The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question - Security Council, 10155th meeting

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President? What about.
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The 10,155th 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 adopted.
In accordance with rule 37 of the councils provisional Rules of Procedure.
I invite the representative of Israel to participate in this meeting.
It is so decided.
In accordance with rule 39 of the councils Provisional Rules Rules of Procedure I invite the following prefers to participate in this meeting.
Mr.
Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator.
Mr.
Nickolay Mladenov, High Representative for Gaza Board of Peace, and Mr.
Rami Yizhong, director of Humanitarian projects in the Gaza Strip, Palestine Red Crescent Society.
It is so decided.
I propose that the Council invite the permanent observer of the observer state of Palestine to the United Nations to participate in the meeting in accordance with the Provisional Rules of Procedure and the previous practice.
In this regard there have been no objection.
It is so decided.
The Security Council will now begin its consideration of item two of the agenda.
I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2026/418.
A letter dated 15th of May, 2026 from the Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, addressed to the president of the Security Council.
And I'll give the floor to Mr.
Ramiz Alakbarov.
Mr.
president, members of the Security Council, I would like first to acknowledge the presence of high level Representative Mladenov and thank him for his tireless efforts to advance the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan in Gaza.
As I brief you today, the situation across the occupied Palestinian territory is increasingly precarious in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Settlements expansion, settler related violence and incitement continue to drive tensions in Gaza.
Delays in implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2803, alongside with daily violence and continuing to maintain crisis, have replaced the early momentum following the ceasefire as talks on advancing to phase two of the ceasefire continue, calls are emerging in some circles for resumption of hostilities.
This would have disastrous consequences for the population of Gaza.
Let me be very clear the people of Gaza cannot take more war.
This scenario must be avoided at all costs.
The implementation of resolution 2803 cannot wait.
All elements of comprehensive plan and interconnected and must be implemented in full.
These include the disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups Israeli withdrawal.
Deployment of international stabilisation Force, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and CAG must be enabled to take up its responsibilities in coordination with the Palestinian Authority.
Mr.
president, as diplomatic efforts continue, people's lived reality in Gaza is marked by deep uncertainty.
Israeli strikes continue on nearly daily basis, killing dozens during the reporting period alongside armed activity by Hamas and other Palestinian groups.
Israeli authorities have said that strikes by the Israeli Defense Forces have targeted Hamas militias, militants and related infrastructure.
The Israeli government said that it now controls 60% of Gaza, up from 52% since the ceasefire.
Humanitarian conditions remain acute and the population remains dependent on daily aid delivery.
The reopening of Zikim crossing in mid-April and a limited increase in the volume of aid are welcome improvements.
However, humanitarian operations remain heavily constrained by limited operational crossings and restrictions on critical humanitarian items that Israel considers dual use.
In recent days, the entry of pest control chemicals has helped to facilitate rodent control operations to improve hygiene conditions.
However, critical shortages of fuel engines, spare parts and pesticides are disrupting international services, heightening public health risks.
Funding equally remains highly constrained.
As of today, the Humanitarian response plan for the OPT estimated at 4.8 12.06 billion, has received only 540 million USD.
Last week, during my visit to Gaza, I witnessed the impact of all these obstacles and many more.
Yet there were also signs of resilience and renewal.
I visited a women led household garden providing fresh food for the family and local markets.
I spoke with women's organizations about their efforts to advance Gaza recovery, and I heard from Gaza one children's committee.
Those message was clear the children of Gaza deserve to live.
They deserve to enjoy their basic rights.
They deserve a Gaza free from violence and deprivation, where they can build a brighter future together with their families.
We must do everything we can to make this a reality, Mr.
President.
To do so, we must put in place the mechanism to enable the sustainable recovery in line with Security Council Resolution 2802, UN will continue to provide urgently needed humanitarian assistance and lay the groundwork for early and long term recovery.
The recently published RDA, carried out jointly with European Union and World Bank, details the scope of our collective task and the recent meeting of the AD hoc Liaison Committee and the Global Alliance in Brussels helped shape a coordinated approach towards the formidable challenges ahead.
The UN continues to engage with mediators, the Board of Peace and other actors across the region working to improve the situation on the ground.
The UN Early Recovery Trust Fund Horizon Fund, established jointly with the PA, is a critical vehicle for our collective effort to scale up recovery and in an effective, accountable and transparent manner.
I wish to express my deep appreciation to France, Italy, Netherlands and Switzerland for their commitment to the fund.
Ultimately, recovery in Gaza must advance long established political objectives.
The reunification of Gaza Strip and the West Bank under a single legitimate, sovereign Palestinian government and restore political process that will end the unlawful occupation and realize the two state solution in line with relevant Security Council resolutions, international law and previous agreements.
Mr.
president, meanwhile, the situation in the West Bank continues to deteriorate.
During the reporting period, Israeli planning authorities advanced two plans for over 640 housing units in area C of the West Bank and in East Jerusalem The planning authorities advanced the plan.
Over 1620 housing units in the settlement of his Gad there.
During the reporting period, five Palestinians, including two children, were killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank and 156, including 20 children, were injured by Israeli forces or settlers, according to Israeli sources.
Seven Israelis were injured, including one five year old child and two soldiers in Palestinian attacks against Israelis throughout the West Bank.
The frequency and severity of settler attacks have significantly increased.
In 2022, some 220 Palestinian communities have faced attacks, which are increasingly leading to the displacement of the entire community.
On a recent visit to Jordan Valley with members of the diplomatic community, I witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of settler violence, destruction of Palestinian property and increasing access to treatment.
I urge the Israeli authorities to take urgent and concrete steps to stop these intensifying attacks and halt the.
In response to the mounting violence and rapidly expanding settlement footprint on 11th May, the European Union announced sanctions on Israeli extremist settlers and entities as well as on leading Hamas figures in East Jerusalem.
There are no.
Jerusalem Day flags marched through.
The old City was accompanied, as in previous years, by acts of violence and racist chants for Israeli participants toward Palestinian residents.
There were also incidents instances of Israeli senior officials and members of Knesset appearing to violate the status quo at the holy sites.
As in the previous years, hundreds of Israeli and Palestinian activists organized teams to prevent violence and to protect Palestinians and their property from attacks.
Palestinian officials and political figures have also continued to use inflammatory language against Israel.
Separately, on 17th May, the government of Israel approved plans to establish an IDF museum and recruitment center and an office for the Israeli defense minister on the compound and Sheikh Jarrah, following its early seizure and partial demolition by Israeli authorities, the secretary general strongly condemned this decision.
On 25th April, Palestinian local elections were held across the West Bank as well as in Deir Al-balah in central Gaza.
Despite many challenges in the West Bank and dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, the Central Elections Committee delivered an orderly process demonstrating notable institutional resilience.
The United Nations stands ready to support future electoral processes in line with commitments made by Palestinian authorities.
Mr.
president, in recent months, my colleagues and I have briefed this Council about the potential for progress towards a sustainable political solution.
Security Council Resolution 2803 created a crucial window of opportunity We now have the collective responsibility to ensure its implementation.
We cannot ignore the current alarming trends or the dire implications for Palestinians, Israelis and the entire region.
This is the moment to take urgent steps to reverse these dangerous dynamics.
Many are still tirelessly pursuing peaceful solutions.
On the 30th April, thousands gathered in Tel Aviv for the People's Peace Summit, calling for an end to Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a political agreement.
As the peace activist Aziza Busara and Maoz Inon reminded us in their book, The Future is Peace, even those who have endured professional, profound personal loss in this conflict can choose reconciliation over revenge and to work to build peace from the ground up.
We must urgently work to return to the.
To return the parties to a path towards an end to the conflict.
In the context of the two state solution, the United Nations will continue to support Palestinians and Israelis in achieving this goal Mr.
president, I thank you and the Council for your attention.
I thank Mr.
Alakbarov for his briefing.
I now give the floor to Mr.
Mladenov for to make a briefing.
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Mr.
president, members of the Security Council thank you for the opportunity to brief the council for a second time.
Before I begin, allow me to express my words of gratitude and appreciation to the Deputy Special Coordinator, Rami Alakbarov, and his team for the excellent and tireless work that they are doing to help the people of Gaza through an extremely difficult period.
Mr.
president, when I last appeared before you, the framework for the decommissioning of weapons in Gaza had been agreed among the guarantors and presented to the parties.
And I told you that engagement is the first written report on implementation of Security Council resolution 2803 of the Board of Peace is now before you.
It records what has been done.
It records.
What are the challenges ahead? What I want to do today is something a report cannot do.
I want to explain in plain language what we are actually asking of the parties and why we are asking.
Mr.
president, let me begin where everything begins with the people of Gaza.
Some things have changed for the better, and we should be neither too proud nor too cautious to say so.
The guns have largely fallen silent across the Gaza Strip for the first time in two years.
Every hostage has been returned to their family.
Before last autumn, around 1300 trucks a week entered Gaza, and the overwhelming majority of that aid was being either looted or seized by armed groups before it reached its intended.
Since the ceasefire.
That figure has significantly increased and the hunger situation has improved meaningfully for the population and humanitarian aid diversion has fallen to around 1%.
The number of people receiving food assistance has risen from 400,000 to roughly 2 million.
None of this was inevitable.
None of it should be taken for granted.
But I will not stand before this council and call this recovery, because there is no recovery in Gaza.
Around 80% of the buildings in the Gaza Strip are damaged or destroyed.
Some 70 million tonnes of rubble still lie where homes and schools and hospitals used to stand, with much of it mixed with unexploded ordnance.
More than a million people have no permanent shelter.
They are living this morning in tents and in the broken shells of buildings.
Roughly 80 out of every 100 working age Palestinians in Gaza have no work.
Water is scarce.
The health and education systems have not been rebuilt.
They have been broken.
And the cease fire.
The most important part.
The cease fire is holding.
But it is holding in a way that is far from perfect.
There are daily violations.
Some of them are serious.
They mean civilians are still being killed.
Families still live in fear and uncertainty.
They mean that movement on the ground.
Restrictions and delays continue to obstruct humanitarian access and ordinary life.
This is the sad reality of today.
But the cease fire is the foundation of the entire transition ahead of us.
Every violation risks unraveling what has been painstakingly built, and this council should accept nothing less than maximum restraint and the honoring of commitments already made by all sides.
I would ask the Council to hold two things in view at once.
As I asked you the first time I sat in this meeting.
The horror of the 7th of October does not lessen the suffering of the Palestinian people, and the suffering of the Palestinian people does not lessen the horror of the 7th of October.
The entire purpose of what this Council authorised in resolution 2803 is to make certain that neither is ever repeated or perpetuated.
Mr.
president, let me explain to the Council how we arrived at the document that we referred to as the roadmap to the complete implementation of President Trump's Gaza Comprehensive Peace Plan, which is now before the parties, because the manner of its making matters as much as its content.
Since December, my office and the guarantors of the ceasefire Egypt, Turkey, Qatar and the United States have worked together to design the next implementation step of the 20 Joint Comprehensive Plan in December.
The principles of the Civilian and Security Transition Framework were agreed among the guarantors.
From those principles, we built a detailed proposal for implementation.
It has been put to the Palestinian factions in session after session, after rounds of consultations, and based on feedback from the factions to the proposal.
A 15 point roadmap accompanied by a proposed implementation annex, was written in response to the questions and concerns that the factions themselves raised.
This has never been a take it or leave it text, and I want the Council to hear that clearly.
It is a serious instrument built by the guarantors, revised in light of what the parties said to us.
The architecture of the roadmap rests on a single principle.
The principle is reciprocity.
Each step by one side triggers a step by the other.
It is also built around a fact that none of us can wish away the tragedy The trust between Israelis and Palestinians is below zero today.
So the design introduces a verification mechanism.
Each step is confirmed by an independent committee before the next is taken.
If a step is missed, the next step is not taken.
Mr.
president, let me take the council through the roadmap so that there is no mystery about what it offers.
It opens with five important principles.
The first binds every party to implement in full both Security resolution 2803 and the Comprehensive Plan And it states the purpose plainly to end the cycle of destruction, to restore civilian life, to enable Palestinian governance, reconstruction, security and economic recovery, and through that, to open a credible path to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.
The second principle states that every outstanding obligation under the ceasefire agreement must be completed in full and without delay before the next stage.
In plain terms, this means that things promised to the people of Gaza at the start a fuel, the crossings shelter and the completion of all measures included in the Sharm el-Sheikh humanitarian protocol are not forgotten and are not optional.
They are to be delivered before anyone is asked to implement the next steps of the roadmap.
This is a sequencing mechanism designed to ensure fair implementation.
Let me be clear.
We had secured guarantees from Israel that once Hamas commits to this roadmap, Israel will move promptly to fulfil its remaining commitments under the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement.
