The parties must end the suffering by agreeing to a ceasefire now: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.
Last week, we heard the news that the bodies of six Israeli hostages were recovered in Gaza. We condemn their murder by Hamas.
My Prime Minister has conveyed his thoughts and prayers for the families and the Israeli people.
The UK supported Israel’s request for this briefing to shine a spotlight on the abhorrent crimes of Hamas and their impact on innocent civilians. It is also entirely right, as Algeria proposed, to focus on recent grave developments in the West Bank and Gaza.
President, of the 253 hostages taken in the horrific October 7th terrorist attacks, 101 hostages remain captive in Gaza and subject to unimaginable horror. We once again condemn Hamas’ terrorist acts in the strongest terms. We reiterate our demand for Hamas to release the hostages immediately. There can be no doubt that Hamas pays not the slightest heed to international humanitarian law. We urge all parties to agree a ceasefire deal which would bring an end to the ordeal of these hostages.
Israel continues to face threats, not only from Hamas, but also from Iran and its range of hostile proxies who openly call for Israel’s annihilation. Iran should be in no doubt of our commitment to challenge their malign and destabilising activity, and our commitment to Israel’s security.
President, the suffering of Palestinians also worsens each day. Over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, many of whom are women and children. The most basic needs of children and thousands of orphaned children are unmet. A ceasefire deal offers an opportunity to end their suffering.
As we’ve heard, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is beyond appalling, with dire sanitary conditions, a serious risk of famine and now polio. We welcome the polio vaccination campaign and urge Israel to continue to cooperate with the WHO and health agencies to ensure that the full 90% of children who need to be are vaccinated.
More generally, as we’ve heard, humanitarian access remains inadequate with attacks on convoys, evacuation orders undermining operations and aid far below Israel’s stated commitment to ‘flood Gaza with aid’. We urge Israel to do much more to ensure lifesaving food and medical supplies reach civilians in Gaza.
As my Foreign Secretary said this week, we are also deeply concerned by credible claims of mistreatment of Palestinian detainees, which the International Committee of the Red Cross cannot investigate after being denied access by Israel.
President, concerns on the treatment of detainees and humanitarian access were part of my Government’s review into Israel’s International Humanitarian Law compliance. As a result, my Foreign Secretary took the decision to suspend certain UK arms export licences to Israel earlier this week. This decision in no way undermines our unwavering commitment to Israel’s security.
Whilst we recognise Israel’s need to defend itself against security threats, the UK is also deeply worried by the ongoing IDF operations in the West Bank, particularly the reports of civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. Israel must also tackle the accelerating settler violence and end its illegal expansion of settlements which undermine prospects for the realisation of the two-state solution.
President, let me conclude by thanking the US, Qatar and Egypt for their efforts on the ongoing negotiations. The parties have had time to study the deal on the table. The parties must now bridge their differences and end the suffering by agreeing to a deal and immediate ceasefire and rediscover the path to a two-state solution.