d he continued.\u00a0 \u201cThere is no safe place in Gaza\u201d and dignified human life is \u201ca near impossibility,\u201d he said, adding: \u00a0\u201cEven if people were able to return home, many no longer have homes to go to.\u201d \u00a0Warning that the spread of hostilities further southwards would significantly increase pressure for the mass displacement of people into neighbouring countries, he firmly rejected any attempt to change the demographic composition of Gaza.<\/p>\n

Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, recalled that massive displacement in the enclave commenced on 12\u00a0October\u00a02023, with Israel ordering Palestinian civilians north of the Wadi Gaza to vacate their homes and go south.\u00a0 However, such compelled evacuation failed to comply with international law and could amount to forcible transfer \u2014 a war crime, she asserted.<\/p>\n

Warning against the risks of further massive displacement \u2014 potentially even beyond Gaza\u2019s borders \u2014 she said incendiary statements by some members of Israel\u2019s leadership pushing for permanent resettlement of Palestinians overseas have entrenched fears that Palestinians are being deliberately forced out of Gaza.\u00a0 Their right to return home must be subject to \u201can ironclad guarantee\u201d and Israel must support their return by restoring essential services and facilitating the necessary reconstruction of Gaza, given that the scale of destruction and the presence of unprecedented levels of explosive remnants of war represent major obstacles to their return.<\/p>\n

In the ensuing discussion, numerous delegates rejected recent statements by Israeli ministers vis-\u00e0-vis plans to encourage the mass transfer of civilians from Gaza to third countries. \u00a0Warning against a deepening humanitarian crisis and woefully inadequate aid levels, many called for an urgent and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.<\/p>\n

Algeria\u2019s delegate underscored that the barbaric bombardment of Gaza and targeting of all signs of life is clearly aimed at killing \u201cthe hope of returning home in the hearts and minds of Palestinians.\u201d\u00a0 Many officials of the occupying Power seek to terminate the Palestinian question by evacuating the entire occupied territory, he observed, rejecting the forced displacement as \u201cthere is no place for Palestinians except on their land\u201d.<\/p>\n

The representative of the United States rejected statements by some Israeli ministers calling for a resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza and opposed the advancement of settlements in the West Bank, highlighting her country\u2019s visa restrictions against individuals who are undermining peace there.\u00a0 Concurrently, she expressed concern over some Council members\u2019 refusal to condemn Hamas.<\/p>\n

The representative of the Russian Federation cited the threat of forced transfer of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as \u201cpart of the bloody puzzle that makes up the picture of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza\u201d.\u00a0 Civilian infrastructure in Gaza has been practically destroyed, while United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA) institutions \u2014 providing refuge to forcibly transferred persons \u2014 have continued to be subjected to Israeli bombings, he observed.<\/p>\n

Along similar lines, China\u2019s delegate categorically rejected any forced displacement of the Palestinian people, noting that the \u201cvoluntary emigration\u201d from Gaza that some Israeli leaders have called for would mean driving 2\u00a0million people out.\u00a0 That would constitute an atrocity crime under international law and destroy the prospect of the two-State solution, he said, also highlighting that Israel has placed numerous obstacles that block access to humanitarian supplies.<\/p>\n

The Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine said that, \u201cin 100 days, virtually every Palestinian in Gaza has been displaced multiple times, from a home to a Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ shelter to a tent \u2014 searching for safety everywhere, finding safety nowhere; searching for life anywhere, met by death everywhere.\u201d \u00a0Noting that the Palestinian people have been stripped of their right to live in freedom and dignity on their land for decades, he opposed Israel\u2019s criminal vision offering only three options:\u00a0 death, exodus or subjugation.<\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s delegate, meanwhile, stated that \u201cevery Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ body is weaponized against Israel by the Palestinians\u201d and South Africa\u2019s libellous case at the International Court of Justice is the epitome of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ\u2019s dystopian reality.\u00a0 \u201cThere is no forced displacement,\u201d he said, citing his Prime Minister\u2019s statement that Israel has no intention of displacing the population.\u00a0Instead, Israel is fighting Hamas terrorists, who use Gazans as human shields, he pointed out, adding that his Government requested the temporary evacuation of civilians to mitigate civilian casualties.<\/p>\n

THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST, INCLUDING THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Briefings<\/u><\/p>\n

MARTIN GRIFFITHS,\u00a0Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator<\/u>, said that, for nearly 100 days, what has been unfolding in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory is a war conducted with almost no regard for the impact on civilians.\u00a0 In Gaza, the situation remains horrific as relentless Israeli military operations continue, with the tens of thousands of people killed and injured, the vast majority women and children. \u00a0According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, more than 23,000 people have now been killed and more than 58,000 injured since 7\u00a0October. \u00a0A staggering 85\u00a0per\u00a0cent of the total population \u2014 1.9\u00a0million civilians \u2014 were forcibly displaced, traumatized and forced to flee again and again as the bombs and missiles rained down.\u00a0Highlighting the appalling conditions on the ground, he said shelters are overflowing, and food and water running out, and the risk of famine growing by the day. \u00a0The health system is in a state of collapse: \u00a0women are unable to give birth safely; children cannot get vaccinated; the sick and injured cannot get treatment; and infectious diseases are on the rise.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow winter has arrived in Gaza, bringing with it bitter cold, exacerbating the struggle to survive,\u201d he said, describing as \u201cdeplorable\u201d that facilities critical to the survival of the civilian population have come under relentless attack.\u00a0 A total of 134 United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA) facilities have been hit and 148 Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ personnel and non-governmental organization staff have been killed in Gaza. \u00a0\u201cHumanitarian sites have been struck on numerous occasions, despite their identification and notification to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF),\u201d he asserted. \u00a0As ground operations move southwards, aerial bombardments have intensified in areas where civilians were told to relocate for their safety.\u00a0 \u201cMore and more people are being crammed into an ever-smaller sliver of land, only to find yet more violence and deprivation, inadequate shelter and a near absence of the most basic services,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no safe place in Gaza,\u201d he said, noting that dignified human life is \u201ca near impossibility\u201d.\u00a0 Rafah, where the pre-crisis population was around just 280,000 people, is now home to 1\u00a0million displaced persons.\u00a0 Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ efforts to send humanitarian convoys to the north have been met with delays, denials and the imposition of impossible conditions. \u00a0The lack of respect for the humanitarian notification system puts every movement of aid workers in danger, as do the wholly insufficient quantities of armoured vehicles. \u00a0\u201cCorpses left lying in the road; people with evident signs of starvation stopping trucks in search of anything they can get to survive,\u201d he said, describing scenes of utter horror in the north. \u00a0\u201cEven if people were able to return home, many no longer have homes to go to,\u201d he said. \u00a0Describing the provision of humanitarian assistance across Gaza as \u201calmost impossible\u201d, he pointed to \u201clargely absent\u201d access to Khan Younis and the Middle Area.<\/p>\n

He went on to underscore that, while there has been some minor increase in the number of trucks entering via Rafah and Kerem Shalom, humanitarian supplies alone will not be able to sustain more than 2\u00a0million people. \u00a0The system for medical evacuation of patients to Egypt is also woefully inadequate in the face of the massive needs. \u00a0In these circumstances, the spread of hostilities further southwards would significantly increase pressure for the mass displacement of people into neighbouring countries.\u00a0 Some countries have already offered to host civilians who want to leave Gaza for their protection, he said, emphasizing that any persons displaced from Gaza must be allowed to return.\u00a0 Sounding deep alarm over recent statements by Israeli ministers vis-\u00e0-vis plans to encourage the mass transfer of civilians from Gaza to third countries, currently being referred to as \u201cvoluntary relocation\u201d, he stressed that \u201cany attempt to change the demographic composition of Gaza must be firmly rejected\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile Gaza is the epicentre of this crisis, let us not forget the 1,200 people killed, thousands injured, and hundreds taken in the brutal attack by Hamas and other armed groups on Israel on 7\u00a0October, and the accounts of abhorrent sexual violence,\u201d he said, adding that rocket-fire continues into populated areas of Israel, causing more civilian casualties and trauma.\u00a0 Also, more than 100,000 people have been displaced within Israel as a result of the 7\u00a0October attack by Hamas and other armed groups and due to ongoing rocket fire from armed groups in Gaza and Lebanon.\u00a0 Expressing extreme concern about the risk of a further regional spread of this conflict, he spotlighted increasing tension and hostilities in the West Bank and an alarming increase in settler violence.\u00a0 The upsurge in tensions and military activity in Lebanon, the Red Sea and Yemen demonstrates that \u201cwe cannot allow this to metastasize further\u201d as \u201cthe consequences of a wider conflagration would be unimaginable\u201d, he warned.\u00a0 \u201cWhat we have seen since 7\u00a0October is a stain on our collective conscience; unless we act, it will become an indelible mark on our humanity,\u201d he said, urging for a ceasefire and calling on the Council to take urgent action to bring this war to an end.<\/p>\n