Hamas's agreement to the to the 15 point roadmap would have allowed the guarantors and my team to work with both parties on defining the next steps and the timelines of implementation of the roadmap to date.
Despite our best efforts and the efforts, the guarantors.
That has not happened.
The third principle is the gate itself.
No stage begins until the obligations of the stage, before it has been verified and certified by an implementation Verification committee, a body that should be composed of representatives of the guarantors, the International Stabilisation Force and the Board of Peace.
This is the reciprocity principle made operational.
It means no party can be asked to move on the strength of a promise.
It means progress is earned step by step The fourth principle sets out the chain of authority, and it is worth stating it precisely because it is so often misunderstood.
The Board of Peace, established under the plan and endorsed by the Council, oversees governance, reconstruction and redevelopment until a reformed Palestinian Authority can resume its responsibilities in Gaza.
It acts through the office of the High Representative, which connects the board to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
The engaged and holds the civilian and security tracks together under the same mandate.
The Board and co-operating states stand up the International Stabilisation Force.
This is a temporary, accountable, internationally mandated bridge not a substitute for Palestinian government, but the scaffolding that allows Gaza to be rebuilt.
The fifth principle as per the Comprehensive Plan, states that Hamas and the other factions will have no role in the governance of Gaza.
Not directly, not indirectly, not in any form.
And it states in the same breath that every civil servant will be treated lawfully, fairly and with dignity, with their rights fully respected.
I want the Council to note that these two sentences sit together deliberately.
What ends is ruled by the gun, not the livelihoods of public servants in Gaza.
Mr.
president, the next group of provisions concerns security.
The sixth principle establishes the governing rule of the entire transition.
One authority, one law, one weapon.
Only personnel authorised by the National Committee may carry arms.
All armed groups must cease military activity.
This is not an international demand.
It is a Palestinian principle supported by the international community.
It is the formulation President Abbas himself has used many times in public and for years.
No society anywhere has ever recovered, with armed structures operating in parallel to its governance.
Not one.
The seventh principle deals with the issue of police.
Newly trained officers are folded into the existing civil police structures.
Every officer is vetted.
Those who do not meet the standards are offered.
Unarmed roles for compensation, not abandonment.
And all police weapons passed to the national committees control as soon as the committee enters Gaza.
This is how you build law and order without a vacuum.
The eighth principle is critical.
Decommissioning of weapons will be gradual sequenced and time bound against an agreed timetable, monitored and supported.
It will be Palestinian led with weapons transferred to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
All armed groups and the texts clearly says that explicitly including the militias take part to decommission all weapons and all militant infrastructure.
And then the sentence I want every person listening to this briefing to hear no Palestinian armed group will be required to transfer weapons to Israel.
This means weapons do not pass to an adversary.
They pass to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
None of this can be done all at once or in the dark, but it can be done in stages on a clock overseen by an international monitors.
And it applies to everyone.
Because a rule that binds only one faction protects no one.
The ninth principle places personal weapons under Palestinian law, with the National Committee as the sole authority to register them, to license them and to collect what is unlicensed.
Through a phased process using buyback, reintegration and social support.
With the factions committing to cooperate.
Principle is a guarantee no one will be required to give up their personal weapon until appropriate security and implementation milestones are met and verified by the authorized bodies.
This ensures that personal safety is protected throughout the transition.
The 11th principle is very important.
It is a social peace agreement, a binding commitment to stop internal killings and violence at once, to end shows of armed strength parades and armed demonstrations, and a strict moratorium on reprisals of any kind.
It is the promise that this transition does not become a settling of scores.
Mr.
president, the next provisions concern the stabilisation force and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
The other half of the reciprocal bargain, the 12th principle places the international stabilisation force, the ISF between Israeli forces and the controlled areas It is a buffer.
It does not.
Police.
Gaza.
Palestinian police.
Police's.
Gaza.
It supports decommissioning and it protects humanitarian operations.
The 13th principle commits Israel to a phased withdrawal of its forces to Gaza's perimeter on an agreed timetable, tied to verified progress on decommissioning and the deployment of the international security force.
The 14th makes the NCAA responsible for addressing security violations in areas that are fully decommissioned and certified and under its control.
Read together.
These are the answers to what most people in Gaza are asking.
When do Israeli forces leave? When does rule by the gun end? And the answer is clear.
As decommissioning is verified sector by sector, the IDF should withdraw and Palestinians should take responsibility.
Mr.
president, the 15th principle is short and it is the engine of everything else.
Reconstruction can take place at scale in the areas that are certified as decommissioned and effectively administered by the Ncacc.
Ultimately, the National Committee and Certified Decommissioning are both critical to unlocking internationally backed large scale reconstruction.
The faster this transition takes place, the faster Israeli forces withdraw and Gaza is rebuilt.
Mr.
president, while I continue to call on Hamas and other Palestinian factions to come back to the table and engage constructively on the roadmap and the next steps to implement their commitments under the comprehensive plan.
Let me also say clearly that implementation cannot advance through Palestinian obligations alone.
The continued killings, Israeli restrictions is affecting humanitarian flows are not abstract issues.
They shape daily Palestinian perceptions of whether the war is over and if this process can genuinely deliver safety and recovery.
These realities prolong humanitarian suffering, but they also weaken confidence in the ceasefire framework itself.
Palestinians and Israelis must be able to see in practical terms that commitments made under the cease fire and the Sharm el-Sheikh understandings are being implemented fully and in good faith.
This is precisely why the roadmap was built around reciprocity and verification obligations applied to all parties.
Let me be also precise about what the roadmap does not ask.
It does not ask Palestinians to surrender their weapons to Israel.
It does not seek to erase political constituencies.
What? It does not seek retribution.
It offers conditional amnesty to those who decommission and live according to the law.
Reintegration and financial support for those who must step away from their positions.
Safe passage to those who choose to go.
The questions of how things are done, the timing, the manner, the dignity of it are precisely the implementation discussions we should be focusing on.
Mr.
president, let me briefly speak about what a refusal to accept this roadmap means.
If transmission and decommissioning are delayed or refused.
The Board of Peace will discuss meaningful and practical modalities to advance civilian stabilisation, humanitarian relief and recovery.
Based on the architecture the parties have agreed to.
When the Comprehensive Plan was developed, approved by the Arab and Islamic States and endorsed by the UN Security Council.
While the Board of Peace continues its work, I want to be clear about the risks of inaction by the parties.
The risk is that the deteriorating status quo becomes permanent.
A divided Gaza, Hamas holding military and administrative control.
Over 2 million people across less than half the territory.
Those people are likely to remain trapped in the rubble, dependent on aid with no meaningful reconstruction.
Because reconstruction financing will not follow where weapons have not been laid down No investment, no movement, no horizon.
And the result? Another generation of children growing up in tents, in fear, with despair as the most rational thing for them to feel No security for Israel and no viable pathway to Palestinian self-determination.
This is a vision of the future that Israelis, Palestinians and the region should all fear and all mobilise to avoid.
And I will say one more hard thing.
The discussions have now matured to the point where the core political choices are clear, and further delay will only deepen civilian suffering.
The resources are ready to launch this next phase of implementation, and the commitments to disburse as needed are firm.
This is not an obstacle.
Every day is another day of a child in a tent without a school, a father without work, a family without a better future.
That is the price of delay.
And it is a price paid in Gaza by Palestinians.
Mr.
president, if President Trump is allowed to.
President Trump's plan is allowed to succeed.
Gaza will not merely be repaired.
It can be rebuilt by Palestinians.
For Palestinians, good can goods can move through crossings instead of trickling under restrictions.
A port can handle trade.
Young people can queue for universities, not for Russians, and can be free to travel with what they have learned.
Electricity can come from a grid, not a generator.
A child born next year can grow up in a house, not a tent, and can be taught in a school, not a shelter.
Tens of thousands of public sector jobs can be created.
In the first year of reconstruction alone, a quarter of a million within five years.
None of that is a dream.
Mr.
president, members of the Security Council let me close with three final observations.
First, the roadmap that has been presented for the full implementation of the 20 point plan is credible, fair and balanced.
It is built atrocity.
No one is asked to trust.
Everything must be verified.
It deserves this Council's clear, consistent and unequivocal support.
Transition and decommissioning are not only required by UN Security Council Resolution 2803, but are the only credible road to real reconstruction, to the withdrawal of Israeli forces and to a Palestinian horizon.
Second, I ask the council to use every means at its disposal to urge Hamas to accept the roadmap without further delay, and Israel to uphold its obligations under the ceasefire Diplomacy must continue.
Cannot be used as an excuse for delay.
While 2 million people wait in desperate conditions.
Third and last, the choice before the parties has not changed since I first described it to this council.
I will not soften it now.
It is a deteriorating status quo or a new beginning.
There is no third option.
There never was.
And the people of Gaza should not be made to wait while some pretend that there is.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
I thank Mr.
Mladenov for his briefing.
I now give the floor to Mr.
Rami Heejoo.
We can't hear you.
No.
Ask him to unmute.
Could you unmute? Maybe you have muted yourself.
No.
Sir.
You need to unmute yourself so we can hear you.
Sir, please unmute yourself.
Once you mentioned his name so that he knows that.
Yes, I know I think he knows.
Mr.
Hill, you have the floor.
No, we can't hear you.
Oh, okay.
Okay, maybe we can move on and we can give you the floor later And we sort out the technical problems.
I now give the floor to those council members who wish to make statements.
I give the floor to the representative of the United States.
Shall we? Yes.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
I appreciate that, and also for our briefers.
Let me let me thank Special Coordinator Alakbarov as well as, of course, High Representative Mladenov and Mr.
Heejoo, who will, I believe, be coming up with his briefing as well.
So, as we have just heard today, there are still significant challenges to overcome in the reconstruction and rebuilding of Gaza and securing enduring safety, stability and prosperity.
We know that by working together, we can overcome those challenges.
A future of peace, freedom, personal and economic.
In the Middle East is in all of our interests.
We must work together to make it happen.
The United States will continue to work with Israel, its neighbors and our partners on the Board of Peace to achieve that goal.
We welcome the report of the Board of Peace submitted to this Council last week.
And as we have said before, and as has been said so clearly, Hamas must demilitarize full stop.
This is the next critical step to achieving lasting peace, as outlined in President Trump's peace plan, which this council endorsed in its resolution 2803 That includes the irreversible destruction of all military terror and offensive offensive infrastructure, including, of course, tunnels and weapons production facilities.
Thanks to President Trump's leadership and vision, the United States does have the pleasure of applauding the accomplishments of the Board of Peace over the recent months and the steps toward establishing the office of the High Representative, the International Stabilization Force, and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
We are gratified to note the virtual elimination of aid, diversion and overall increase in humanitarian assistance flowing into Gaza, though there is still a pressing need, of course, for even more.
We are working day and night at all levels with our Israeli government and humanitarian colleagues to improve that flow of aid.
This work has never stopped and has continued throughout Operation Epic Fury.
That said, the key is for Hamas to demilitarize, thereby paving the way for the easing of necessary security restrictions that were enacted in response to the serious threat Hamas poses.
The United States is proud to be working together with the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and its international partners as we rise to and overcome the challenge of rebuilding Gaza.
We are proud to work with Egypt Turkey and Qatar as we develop a concrete roadmap to implement the peace plan and to put Gaza on the path to long term, self-sustaining peace and prosperity.
But make note under this plan, Gaza will be de-radicalized a terror free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
We again urge all UN member states and UN entities to join us in this effort, which is key to global peace and touches every nation's commitment to to provide a prosperous future for their own citizens.
I thank you Mr.
President.
I thank the representative of the United States for the statement.
We would try again with Mr.
Heejoo and I give him the floor.
You have the floor, Mr.
Heejoo.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Mr.
president, distinguished members, thank you very much for having me today.
I stand before you today as a civilian and a humanitarian worker who lives in Gaza.
I am here today to bear witness to a people for whom the cease fire has yet to bring safety.
Aid has yet to bring relief, and hope remains a luxury they cannot afford.
This is officially in place, but the reality tells a different story.
While the world exhaled after the declaration of ceasefire.
But in Gaza, despite the respite, was short lived and the hopes that the cease fire would bring an immediate end to suffering and urgent relief were dashed.
Continued Israeli attacks have continued, reaping souls indiscriminately.
Many of those killed were intense and displacement sites.
People who had already fled, already lost everything, already been displaced multiple times, and who thought they had survived all of it just to be killed after the cease fire was announced.
Those who remain alive survive under conditions that strip life of its most basic dignity.
And yet, we humanitarian organizations, including the Palestine Red Crescent Society PRC, has moved mountains to sustain the life saving services they so desperately rely on.
I am one of the guardians who carried a message of humanity not only to the communities we serve, but to my own team, my colleagues, and most deeply to my wife, my son and my two daughters.
For over two years, I have carried pain that never leaves me.
