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A senior United Nations official informed the Security Council today that the widespread destruction and loss of life in Gaza is appalling and must cease immediately. The session also included an emotional plea from the brother of an Israeli hostage held by Hamas, who urged the Council to ensure his brother’s life is not used as a negotiating tool.
“Ceasefire is long overdue,” asserted Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the United Nations Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, since October 7, 2023, more than 45,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in Gaza. Israeli sources report over 1,700 Israeli and foreign nationals have been killed in attacks either in or originating from Gaza. Khiari emphasized that all hostages must be treated humanely and allowed Red Cross visits, condemning any acts of sexual violence or abuse against them.
International humanitarian law applies universally, regardless of reciprocity, Khiari stressed. Protecting civilians is of utmost importance. There must be full accountability for any crimes against humanity, he added, condemning aid theft and calling for comprehensive investigations into such acts.
Khiari also reiterated that all Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, lack legal validity and violate international law. He called on Israel to halt these provocative settlement activities immediately.
Shira Efron, Director of Research at Israel Policy Forum, remarked that the conflict remains a profound tragedy for both Jews and Arabs. She noted that, 438 days after October 7, 2023, 100 hostages, including a two-year-old child and an 86-year-old elder, remain in captivity. Gaza is experiencing unimaginable devastation, with countless lives lost, families shattered, homes destroyed, and a population struggling to access basic necessities like food and water.
Efron warned that without moving from rhetoric to actual planning, a two-state solution will remain an elusive dream. “There is still no coherent plan for post-war Gaza,” she pointed out, adding that without the involvement of the Palestinian Authority, regional and international partners will not engage in its recovery. The Israeli government’s rejection of Palestinian Authority participation exacerbates the risks of either full Israeli control over Gaza or a resurgence of Hamas.
Involving the Palestinian Authority and ensuring it has the means to succeed could alleviate financial and economic pressures in the West Bank. Efron emphasized the need for the Palestinian Authority to reform its controversial payment system, address incitement, and undertake educational reforms. Israel should take decisive steps to curb settler violence in the West Bank. “The UN and Israel must mend their fractured relationship,” she stated.
During the ensuing debate, delegates voiced their concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel’s ongoing settlement expansion. Malta’s representative called for an end to Israel’s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the unconditional release of all hostages.
Guyana’s delegate urged Israel to fulfill its legal obligations as an occupying power, protecting the rights and interests of the Palestinian people. “It is unjust that Palestinians live under the constant threat of violence and death by Israeli security forces and settlers,” she said. The Council has yet to reach a consensus to act, while hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians are killed, disabled, orphaned, widowed, and starved.
Representatives from several nations, including Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Switzerland, Japan, Mozambique, Ecuador, the United Kingdom, France, and the Republic of Korea, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, expressing concern over the destruction of homes and the exposure of the vulnerable population to harsh winter weather.
“In Gaza, people are not living; they are simply waiting to die,” declared Algeria’s delegate. Humanitarian aid is grossly insufficient to meet the needs of the population. Entire neighborhoods have been demolished. Violence, disease, and starvation are rampant. “Gaza has become a graveyard of the living,” he said.
The Russian Federation’s representative criticized the United States for vetoing ceasefire proposals, allowing Israeli military operations to continue. He pointed to statements by Israeli officials about forcibly altering Gaza’s demographics and condemned the systematic destruction of Palestinian homes in the West Bank. “If you push people to a point where they have nothing to lose, don’t be surprised when radical ideas take root,” he warned.
China’s delegate noted that while the Jewish people have long had a state, the Palestinian people’s right to statehood has been neglected. The prolonged occupation breeds hatred and instability. He argued that only comprehensive crisis management can prevent the cycle of conflict. Gaza’s future should be determined by the Palestinian people.
The United States representative stated that granting Hamas’s demand for a ceasefire will not end the violence for Israelis and Palestinians. “We must demand Hamas release the hostages,” she said. Israel and the UN should work together to ensure uninterrupted humanitarian aid. Advancing Israeli settlements impedes a two-state solution. Numerous violent attacks have forced Palestinians to leave their homes and villages.
“In Gaza, every Palestinian life has been turned upside down or ended,” said the Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, noting that Palestinian children now form the largest group of child amputees per capita. He recalled his delegation’s call for a ceasefire over a year ago and lamented that it was vetoed by the United States. Israel aims to seize as much Palestinian land as possible while displacing Palestinian communities. He concluded by welcoming the launch of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution and emphasized the need for states to uphold international law. “We ask for nothing more than the rights guaranteed by international law, but we cannot accept anything less,” he said.