ILZE BRANDS KEHRIS,\u00a0Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights<\/u>, described the current conditions in Gaza as \u201cnot just a by-product of conflict, but the direct result of the manner in which hostilities have been conducted\u201d.\u00a0 Massive displacement in the enclave commenced on 12\u00a0October\u00a02023 with Israel ordering Palestinian civilians north of the Wadi Gaza to vacate their homes and go south.\u00a0 Israel, however, has made \u201cscant provision\u201d to ensure such relocations comply with international law, failing to ensure access to appropriate hygiene, health, safety, nutrition and shelter. \u00a0Such compelled evacuations could amount to forcible transfer, a war crime.\u00a0 Many civilians have sought in vain to find locations safe from Israel\u2019s massive bombardment and other military operations.<\/p>\n

Compounding a 17-year blockade imposed by Israel, the occupying Power is failing in its obligations to facilitate entry of sufficient aid and essential commercial goods into Gaza, she said. \u00a0More than 90\u00a0per\u00a0cent of the population is now suffering from acute food insecurity \u2014 many on the brink of avoidable human-made famine. \u00a0Starvation of the civilian population as a method of war is prohibited, she warned, pointing to serious concerns about the potential commission of war crimes, as evidenced in the unacceptably high civilian casualty rate, the nearly complete destruction of essential civilian infrastructure, the displacement of most of the population and the abominable humanitarian conditions in which 2.2\u00a0million people are being forced to endure.\u00a0 The risk of further grave violations, even atrocity crimes, is real.\u00a0With people desperate for safety and security, the Council must be alive to the risks of further massive displacement, potentially even beyond Gaza\u2019s borders.<\/p>\n

In that regard, incendiary statements by some members of Israel\u2019s leadership pushing for permanent resettlement of Palestinians overseas have entrenched fears that Palestinians are being deliberately forced out of Gaza.\u00a0 Their right to return to home must be subject to \u201can ironclad guarantee\u201d.\u00a0 Israel, as the occupying Power, must support their return by restoring essential services and facilitating the necessary reconstruction of Gaza, given that the scale of destruction and the presence of unprecedented levels of explosive remnants of war represent major obstacles to their near-term return home.<\/p>\n

An immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages are indispensable first steps towards a durable solution, she stressed, insisting that the protection of civilians must be prioritized. \u00a0Settler violence in the West Bank must also be condemned and accountability must be vigorously pursued.\u00a0 \u201cThis current violence comes in the context of decades of human rights violations,\u201d she said, emphasizing the need to address the underlying root causes of conflict, including accountability for violations committed before, on and since 7\u00a0October.\u00a0 An enduring peace can be built only by ensuring justice and the rights of all peoples \u2014 both of Palestinians and Israelis, she asserted.<\/p>\n

