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27 October 2023, New York

Statement by the Secretary-General on the humanitarian situation in Gaza [scroll down for Arabic version]

The humanitarian system in Gaza is facing a total collapse with unimaginable consequences for more than 2 million civilians.

As the bombing intensifies, needs are growing ever more critical and colossal.

About 500 trucks per day were crossing into Gaza before the hostilities began.

In recent days, an average of only 12 trucks per day have entered, despite needs being far greater than at any time before.

In addition, the supplies that have trickled in do not include fuel for United Nations operations – fuel which is also essential to power hospitals, water desalination plants, food production and aid distribution.

Given the desperate and dramatic situation, the United Nations will not be able to continue to deliver inside Gaza without an immediate and fundamental shift in how aid is going in.

The verification system for the movement of goods through the Rafah crossing must be adjusted to allow many more trucks to enter Gaza without delay.

We must meet the expectations and core needs of civilians in Gaza.

Life-saving humanitarian aid – food, water, medicine, fuel – must be allowed to reach all civilians swiftly, safely and at scale.

I welcome the growing global consensus for a humanitarian pause in the conflict. I repeat my call for a humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and the delivery of life-saving supplies at the scale needed.

Misery is growing by the minute.

Without a fundamental change, the people of Gaza will face an unprecedented avalanche of human suffering.

Everyone must assume their responsibilities. This is a moment of truth. History is judging us all.

*****

بيان من الأمين العام بشأن الحالة الإنسانية في غزة

يواجه النظام الإنساني في غزة انهيارا تاما مع عواقب لا يمكن تصورها بالنسبة لأكثر من 2 مليون مدني.

ومع اشتداد القصف، تشتد الحاجة وتزداد ضخامتها.

فقبل بدء الأعمال العدائية، كانت نحو 500 شاحنة تعبر يوميا إلى غزة.

وفي الأيام الأخيرة، لا تدخل يوميا إلا 12 شاحنة في المتوسط، على الرغم من أن الاحتياجات أكبر بكثير منها في أي وقت مضى.

يضاف إلى ذلك أن الإمدادات الضئيلة التي تدخل لا تشمل الوقود اللازم لعمليات الأمم المتحدة - وهو وقود لا غنى عنه أيضا لتشغيل المستشفيات ومحطات تحلية المياه وإنتاج الأغذية وتوزيع المساعدات.

وبالنظر إلى الحالة اليائسة والمأساوية، لن تتمكن الأمم المتحدة من مواصلة تقديم المساعدات داخل غزة دون حدوث تحول فوري وأساسي في كيفية وصول المعونة.

إن نظام التحقق من حركة البضائع عبر معبر رفح يجب تعديله للسماح لعدد أكبر بكثير من الشاحنات بدخول غزة دون تأخير.

يجب علينا أن نلبي التوقعات والاحتياجات الأساسية للمدنيين في غزة.

يجب السماح للمساعدات الإنسانية المنقذة للحياة - الغذاء والماء والدواء والوقود - بالوصول إلى جميع المدنيين بسرعة وأمان وبالحجم اللازم.

وأرحب بتوافق الآراء العالمي المتزايد على هدنة إنسانية في الصراع. وأكرر دعوتي إلى وقف إطلاق النار لأسباب إنسانية، والإفراج غير المشروط عن جميع الرهائن، وإيصال الإمدادات المنقذة للحياة بالحجم المطلوب.

فحالة البؤس تزداد كل دقيقة.

وبدون تغيير جوهري، سيواجه سكان غزة سيلا غير مسبوق من المعاناة الإنسانية.

يجب أن يتحمل الجميع مسؤولياتهم. إنها لحظة مواجهة الحقيقة. والتاريخ سيحكم علينا جميعا.

Statement by the Secretary-General - on the humanitarian situation in Gaza [scroll down for Arabic version] | United Nations Secretary-General

TOR WENNESLAND

SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS

BRIEFING TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

24 October 2023

Mr. President,

Excellencies,

Members of the Security Council,

I thank you for your sustained attention to the grave developments unfolding in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in and around Gaza.

In light of the horrific violence of these past weeks, allow me to begin by expressing my most sincere condolences to the thousands of families – in Israel, Palestine and across the globe – who are in mourning, in shock and in profound pain. This includes the families of 35 UN staff killed in Gaza.

The abhorrent attack launched by Hamas on 7 October and Israel’s devastating, ongoing military operation in Gaza have taken a staggering toll on civilians and deeply shaken Israelis and Palestinians alike. As I told this Council last week and the Secretary-General has just expressed, the events we are witnessing are unprecedented; they risk expanding to the wider region and may have a profound long-term impact on the dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mr. President,

On the morning of 7 October, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups launched a large-scale, complex assault on Israel. The unprecedented attack saw an estimated 1,500 Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants from Gaza infiltrate some twenty Israeli communities and military facilities in the Gaza periphery by land, sea and air, while thousands of rockets were launched towards central Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Testimony and evidence emerging from that tragic day reveal a sickening killing spree, designed to terrorize, with appalling scenes of brutality, massacres and hostage-taking, including against infants and young children. In all, Hamas and other Palestinian militant-groups killed over 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals – the bloodiest attack in Israel’s history. This includes over 1,000 civilians, many of them women and children, and over 360 security forces personnel. Over 5,400 Israelis were injured.