Watching my wife suffer from a severe autoimmune disease that is gradually robbing her body of its ability to function, while knowing that treatment she desperately needs exists beyond the walls of this siege, yet remains completely out of reach.
As she waits alongside thousands of other patients for her turn to be medically evacuated.
Every single day is a battle for basic survival, searching for clean drinking water, securing enough food, finding a power source to charge a phone.
I have been displaced at least six times, losing my belongings, my savings and the life I had built piece by piece in Gaza.
The PRC has lost 56 staff members.
Mr.
president, over the over the past three years, 30 of them while on duty, giving everything they had to alleviate the suffering of civilians.
One of our colleagues, Hussein, was killed as recently as last February after the cease fire was declared.
Yet despite the fear, the grief and the shock, our staff and volunteers have remained resilient.
They have continued their humanitarian work without losing faith.
Faith in the humanitarian mission.
Faith in the red emblem and in the conscience of international community.
Mr.
president, in March 20th, 2015, humanitarian personnel, including eight medics, were killed by the Israeli occupation forces in Rafah while on duty.
After one week, PRC has recovered their bodies with difficulty as they were buried in mass grave in the sand in their uniforms and marked ambulances.
Today, Mr.
President, I have a message to share with you from the sole survivor of this massacre.
My colleague as Asra Asad.
Asra.
He calls on the entire world to provide protection and immunity to all humanitarian medical relief institutions, including Prcs, so that they can fulfill their humanitarian duty and reach out affected communities and return home to their families safe and unharmed.
As I still cannot believe that he managed to return to his family and children, Asad remains deeply traumatized, haunted by a moment no human being should ever have to carry.
The moment his colleague Muhammad Al Hila held on to him, looked him in the eyes, and took his last breath.
Assad couldn't save him and that helplessness weighs on him every single day.
The lack of any concrete accountability actions for violations committed in Gaza remains a profound failure of the international community and a grave breach of a global legal and moral obligations.
These are not isolated incidents.
They are documented, repeated and deliberate acts that demand urgent and decisive response.
The international community and UN state members must fulfill their legal obligations by conducting independent investigations, ensuring individual criminal responsibility.
Impunity is not an option.
It is a catalyst for the further atrocities in this harsh reality.
Mr.
president, PRC has developed flexible and adaptive response models to reach every affected community wherever they may be.
Yet even human ingenuity has its limits.
No amounts of creativity can fully overcome the occupational systematic and deliberate restrictions designed to make life unbearable for all civilians and all those trying to help them, including PRC's.
We are operating under extremely harsh and complex conditions.
Mr.
president, the limited and prolonged closure of border crossings, alongside strict restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid, including medical and food supplies, fuel oil generators and spare parts have severely disrupted supply chains and constrained most of PRC's vital operational sectors, depriving the population of life saving assistance.
For example, PRC has 12 ambulances in the West Bank that remain unable to enter Gaza due to restrictions.
Humanitarian assistance received by PRC.
Since the beginning of 2026 remain far below actual needs, significantly limiting the expansion of humanitarian operations.
Mr.
president, as restrictions on aid entry continue, PRC s has been forced to suspend relief Distribution Assistance, which serves which served as a lifeline for thousands of families.
Cardiac surgeries have also been suspended due to the completion depletion of required supplies.
PRC does not maintain stable fuel reserves as available quantities are consumed weekly based on operational priorities threatening the continuity of critical services, including emergency medical services and hospitals.
Rehabilitation services are also not fully functioning because restrictions on the entry of physical and hearing assistive devices continue to deprive thousands of people of essential daily living support.
Families across are living through a compounded emergency that rarely reaches the headlines.
My close neighbour, for example lives in a torn plastic tent with four children and elderly diabetic mother exposed to both winter cold and extreme summer heat.
What was meant to be temporary shelter has become a permanent reality due to restrictions on construction material and the absence of sustainable housing solutions.
Stripped families of basic human dignity, the children divide their days between attending makeshift classes in tents and waiting in long queues to secure clean water for their family.
Like countless other cross in Gaza, the family is also facing a severe rodent infestation spreading through rubble and damaged sewage infrastructure, turning neighborhoods into a breeding Grounds for disease.
And fear.
One night, Mr.
President, the elderly mother, while she slept because of her diabetes, she felt no pain and only discovered the wound after waking up bleeding.
The incident led to serious health complications.
That condition of displacement overwhelmed clinic and fractured health care systems were unable to adequately address placing her life in a grave risk.
And while Gaza endures hell, West Bank is not spared over 900 checkpoints and gates, expanding illegal settlement activity, fragmenting communities and territory, intensifying settlers attack leading to fatalities, destruction of properties and displacement, all compounded by attacks and violations carried out by the occupation army.
Who killed two of our medics since 2023 in the West Bank.
Emergency medical teams, Mr.
President, regularly face attacks and mistreatment, sometimes causing injury and often preventing them from reaching people in need of medical care.
From the start of this year, 2026, PRC has documented 36 attacks on ambulances and personnel, including shooting and other physical assaults, resulting in at least two injuries among staff and volunteers.
In addition, PRC has documented more than 15 cases where ambulance teams have been delayed while transporting patients or injured.
Besides six cases where the teams were not allowed to reach patients, including cases of women in labor.
Mr.
president, in these restricted and unsafe environment, PRC teams continue providing their EMS, medical relief, psychosocial support and health services across the West Bank.
The challenges we face are primarily related to disrespect of our Red Crescent emblem, our humanitarian mission, and our humanitarian access.
As the leading national humanitarian actor in the OpEd, and in order to enable an effective response commensurate with the scale of humanitarian needs, particularly in Gaza, PRC has calls for immediate and urgent actions to ensure full respect for the cease fire and an end to all attacks against people and infrastructure.
Open all crossing points to allow the rapid and sustained flow of assistance.
Lift restrictions on critical material required for humanitarian response.
Ensure there is an effective, transparent and clear process for the entry of aid that enables large scale flow of aid commensurate with the needs of the people of Gaza.
Ensure the effective protection for medical and relief teams, and for the health of humanitarian facilities.
Ensure respect, protection and support for the vital and central role of parks in delivering its services without obstacles.
Ensure the swift removal of debris and immediate restoration of basic services.
Facilitate and accelerate urgent medical evacuation from Gaza, including transfer of patients to hospitals in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem.
Permit parks to rotate staff from West Bank to Gaza to alleviate pressure on personnel who have been working continuously without rest.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
And state members.
Well.
I thank Mr.
Heejoo for the briefing.
We will continue to give the floor to council members.
I give the floor to the representative of Latvia.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
I'll start by thanking Deputy Special Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov for his informative briefing.
And I thank the Board of Base High Representative for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, for the comprehensive contribution to the discussion for developing delivering the first written report by the Board of Peace on the implementation of the resolution 2803 and for all his efforts, and I also thank the Director of humanitarian projects in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Rami, for his testimony.
Mr.
president, after two years of devastating hostilities, the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict and Resolution 2803 endorsing it brought a glimmer of hope.
We welcome the endeavours of the guarantors Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United States for their ongoing efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region.
The release of hostages, the exchange of detainees, increased optimism about the prospects of further planned steps.
However, six months after the adoption of the resolution 2803, recovery has not begun.
The implementation of the Comprehensive Plan has yet to yield the expected results.
We encourage continued international engagement to consolidate the gains and prevent resurgence of violence in Gaza.
While the full scale bombardment of Gaza ceased.
The fragile ceasefire is being violated on a daily basis.
We note with deep concern that since the announcement of the cessation of hostilities, more than 800 Palestinians have been killed and over 2400 injured.
The moving and fluctuating yellow line further exposes Palestinian civilians to the risk of life threatening incidents.
We call on all parties to adhere to the US brokered ceasefire agreements, and to abide by the international humanitarian law respecting and protecting civilians, journalists and humanitarian personnel.
Meanwhile, Hamas has not disarmed the roadmap for monitored and verified Hamas.
Disarmament is a key part of the full implementation of the Comprehensive Plan and the resolution.
2803 we condemn Hamas for continuing to reject the disarmament plan.
There is no future for the non-state armed groups and terror in Gaza We are waiting.
The deployment of the International Stabilization Force and internationally trained Palestinian police to take over the responsibility of the security situation and the subsequent withdrawal of the IDF.
Mr.
president, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to be at a level of deprivation that demands urgent and sustained international attention.
Food insecurity is a daily reality for civilians, with repeated disruptions to supply chains and limited humanitarian access.
At the same time, the health sector continues to operate under immense strain.
Hospitals face shortages of medicine and equipment, overcrowding, malnutrition, damaged water and sanitation.
Infrastructure raised concern of communicable disease and long term public health deterioration.
And we heard that just now.
Concerns regarding dual use items must be addressed, ensuring that restrictions do not impede access to object objects, indispensable for the survival of the civilian population or the rehabilitation of essential civilian infrastructure.
Behind every statistic, there are civilians, children, patients whose dignity and survival depend on our collective ability to uphold international humanitarian law and facilitate meaningful humanitarian access without delay.
In this regard, the humiliating and degrading treatment of flotilla's activists by Israel, as seen in the footage from Ashdod, is unacceptable and violates human rights and international law standards.
Additionally, such actions harm Israel's own interests with the support of the international community, the work of Ncac and its deployment to Gaza is indispensable for restoring dignified living conditions to the people of Gaza.
The implementation of its mandate is no less important in terms of creating a social and political environment conducive to a reunited Palestinian self-governance in Gaza and the West Bank.
In light of the international efforts to achieve sustainable peace and stability in the region, a rapidly deteriorating situation in the West Bank is profoundly alarming.
Increased settler attacks and harassment, movement restrictions, property infrastructure demolition lead to forced displacement of Palestinians and fuel the vicious circle of violence and radicalisation.
The extension of EU sanctions regime against Israeli extremist settlers and entities have recently been adopted, and this goes together with new sanctions on leading Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad figures.
We call on Israel to address the situation ensuring accountability and fully implementing its obligations under international law.
The reform agenda of the Palestinian Authority, conditioned on the release of the withheld tax revenues, must continue to ensure transparent and improved administration of services.
Finally, a political solution is the only way to address the security concerns and the legitimate aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians.
Peaceful coexistence requires meaningful investment in promoting the two state solution, as defined by the Security Council resolutions, and the New York Declaration reaffirms its commitment to this aim.
To finish, let me underscore the urgent progress is needed towards the full implementation of the comprehensive plan.
By the steps outlined by Mr.
Mladenov.
That includes efforts to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Advancing the next steps entails engagement and commitment from all parties, and we are looking forward to the Boat of Peace to continue reporting on the implementation of the resolution 2000 and 803, and for this Council to remain actively involved, I thank you.
I thank the representative of Latvia.
I now give the floor to the representative of Liberia.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Excellencies.
Liberia thanks the presidency for convening this briefing and thanks.
The Deputy Special Coordinator.
Of the Board of Peace, High Representative and the Civil society briefer for their briefing and the candor with which they delivered it.
Their message delivered through multiple lenses and from various perspectives, is very clear.
The Middle East is not short of speeches and good intentions.
It is short of decisions implemented, monitored and enforced by this council.
Mr.
president, we just heard the unfortunate price of delay from the High Representative of the Board of Peace, both for Gaza and the broader Middle East.
The ceasefire in Gaza must lead to peace rather than delay the next outbreak of war.
Since the ceasefire of October 2025, aid inflows to Gaza have declined 37% between the first and second three month periods, degrading, not improving.
The UN, EU world Bank Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment of April 20th finds that the Gaza's economy has contracted by 84%.
Human development has been set back 77 years and reconstruction will require $71.4 billion over the next decade.
In the West Bank, 2026 has recorded the highest monthly average of displacement from demolitions in over 17 years of available human records.
And just this morning, the secretary general condemned in the strongest terms the reported decision to establish military facilities at the seized Unwra Sheikh Jarrah compound, calling it wholly unacceptable and a breach of the inviolability of United Nations premises.
These statistics are not only nuggets to embellish statements and speeches, they represent families discovering that being alive is not the same as living.
Liberia recognises progress under resolution 2803, as have been reported, especially by the High Representative of the Board of Peace.
They include the return of hostages, transitional arrangements, the workings of the Board of Peace and reconstruction pledges.
These are all commendable steps and we thank all of the partnering countries involved in these important efforts for the steps taken and the progress made so far.
But as we all know, pledges, while a good start, do not automatically guarantee security nor peaceful coexistence in that troubled part of the world.
And this was reminded us by the High Representative again.
Road maps.
That point to a better future.
However, good do not automatically change existing realities of hopelessness, reconstruction cannot begin where weapons remain.
The local constitution.
And where peace cannot begin.
When aid is treated like contraband.
Mr.
president, the immediate priorities must be clear to us by now.
If we truly wish to build the trust referred to by the High Representative of the Board of Peace that is required for the advancement of much needed progress in that troubled part of our world.
