The UK calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by UK Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East.
Nine months since the 7 October attacks, at least 120 hostages, alive and dead, remain held in horrific conditions. Innocent Palestinians continue to suffer and die in Gaza. A devastating humanitarian crisis is worsening by the day. There is an imminent risk of famine. And we are deeply concerned about the risk of regional escalation, in particular along the blue line between Israel and Lebanon.
President, in one of his first acts as UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer set out the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, immediate release of all hostages, and an immediate surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza. We strongly support the ongoing efforts of Egypt, Qatar and the United States to this end - the deal on the table, endorsed by this Council in resolution 2735, is the best chance to support this. We urge both sides to show flexibility in negotiations and demonstrate a clear and firm commitment to ensure implementation of the deal.
First, we are calling on Israel to protect civilians, to allow unfettered aid into Gaza and to ensure the UN and humanitarian actors have the access and equipment necessary to safely get aid to those who need it most. We reaffirm our support for UNRWA and the vital role it plays in saving lives in Gaza as well as providing basic services and promoting stability in the West Bank and the wider region – a fundamental building block for lasting peace. It is essential that UNRWA is able to operate on a sustainable financial basis and able to deliver on its mandate.
Second, we express our serious concern at the escalating violence perpetrated by settlers in the West Bank. We condemn recent Israeli expansion of settlements. We reject decisions by the Government of Israel to declare 2,357 hectares of land in the West Bank as ‘state lands’ so far this year – the largest of such declarations of state land since the Oslo Accords. Such acts are not only illegal under international law, but also undermine prospects for a two-state solution. We demand a halt to these illegal activities.
Third, there is no military solution to this conflict. Pursuing military options will only deepen divisions and perpetuate the suffering of Palestinians and Israelis. The civilian death toll in Gaza is unacceptable. Reports of civilian casualties following Israeli strikes near schools and designated humanitarian zones in Gaza in recent weeks were appalling – as the Foreign Secretary said, urgent measures are needed to protect civilians.
We are appalled by the impact of the conflict on women and children. The UN estimates that there are over 17,000 unaccompanied children in Gaza, and over 5,000 women have been confirmed as killed, with many more unidentified or missing. Many of those killed and missing are mothers. Children are especially vulnerable to being killed, maimed, separated from their family, suffering trauma, acute malnutrition, violence, and exploitation. Women and girls in Gaza face a desperate struggle to access food and ensure basic hygiene, health and dignity in the face of unfathomable sanitary conditions, rape, and conflict related sexual violence.
Peace will be sustainable only if both Israelis and Palestinians recommit to a renewed peace process resulting in a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State – the undeniable right of the Palestinian people. The UK Foreign Secretary’s visit to the region this week signifies our unwavering commitment to this end. The UK Prime Minister has spoken with Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Abbas, and other regional leaders, underscoring the UK’s commitment to play its full diplomatic role in securing a ceasefire deal and creating the space for a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution. The world needs a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.