Statements<\/u><\/p>\n

AMAR BENDJAMA (Algeria<\/u>) stated that what is happening in Gaza \u201cwill remain a disgrace on the conscience of humanity\u201d.\u00a0 He asked if it is not enough to kill 10,000 children, injure more than 60,000 people and destroy more than 60\u00a0per\u00a0cent of the buildings in Gaza, and for the entire population to face the risk of famine.\u00a0 The barbaric bombardment of Gaza and targeting of all signs of life is clearly aimed at killing \u201cthe hope of returning home in the hearts and minds of Palestinians\u201d, he said.\u00a0 He noted that many officials of the occupying Power seek to terminate the Palestinian question by evacuating the entire occupied territory \u2014 as while the focus is on Gaza, \u201cwe must not forget the West Bank and Jerusalem.\u201d\u00a0 Rejecting the forced displacement as \u201cthere is no place for Palestinians except on their land,\u201d he called for an urgent and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.<\/p>\n

LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD (United States<\/u>) observed: \u00a0\u201cIt has been more than three months since Hamas carried out the deadliest attacks against Jews since the Holocaust and set this conflict in motion\u201d.\u00a0 Israel has committed to have the United Nations send an assessment team to north Gaza, she said, rejecting statements by some Israeli ministers calling for a resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza.\u00a0Statements by Israeli officials calling for the mistreatment of Palestinian detainees or the destruction of Gaza are irresponsible, but she also expressed concern over some Council members\u2019 refusal to condemn Hamas. \u00a0On the unprecedented rise in violence in the West Bank, she noted that Palestinian extremist militants are carrying out attacks against Israeli civilians.\u00a0 Opposing the advancement of settlements in the West Bank, she highlighted her country\u2019s visa restrictions against individuals who are undermining peace there.\u00a0 Further, the Palestinian Authority must make steps towards reform and revitalization, and Israel must release revenues that allow the Authority to pay its security forces.\u00a0\u201cAt this profoundly difficult moment, the United States has stepped up\u201d to advance a vision for a lasting peace, she added.<\/p>\n

VASSILY A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation<\/u>) expressed concern over the threat of forced transfer of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, guided by unlawful steps taken by the West and Jerusalem.\u00a0 \u201cThis is only part of the bloody puzzle that makes up the picture of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza,\u201d he said, spotlighting the 23,000 deaths and the thousands still buried under ruins.\u00a0 Given the pace and power of strikes in populated areas, civilian infrastructure in Gaza has been practically destroyed.\u00a0 Further, most internally displaced or forcibly transferred persons have found refuge in Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA institutions that \u2014 despite their status \u2014 have continued to be subjected to Israeli bombings.\u00a0 This ghastly humanitarian situation demonstrates how catastrophic it could be to continue ignoring international law.\u00a0 While the 7\u00a0October attacks were reprehensible, they cannot legitimize Israel\u2019s subsequent, indiscriminate use of force.\u00a0 Highlighting the Council\u2019s failure to adopt a resolution unequivocally calling for an immediate ceasefire, he warned against further escalation.<\/p>\n

JOS\u00c9 JAVIER DE LA GASCA (Ecuador<\/u>), recalling that his delegation called\u00a0for an end to inflammatory statements more than a year ago, expressed regret that today\u2019s meeting was convened exactly because of such rhetoric.\u00a0 The Council has clearly rejected the forced displacement of the civilian population of Gaza, including children, in violation of international law.\u00a0Citing resolutions 2712 (2023) and 2720 (2023), he deplored that the Council\u2019s decisions have had a limited impact on the ground.\u00a0 Obviously, without a humanitarian ceasefire, those decisions cannot be implemented.\u00a0However, \u201cwe cannot lose heart\u201d, he said, urging the international community to do everything possible to improve the situation. \u00a0He went on to condemn Hamas\u2019 atrocious terrorist acts and called for both the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and for humanitarian-access guarantees.<\/p>\n