First.
The first priority is to sustain and verify humanitarian access at scale.
Second, monitor ceasefire compliance, compliance mechanism, and third.
Employ a sequence disarmament process tied to reconstruction benchmarks.
As the high representatives and other briefers have asked of us, this council must now insist that all parties implement the proposed roadmap, including the principle of one authority, one law and one weapon in Gaza, Hamas and all armed factions must accept that no society can be rebuilt under the shadow of private armies.
Israel must facilitate unimpeded humanitarian access and take steps that make withdrawal, reconstruction, and civilian recovery truly possible.
This requires clear timelines, unhindered crossings operating at full capacity, and an independent mechanism to verify compliance.
The weapons must be laid down.
The crossings must be opened.
The people must be allowed to breathe.
Hope for peace is truly the only path to building the trust required for peace to be sustained in the Middle East.
Restoring the right to life with security and dignity is the only avenue for enduring peace.
Mr.
president, as we have heard, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is becoming the quieter front of a louder failure.
Ohchr has recorded more than 800 settler attacks, causing casualties of property or property damage since early 2026, and 47 Palestinians had been killed in the West Bank.
By 11th May.
Movement obstacles Demolitions.
Displacement, settlement expansion and fiscal pressure on the Palestinian Authority are not minor administrative footnotes.
They are the slow machinery by which hope is evicted before people are.
And unchecked, these dynamics risk irreversible fragmentation, making a two state solution not only distinct but structurally unattainable.
Liberia notes the Secretary General's 20th May condemnation of the decision to establish military facilities at the seized on Sheikh Jarrah compound in occupied East Jerusalem, described as wholly unacceptable and a breach of the inviolability of United Nations premises.
Such actions must have consequences, including full accountability and immediate reversal.
That warning must not be placed in the council's archive of ignored alarms.
U.N.
premises are not spaces for conflict.
Unwra is not a bureaucratic inconvenience.
For 1.18 million registered persons in the West Bank, including 48,000 children in its schools.
It is often the thin line between dignity and abandonment Mr.
president.
This crisis.
The crisis in the Middle East are no longer contained by geography.
Three steps are now essential.
First, full and verifiable implementation of resolution 2803.
It remains the only path for peace.
Second, immediate protection of civilians and humanitarian access at scale.
And third, irreversible measures to preserve the political horizon, including halting settlement, expansion and safeguarding unwra.
In conclusion, Mr.
President, the Middle East does not need another elegant paragraph from this council.
It needs decisions implemented.
Law applied without selectivity and it definitely needs leaders brave enough to choose an imperfect peace over a perfect war.
Liberia stands ready to work for that necessary peace.
And I thank you for your kind attention.
I thank the representative of Liberia for the statement.
I now give the floor to the representative of Greece.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Let me thank the Deputy Special Coordinator, Mr.
Alakbarov, and the High Representative for Gaza to the Board of Peace, Mr.
Mladenov, for their comprehensive briefings, as well as Mr.
Hesho for his testimony.
Mr.
president, the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza is endorsed by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2003.
Just a few months ago offered genuine hope for the gradual recovery of the strip.
We welcome the progress outlined in the Bop report, as the council needs to remain apprised of developments on the ground.
The ceasefire holds despite considerable challenges and violations.
Humanitarian assistance has been scaled up and all hostages have been released.
These are notable achievements.
Unthinkable 7 or 8 months ago.
Nevertheless, peace will remain incomplete and may be endangered without further steps, including on the humanitarian front, Hamas and all other armed groups must urgently and fully disarm with the aim of addressing the legitimate security concerns of Israel and paving the way toward reconstruction.
Moreover as Hamas decommissioning is expected to be a lengthy process, early recovery initiatives and projects should be undertaken in parallel in order not to lose momentum and to avoid the stalemate, we anticipate the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza's timely settlement and the eventual deployment of the newly vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza.
Hamas and all armed factions can have no role in the governance of Gaza under the principle of one authority, one law and one weapon.
Governance arrangements must be legitimate and durable, while transitional structures should be harmoniously complemented, existing institutions, avoiding parallel structures or undermining the Palestinian Authority.
The clear improvement of conditions notwithstanding, serious humanitarian challenges persist Infectious diseases, malnutrition, limited medical evacuations and constraints on the entry of critical equipment constitute only part of the humanitarian challenges in the Gaza Strip.
A steady pace of humanitarian and commercial flows must be fully maintained and further increased.
Humanitarian actors, including unwra and aid initiatives such as the Cyprus Maritime Humanitarian Corridor, can play a significant role in this regard.
We urge all parties to cease this momentum and work together towards a collective vision for regional peace and prosperity, a vision that must include, however, also the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Which brings me to my next point.
A mere two weeks ago, this council heard from distinguished Briefers on the alarming situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem at an area Formula meeting, the increasing and unprecedented settler violence targeting the Palestinian population, including Christian communities is condemnable and must cease immediately.
The EU recently sanctioned extremists responsible for human rights abuses in the West Bank.
Similarly deplorable are the continuous restrictions on movement, the illegal settlement expansion and the forced displacement of Palestinians.
Israel, in line with its recent positive statements, must ensure accountability for incidents of settler violence.
We stress the importance of consistent investigations, follow up and the implementation of relevant decisions to this effect.
Furthermore, we reiterate once again our call for the release of withheld Palestinian tax revenues, a key requirement for the implementation of important reforms, and in order to avoid the fiscal collapse of the Palestinian Authority.
The health sector must also be supported through expedited international assistance.
Greece is ready.
As we have stated in previous statements, to contribute financially through the EU Pegase mechanism to support the East Jerusalem Hospital Network, while also calling for an end to all restrictions imposed on its operations.
Finally, we call for the preservation of, of and respect for the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, which is of paramount importance.
Mr.
president, a peaceful path ahead is possible only through the reinvigoration of a credible political process and a clear political horizon for the Palestinians, leading to a two state solution in line with all relevant Security Council resolutions and the New York Declaration.
A solution consistently supported by the international community, allowing both Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in peace, mutual recognition and security.
In closing, Mr.
President, let me add a few remarks on Lebanon.
A key partner for peace and stability in the Middle East.
We warmly welcome the extension of the ceasefire and call for the full implementation of the Security Council Resolution 1701.
We support the continuation of the historical political talks between Lebanon and Israel under the EU's auspices, and we hope that the eventual progress and conditions on the ground will pave the way towards a comprehensive peace agreement.
I thank you.
I thank the representative of Greece for the statement, and I will give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.
We thank Deputy Special Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov and Mr.
Nickolay Mladenov, High Representative for Gaza, for the briefings, including on the report of the Board of Peace.
And I also thank Mr.
Rami Hijo for his testimony.
President, as we have heard, the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory remains fragile.
Two years of devastating conflict have exacted an unbearable toll and fragile gains.
Since October 2025.
Ceasefire now hang in balance.
A delicate regional situation consumes our focus, but attention to the West Bank and Gaza must not get off our radar.
Pakistan welcomes the ongoing work of the Board of Peace.
We commend the sustained efforts of the guarantors and mediators Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United States in preserving dialogue and preventing further deterioration of the situation.
Pakistan remains actively engaged as part of the Group of eight Arab and Islamic countries, in full alignment with the state of Palestine and the broader Arab consensus.
In this regard, faithful implementation of Security Council Resolution 2803 in all its aspects remains critical.
As noted in the board's report, the establishment of the office of the High Representative, the formation of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
Progress in Training civil servants.
Appointment of commissioners for key governance portfolios.
Advancements in establishing civil police forces, and the creation of a liaison office with the Palestinian Authority are all important and welcome developments.
We hope that the NCA would assume responsibility as the Transitional governance authority at the earliest, in coordination with the Palestinian Authority President One would have expected that such appreciable steps would be accompanied by an improvement of the situation on the ground.
Unfortunately, however, that is not the case.
Continued ceasefire violations by Israeli forces and illegal impediments to humanitarian access persist in Gaza.
Over 880 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the ceasefire took effect The board's report rightly warns that violations risk unravelling painstaking gains.
All ceasefire violations must therefore end immediately.
The verification and reciprocity of actions, a point highlighted by Mr.
Mladenov, must ensure full compliance with the ceasefire on humanitarian situation.
The report notes that basic food needs have stabilized, aid volumes have increased by over 70%, and most bakeries have resumed operations.
Yet the overall situation remains deeply precarious.
People are surviving in makeshift tents with poor hygiene and limited access to clean water.
Only half of Gaza's hospitals are partially functional.
Food prices remain roughly 300% above pre-war levels, and available food is often nutritionally insufficient.
Water borne diseases are rampant due to collapsed sanitation and outbreak risk remain high, noting the $17 billion pledged for reconstruction.
The board has rightly underscored the urgent need to bridge commitments and disbursements in this regard, the stability of the Gaza Reconstruction and Development Fund is a positive step, as is the growing UN cooperation with the Board on Financial and Reconstruction matters.
The important thing is that humanitarian access must be completely unhindered and facilitated as per the Comprehensive Plan.
President, we must not forget that behind this dire humanitarian situation in Gaza was also the inhumane blockade to which the people of Gaza had been subjected for years, and the international community has been rightly concerned about that situation and has been mobilising humanitarian assistance for the besieged people of Gaza.
Pakistan strongly condemns the unlawful interception of the global summit flotilla by the Israeli forces in international waters, as well as arbitrary detention and reported mistreatment of humanitarian workers on board.
Those detained also reportedly include Pakistani humanitarian worker Mr.
Saad Edhi.
We demand the immediate release of all illegally detained activists and also call on the international community to ensure their safety, dignity and fundamental rights.
Turning to the West Bank, where annexation, settler violence and settlement expansion continue, all aimed at extinguishing the prospects for a two state solution.
During April alone, settlers attempted to establish 21 new outposts.
Since October 2023, over 1100 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, and settler violence has displaced more than 4000 people.
We strongly condemn the recent provocative storming of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound by hundreds of settlers, led by senior Israeli officials under heavy police protection.
Likewise, the Israeli government's plan to build a defence complex on the site of the former UN headquarters in east Jerusalem is illegal under international law and unconscionable.
These actions are undermining ongoing peace efforts and must be unequivocally condemned.
President.
The Comprehensive Plan and Resolution 2803, which Mr.
Alakbarov rightly termed as a crucial window of opportunity and which Mr.
Mladenov described as the choice between conflict and status quo and a new beginning.
It must be fully implemented, but, as we have heard, there is a host of complex issues that await resolution.
Pakistan strongly supports the ongoing negotiations, led by the guarantors, and hopes that there will be tangible results.
For that, all parties must cooperate in good faith, lopsided commitments or attempts to force outcomes will not yield sustainable progress.
Critical elements of recovery and reconstruction that overlap with humanitarian imperatives must not be conditional on other factors.
Moreover, any viable framework must offer meaningful incentives for all parties, including a credible, time bound pathway to statehood and self-determination.
That was also the promise of the peace plan that, Mr.
President, is our shared ultimate goal establishment of an independent sovereign, contiguous state of Palestine, based on pre 1967 borders with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital in line with the UN Security Council resolutions and international legitimacy.
I thank you.
I thank the representative of Pakistan for the statement, and I will give the floor to the representative of France.
Mr.
president, I'd like to begin by thanking the Deputy Special Coordinator, Mr.
Alakbarov, the High Representative for Gaza of the Board of Peace, Mr.
Nickolay Mladenov, and the representative of the Palestinian Red Crescent, Mr.
Hajo, for their briefings.
The council is meeting today at a crucial juncture.
Six months on following the adoption of resolution 2803, we have had the chance to hear from you on two occasions, Mr.
Mladenov, and we've received the first report of the Board of Peace.
We took note of that report and the observations on the deliberately phased nature of the implementation of the plan, paying particular attention.
And we will pay particular attention and continue to work to ensure that this Council is regularly updated on the implementation of resolution 2803 and the Board of Peace.
There is some noteworthy progress the ceasefire, the release of hostages and the resumption of humanitarian aid.
These represent relief for Palestinians, Israelis and the entire world.
France once again would like to thank the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey for their efforts in this regard.
This progress, however, remains insufficient in light of the urgency of the situation and the scale of needs.
The ceasefire is subject to daily violations.
850 Gazans have been killed since it came into force, and restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid and crossings persist.
The goal of 4200 humanitarian aid trucks per week has not been reached, and many essential goods remain excluded from them.
The population is mired in a serious health crisis, and Hamas is digging its heels in and refusing to disarm.
The Israeli Defence Force continues to occupy a large part of Gaza, which is an integral part of Palestine.
Mr.
president, Gaza.
In Gaza, the path towards a full implementation of resolution 2803 remains long.
The disarmament of Hamas is vital.
This terrorist movement cannot play any role whatsoever in the future governance of Gaza.