At least 220 civilians, including women and children, as well as soldiers, were abducted and taken into the Gaza Strip as hostages. While not confirmed, Hamas has said that 22 hostages were killed by Israeli strikes. I welcome the release of four hostages and recognize the important roles of Egypt [sic] and Qatar in this regard. To the families of hostages, some of whom are with us today, the fear and uncertainty you have had to endure is unimaginable. As the Secretary-General and I have said repeatedly, your loved ones must be returned to you immediately and unconditionally.

Heavy fighting between Israeli forces and militants inside Israeli communities continued until 10 October, when the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it regained control of the perimeter fence. Over 120,000 Israelis were displaced from the area.

Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups in Gaza have continued to launch indiscriminate rocket fire from Gaza into Israel, reaching as far north as Haifa. To date, according to Israeli sources, some 7,700 rockets have been launched.

Mr. President,

On the day of the attack, Israel’s Security Cabinet declared a state of war for the first time in over 50 years, with the aim of “the destruction of the military and governing capabilities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.” That same day, Israeli forces began a massive bombardment of what they said were Hamas sites throughout Gaza. Israeli air assault in the Strip has continued to date, with some 5,000 such sites targeted, according to the IDF. On 8 October, Israel’s Minister of Defense announced a complete siege of Gaza, blocking all entry of goods, including electricity, water, food, fuel, and medical equipment.

The airstrikes have been devastating and resulted in a staggering number of Palestinian fatalities, a vast number of whom are civilians. Thus far, the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza has reported over 5,000 Palestinians killed, including over 1,100 women, 2,000 children as well as journalists, medical workers and first responders, with more than 15,000 injured. Authorities estimate that hundreds more lay dead or injured under the rubble as rescue efforts languish amid continuous airstrikes. Over 1 million Palestinians have been displaced.

The level of physical destruction has left entire neighborhoods in rubble and critical infrastructure has been destroyed or damaged. Schools, including UNRWA schools, and hospitals -- many sheltering displaced Palestinians -- have been hit. Displacement levels are unprecedented.

Compounding the destruction from airstrikes, the humanitarian impact has been immense. In this regard, I welcome Egypt’s facilitation to open the Rafah border crossing on 21 October and reiterate that humanitarian assistance needs to flow safely and continuously into the Strip.

I echo the Secretary-General’s appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

Lynn Hastings, the Humanitarian Coordinator in the OPT, will report in full on the humanitarian situation on behalf of the Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths.

Mr. President,

The risk of a significant further deterioration of the situation in the occupied West Bank or spillover of the conflict in the region remains significant.

Violence in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem – already at worrying levels – has increased since the outbreak of war. Israeli authorities have imposed widespread movement restrictions and conducted extensive arrests. High numbers of daily clashes and armed exchanges between Palestinians and Israeli security forces and settlers have been recorded, as well as settler-related violence and Palestinian attacks against Israelis. Since 7 October, 93 Palestinians, including 27 children, have been killed by ISF or settlers, and one Israeli security personnel was killed in an armed exchange. Large demonstrations in solidarity with the Gaza population took place in cities across the West Bank, with some leading to confrontations with Palestinian Security Forces.

Meanwhile, across the Blue Line, and amid heightened rhetoric from actors on the ground, there have been daily intermittent but intense exchanges of fire since 8 October. Hezbollah, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have launched rockets and anti-tank missiles toward Israel, while IDF responded with artillery fire and air strikes, leading to casualties on both sides. On 13 and 20 October, two journalists were killed. Palestinian militants from Lebanon have also made several infiltration attempts, the most significant, on 9 October. Over 80,000 Israelis have been evacuated from their homes and some 20,000 Lebanese have been displaced.

On the Golan, the Israeli Defense Forces responded on 10 October with artillery and mortar shells towards what they said were a number of launches from Syria toward Israel. Syrian state media reported Israeli air attacks on 12 and 22 October targeting the international airports in Damascus and Aleppo, and on 14 October Aleppo international airport. UNDOF continues to engage with both parties, urging them to exercise maximum restraint and respect their obligations under the 1974 Agreement on the Disengagement of Forces.

Mr. President,

The Secretary-General has been very clear in expressing the United Nations condemnation of the horrifying attacks by Hamas and others on 7 October and deep alarm at the scale of Israeli airstrikes and the scope of civilian casualties and destruction in Gaza.

Over these past weeks, the Secretary-General and I have been pursuing any and every opportunity to address the situation on the ground and to prevent further civilian death and misery.

It is critical, that we, as a united international community, employ all our collective efforts to end the bloodletting and prevent any further expansion of hostilities – including in the region. The stakes are astronomically high and I appeal for all relevant actors to act responsibly. Any miscalculation could have immeasurable consequences.

In this regard, I welcome Egypt’s convening of the Cairo Peace Summit on 21 October and the efforts of States in the region and beyond to address the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe before us and to pave the way for unlocking a real and serious peace process.

