UNSC meets on Gaza ‘There is no military solution’ to end Israel-Palestine conflict
By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – UN Security Council on Sunday met in New York and addressed the reality of starvation on the ground in Gaza that It’s essential to work towards a two-State solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
UN officials warned that the Israeli cabinet’s green light this week for a fresh offensive aimed at gaining total military control of Gaza City home to around one million Palestinians would only risk igniting “another horrific chapter” of displacement, death and destruction.
Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, told ambassadors that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposed plan for “defeating Hamas” and the establishment of an alternative civilian administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority, risked “yet another dangerous escalation” that would destabilize the entire region.
According to Israeli media reports, the senior political affairs official continued, the Israeli plan foresees the displacement of all civilians from Gaza City by 7 October, affected some 800,000 people many previously displaced.
The reports indicated that forces would then surround the city for three months. It would be followed by an additional two months to seize control of central Gaza’s camps and clear the entire area of Palestinian armed groups.
Mr. Jenča said “If these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza, reverberating across the region and causing further forced displacement, killings, and destruction – compounding the unbearable suffering of the population.”
He called for a full, immediate, and permanent ceasefire, the unconditional, immediate release of all hostages and compliance with international humanitarian law by Israel.
Mr. Jenča said there was no military solution to end the conflict adding that planning for Gaza’s future “as we address the urgency of developments on the ground today,” is critical.
He called to establish political and security frameworks to ease the humanitarian crisis, while beginning recovery and reconstruction efforts that address the legitimate concerns of both Israelis and Palestinians – in line with realizing a two-State solution.
“Critically these frameworks must facilitate a legitimate Palestinian Government that can reunify Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, politically, economically and administratively.”
He noted that it must be made up of a united leadership representing all of Palestine.
He called on the Palestinian Authority to “advance its stated goal of holding elections” to this end.
Sr. humanitarian affairs official with OCHA Ramesh Rajasingham told the Council members that hunger-related deaths were already rising, ahead of any new mass-displacement policy for Gaza City.
“Whatever lifelines remain, are collapsing under the weight of sustained hostilities, forced displacement and insufficient levels of life-saving aid.”
He said with local authorities documenting the deaths of 98 children from severe acute malnutrition 37 since 1 July “this is no longer a looming hunger crisis this is starvation.”
Head of the humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA said he was extremely concerned over the “prolonged conflict and further human toll that is likely to unfold following the Government of Israel’s decision to expand military operations in Gaza.”
“This marks a grave escalation in a conflict that has already inflicted unimaginable suffering.”
“A grim milestone has also been crossed in the humanitarian community,” he lamented.
He noted that over 500 humanitarian workers have been killed in Gaza since hostilities escalated, including at least 167 women. Smear campaigns against aid operations continue unabated.
“As we approach World Humanitarian Day, we must insist on the protection of all aid workers,” he added.
He added that States all those with any influence must look within our bruised collective conscience and summon the courage to do what is necessary to end this inhumanity and pain.
Rajasingham stressed that civilians must be protected, and hostages must be released unconditionally. Arbitrarily detained Palestinians must be freed. Israel must agree to and facilitate humanitarian relief operations, both into and within the Gaza Strip, to reach the population in need.
The International Court of Justice’s provisional measures in the case on the application of the Genocide Convention in Gaza remain in place, he said included the demand that Israel take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.
Council’s members Denmark, France, Greece, Slovenia, and the Britain requested the meeting.
British Ambassador to the UN said that Israel Gaza decision ‘Path to More Bloodshed’, his delegation, along with other European members of the Council, requested the meeting “in response to the Government of Israel’s decision to further escalate its military operations in Gaza”.
Ambassador said “This decision is wrong,” urged Israel to reconsider it immediately, as expanding military operations will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict.
“This is not a path to resolution. It is a path to more bloodshed.” He added that many family members of the hostages have warned this decision will do nothing to secure the return of the hostages – instead, it risks further endangering their lives”.
His country is clear that Hamas must disarm and can play no future part in the governance of Gaza, where the Palestinian Authority must have a central role.
Denmark’s envoy said “For months, the world has watched in despair as conditions in Gaza have grown more catastrophic by the day,” urged Israel to reverse its decision, which will not secure the release of the hostages but only cause further bloodshed.
She rejected any forced displacement and cited the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice that any unilateral attempts to alter the demography or status of the Gaza Strip constitute a clear violation of international law. Today, the entire strip faces famine-like conditions.
“This is unconscionable,” she asserted, deploring the killing of starving civilians trying to get food.
“The alarming frequency and scale of these incidents are simply unacceptable,” she stressed.
She called for transparent investigations into these incidents. “We urge the warring parties to stop burying peace in the rubble,” she stated.