Its refusal, refusal to disarm is unacceptable for the Palestinian people and for Israel's security and for regional stability.
We cannot, therefore, accept that the restoration of decent living conditions is being subject to the success of this disarmament process, because that would be tantamount to giving Hamas the keys of the future of Palestine and this would make the civilian population bear the brunt of the deadlock.
It's therefore essential for recovery and reconstruction efforts to begin without delay throughout Gaza.
In this regard France has contributed a.
Made a donation to the UN Horizon Fund for Palestine, and we would call on our partners to support the fund.
The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza must also be rapidly deployed.
The same goes for the International Stabilisation Force and Palestinian police, with a view to the return of a reformed Palestinian Authority.
We invite the Board of Peace, which is working hard in this regard, to spell out the planned timeline.
Israel is failing to comply in a number of ways, and these must not be overlooked.
We call on the Israeli government to lift all restrictions to the delivery of humanitarian aid and to allow the UN, including Unwra and international NGOs, to work freely.
International law is clear in this regard and it applies to all.
Furthermore, professionalism, impartiality and the effectiveness of the UN and its agencies have provided essential and unparalleled support for the Palestinian population in need.
Mr.
president, I'd now like to refer to the very worrisome situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, in light of the increasing pace of the settlement policy and the resurgence of unacceptable violence by settlers against Palestinian civilians.
France welcomes the adoption by the European Union of Sanctions, targeting major Israeli organisations, investing in settlement violence settlement activity in the West Bank and their leaders.
It has also imposed sanctions on the main leaders of Hamas, which was responsible for the worst anti-Semitic massacre since the Holocaust in East Jerusalem.
We roundly condemned the adoption by Israel of of military infrastructure on the Unwra headquarters site.
This is an unacceptable decision which violates the UN's Convention on Privileges and Immunities.
We further reiterate that no measure aimed at de facto or de jure annexation is unacceptable under international law.
Further, we must finally restore a credible political horizon towards a two state solution fully recognised and respected in the spirit of the New York Declaration.
We hope that the dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians provided by resolution 2803 can resume soon, and it is with this in mind that France will, on the 12th of June in Paris, be hosting a meeting of Israeli and Palestinian civil society committed to implementing the two state solution and to finding a fair and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of France for the statement, and I will give the floor to the Russian Federation.
Mr.
president, we are grateful to the Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Promise Process, Mr.
Al Akhbar, for the briefing on the situation in the Middle East, and we listened attentively to the High Representative of the Board of Peace for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, as well as the information provided by Rami Hijo.
Frankly speaking, we were somewhat surprised listening to the difference of various of our colleagues, members of the Council, about what is taking place today is not yet another routine Security Council meeting on the Middle East.
Members of the Council were presented over the past few days on the first annual report of the Board of Peace in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2803.
I wish to recall the fact that the Russian Federation abstained during the vote on this resolution, which bears no mention whatsoever about the obligations of of Israel, nor about the role of Unwra, about the situation in the west bank of the Jordan River, including East Jerusalem.
Nor is there any mention about the universally recognised two state solution.
We refrained at that time from blocking the document, owing solely due to the numerous requests, first and foremost, from countries in the region, to give the United States blueprint in Gaza a chance.
Unfortunately, our concerns came to were borne out The Board of Peace document fully aligns with what is set out in paragraph 33 of the document.
The language about the difference between a framework that exists on paper and one that delivers on the ground for the people of Gaza.
Six months after the vote on resolution 2803, the Trump plan largely remains dead.
Letter and the declarative achievements are designed to serve as a smokescreen for the grim realities in the strip.
Israel's demands about the release of all hostages and the return of the bodies of the dead were fully accommodated and fulfilled in.
A number of Palestinians were also released at the same time.
The provisions of the plan on the ceasefire, the delivery to the strip of full scale humanitarian assistance, the handover administration of the strip to the Palestinian Technocratic Committee, the deployment of the International Stabilization Force, not to mention the promises to transform Gaza into Middle East Riviera with miracle cities, to breathe new life into it and to create a special economic zone turned out to be hollow.
In fact, in Gaza, since the announcement of the cessation of hostilities on 10th October 2025, literally during each day Israeli fires killing peaceful Palestinian citizens, more than 880 people were killed and more than 2600 have been injured, according to OHCH.
The majority of these people died as a result of sniper fire or explosions at tripwires, which were positioned at access points for water sources.
There is a real manhunt underway targeting Palestinian law enforcement officers.
Incidentally, the Board of Peace report has the question of responsibility and accountability in the number of ceasefire violations is elegantly being skirted.
On the whole, since the 7th of October 2023, the number of Palestinian casualties, according to the most modern modest estimates, is approximately 73,000 dead and 170,000 injured.
Tens of thousands are still missing and buried under the rubble, and those who survived in Gaza continue to suffer as a result of acute water shortages, shortages in basic necessities, communicable diseases and they are being forced to relocate en masse through the prohibitions and restrictions which were imposed and permitted by the Israelis in the strip.
As was mentioned during the recent Ohchr briefing.
There is a horrific lack of sanitation, which is compounded by acute drinking water shortages.
The United Nations humanitarian appeal for 4 billion USD, according to existing information, is financed to the tune of a meagre 12% alternative to large scale bloodletting and starvation in the strip essentially became asphyxiation and blockade.
Mr.
president, those who read the Board of Peace report may come under the impression that Hamas alone is to blame for all the misfortunes plaguing Gaza.
Essentially, it is proposed that we accept the premise whereby blocking humanitarian assistance investments in development assistance can be made contingent upon political demands.
We are explicitly being told in writing that until the Palestinian groups disarm, better to forget about the provisions of the Trump plan, about Israel not occupying and annexing the Gaza Strip, and the residents of the strip will be given the opportunity to build a better life.
And at the same time, it is proposed that the membership of the Security Council exert pressure on Hamas and the Palestinian factions for them to accept the roadmap and the framework document on disarmament, which were not even shown to the membership of the Security Council.
Incidentally, such cats and sacks no longer surprise us.
There are no concrete political obligations to the Palestinian.
Them themselves contained in the US plan on Gaza.
The Palestinians, who have been tormented by decades long brutal war, are cynically being plied with idyllic depictions of seaside resorts, skyscrapers and promises of jobs, and this in the place of their own state which was promised to them by the international community more than 20 more than 70 years ago.
But these promises no longer inspire any faith.
Israel has international obligations for the delivery of assistance to Anwar.
Not only is it blatantly violating this, but is also carrying out provocative actions.
On the 17th of May, where the recently demolished Anwar headquarters had been located.
Israel in East Jerusalem.
The Israeli leadership announced plans to build an IDF museum and enlistment office there.
We support the statement of the UN secretary General with a strong condemnation of this decision and the call to return the Anwar compound to the United Nations.
Reports are surfacing about the reconsideration of the provisions of the plan whereby Gaza was to have shifted at the transitional phase to the control of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
Allegedly, there are plans for 65% of the territory of this strip to be handed over to the full control of West Jerusalem, and only 35% to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and at the same time at rivals.
Arrivals into the Israeli controlled area will be carried out, will be subject to quotas and their permissions.
We would be grateful to the distinguished briefer representing the Board of Peace for comments on this.
Mr.
president, by way of conclusion I wish to reaffirm the fact that we see no alternative to reverting back to the full fledged peace process and the universally recognized international legal basis with the key two state formula, which entails respect for the legitimate rights and aspirations of the Palestinians to their own state, coexisting in peace and security with Israel.
Instead of calling upon the membership of the Security Council to help to achieve pointedly counterproductive objectives.
Parties would be well advised to focus international efforts on ensuring implementation of fundamental decisions on Middle East resolution.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of the Russian Federation for the statement.
I now give the floor to the representative of Panama Gracias, senor.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
I would like to thank the Briefers, Mr.
Ramiz Alakbarov, Mr.
Nickolay Mladenov, and Mr.
Rami Ahidjo for their briefings.
These attest once again to the profound, prolonged and regrettable deterioration of the situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
We welcome the presence here of delegations from the observer state of Palestine and Israel who honor us with their participation.
The figures that we here, month after month, reflect how entire generations continue to grow up, marked by the cruelty of war in a region where, regrettably, peace remains more fragile than destruction.
The ceasefire, reached in October 2025 thanks to the efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, and supported by this council through resolution 2803, opened a window of opportunity which enabled the release of hostages, the expansion of humanitarian assistance and the beginning of a new phase for the Gazan civilian population.
Panama welcomes the work carried out by the Board of Peace for Gaza under the hopeful coordination of Mr.
Nickolay Mladenov, aimed at facilitating humanitarian assistance, supporting early recovery and moving towards more dignified conditions for the population.
We value the clear, comprehensive, detailed explanation relating to the architecture of the roadmap provided by the High Representative Mladenov.
This allowed us to better understand the steps that need to be undertaken by the parties gradually, with a reciprocal compliance in an incremental manner to move towards peace and the reconstruction of Palestine, as well as to understand the obstacles thereto.
While we recognise some partial progress made through these efforts relating to the situation on the ground, we note that seven months on, the fragile situation reveals that any relief remains insufficient in light of the pace of the deterioration of conditions on the ground.
Since October, almost 870 people have died and more than 2500 have been wounded in Gaza.
This is equivalent to almost four persons dead per day and more than 11 wounded, while hundreds of bodies continue to be recovered from the rubble.
Approximately 76% of the homes in Gaza have been either damaged or destroyed, while hundreds of thousands of people are living in makeshift shelters or in severely affected structures.
More than 637,000 children continue not to have sustained access to education, and thousands of patients remain in need of urgent medical evacuation.
Panama reiterates It's cool to guarantee full, safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access throughout the Gaza Strip, as well as to strengthen protection mechanisms for the civilian population.
This should be done by all parties at all times, in accordance with international humanitarian law.
Panama stresses that Gaza's comprehensive recovery and a sustainable, decent and just peace are incompatible with either the control or militarization of the territory by Hamas.
Despite the terror caused against the populations of Israel and Palestine, the peace plan provides an opportunity to lay down weapons unconditionally, gradually, under with security guarantees.
We urge Hamas to accept this opportunity to.
Allow progress for the uh.
Gradual implementation of the roadmap in the peace plan and thus to contribute to the dignified, safe living conditions for the Gazan population.
Avoiding the devastating consequences and living conditions that might be caused by any further delay.
In the meantime, in the West Bank, the expansion of settlements, violence against civilians, forced displacements and demolitions continue apace.
These are actions that continue to systematically erode the bases for a possible political solution based on two states, as mandated by resolutions of this council.
Such action must stop, since it only entrenches differences and undermines the minimal conditions for a comprehensive, dignified and just solution.
Mr.
president, the future of Gaza and the West Bank must be forged on the basis of reformed, legitimate, unified Palestinian leadership that is able to guarantee governance, security and dignity, both for the Palestinian people and for the security of Israel and other neighbouring peoples.
In this context, we recognise the reform efforts undertaken by the Palestinian Authority, and we believe it is essential to continue strengthening its institutional and financial capacities as a part of the current political transition.
Any peace initiative, such as that being currently undertaken or in the future in Gaza and the West Bank, shows that the support of the United Nations remains essential.
Panama reiterates its firm backing for the work of United Nations humanitarian agencies, including Unrra and Ocha, as well as NGOs.
Their personnel continue to work under extremely complex conditions to provide vital assistance to protect the civilian population and to preserve a minimum of human dignity.
President, the victims of this protracted conflict and the present and future generations of Israelis and Palestinians are owed dignity, justice and a peace that cannot continue to be delayed.
We reiterate that the path towards a just, dignified and sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians doesn't need to be reinvented.
It needs political will to be implemented.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of Panama for the statement.
I now give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom.
Thank you.
President.
I thank Deputy Special Coordinator Alakbarov High Representative Mladenov and Director Hajo for their briefings.
And let me express our condolences for the brave Red Crescent colleagues who have been tragically killed.
President, six months ago, this council adopted resolution 2803 which offered an opportunity to turn the page on years of bloodshed and move towards peace.
Thanks to the efforts of the United States, Turkey, Egypt and Qatar, we've seen important progress, including the return of all hostages and a significant reduction in violence.
However, the promise of the 20 point plan has yet to be fully realized, and the parties must do much more.
Over 850 civilians have been killed since the ceasefire in October.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic, and the implementation of the 20 point plan is being undermined by the trajectory in the West Bank.
I will highlight three priority areas to unlock progress.
First, maintaining momentum on the security transition in Gaza is vital.
The United Kingdom supports a phased and verified decommissioning process, deployment of an international stabilisation force and the training of a Palestinian police force alongside a sequenced IDF withdrawal.
Under the 20 point plan, Hamas has agreed to decommission its weapons and destroy military and terror infrastructure.
It must now make good on that commitment and engage constructively in negotiations as set out by Mr.
Mladenov.