BARBARA WOODWARD (United Kingdom<\/u>) firmly rejected any statements proposing that Palestinians should be resettled outside of Gaza, including from members of the Israeli Government. \u00a0She voiced alarm that since 7\u00a0October, at least 198 Palestinian households, including 586 children, have been displaced following an increase in extremist settler violence, calling on the Government of Israel to not only condemn that violence but also take direct action. \u00a0Warning that current aid levels into Gaza are woefully inadequate and deepening the humanitarian crisis, she noted that the World Food Programme (WFP) reports that 9 out of 10 people there have less than one meal a day. \u00a0She called for a sustainable ceasefire in which Hamas no longer poses a threat to Israel\u2019s security, aid is delivered without hindrance and Palestinians can return to the areas of Gaza from which they have been displaced \u2014 further noting that immediate, sustained humanitarian pauses will also allow for hostages to be released.<\/p>\n

ZHANG JÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ (China<\/u>), noting that more than 23,000 people in Gaza have lost their lives, said that hundreds of thousands of people are struggling to survive in makeshift tents.\u00a0 Though an immediate ceasefire has become the overwhelming call of the international community, a permanent Council member has been using excuses to veto consensus. \u00a0Some people talk constantly about the protection of human rights and prevention of genocide while stonewalling and deflecting attention from the appalling situation in Gaza, he added.\u00a0 Any forced displacement of the Palestinian people must be firmly rejected, he stressed, pointing out that the \u201cvoluntary emigration\u201d from Gaza that some Israeli leaders have called for would mean driving 2\u00a0million people out. \u00a0That would constitute an atrocity crime under international law and would destroy the prospect of the two-State solution.\u00a0 On the dire humanitarian situation, he noted that Israel has placed numerous obstacles that block access to humanitarian supplies. \u00a0Welcoming the\u00a0Secretary-General\u2019s proposal to appoint Sigrid Kaag as United Nations Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza,\u00a0he underscored that only a ceasefire can prevent greater civilian casualties and create conditions for the early release of all hostages.<\/p>\n

VANESSA FRAZIER (Malta<\/u>) underscored the urgent need to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into and within Gaza, including through the opening of additional crossing points.\u00a0 Further, all arbitrary bureaucratic impediments to humanitarian operations must cease, the safety of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ staff and humanitarian workers must be secured and the remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza must be immediately released.\u00a0Establishing a humanitarian ceasefire is the only way to mount a meaningful humanitarian response throughout the entirety of Gaza, she stressed.\u00a0 Such a cessation of hostilities is also critical within the context of displaced Palestinian people, who must either be allowed to return to their homes or be provided with adequate, safe shelter until their homes are rebuilt.\u00a0Accordingly, she rejected any attempt to forcibly transfer Palestinians out of Gaza, adding that Israeli settler violence is \u201cunacceptable\u201d.<\/p>\n

YAMAZAKI KAZUYUKI (Japan<\/u>) noted the unimaginable extent of human suffering in Gaza, warning that famine is imminent and humanity is in crisis.\u00a0The international community must continue to work with a greater sense of urgency towards alleviating the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. \u00a0While the Council adopted resolutions 2712 (2023) and 2720 (2023), their effective implementation regrettably remains elusive due to the ongoing heavy fighting.\u00a0\u201cAs violent regional spillover is already happening, what is most urgent is the de-escalation of the conflict,\u201d he said, rejecting the recent inflammatory rhetoric by Israeli ministers on the \u201cresettlement\u201d of Palestinians outside of Gaza.\u00a0 Any attempt to forcibly displace the Palestinian people is inconsistent with relevant Council resolutions and violates international law, he said, stressing the need to create conditions to enable displaced Palestinians to return home safely while noting reports that Israel has agreed to allow the United Nations to carry out an assessment mission in northern Gaza.<\/p>\n

SAMUEL ZBOGAR (Slovenia<\/u>) expressed concern over statements made by some Israeli ministers proposing the mass displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, which would constitute a potential war crime under international humanitarian law.\u00a0Noting that 85\u00a0per\u00a0cent of Gazans have been displaced amid military operations, he called for humanitarian aid to be scaled up.\u00a0 He also expressed support for the appointment of Sigrid Kaag as Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, where essential infrastructure is damaged and no place is deemed safe. \u00a0Hamas\u2019 brutal acts \u2014 while unacceptable \u2014 cannot justify the disproportionate destruction of life and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, he stressed. \u00a0\u201cCondemning the statements on displacement is not enough,\u201d he added, underlining the need to prevent actions leading to displacement.\u00a0He therefore called for an immediate ceasefire to halt the destruction, facilitate the release of hostages and restore calm to the region.<\/p>\n

