{"id":290944,"date":"2023-11-22T11:23:28","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T16:23:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=290944"},"modified":"2023-11-24T14:19:18","modified_gmt":"2023-11-24T19:19:18","slug":"two-thirds-of-gaza-war-dead-are-women-and-children-briefers-say-as-security-council-debates-their-plight","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/two-thirds-of-gaza-war-dead-are-women-and-children-briefers-say-as-security-council-debates-their-plight\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Thirds of Gaza War Dead Are Women and Children, Briefers Say, as Security Council Debates Their Plight – Press Release"},"content":{"rendered":"
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9484TH MEETING (AM)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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SC\/15503<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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22 NOVEMBER 2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Delegates Praise Hostage Deal, Renew Call for Humanitarian Ceasefire<\/h4>\n

Briefers at the Security Council today spoke of the disastrous situation for women and children in the Gaza Strip due to the Israel-Hamas war, highlighting acute stresses and needs of mothers and declaring Gaza to be the most dangerous place in the world to be a child.<\/p>\n

Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women\u00a0(Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Women), recalled that women and girls pay the highest price when armed conflict erupts. \u00a0Since 7\u00a0October, when Hamas fighters attacked Israel, 67\u00a0per\u00a0cent of the more than 14,000 people killed in Gaza are estimated to be women and children. \u00a0\u201cThat is two mothers killed every hour and seven women every two hours,\u201d she said. \u00a0\u201cWe mourn them all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Every day, 180 women are giving birth without water, painkillers, anaesthesia for Caesarean sections, electricity for incubators or medical supplies, she said. \u00a0Mothers, meanwhile, mix baby formula with contaminated water \u2014 when they find it \u2014 and go without food so that their children can live another day.\u00a0 \u201cWomen in Gaza have told us that they pray for peace, but that if peace does not come, they pray for a quick death, in their sleep, with their children in their arms,\u201d she said. \u00a0\u201cIt should shame us all that any mother, anywhere, has such a prayer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catherine Russell, Executive Director of the United Nations Children\u2019s Fund (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵICEF), called for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire, saying that pauses are not enough for children to survive.\u00a0 \u201cNo place is safe in the Gaza Strip\u201d, she stressed.\u00a0 While Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵICEF is positioned to quickly scale up the delivery of humanitarian aid, more resources are needed to meet growing needs. \u00a0Describing the Gaza Strip is the world\u2019s most dangerous place to be a child, she said that an unprecedented 40\u00a0per\u00a0cent of deaths in Gaza have been children.\u00a0She also noted that 35 Israeli children have been killed and more than 30 held hostage since 7\u00a0October.<\/p>\n

Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Population Fund (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵFPA) said that 5,500 pregnant women are expected to give birth in December in Gaza.\u00a0\u201cAt a moment when new life is beginning, what should be a moment of joy is overshadowed by death and destruction, horror and fear.\u201d \u00a0Overcrowded conditions and insufficient clean water and sanitation are creating multiple health risks, including for women who have no access to menstrual hygiene.\u00a0Meanwhile, in the West Bank, where settler violence is increasing, more than 8,000 women are expected to give birth next month, she said.<\/p>\n

In the ensuing debate, Council members renewed calls for a ceasefire while also welcoming an agreement, announced on 21\u00a0November, that will see women and children held by Hamas \u2014 all taken hostage on 7\u00a0October \u2014 released in exchange for Palestinian women and children detained in Israel.\u00a0 Several speakers added that women must be part of any peace process.<\/p>\n

The representative of the United Arab Emirates, whose delegation \u2014 along with Malta \u2014 requested today\u2019s meeting, said that war disproportionately impacts women and children \u2014 and that Gaza is no exception.\u00a0 While calling for a ceasefire, she said that Council resolution 2712\u00a0(2023), which calls for extended humanitarian pauses, must be urgently implemented.\u00a0 Malta\u2019s delegate added that women human rights defenders, activists and journalists must be protected and gender-related issues and perspectives included in the Council\u2019s work.<\/p>\n

Gabon\u2019s delegate warned, however, that the hope generated by resolution 2712 (2023) is shrinking daily as fighting continues, adding to the terrible human and material toll in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank.\u00a0 All parties must exercise restraint and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, he said.<\/p>\n

France\u2019s delegate said that civilian infrastructure, humanitarian facilities and health-care personnel in Gaza must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law.\u00a0 The United States\u2019 representative said that the deal to release at least 50 hostages, including Americans, who were taken by Hamas, must be fully implemented.<\/p>\n

The Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, speaking at the end of the meeting, said that the 21\u00a0November truce agreement will save hundreds of Palestinian children.\u00a0 It cannot, however, be just a pause before massacres start again.\u00a0 \u201cWe believe in justice, not vengeance\u201d, he said.\u00a0\u201cWe should not be blind to each other\u2019s wounds, traumas or history, nor dismiss them.\u201d\u00a0 Respect must be built on a common vision, where one\u2019s life is not at the other\u2019s expense, he added.<\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s delegate said that the briefers ignored the fact that 1,300 Israelis were massacred on 7\u00a0October and another 8,650 are still hospitalized.\u00a0They also intentionally refused to brief on acts of sexual violence and rape of Israeli women and children, he stated, adding that today\u2019s briefings made it clear that \u201cIsraeli victims do not matter\u201d.<\/p>\n

THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST, INCLUDING THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Briefings<\/u><\/p>\n

SIMA SAMI BAHOUS,\u00a0Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women<\/u>\u00a0(Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Women), welcomed the news that 50 hostages, all women and children, will be released in return for the release of 150\u00a0Palestinian women and children.\u00a0 She hoped for a permanent truce, lasting relief for Gazans, and for Hamas to release all hostages.\u00a0 Recalling that women and girls pay the highest price in conflicts, she said that 67\u00a0per\u00a0cent of the more than 14,000\u00a0people killed in Gaza since 7\u00a0October are thought to be women and children.\u00a0 \u201cThat is two mothers killed every hour and seven women every two hours.\u00a0 We mourn them all.\u201d\u00a0 Moreover, 180\u00a0women are delivering babies every day without water, painkillers, anaesthesia for\u00a0Caesarean\u00a0sections, electricity for incubators or medical supplies.\u00a0 Yet, women continue caring for children, the sick and the elderly, mixing baby formula with contaminated water when they find it and going without food so that their children can live another day.\u00a0 \u201cWomen in Gaza have told us that they pray for peace, but that if peace does not come, they pray for a quick death, in their sleep, with their children in their arms.\u00a0 It should shame us all that any mother, anywhere, has such a prayer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since this latest escalation, the estimate of women and girls in dire need of humanitarian assistance in Gaza has gone up from 650,000 to 800,000, she said.\u00a0 There is also an escalation in the West Bank, where the demolition of public infrastructure, revocation of work permits, increased settler violence and detentions have significantly impacted the lives and livelihoods of women.\u00a0 She expressed alarm at disturbing reports of gender-based and sexual violence and called for all such acts to be fully investigated with the utmost priority.\u00a0Gaza\u2019s only two women\u2019s shelters are now closed, while women-led organizations continue to operate in Gaza under severe constraints.\u00a0 They must have whatever they need to continue their crucial work, she said.<\/p>\n

She said Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Women will initially cover food and cash assistance to 14,000\u00a0women-headed households, one third of all women headed households in Gaza.\u00a0 It will work with the Egyptian Red Crescent and the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization to advance distribution of items identified by Gazan women as priority needs.\u00a0 Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Women is providing flexible financial support to women\u2019s organizations across the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Women\u2019s Peace and Humanitarian Fund has launched a new appeal to mobilize an additional $10\u00a0million.\u00a0 She encouraged donors to increase financing.<\/p>\n

She welcomed last week\u2019s Council resolution and called for its immediate implementation, adding however that like more than 100\u00a0resolutions on the Palestinian question since\u00a01948, it made no reference to gender issues.\u00a0 She urged the Council to include the voices of Palestinian and Israeli women working for peace, to recognize their leadership and call for their meaningful participation in any negotiation efforts, recalling that women remain the largest and most reliable constituency for peace.\u00a0 She called for a ceasefire, for the remaining hostages to be released unconditionally, and an immediate end to the current siege, beginning with ensuring access to water.\u00a0The women in Gaza feel completely abandoned, she said, adding:\u00a0 \u201cThey see that the trickle of aid does not meet the ocean of need.\u00a0 More than anything, they tell us they want the violence to stop \u2014 now.\u201d<\/p>\n