Second, urgent steps must be taken by Israel to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Children are living amid sewage parasites and disease.
We are horrified by images of newborn babies with rat bites on their faces, and the UN reports widespread infestations are now affecting almost 1.5 million people.
The Israeli government's indefensible restrictions on the entry of essential humanitarian equipment and supplies are making it impossible to provide minimum sanitation and water standards.
Resolution 2803 is absolutely clear.
There must be full resumption of humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of civilian infrastructure.
This must take place now and must never be used as a political lever.
The United Nations, including Anwar, as well as international NGOs, must be able to operate with unrestricted humanitarian access in all of Gaza, in line with Israel's obligations under international law.
I also recall my Foreign Secretary's condemnation of the video posted by Israeli Minister Ben Gvir, taunting those involved in the global summer flotilla.
This violates the most basic standards of respect and dignity in the way people should be treated.
Third president, we need to invest in Palestinian led recovery and reconstruction all across all of Gaza, with cooperation between the National Committee for the for the Administration of Gaza, the Palestinian Authority and the UN to help the people of Gaza rebuild after two devastating years of conflict.
And finally, we must not lose sight of the West Bank We condemn Minister Smotrich's orders to forcefully evict con el alma.
Alma, and we oppose any such attempts to remove Palestinians from their land.
Settlement expansion, including the E1 plan, must stop.
This will do nothing for Israel's security or for long term peace We also reject Israel's unacceptable plans to build on the site in in East Jerusalem and remind Israel of its obligation to respect the inviolability of UN premises.
President, the United Kingdom has acted in defence of the two state solution before, and we will not hesitate to do so again.
It is now up to the parties, with the support of the international community, to seize this historic opportunity to agree a political horizon which overcomes the suffering of the past and delivers a better future for Palestinians and Israelis.
This means upholding the ceasefire and taking concrete action to implement the 20 point plan in full and at pace.
I thank you.
I thank the representative of the United Kingdom for the statement.
I now give the floor to the representative of Colombia.
Gracias.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
I'm grateful for the briefers made by the Special Coordinator, Mr.
Alakbarov, the High Representative for the Board of Peace and the representative.
Um, the High Representative, Mr.
Nickolay Mladenov, and the representative of civil society Mr.
Remigio Colombia, welcomes the fact that the first phase of the Gaza peace plan has enabled the release of all hostages, including the Colombian Israeli citizen, Elkana robot, and we recognize the easing of hostilities and the relative improvement of the humanitarian situation.
However six months on, the second phase remains a mere expectation.
While millions of Palestinians continue to live without minimal decent living conditions.
Colombia has been clear regarding the principles that should guide the implementation of resolution 2803.
First, full respect for the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including their right to freely decide as to their governance.
My delegation rejects the idea that the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied Palestinian territory and the exercise of the Palestinian right to self-determination should be presented as conditional or negotiable steps The International Court of Justice and this Council have been clear on this.
The occupation is illegal and must end without delay.
The right of the Palestinian people to self-determination is unconditional, and it is a founding, basic principle that this organization has reaffirmed since resolution 3236 of 1974, and in all subsequent resolutions.
Second, the inadmissibility of any demographic or territorial modification to the occupied Palestinian territory.
Over the last six months, Israel has continued to expand its territorial control throughout the Gaza Strip, and the Palestinian people are living under the permanent uncertainty of imposed and ever changing borders.
The so-called yellow and orange lines continue to push the population towards increasingly small and fragmented areas.
The ceasefire continues to be violated repeatedly, and more than 850 Palestinians have been killed since October.
Third, the obligation to guarantee large scale, unimpeded humanitarian access in accordance with the principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence, as well as to begin the reconstruction of Gaza without delay and unconditionally.
Reconstruction and humanitarian access are not political concessions, nor can they be conditional.
They are legal obligations under international humanitarian law and under the responsibilities incumbent on Israel as the occupying power.
Nothing in resolution 2803 makes access to food, health, housing, sanitation or reconstruction conditional on compliance with certain political or military criteria.
We mustn't lose sight of the conditions that gave rise to the humanitarian catastrophe experienced by the survivors of the genocide in Gaza.
Israel destroyed the civilian infrastructure in the strip and continues to restrict the entry of essential goods and humanitarian aid.
The report recognizes the serious nature of the humanitarian crisis, but it fails to pinpoint the perpetrator.
The report further presents as yet unnamed materialized governance arrangements and reconstruction arrangements as progress, while the population remains displaced without access to water, sanitation, education or medical care.
The occupied Palestinian territory continues to be the most deadly place in the world for humanitarian workers, medical staff and journalists.
President, the coalition of states needed for peace to prevail is a coalition of states that are ready to defend international law and uphold their legal obligations.
Colombia will continue calling for accountability for the non-recognition of illegal situations, and for refraining from aiding or abetting the persistence of such situations.
It's hopeful to see that increasing numbers of countries and even subnational governments are moving in this direction and taking specific steps to avoid complicity with serious violations of international law.
President Petro has stated very clearly Colombia will not be an accomplice to a genocide.
The main obstacle to peace remains the politics of the Israeli government, which denies Palestinian self-determination, consolidates the territorial and fragmentation and deliberately deprives the population of decent living conditions.
That policy today can be seen through the occupation, the creeping annexation, forced displacement and the systematic denial of the rights of the Palestinian people.
It is a policy that continues to destabilize the entire region.
Peace and stability can only be built on principles, justice, accountability, the end of the occupation, and the full recognition of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
The only fair, sustainable way out remains the two state solution and the establishment of a sovereign, viable, and contiguous Palestinian state within pre 1967 borders, and with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Before concluding, Mr.
President, Colombia condemns the illegal attack by Israel on the Sumud flotilla.
The world has seen the cruelty with which Israel treats a group of civilians whose sole intention was to alleviate the humanitarian situation for millions of people in Gaza.
We demand their immediate release.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of Colombia for the statement, and I'll give the floor to the representative of Denmark.
And let me also thank Deputy Special Coordinator Alekperov High Representative Mladenov and the director for their detailed, informative and at times very concerning briefings.
Mr.
president, six months ago this Council adopted resolution 2803 with one clear objective to bring an end to the two years of devastating war in Gaza.
We welcome the report on the implementation of the resolution by the Board of Peace and recognize the progress made under these immensely difficult circumstances.
However, as it's also clear from the report and this morning's briefings, the past six months have not brought lasting peace to Gaza.
Rather, we continue to see immense humanitarian suffering and a level of conflict that is neither war nor peace.
As a result, the full promise of resolution 2803 has not yet come to fruition.
In particular with respect to the implementation of the humanitarian provisions of the resolution.
The people of Gaza continue to suffer a humanitarian catastrophe.
More than 850 people have been killed and over 2400 injured in Gaza since the start of the cease fire.
Israeli forces have expanded territorial control in Gaza, confining Gaza's population to some 40% of the territory.
Many families continue to live on only one meal per day in deplorable conditions.
At the same time, we've seen no movement of willingness from Hamas to end its regime and lay down arms as stipulated in resolution 2803.
So as we reflect, as we reflect on the past six months and look to the next, it remains our urgent responsibility to reverse this trend, to make resolution 2803 succeed, and to preserve the prospects of lasting peace.
To do this, we should be guided by several core points, many of which were also contained in the roadmap described by Mr.
Mladenov.
First, all parties must fully respect the ceasefire and cease all attacks.
With more than 200 children killed since the beginning of the ceasefire, it is clear that civilians are still not sufficiently protected.
This week's focus on protection of civilians reminds us of that obligation and how far we are from fulfilling it.
Second, Israel must lift restrictions on humanitarian aid and respect international humanitarian law.
All crossings into Gaza must be open fully and consistently.
Humanitarian personnel must be protected.
Unwra must be allowed to operate freely and arbitrary restriction on international NGOs, as well as on the type of goods allowed in must.
In.
Third, Hamas must hand over its weapons as an essential part of the peace plan.
Hamas can play no role in a future of Gaza.
Fourth, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza must be allowed in as a transitional body until the PA can return.
The Board of Peace and the National Committee should also, from the outset, work with the Palestinian Authority as well as the UNled humanitarian system.
Fifth, the international stabilization force must be deployed in Gaza and Israel must withdraw from the strip.
And finally, the rebuilding of Gaza must commence as soon as conditions allow and in line with international law.
It is not only a matter of clearing rubble, but a question of restoring the foundations of human dignity, of ensuring that people have roof over their heads, have access to proper hygiene, and that basic infrastructure, such as sewers, are functioning.
Mr.
president, progress on these aspects should be done as soon as possible, in parallel and without delay.
Equally important for the prospect of a lasting peace is a reversal of the current trajectory in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
As the Security Council meeting in area format held two weeks ago demonstrated the situation in the West Bank is approaching a point of no return with expansion of settlements, violence of extremist settlers and administrative changes which undermine the viability of a Palestinian state.
In this context, we condemn the evacuation orders issued for the Khan al-Ahmar community earlier this week.
All such steps undermine the two state solution and the implementation of the 20 point plan.
We reiterate that Gaza and the West Bank must be reunited under reform.
Palestinian Authority governing a Palestinian state that stands alongside Israel in peaceful coexistence.
Mr.
president, in closing, the moment for peace is not lost but must be seized with urgency.
Our responsibility is not simply to end the violence, but to create the conditions that prevent the resurgence of violence.
The frameworks are there, inter alia.
Resolutions 23, zero four 34 and 28, oh three, as well as the New York Declaration on the two state solution.
What is needed, as ever is political will and action.
I thank you.
I thank the representative of Denmark for the statement.
I give the floor to the representative of Bahrain.
Mr.
President.
Excellencies, I thank Doctor Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, for his valuable briefing.
I would also like to thank Mr.
Nickolay Mladenov, the High Representative for Gaza, and the director of the Board of Peace, for his briefing.
I also thank Mr.
Rami Hajo, director of humanitarian projects in the Gaza Strip from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, for his valuable briefing.
Mr.
president, I would like to talk about the following three points.
One, the Kingdom of Bahrain is expresses its deep concern regarding the difficult humanitarian situation facing 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
As the health situation deteriorates and as the crisis and the hygiene crisis continues and the resulting disease, as reported by the W.h.o in its report that documented thousands of cases linked to these conditions during the current year, this dark picture reaffirms the need for us to act quickly and without any delay, to address the humanitarian situation and to provide immediate, necessary assistance, particularly medical assistance treatment sufficiently pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2803 and all other relevant UN resolutions.
Moreover, most students in Gaza are receiving either three hours or less of education a day and for three days a week.
In this regard, we warn of the continued deprivation of children in Gaza from the opportunity to live with dignity similar to their peers around the world.
We recall in this regard, initiatives issued by the Arab Summit held in 2020 for the Bahrain Summit that reaffirmed the need to provide educational and health services in areas of conflicts and crisis.
Second, the repeated violations and provocations against the Muslim and Christian holy sites in the occupied Palestinian territory.
This is a major cause for concern.
This is a violation of the freedom of religion and belief.
This threatens.
Further escalation in the region.
The Kingdom of Bahrain also reaffirms the importance of maintaining the historic and legal status quo in Al Aqsa Mosque, and we reject any practices that jeopardises the sanctity of the holy sites in East Jerusalem.
These practices run counter to the principles and purposes of the UN charter and the values for peaceful coexistence, respecting human dignity, the freedom of religions, and it contributes to further escalation and to undermining any prospects for peace and stability in the region.
These practices, alongside activities for settlement expansion, violence from settlers and ongoing restrictions on Palestinians, in addition to the displacements of thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank.
They are denied freedom of movement, access to natural resources to water.
These are some of the causes.
Why there is tension in the West Bank.
We call for addressing these issues immediately so that there is no implosion of the situation, and so that this does not undermine the prospect of peace that are currently ongoing in the region.
Third, the Kingdom of Bahrain welcomes the report of the Board of Peace issued on the 15th of May pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2803, particularly when it comes to the relative improvement in the delivery of humanitarian assistance and efforts to support recovery efforts and reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip.
Despite the many challenges and the dire humanitarian needs.
The kingdom also reaffirms the need for ongoing efforts to allow legitimate Palestinian institutions and to strengthen civic administration, to guarantee the safety and security of the strip and to maintain the unity of Palestinian territory.
We also reaffirmed the need to make sure that the first phase of the comprehensive plan to end the conflict in Gaza be successful so that we can smoothly transition to the second phase.
The Kingdom of Bahrain also reaffirms the need for concerted efforts and for regional and international initiatives to support the Palestinian question, to strengthen its effectiveness, and to enable the Palestinian government to carry out its responsibilities and to contribute to the protection of civilians and guarantee the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.
In conclusion, the Kingdom of Bahrain reaffirms its consistent position that supports the legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people, notably the right to self-determination and the establishment of their state.