“Gaza is facing hell,” said Algeria’s representative, noting that the Strip is in the hands of an occupying Power that threatens the international peace and security.
He condemned in the strongest terms the decision of the Israeli cabinet to displace the entire population of Gaza City and northern Gaza and to impose full military control of the Gaza Strip.
The delegate asserted that “these are war crimes, and those who draw their maps in blood must not walk in the shadow of impunity”. “Justice must call them by name,” stressing that there must be accountability.
Somalia’s representative to the UN affirmed that Israel’s announcement of its intention to impose military control over the entire Gaza Strip “is not an abstraction. It is a chilling blueprint for the next chapter of devastation”. For the 2 million people still trapped in Gaza, it means the “escalation of what has already become hell on earth, literally and figuratively, leading to the world’s worst man-made famine”.
He recalled that the International Court of Justice “was unequivocal” that the occupation, blockade, denial of humanitarian access, and actions resulting in collective punishment violate international law.
Somali diplomat stressed the necessity of preserving the legal and historical status quo at the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, he stated: “True security cannot be built on top of the ruins of justice.”
He urged for a permanent ceasefire, he called the moment “a test for all of humanity”, as silence “is not neutrality. For all the victims, it is a verdict”.
US representative Dorothy Shea said that “today’s meeting is emblematic of the counterproductive role that far too many Governments on this Council and throughout the UN system have played on this issue”.
She said her country has been working tirelessly to free the hostages, end the war and give civilians in Gaza a future free of Hamas.
Ms. She noted that Israel has accepted three ceasefire proposals while Hamas consistently rejected them, she said that the simple truth is that this war could end today if Hamas let the hostages and all of Gaza go free.
She said “Remarkably,” “instead of pressuring Hamas, members of this body have encouraged and rewarded its intransigence actively, prolonging the war by spreading lies about Israel, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and the United States, and by handing propaganda victories to terrorists”.
US acting ambassador said that the most recent round of negotiations collapsed because Hamas drew encouragement from efforts to target Israel with libels and lies, the ill-conceived and performative two-State solution conference and unilateral announcements regarding recognition of a Palestinian State. Just days ago, a Hamas official touted the wave of recognition announcements as a result of the 7 October atrocities. “This is a disgrace,” she added.
Russian ambassador to the UN expressed disappointment that Panama, Council President for August, “ignored” the request of a majority of Council members including his country to convene an emergency meeting immediately, opted instead to hold it today.
He said this decision came “despite the extremely dangerous developments on the occupied Palestinian territory after the Israeli leadership’s announcement of a decision to escalate hostilities in the Gaza Strip, envisaging its occupation”.
He recalled that Israel’s foreign minister addressed the Council on 5 August and “shed crocodile tears in this Chamber over the fate of the Israeli hostages.”
Ambassador alleged that the senior official already knew the Israeli cabinet would soon take this decision, which he claimed essentially ruled out the hostages’ safe return.
He added that the visit was intended to “lay the groundwork” and create a media image of Council solidarity to justify continued military action against Palestinians.
Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine Riyad Masoor stated “Israel is killing Palestine in Gaza.” There, over 2 million victims are enduring unbearable agony that the human mind can barely comprehend.
“We owe them to act now to stop this genocide,” he asserted.
He pointed out to the plan adopted by the International High-Level Conference on Palestine. It foresees the Palestinian Authority resuming its sole governmental and security duties in the Gaza Strip with regional and international support and Hamas handing over its weapons. If Israel’s concern was the end of Hamas rule, it would have rallied behind this plan, he stressed.
Ambassador Riyad said Israel is prolonging the war not to disarm Hamas, but to prevent independent Palestinian statehood”.
He added that iIts goal is the destruction of the Palestinian people through forced transfer and massacres to facilitate its annexation of their land. Such illegal and immoral plans require “the mobilization of all the tools available to stop them,” he stressed.
He asked “How on earth is Israel still allowed to sit around this table?” as he addressed the international community.
He said “Your actions today will determine the fate of millions of people tomorrow, at least those who would have survived by then, and the fate of our region for generations to come.”
Israeli Ambassador to the UN called to establish Non-Israeli Administration Neither by Hamas nor Palestinian Authority.
He said that his country “has no plans or desire to permanently occupy Gaza”. Its latest decision is to liberate the Strip from a terror regime.
Israeli diplomat cited the five clear principles that the Israeli security cabinet adopted for concluding the war: the disarming of Hamas; the return of all hostages, both living and deceased; the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip; Israeli security control in the Gaza Strip; and the establishment of a non-Israeli, peaceful civil administration governed neither by Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.
He insisted that “This is the only way to ensure a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