MICHAEL IMRAN KANU (Sierra Leone<\/u>) condemned in the strongest terms the heinous attack against Israeli civilians by Hamas and the taking of hostages, calling for their immediate and unconditional release.\u00a0 He further strongly condemned attacks on Palestinian civilians and infrastructure and collective punishment, rejecting any attempt to remove Palestinians from the Gaza Strip or the West Bank either temporarily or long-term.\u00a0 Voicing regret over the reported killing of about 23,000 Palestinian civilians, as well as the ultimate cost paid by Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and other humanitarian workers and journalists, he called for accountability for all those guilty of crimes against international humanitarian law.\u00a0 Expressing grave concern over the severe humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, he called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, which would bring an end to atrocities and reduce regional tensions.<\/p>\n

SANGJIN KIM (Republic of Korea<\/u>), condemning Hamas\u2019 attack on Israel, said that Gaza has become \u201ca place of death and despair\u201d.\u00a0 Even hospitals are targets for military operations and air strikes, he said, adding that there has been little improvement on the humanitarian front despite the adoption of resolutions 2712 (2023) and 2720 (2023).\u00a0 \u201cCountless trucks with humanitarian aid from numerous countries are lining up waiting for their turn to enter Gaza,\u201d he said.\u00a0 Underscoring Palestinians\u2019 right to live on their own land, he expressed concern over comments by high-level Israeli officials about the so-called \u201cvoluntary migration\u201d of Palestinians out of Gaza. \u00a0Resolution 2334 (2016) clearly condemns all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of Palestinian territory.\u00a0 \u201cGaza must not be resettled,\u201d he stressed, adding that such inflammatory rhetoric does not help to ease the tensions that are now widespread across the Middle East.<\/p>\n

CAROLYN RODRIGUES-BIRKETT (Guyana<\/u>) expressed concern over the forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza since 7\u00a0October, noting multiple instances of this within the territory.\u00a0In this context, she sounded alarm over statements by certain officials suggesting that Palestinians in Gaza should be forcibly transferred to countries in the region and elsewhere. \u00a0\u201cPalestinian men, women and children have been herded into smaller and smaller spaces in the Gaza Strip and forced to eke out an existence in the most inhumane conditions and without an adequate supply of food, water, medicine, fuel and other basic items essential for survival,\u201d she said. \u00a0Further, displaced persons live with the constant threat of bombs killing or maiming them and their loved ones.\u00a0 Calling for an immediate ceasefire, she warned: \u00a0\u201cDisplacement will continue, because people will have to keep moving in the hope of finding safety somewhere in the hell that is Gaza right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

DOMINGOS EST\u00caV\u00c3O FERNANDES (Mozambique<\/u>) warned that regional escalation of the conflict in the Middle East has reached the highest level, underscoring the imperative that fighting must cease immediately before the consequences spread any further or before it is too late to stop and limit its repercussions.\u00a0 Council members have an obligation to ensure moderation and restraint. \u00a0International laws must take precedence over these actions. \u00a0\u201cAn immediate ceasefire is our best hope,\u201d he said, as it would allow humanitarian access under Council resolutions 2712 (2023) and 2720 (2023). \u00a0Most importantly, it would potentially enable negotiations towards peace and a two-State solution: \u00a0Israel and Palestine coexisting peacefully in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the Council and the General Assembly.<\/p>\n