CATHERINE RUSSELL,\u00a0Executive Director of the United Nations Children\u2019s Fund<\/u>\u00a0(Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵICEF), called for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire, saying that pauses are not enough for children to survive and for humanitarian workers to deliver aid.\u00a0 The Council must do everything in its power to end this catastrophe for children, while the parties to the conflict must heed the call for a negotiated political solution.\u00a0 Gaza\u2019s destruction and killing civilians will not bring peace to the region.\u00a0 The war must end, and the killing of children must stop immediately.\u00a0 The parties must abide by resolution 2712\u00a0(2023), provide safe and unrestricted humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, allow the delivery of fuel, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies, tents and tarpaulins.\u00a0 They must also ensure voluntary movement and safe passage for all civilians seeking emergency shelter and to reopen all water lines into the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵICEF strongly opposes establishing so-called \u201csafe zones\u201d as they would lack the infrastructure or protection measures needed for large numbers of civilians, she said.\u00a0 \u201cNo place is safe in the Gaza Strip\u201d and attacks on southern Gaza must be avoided.\u00a0 Further escalation in the south would exponentially worsen the humanitarian situation, causing more displacement and squeezing civilians into an even smaller area.\u00a0She asked the parties to go beyond what international humanitarian and human rights law requires to protect children and civilian infrastructure, and called as well for the unconditional and immediate release of all civilian hostages in the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵICEF is positioned to quickly scale up the delivery of humanitarian aid, but more resources are needed to meet growing needs, she said, noting that more than 1.7\u00a0million people in Gaza are displaced, half of whom are children.\u00a0 In addition, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵICEF estimates that 450,000\u00a0children in the West Bank need humanitarian assistance.\u00a0 The Gaza Strip is the world\u2019s most dangerous place to be a child, with more than 5,300\u00a0Palestinian children killed thus far \u2014 amounting to more than\u00a0115 a day \u2014 and more than 1,200\u00a0children under rubble or unaccounted for.\u00a0 At the same time, 35\u00a0Israeli children have been killed and more than 30\u00a0held hostage since 7\u00a0October, she said, calling on the parties to safely release all abducted children.<\/p>\n

All one million children in Gaza are now food insecure, facing a catastrophic nutrition crisis, she continued.\u00a0 Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵICEF projects that child wasting, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition, could increase by nearly 30\u00a0per\u00a0cent.\u00a0 Water production capacity has plummeted to five\u00a0per\u00a0cent of normal output, as water services have stopped functioning and sanitation services have collapsed.\u00a0 More than two-thirds of hospitals are no longer functioning.\u00a0Hospitals should never be attacked or used by combatants, she emphasized, noting that thousands of displaced people are sheltering in them.\u00a0 She also condemned all attacks on schools, as nearly 90\u00a0per\u00a0cent of schools have sustained damage and nearly 80\u00a0per\u00a0cent are being used as shelters.\u00a0 She expressed particular concern over the increasing numbers of displaced children separated from their families and arriving unaccompanied at hospitals.\u00a0 The latest war\u2019s true cost will be measured in children\u2019s lives, and the cost will continue growing exponentially without an end to fighting and full humanitarian access, she said.<\/p>\n

NATALIA KANEM,\u00a0Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund<\/u>\u00a0(Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵFPA), said that women and children, representing about two-thirds of those killed in Gaza, pay the steepest price in conflicts.\u00a0 While 5,500\u00a0pregnant women are expected to give birth in December, approximately 180\u00a0women give birth every day under appalling conditions with their children\u2019s future uncertain.\u00a0 \u201cAt a moment when new life is beginning, what should be a moment of joy is overshadowed by death and destruction, horror and fear,\u201d she said, adding that limited access to health care and emergency obstetric care puts to risk the lives of women facing obstetric complications.\u00a0She expressed concern over the lack of access to postpartum care, water, sanitation, and nutrition for the more than 7,000\u00a0women who gave birth since 7\u00a0October.\u00a0 As a result of the attacks on health facilities, including the lack of fuel, electricity and supplies, half of all hospitals have shut down with the remainder at breaking point, she said.<\/p>\n

With more than 2.2 million people in Gaza, the entirety of which is besieged and denied access to the essentials for survival, more than 1.6\u00a0million are living in overcrowded conditions without sufficient clean water and sanitation, creating multiple health risks, including for women who have no access to menstrual hygiene, and the pregnant or recently delivered.\u00a0 The lack of food and water will adversely impact the health and well-being of pregnant and breastfeeding women because of their higher daily water and caloric intake requirements.\u00a0 In the West Bank, meanwhile, where settler violence is increasing, around 8,000\u00a0women are expected to give birth next month.\u00a0 The Fund is concerned about the protection risks facing women living under these conditions, especially gender-based violence as \u201clack of access and the loss of communications limit our ability to deliver the support and services that gender-based violence survivors require\u201d.<\/p>\n