A sovereign state alongside the state of Israel, along the lines of 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, pursuant to the two state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative, as well as relevant Security Council resolutions.
I thank you, Mr.
President.
I thank the representative of Bahrain for the statement, and I'll give the floor to the representative of Somalia.
Mr.
president, at the beginning I would like to thank the Briefers Mr.
Alakbarov, the Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, for his valuable briefing.
And Mr.
Nickolay Mladenov, the High Representative for Gaza, for the report on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2803, and Mr.
Rami Hajo, director of humanitarian projects in the Gaza Strip from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, for his valuable briefing that highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territory.
Somalia is following with grave concern the deteriorating humanitarian and security situation and the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in the Gaza Strip, where the suffering of civilians is increasing and there are increasing humanitarian needs.
While there are violations threatening the life and dignity of the Palestinian people.
Mr.
president, although many months have passed since the adoption of resolution 2803, however, the humanitarian reality of Palestinians is getting worse.
Humanitarian reports talk about ongoing restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian assistance and main goods, including medication, health devices, fuel and shelter material.
There's also restrictions on what is called double use goods, and this is preventing organisations from meeting the increasing needs of Palestinians.
Somalia condemns the fact that the Zionist regime continues to target Palestine humanitarian and medical personnel.
They should be protected and they need to carry out their functions and this should not be disregarded.
We also express our concern regarding the deteriorating health conditions, including the presence of waste, destruction to the infrastructure and the absence of components for a dignified life, especially for children, women and vulnerable groups.
Mr.
president, the Republic of Somalia condemns with the strongest terms the attacks and violations against Al-Aqsa mosque, including raids by Israeli officials and settlers under the protection of the occupation forces and restrictions on the access of people wishing to pray there in violation of the current status quo and in great provocation of the sentiments of Muslims around the world.
We also condemn reports.
On the determination of separatists in Somalia to open a diplomatic office in occupied Jerusalem, in cooperation with the Zionist occupation regime.
We reject any steps that undermine the unity, independence or territorial integrity of Somalia or that would add legitimacy to entities that are not recognized internationally.
All measures to change the legal and historic or demographic status quo of Jerusalem.
These measures are void and null pursuant to international law and relevant UN resolutions, Somalia reaffirms the need to respect the Hashemite custodianship of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
We reject any measures to change the identity or holy sites of the city.
We warn of the risks of any escalation in the city that could jeopardize security and stability in the region.
Mr.
president, Somalia condemns attacks against ships heading towards Gaza and transporting humanitarian assistance.
Hindering humanitarian assistance is unacceptable.
This runs counter to international humanitarian law and humanitarian principles.
We reaffirm the need to respect and guarantee the safety of humanitarian personnel and guarantee the delivery of humanitarian assistance without any politicisation or obstacles Somalia reaffirms the need for accountability and adherence to international law, including preventing the crime of genocide, guaranteeing the protection of civilians and preventing any grave violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law.
Mr.
president.
Resolution 2803 provided a path for the protection of civilians and providing basic services and enabling humanitarian assistance.
It should not fall victim to political considerations or security considerations.
It should be implemented fully and in a balanced manner.
Humanitarian assistance should be delivered immediately and in a secured way.
This is a moral and legal obligation that should not be restricted or delayed.
We also reaffirm the need to enable the United Nations and its agencies especially Onawa, to carry out its functions without any obstacles and to open humanitarian crossings fully and consistently to meet the needs of the population.
In conclusion, Mr.
President.
Achieving a comprehensive and just peace in the Middle East requires the full implementation of the resolutions of this Council, including resolution 2803, in all its dimensions.
A ceasefire protection of civilians, expanding humanitarian response and providing favourable conditions for a credible political process based on the resolutions of international legitimacy and the two state solution to guarantee an end of the ongoing occupation and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the creation of their state sovereign state along the lines of 1967, with the Al Sharif as its capital.
Somalia reiterates its support to the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights.
We will continue to stand behind any effort that would achieve peace, stability and human dignity in the region.
I thank you, Mr.
President.
I thank the representative of Somalia for the statement, and I give the floor to the representative of DRC.
Monsieur le président de la République démocratique du Congo.
The Republic of the Democratic Republic of Congo wishes to thank you for this meeting dedicated to the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
My delegation also wishes to thank Mr.
Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.
Mr.
Nickolay Mladenov, a High representative for Gaza and the Board of Peace as well as Mr.
Rami Hijo, director of humanitarian projects in the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in the Gaza Strip, for their relevant briefings.
Mr.
president, seven months after the entry into force of the ceasefire in Gaza, the relative calm that has been observed on the ground is a development which needs to be safeguarded with the most utmost caution.
After nearly two years of unabated violence, this situation remains fragile, requiring sustained efforts in order to improve the situation.
The DRC, in this regard welcomes the role played by the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey in mediation efforts and for upholding the ceasefire.
And we also welcome the initiatives undertaken with a view to accelerating implementation of the Comprehensive Plan to bring the conflict in Gaza to a lasting end.
Nevertheless, my delegation remains deeply concerned by the persistent deterioration of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, specifically in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including in East Jerusalem in Gaza.
Reports spell out ceasefire violations, which continue to stoke a particularly alarming humanitarian situation.
The DRC calls for the relaxation of measures in order to accelerate deliveries of humanitarian assistance, and to streamline the ability of the international community to meet the urgent needs of civilian populations.
Secure, safe and rapid humanitarian access needs to be guaranteed in accordance with international humanitarian law.
Turning to the West Bank, the resurgence of violence there continues to fuel tensions on the ground, with a real risk of further compromising prospects for a lasting peace.
Mr.
president, the DRC takes note of the efforts undertaken through the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2803, specifically vis a vis the transitional governance mechanisms in Gaza and the stepping up of delivery of humanitarian assistance, albeit encouraging developments.
We do nevertheless note the fact that there are significant, persistent challenges, specifically vis a vis the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan.
Meaningful compliance with the cease fire, as well as the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access.
In that vein, we call.
We recall the importance of the balanced, credible and inclusive implementation of initiatives underway in accordance with the charter of the United Nations International Law and relevant Security Council resolutions, and we call upon all parties to refrain from any measure that is liable to exacerbate tensions.
The DRC, furthermore, recalls the fact that protection of civilians under international humanitarian law and under international human rights law remain overriding obligations during times of conflict.
The fight against impunity in this regard remains vital in order to prevent future violations.
Mr.
president, the DRC reaffirms that no military solution can replace a credible, just and lasting political resolution to the conflict for the benefit of both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples.
In accordance with the charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law and the relevant resolutions of the Security Council.
In that vein, we support a pragmatic approach that would allow a reformed Palestinian Authority to fully shoulder its responsibilities regarding governance through a comprehensive and inclusive political process.
To conclude, the DRC stands ready and we wish to state that we will remain mobilised and ready to work alongside colleagues at the council and international partners in order to uphold the political, humanitarian and financial commitment to affected populations and in order to support efforts that are geared towards setting the stage for a lasting, just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the statement.
I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of China.
Colleagues, I thank Deputy Special Coordinator Alakbarov and Mr.
Mladenov for their briefings.
I thank Mr.
Zhou for the moving statement.
Last October, the Gaza ceasefire agreement was reached.
Last November, the Security Council adopted resolution 2803.
The international community generally hopes that Gaza will emerge from conflict and catastrophe and usher in peace and tranquillity.
We take note of the first report submitted to the Security Council by the Board of Peace and of some improvement in the situation in Gaza.
Yet there is still a long way to go before the guns are silenced once and for all, and the suffering is ended completely.
The ceasefire has not yet brought peace attacks and casualties are continuing, and over 2 million people are struggling to survive amid the ruins.
Faced with the grave situation, it is all the more imperative for the international community to build greater consensus and make more active efforts.
I will make three points.
First, a lasting ceasefire must be achieved in Gaza and violent attacks must be stopped.
Since the ceasefire agreement was reached, Israel has been carrying out almost daily bombings and attacks which have already killed over 870 people.
Any breach of the ceasefire will undermine the fragile situation and lead to the resumption of fighting.
Any deliberate provocation or adventurism will jeopardize the negotiations process and serves no one's interests.
We call upon all parties concerned, especially Israel, to fully abide by the ceasefire agreement and realize a truly lasting ceasefire in Gaza.
The guarantors of the ceasefire agreement and relevant parties with important influence should take more active steps to uphold the ceasefire.
Second, the humanitarian situation in Gaza must be improved without delay to ease the suffering of the people.
The increase in humanitarian supplies entering Gaza is a positive and welcome development.
Yet the quantities of supplies are not the only standard for assessing the humanitarian situation.
At present, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire.
Drinking water, medical supplies, fuel and other basic supplies continue to be in shortage, and massive numbers of people lack shelter.
The public health issue in Gaza must be given serious attention Sewage, rubble and overcrowded environments are highly conducive to the spread of infectious diseases, and the recent surge in cases of parasite and rodent infestations could trigger a severe crisis.
Israel must fulfil its obligations under international humanitarian law as the occupying power lift restrictions on humanitarian access and allow urgently needed medicine, fuel and shelter materials, among others to enter Gaza.
Unwra is the backbone of humanitarian operations in Gaza.
For some time now.
Israel has continued to suppress and restrict the work of Unwra, and recently even announced that it will establish military facilities at UNRWA's premises in East Jerusalem.
We are gravely concerned over this and urge Israel to effectively guarantee the privileges, immunities and and normal mandate delivery of Unwra.
Third, it's important to stay committed to the general direction of the two state solution and steadily advance the post-war arrangement for Gaza.
The two state solution is the only viable way forward for the settlement of the Palestinian question.
Any arrangements or new mechanisms must adhere to the principle of Palestinians governing Palestine, respect the will of the Palestinian people and promote rather than undermine the two state solution.
The international community must pull greater efforts to revitalize the prospects of the two state solution reject any unilateral action that erodes the foundation of the two state solution, and oppose any attempts to alter Gaza's demographic or territorial structures.
The Security Council bears the primary responsibility in the maintenance of international peace and security.
It should continue paying close attention to the situation in Gaza and its post-war arrangement, and play its due role.
Gaza and the West Bank are both integral parts of Palestine, and tensions in the West Bank must not be overlooked either.
Israel should abide by international law and Security Council Resolution 2334 stop settlement activities, curb settler violence and ensure serious accountability.
Colleagues.
China stands ready to work with the international community for the realization of a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, the easing of the humanitarian crisis and the implementation of the two state solution, and for the early realization of the comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question.
I thank you.
I resume my functions as president of the council.
I now give the floor to the permanent observer of the observer state of Palestine.
Mr.
President.
Allow me at the outset to thank China for convening this timely meeting and to thank Deputy Special Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov and High Representative Mladenov for their reports.
The Palestinian Prime Minister met with both Mr.
Alakbarov and Mr.
Mladenov in recent weeks to coordinate efforts, and we look forward to continued cooperation for the benefit of our people in the Gaza Strip.
Allow me to express our appreciation to Rami Ahidjo for his powerful and heartbreaking testimony and for all the works he and the Palestine Red Crescent and the humanitarian community are doing.
Mr.
president, let me start by stating once again that we welcomed the Comprehensive Plan together with the group of eight Arab and Muslim countries and the broader international community for a clear purpose stopping the bloodshed, ending the suffering of families separated from their loved ones ending the famine and the humanitarian catastrophe, and re pursing the attempts at forcible displacement and annexation.
All these requirements are explicitly stated in the plan.
So let me be absolutely clear nothing can justify collective punishment against over 2 million Palestinians.
Humanitarian aid is neither conditional nor can serve as leverage nor be utilized as a weapon of war.
The crossings must be and must be and remain open, and aid must flow at scale, including desperately needed shelters, medicine and food, as well as the necessary equipment to remove debris and restore basic services.
Delays must not be tolerated and obstacles must be lifted, and humanitarian actors whether the UN, the Palestine Red Crescent or NGOs, must be allowed to operate and to do so safely.
This is critical when you know that 77% of the Palestinian population in Gaza continues to face high levels of acute food insecurity and is largely dependent on aid to survive and win.
Families continue to live amid ruins, in makeshift tents and facing the spread of rodents and diseases lacking the most basic services including when it comes to health, water, sanitation and education.
Forcible displacement, including by creating unbearable conditions of life, is a crime and must be combatted.
Annexation is unlawful and remains so under any circumstances.
Let me quote Netanyahu in this regard, and I quote, we brought back all our hostages up to the last one.
He should thank President Trump for that.
And we did it without ceding territories.
Today, we control 60% of Gaza.
Today, 60% tomorrow.
We shall see.
End of quotation.
The Prime Minister of Israel.
Such a blatant confession to Israel's annexation policies in Gaza that mirror its policies in the West Bank, where Israel also controls 60% of Palestinian land, warrants a proper, decisive, unequivocal response in words and in actions.