ADRIAN DOMINIK HAURI (Switzerland<\/u>) condemned the unjustifiable acts of terror committed by Hamas on 7\u00a0October, reiterating the call for all hostages still held in Gaza to be immediately and unconditionally released. \u00a0Noting that, since that day, more than 23,400 people have been killed and more than 59,600 injured \u2014 with 85\u00a0per\u00a0cent of the population of Gaza forced to flee \u2014 he condemned all statements aimed at expelling civilians from the Occupied Palestinian Territory. \u00a0He also called for an urgent increase in humanitarian aid into Gaza, warning that famine is already affecting half a million Gazans and observing that the use of starvation as a method of warfare \u201cmay constitute a war crime\u201d.\u00a0 On that, he recalled that the International Criminal Court is investigating the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, covering both the events of 7\u00a0October and those currently taking place in Gaza and the West Bank.<\/p>\n

NICOLAS DE RIVI\u00c8RE (France<\/u>), Council President for January, speaking in his national capacity, echoed the call for a lasting ceasefire, adding that this is vital to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the civilians in Gaza. \u00a0His country will continue to provide humanitarian, financial and material aid to the Gaza Strip.\u00a0 Calling for the immediate release of all hostages, he said the Council must condemn the attacks perpetrated by Hamas and other terrorist groups on 7\u00a0October\u00a02023. \u00a0France will continue its work to impose sanctions against Hamas at a European level, he added, also expressing support for the two-State solution, with both States having Jerusalem as their capital.\u00a0 \u201cWe must work to build a State for the Palestinian people\u201d, he said, highlighting the pivotal role of the Palestinian Authority in that process.\u00a0 Condemning Israel\u2019s settlement policy, he said it is crucial to put an end to settler violence in the West Bank. \u00a0\u201cFrance staunchly condemns the Houthi attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea\u201d, he said, adding that \u201cthese undermine navigational rights and freedoms\u201d.<\/p>\n

RIYAD MANSOUR,\u00a0Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine<\/u>, thanked South Africa for its moral leadership with the case it presented before the International Court of Justice against Israel for genocide. \u00a0The world is watching a Nakba unfold, he said, adding that 70\u00a0per\u00a0cent of Palestinians in Gaza are already refugees who were denied their right of return for decades now. \u00a0Many of the people in Gaza have had their homes destroyed in previous assaults. \u00a0Palestinians in Gaza today mourn their loved ones, and mourn their homes, that they built and rebuilt for themselves and their families. \u00a0\u201cIn 100 days, virtually every Palestinian in Gaza has been displaced multiple times, from a home to a Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ shelter to a tent \u2014 searching for safety everywhere, finding safety nowhere; searching for life anywhere, met by death everywhere,\u201d he said, stating: \u00a0Israel \u201ckilled and maimed our children, our doctors, our journalists, our engineers, our poets, our academics\u201d.<\/p>\n

While Israel was hoping Palestinians would leave under the pressure of its bombardments, they have not; now it is hoping they will leave because of the destruction the bombs have left behind, he continued.\u00a0 \u201cOur people have a simple dream, to live in freedom and dignity on their land,\u201d he said, stressing that they have been stripped of their right for decades.\u00a0 With mass killings of Palestinians by Israel continuing, death is everywhere and \u201cstarvation, dehydration, disease are spreading like wildfire\u201d.\u00a0 Israel wants the Palestinian people to choose between destruction and displacement, between genocide and ethnic cleansing, he asserted, opposing the supremacist, racist and criminal vision that this conflict could end by Palestinians accepting that they have only three options: \u00a0death, exodus or subjugation.\u00a0 \u201cAll those who want to see shared peace and security should not spread fire. \u00a0They must support an immediate ceasefire\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n