Hospitals, health workers and civilians must never be targets, given their special protection status under international humanitarian law, she continued.\u00a0 She highlighted the Fund\u2019s response to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, including five\u00a0truckloads of reproductive health kits containing pharmaceuticals, equipment and supplies for emergency obstetric and neonatal care.\u00a0 The Fund is also providing cash transfers to pregnant and breastfeeding women, breast cancer patients and survivors of gender-based violence.\u00a0 However, operational constraints and the fact the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵFPA staff and partners are also affected by the conflict jeopardize the Fund\u2019s efforts.<\/p>\n

She called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas, welcoming the recent deal on the release of hostages and underscored the need for a continuous and sufficient flow of humanitarian assistance to all those in need, especially women and children.\u00a0 Civilians and their critical infrastructure should be protected, as should humanitarian workers.\u00a0 \u201cThe fate of humanity does not belong in the hands of those wielding weapons.\u00a0It rests with women and young people and allies standing together waging peace\u201d, she said, calling on the Council to \u201cdo everything in your power to make that peace happen\u201d.<\/p>\n

Statements<\/u><\/p>\n

LANA ZAKI NUSSEIBEH (United Arab Emirates<\/u>), describing today\u2019s briefings as painful, said that this war taking place is in a small yet highly populated area, with its largest city, Gaza City, more densely populated than New York.\u00a0 Within this 25-mile-long strip, 12,000\u00a0locations have already been hit by airstrikes, including sites shielded by the laws of war, such as schools, hospitals and refugee camps.\u00a0 History shows war disproportionately impacts women and children, and Gaza is no exception.\u00a0In Israel, too, parents have grieved the unfathomable trauma of children taken hostage by Hamas, she said, warning also of the danger of antisemitism and Islamophobia unleashed by the conflict.\u00a0 \u201dUltimately, only a ceasefire will prevent further violence and suffering,\u201d she said, adding that in the meantime, resolution 2712\u00a0(2023) must be urgently implemented, together with safe, sustained and at-scale humanitarian assistance throughout the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n

FRANCESCA MARIA GATT (Malta<\/u>), emphasizing the need for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors, said that women in Gaza are among the first responders.\u00a0 Support for women\u2019s civil society organizations must be given urgent priority and women human rights defenders, activists and journalists must be protected.\u00a0 Gender-related issues and perspectives must be included in the Council\u2019s considerations, she added.\u00a0 The killing of children, attacks on schools and hospitals, abductions and denial of humanitarian access are grave violations against children and violations of international law.\u00a0 She said that she is deeply distressed by the death of premature babies at Al-Shifa Hospital and deeply concerned by unrest in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.\u00a0Looking ahead, she said that peace efforts must include women as legitimate stakeholders and effective peacebuilders.<\/p>\n

LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD (United States<\/u>) said that the deal to release at least 50 hostages, including Americans who were taken by Hamas, must be fully implemented.\u00a0 All Council members should support its aims.\u00a0 However, while it is a real cause for hope, the deal does not undo the conflict\u2019s devastating toll on women, children and all civilians in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.\u00a0 Noting the \u201cdark reality of conflict that Hamas set in motion,\u201d she said that many Council members seem to have forgotten or have attempted to erase the horrors of 7\u00a0October and cannot unequivocally condemn Hamas\u2019s acts of terror.\u00a0This moment tests the Council\u2019s capacity to empathize with the suffering of all \u2014 both the victims of 7\u00a0October and innocent Palestinian civilians.\u00a0 She urged the scaling up of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, even as Hamas is unconcerned about protecting civilians as it deliberately puts them in harm\u2019s way.\u00a0Still, this does not lessen Israel\u2019s responsibility to protect civilians, and any harm to civilians sheltering at protected sites is unacceptable, she stated.\u00a0 Even at this perilous moment, she called for a future where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace.<\/p>\n

VASSILY A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation<\/u>) said that the mass killings, maiming of children and attacks on hospitals are of utmost concern.\u00a0 So, too, are attacks on schools, religious sites and United Nations facilities. \u00a0Denying humanitarian access to children is unacceptable, he said, noting that more children have died in the past two months than over the entire period combined since the conflict began.\u00a0 He requested the Secretary-General and his Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict monitor the situation and keep the Council informed. \u00a0The Council should also invite civil society and women to brief its members on the first-hand state of things. \u00a0It is a moral and humanitarian imperative to end the conflict, as no humanitarian pause can change this unacceptable situation. \u00a0Only an immediate ceasefire will do this and ensure the passage of humanitarian aid. \u00a0He added that the important agreement to exchange hostages was possible not because of resolution 2712 (2023) but the result of the intervention of Qatar and Egypt. \u00a0The Russian Federation hopes it will be enforced and lead to a de-escalation of the situation.<\/p>\n