We have to see the total picture not only a small corner or a section of it.
Mr.
president, we recognize and appreciate the mobilisation of the US administration, including at the highest level and of the other guarantors, as well as regional and international players and the Board of Peace.
We need the current international efforts in Gaza towards recovery and reconstruction to succeed, because our peoples lives, lives depend on it.
We want them to succeed.
Our people are the most to benefit from their success.
So we will spare no efforts in helping ensure that success.
That is the only acceptable Palestinian attitude, and that is a moral obligation towards our people, whose suffering remains unbearable.
The measure of our success will be the developments on the ground in Gaza, and our ability to save Palestinian lives and restore dignified life in Gaza, as well as ensuring that all transitional arrangements are conducive to and respectful of the unity and territorial integrity of the Palestinian people and its right to self-determination.
Mr.
president, all parties have to fully abide by their commitments under the cease fire agreement.
No delays and no excuses, starting with actually respecting the ceasefire.
We recognise that the ceasefire agreement has saved thousands of lives.
But Israel killed over 870 Palestinians, as you have indicated in your statement, Mr.
President, and injuring thousands since the ceasefire entered into force is not a footnote or a secondary matter.
It is one that deserves the utmost attention to bring these attacks to an end.
Imagine if 800 Israelis had been killed, or for that matter, if 80 had been killed.
What would be the reactions? Would anyone still consider that we were successful in upholding the ceasefire agreement? We have a duty to ensure the world does not get accustomed to seeing Palestinians killed.
We have a duty.
Obligation? We are not irrelevant and others are super relevant.
Such hypocrisy should not be tolerated.
Our vision is clear and it is aligned with the terms of the plan and endorsed by the international community as a whole.
Gaza is an integral part of Palestine.
It must be reunified with the West Bank under the Palestinian National Authority.
The principle of one state, one government, one law and one gun must be fully upheld and Israel must fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip.
No occupation, no displacement, no annexation.
We are sparing, no effort in upholding our own obligations and commitments.
But it is critical that all parties are held to the same standard.
While we are engaging with the US on the steps undertaken by the Palestinian Authority in the context of our commitment to non-violence, the two state solution and reforms, Israel continues to unleash, incite and enable violence against Palestinian civilians, whether by its occupation forces or by Israeli settlers, and to take blatant steps towards the destruction of the Palestinian state.
And the two state solution, including policies designed to induce the collapse of the Palestinian Authority.
Mr.
president, the Israeli government got so used to getting away with its crime against the Palestinian people that it eventually attacked and killed humanitarian personnel from your countries.
The flotilla it killed and maimed UN peacekeepers.
It subjected citizens from your countries to ill and degrading treatment.
Make no mistake, Ben-Gvir is the tip of the iceberg.
The problem is the iceberg.
Not only it's emerged part.
Netanyahu was dismayed not by Ben-Gvir actions, but the fact he filmed and broadcasted them to appeal to his electorate ahead of the upcoming elections Netanyahu himself, like Ben-Gvir, called the members of the Gaza flotilla terrorist supporters.
The term terrorist has now been used to characterise the entire Palestinian population.
U.N.
personnel, humanitarian personnel, activists from around the globe, including from your countries.
Its ever expanding grasp allows to dehumanize, demonize and kill and harm anyone.
You were correctly outraged by how Ben-Gvir treated your nationals Please think of how he treats ours.
Being there gave barely a glimpse of the treatment reserved to Palestinian prisoners.
Over 100 of them died in custody under torture or due to starvation and medical neglect.
In the last two years.
They are subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment, assault, sexual abuse and rape.
There are hundreds, maybe thousands of Palestinians who were detained and disappeared, and their families ache every day, not knowing what is their fate.
The evidence of these horrors is undeniable.
The perpetrators, known and shielded.
In the same vein, Smotrich has ordered publicly the forcible displacement of the Palestinian community.
In al al-Ahmar, cats declared, transforming the UN compound into military facilities for the Ministry of Defense.
Netanyahu declared steps to entrench Israel's de facto annexation of the Jordan Valley.
All this happened in the last couple of days.
The so-called flag march across occupied East Jerusalem, endorsed by the Israeli government, and the aggressions and racism that accompanies it, together with assault on people and holy sites, has highlighted once again the urgent need for De-radicalisation efforts in Israel before it is too late, especially as it is clear Israel will spare no effort to obstruct the prospect of Palestinian self-determination and independence of our state, promised by the plan of President Trump.
Mr.
president, there is no world in which the current fate of the millions of Palestinians in Gaza Strip or in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, can be deemed acceptable.
After all that has happened before, during and after the 7th of October, we must seize the opportunity offered by the ceasefire agreement to take decisive steps to end the suffering, the occupation and the conflict, and ensure freedom for the Palestinian people and peace, security and prosperity for Palestinians, Israelis and the wider region.
We have an obligation to seize this historical moment and prevent the reoccurrence of tragedies that can be avoided if we make the right decisions.
If we make the right decisions, this should not be left to the whims of any party.
International law is not optional.
There should be only one path compliance or enforcement, one path compliance or enforcement.
All countries must do all they can, so we have no choice but to make the right decisions.
And I thank you very much, Mr.
President.
I thank the permanent observer of the observer state of Palestine for the statement.
I now give the floor to the representative of Israel.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
We wish to thank our Briefers here today with us.
And, Mr.
President, there is a dangerous illusion taking hold in this chamber.
The illusion that diplomacy can succeed while terrorist organisations are allowed to hold diplomacy hostage.
Israel's position should not be misunderstood.
We continue to believe in diplomacy, and we want diplomatic efforts to succeed because they remain the best path towards a more stable and secure future for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region.
But diplomacy can only work when the parties involved are prepared to treat it as a path to implementation, rather than as a mechanism for delay.
When terrorist organisations use each round of talks to obstruct progress, preserve their weapons and strengthen their position on the ground, the international community must be careful not to confuse process with progress.
Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran's proxies have repeatedly Demonstrated that they do not treat diplomacy as a path to compromise, but rather as a means of delaying implementation, preserving their weapons and strengthening their position on the ground.
When the international community allows this patent to continue, it risks turning diplomacy into a shield for the very actors who are obstructing it.
That is exactly what Hamas is doing today in Gaza.
For months, the ceasefire framework has remained trapped in deadlock, not because there is no path forward, no international plan or no humanitarian mechanism, but because there is one central obstacle Hamas refuses to disarm.
The 11 page report submitted to this council by the Board of Peace makes this reality quite clear.
It states that the principal obstacles to full implementation remain Hamas's refusal to accept verified decommissioning, relinquish coercive control and permit a genuine civilian transition in Gaza.
The report also makes clear that reconstruction cannot begin where weapons have not been laid down, and that the single factor that unlocks every other element of the plan is a roadmap that includes the full decommissioning of Hamas and all armed groups in Gaza.
Mr.
president, disarmament cannot be treated as a secondary or symbolic issue because it is the very condition on which any sustainable future in Gaza depends.
As long as Hamas remains armed, the current situation will continue to harm Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region alike.
While diplomatic discussions continue Hamas is using the delay to consolidate, control, rebuild its capabilities and strengthen its grip over the civilian population in the territory that Hamas controls in Gaza.
It continues to attack civilians, intimidate communities, obstruct contractors, and prevent the establishment of normal civilian governance.
This is not a movement preparing for peace.
Hamas remains heavily armed, armed.
It still possesses rockets, anti-tank missiles, assault rifles and tunnel infrastructures across Gaza.
This is not a political organization transitioning towards diplomacy.
It is a terrorist army preserving its capacity for the next war.
Hamas itself has said as much.
On April 1st, Hamas spokesman Abu Ubaida publicly rejected disarmament, saying that the disarmament demands were, and I quote, something we will not accept under any circumstances.
So the question for this Council is simple what exactly are we waiting for? The reconstruction of Gaza cannot succeed while armed militias continue to control its streets and any serious effort to establish stability, civilian governance and a better future for the Palestinians will fail unless Hamas is disarmed and its rule of fear is brought to an end.
Despite Hamas's obstruction, humanitarian assistance continues to enter Gaza at scale since the cease fire arrangements began.
The volume of humanitarian aid entering Gaza has increased significantly, with 1.6 million tons of food having entered the strip.
Most bakeries have resumed operations, and basic food conditions have stabilized for the first time since 2023.
Approximately 600 trucks are entering Gaza every day.
Around 4200 a week.
And all crossings are open, with 70 to 80% of that cargo dedicated to food, together with sanitation and medical supplies.
But humanitarian aid alone cannot solve Gaza's future.
While Hamas remains armed, resolution 2803 does not separate reconstruction from demilitarization.
They are inseparable.
Nor can we stop there.
If we are serious about Gaza's future, we must also confront the deeper root cause radicalization.
Gaza cannot be rebuilt only with cement and electricity.
It must also be rebuilt, rebuilt with a different education system, a different civil culture, and a different future for its children.
The next generation in Gaza must not be taught to glorify martyrdom, murder Jews, or see terrorism as a path to dignity.
Disarmament must be treated as the immediate security requirement, while deradicalization must be understood as the longer term political and moral challenge.
The international community has a responsibility to address both if it is serious about Gaza's future.
Mr.
president, the same principle applies in Lebanon.
Israel prefers diplomacy.
For the first time in decades, Israel has entered direct negotiations with Lebanon, and we are grateful to the United States for helping advance these efforts.
Israel wants a stable, sovereign and successful Lebanon.
We want to see the Lebanese government capable of enforcing its authority across all of its territory.
But diplomacy cannot stand alone while negotiations continue.
Hezbollah continues to threaten Israeli civilians.
Hezbollah remains heavily armed continues to violate Security Council resolutions, and continues to operate as an Iranian terror army inside Lebanon.
As long as Hezbollah threatens our people, Israel will defend its citizens.
If the international community truly wants to support a sovereign Lebanon, then declarations of intent cannot be treated as sufficient.
Support must be linked to measurable results with clear benchmarks, credible evidence, and consistent monitoring.
Mr.
president, the world cannot ignore the nature of the organisations with which it is dealing.
Last month, Israel spoke in this chamber about reports emerging directly from Gazans describing blackmail, abuse and sexual violence carried out by Hamas.
The Hamas operatives against their own people.
Since then, the DNA report released on May 12th following years of investigation, concluded that sexual violence during the October 7th attacks and their aftermath was systematic, widespread and tactical.
Its findings are based on survivor testimony, witness accounts, forensic evidence and extensive documentation.
The evidence points not to isolated acts of violence, but to a broader pattern in which terror was used deliberately as a tool of brutality, intimidation and control.
Yet many of those who speak with certainty when accusing Israel are far less willing to confront Hamas's crimes when they are documented and exposed.
Mr.
president, some speakers have referred today to Judea and Samaria.
Israel condemns all violence against Israelis and Palestinian civilians, and when extremists act, Israel acts.
Israel has implemented measures to combat nationalist crimes, including strengthened operational presence, enhanced monitoring tools, improved reporting with mechanisms, and a dedicated police force with expanded resources.
But the council should also be honest about the way this issue is often discussed.
Some recent forums, including the recent Arria formula discussion, have not enabled serious discussion.
They have created an echo chamber that entrenches division while avoiding the broader context of terrorism, incitement and attacks against Israeli civilians.
With reference to comments made about activists on the flotilla to Gaza, as Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister, SARS made quite clear, Mr.
Ben Greer's conduct towards the flotilla activists was not representative of Israeli government policy, nor was it consistent with Israel's values and norms.
Israel has every right to prevent a provocative flotilla of Hamas supporters from reaching Gaza, and those involved were properly detained in accordance with international law.
All foreign activists from this public stunt have now already been deported from Israel.
Israel will not permit any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza.
It will enforce the law, and it will also do so in a way that reflects the standards and values of the state of Israel.
Mr.
president, Israel will continue to defend its citizens against those who seek our destruction.
No country represented in this chamber would behave differently.
At the same time, Israel remains open to genuine opportunities for peace and continues to support diplomatic efforts that can produce real security and stability.
But those efforts cannot succeed if they are built on illusions about the intentions of terrorist organisations, or if armed groups are allowed to remain empowered while using delays as a strategy to preserve their position.
The choice between us before this council is clear will the international community continue enabling endless delay, or will it demand that Hamas choose between terror and Gaza's future? Will it continue treating armed extremists as unavoidable political facts, or will it confront the root causes that have trapped generations in war, radicalisation, incitement and the glorification of terror? Every day Hamas remains armed is another day.
Israelis and Palestinians both are denied the future they deserve.
Every day, Hezbollah remains an army inside Lebanon.
It is another day.
Lebanon, Lebanese sovereignty is denied.
And every day Iran's proxies are allowed to hold diplomacy.
Hostage is another day the region is denied peace.
I thank you.
I thank the representative of Israel for the statement.
There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers.
The meeting is adjourned.