Mr. President,

These devasting events are not divorced from the broader context in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Israel and the region, where dynamics are deeply intertwined.

The unresolved conflict and continued occupation shape the reality of every Israeli and every Palestinian. For 15 years, the Palestinian population has been living under militant rule and a strict closure regime, as the Palestinian divide hardened. For a generation, hope has been lost and despair has prevailed for those who see prospects for a more peaceful future pulling still further away.

Only a political solution will move us forward.

The steps we take to address this crisis must be implemented in a way that ultimately advances a negotiated peace that fulfils the legitimate national aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis – the long-held vision of two-States, in line with UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements.

Thank you.

24 October 2023, New York

Secretary-General's remarks to the Security Council on the Middle East [as delivered]

Mr. President, with your permission, I will make a small introduction and then ask my colleagues to brief the Security Council on the situation on the ground.

Excellencies,

The situation in the Middle East is growing more dire by the hour.

The war in Gaza is raging and risks spiralling throughout the region.

Divisions are splintering societies. Tensions threaten to boil over.

At a crucial moment like this, it is vital to be clear on principles -- starting with the fundamental principle of respecting and protecting civilians.

I have condemned unequivocally the horrifying and unprecedented 7 October acts of terror by Hamas in Israel.

Nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians – or the launching of rockets against civilian targets.

All hostages must be treated humanely and released immediately and without conditions. I respectfully note the presence among us of members of their families.

Excellencies,

It is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.

The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.

They have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced and their homes demolished. Their hopes for a political solution to their plight have been vanishing.

But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas. And those appalling attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

Excellencies,

Even war has rules.

We must demand that all parties uphold and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law; take constant care in the conduct of military operations to spare civilians; and respect and protect hospitals and respect the inviolability of UN facilities which today are sheltering more than 600,000 Palestinians.

The relentless bombardment of Gaza by Israeli forces, the level of civilian casualties, and the wholesale destruction of neighborhoods continue to mount and are deeply alarming.

I mourn and honour the dozens of UN colleagues working for UNRWA – sadly, at least 35 and counting – killed in the bombardment of Gaza over the last two weeks.

I owe to their families my condemnation of these and many other similar killings.

The protection of civilians is paramount in any armed conflict.

Protecting civilians can never mean using them as human shields.

Protecting civilians does not mean ordering more than one million people to evacuate to the south, where there is no shelter, no food, no water, no medicine and no fuel, and then continuing to bomb the south itself.

I am deeply concerned about the clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza.

Let me be clear: No party to an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law.

Excellencies,

Thankfully, some humanitarian relief is finally getting into Gaza.

But it is a drop of aid in an ocean of need.

In addition, our UN fuel supplies in Gaza will run out in a matter of days. That would be another disaster.

Without fuel, aid cannot be delivered, hospitals will not have power, and drinking water cannot be purified or even pumped.

The people of Gaza need continuous aid delivery at a level that corresponds to the enormous needs. That aid must be delivered without restrictions.

I salute our UN colleagues and humanitarian partners in Gaza working under hazardous conditions and risking their lives to provide aid to those in need. They are an inspiration.

To ease epic suffering, make the delivery of aid easier and safer, and facilitate the release of hostages, I reiterate my appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

Excellencies,

Even in this moment of grave and immediate danger, we cannot lose sight of the only realistic foundation for a true peace and stability: a two-State solution.

Israelis must see their legitimate needs for security materialized, and Palestinians must see their legitimate aspirations for an independent State realized, in line with United Nations resolutions, international law and previous agreements.

Finally, we must be clear on the principle of upholding human dignity.

Polarization and dehumanization are being fueled by a tsunami of disinformation.

We must stand up to the forces of antisemitism, anti-Muslim bigotry and all forms of hate.

Mr. President,

Excellencies,

Today is United Nations Day, marking 78 years since the UN Charter entered into force.

That Charter reflects our shared commitment to advance peace, sustainable development and human rights.

On this UN Day, at this critical hour, I appeal to all to pull back from the brink before the violence claims even more lives and spreads even farther.

Thank you very much.

Secretary-General's remarks to the Security Council - on the Middle East [as delivered] | United Nations Secretary-General

25 October 2023, New York

Secretary-General’s remarks at press encounter on the situation in the Middle East

I am shocked by the misinterpretations by some of my statement yesterday in the Security Council – as if I was justifying acts of terror by Hamas.

This is false. It was the opposite.

In the beginning of my intervention yesterday, I clearly stated – and I quote:

“I have condemned unequivocally the horrifying and unprecedented 7 October acts of terror by Hamas in Israel.

Nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians – or the launching of rockets against civilian targets.”

Indeed, I spoke of the grievances of the Palestinian people and in doing so, I also clearly stated, and I quote:

“But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas.”

And then I went on with my intervention referring to all my positions on all aspects of the Middle East crisis.

I believe it was necessary to set the record straight – especially out of respect to the victims and to their families.

Thank you.

Secretary-General’s remarks at press encounter – on the situation in the Middle East | United Nations Secretary-General