GILAD MENASHE ERDAN\u00a0(Israel<\/u>) said that none of the resolutions adopted by the Council and the\u00a0General Assembly condemned Hamas for their massacre of 1,300 Israelis.\u00a0 Not a single discussion has been dedicated to advance the release of hostages. \u00a0During these 100 days, not once did the Council convene to focus on a baby held hostage.\u00a0 The\u00a0United Nations\u00a0has lost all moral credibility.\u00a0 He recalled that 76 years ago, the Organization represented a moment of justice and morality when the\u00a0General Assembly decided to\u00a0establish a Jewish State and an Arab State.\u00a0 Israel accepted the decision, while the Palestinians rejected it and have used every means to annihilate Jews, including by using the United Nations\u00a0as a weapon.\u00a0 \u201cEvery Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ body is weaponized against Israel by the Palestinians,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He said that the Arab League representative on the Council found it crucial to discuss the force displacement of Gazans in the same week that Gaza was already discussed. \u00a0\u201cThere is no forced displacement,\u201d he said, citing his Prime Minister\u2019s statement that Israel has no intention of displacing the population.\u00a0Israel is solely fighting Hamas terrorists, who use Gazans as human shields.\u00a0 To mitigate civilian casualties, Israel requested the temporary evacuation of civilians.\u00a0 Over 1\u00a0million Afghan-Muslims are being forcibly removed from their homes in Pakistan, but the Council has not convened even once to focus solely on defending their rights. \u00a0Why? \u00a0Because \u201cno Jews, no news\u201d.<\/p>\n

In 2023, the Assembly passed more resolutions against Israel than against Iran, the Democratic People\u2019s Republic of Korea and Syria combined. \u00a0The Emergency Relief Coordinator said that Gaza\u2019s humanitarian situation is the worst he has ever seen.\u00a0 But didn\u2019t he see the killings by Cambodia\u2019s Khmer Rouge and 400,000 Yemenis murdered?\u00a0The list of different Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ bodies that have been weaponized against Israel is endless.\u00a0 But of all, there is one that puts all others to shame \u2014 the Human Rights Council.\u00a0 Of its 47 members, only 17 actually uphold human rights.\u00a0 South Africa\u2019s libelous case at the\u00a0International Court of Justice\u00a0is the epitome of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ\u2019s dystopian reality.\u00a0 The Convention on the Prevention of Genocide adopted following the genocide of the Jewish people is now being weaponized against the State while serving Hamas perpetrators.<\/p>\n

Mr. BENDJAMA (Algeria<\/u>), taking the floor a second time, thanked his colleagues for their substantive contributions regarding the forced displacement of the Palestinian population.\u00a0 There is consensus within the Council on the need to categorically reject any project aiming to directly or indirectly bring about such displacement \u2014 a rare and invaluable consensus that will reverberate around the world.\u00a0 He stressed that, in his region, the United Nations and the Council must restore their credibility and rebuild trust.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

12 JANUARY 2024   9531ST MEETING (PM) SC\/15564 Delegates Reject Statements Proposing Palestinians Resettle Outside Territory A staggering 85\u00a0per\u00a0cent of the total population of Gaza \u2014 1.9\u00a0million civilians \u2014 have been forcibly displaced amid Israel\u2019s military operations, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator told the Security Council today, as delegates categorically rejected any statements proposing […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":299,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[660,759,807,834,867,897,906,969,5248,1593,1065,1074,5836,1119,1152,2321,2553],"document-category":[1329],"document-source":[2169,1825,1362],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1769,1829,2265,2033,2005,1741,5200,6845,1745,6866,6844,6251,1841],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6542],"class_list":["post-292668","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","country-algeria","country-china","country-ecuador","country-france","country-guyana","country-israel","country-japan","country-malta","country-mozambique","country-palestine-state-of","country-republic-of-korea","country-russian-federation","country-sierra-leone","country-slovenia","country-switzerland","country-united-kingdom","country-united-states-of-america","document-category-press-release","document-source-office-for-the-coordination-of-humanitarian-affairs-ocha","document-source-office-of-the-united-nations-high-commissioner-for-human-rights-ohchr","document-source-security-council","document-subject-armed-conflict","document-subject-casualties","document-subject-ceasefire","document-subject-children","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-human-rights-and-international-humanitarian-law","document-subject-humanitarian-relief","document-subject-protection-of-civilians","document-subject-refugees-and-displaced-persons","document-subject-settler-violence","document-subject-war-crimes","document-subject-west-bank","document-subject-women","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/292668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/299"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/292668\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":292672,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/292668\/revisions\/292672"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=292668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=292668"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=292668"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=292668"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=292668"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=292668"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=292668"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=292668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}