NICOLAS DE RIVI\u00c8RE (France<\/u>) hailed the agreement to release hostages and establish a truce, noting the role of the United States, Qatar and Egypt in those negotiations. \u00a0He condemned the terrorist attacks of Hamas and other terrorist groups, adding that the Security Council must do the same in unequivocal terms. \u00a0The humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic, with women and children accounting for two thirds of the victims. \u00a0Civilian infrastructure, humanitarian facilities and health-care personnel must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law, he said, condemning all shelling of civilians and civilian infrastructure. \u00a0\u201cThe extremely grave nature of the situation in Gaza must not allow us to forget the extent of the violence perpetrated against Palestinian population in the West Bank,\u201d he said. \u00a0\u201cFrance demands that the Israeli authorities make that violence stop immediately.\u201d \u00a0He also expressed France\u2019s commitment to prevent the conflict from spilling over to the rest of the region.<\/p>\n

PASCALE CHRISTINE BAERISWYL (Switzerland<\/u>), calling for full implementation of resolution 2712 (2023), said that it is unacceptable that two thirds of victims in Gaza are women and children and that two mothers are killed every hour.\u00a0 \u201cGiven their vulnerability and specific needs, the protection of children is particularly pivotal.\u201d\u00a0 All civilians must have access to services essential to their survival, such as drinking water, food and electricity.\u00a0 Access to medical care is also essential, particularly for pregnant women.\u00a0 There must be, at all costs, an avoidance of an even more serious escalation or regional conflagration, of which she sees worrying signs of both in the occupied West Bank and in Lebanon.\u00a0 She called for Israel to adhere to international humanitarian law and for all violations of such law to be investigated.<\/p>\n

YAMANAKA OSAMU (Japan<\/u>) expressed deep concern at an unprecedented deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza. \u00a0About 575,000 women and girls lack essential reproductive health services, leading to insufficient care during births and premature infant deaths, he said, emphasizing the importance of ensuring protection of medical personnel engaged in medical duties in line with relevant United Nations resolutions. \u00a0Women and children account for nearly 70\u00a0per\u00a0cent of the death toll in Gaza, he said, adding: \u00a0\u201cNo other place on earth is as horrifying as Gaza right now.\u201d \u00a0The protection of women and children must be prioritized and rapid humanitarian access must be ensured. \u00a0Japan condemns horrifying terror attacks committed by Hamas, he said, demanding the immediate release of all remaining hostages. \u00a0He also called for all parties to act in accordance with international law, underscoring the need to relaunch diplomatic negotiations, leading to a two-State solution.<\/p>\n

JAMES KARIUKI (United Kingdom<\/u>) said that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is acute.\u00a0 Too many people, including women and children, are losing their lives.\u00a0 It is necessary for all sides to uphold international humanitarian law.\u00a0 He welcomed news of a deal to release hostages and described a pause in the fighting as a crucial step.\u00a0 \u201cThe UK welcomes the immense international cooperation, including efforts from Qatar, Egypt, the US and Israel that has led to an agreement being reached,\u201d he said, adding that the pause provides an important opportunity for life-saving aid to reach Gaza.\u00a0 He reiterated a call for increased land access through the Rafah crossing, and the full opening of the Kerem Shalom crossing, to get critical goods into Gaza at much greater speed.\u00a0 \u201cWe continue to press Israel to authorise the entry of at least 200,000\u00a0litres of fuel per day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

FERIT HOXHA (Albania<\/u>) welcomed the agreement to release some hostages captured by Hamas and reiterated a call to release all hostages.\u00a0The four-day pause, also called for in resolution 2712\u00a0(2023), should be used to ensure delivery of critical humanitarian aid for the civilians in Gaza.\u00a0 Hamas\u2019s horrific crimes cannot be forgotten or relativized and should not go unpunished, he said, acknowledging that this is no easy task because that group\u2019s military capabilities are deeply embedded within Gaza.\u00a0\u201cWars, even the most carefully planned ones, are always a tragic event.\u201d\u00a0 However, any military strategy that ignores the human costs could ultimately end up having adverse effects, he said, calling on Israel to fully abide by international humanitarian law and to respond to terror in line with the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.<\/p>\n

S\u00c9RGIO FRAN\u00c7A DANESE (Brazil<\/u>) said that today\u2019s meeting is taking place under the shadow of a humanitarian crisis of staggering proportions.\u00a0 \u201cThe situation in the Gaza Strip, especially for women and children, is nothing short of a calamity.\u201d\u00a0 Among those most at risk are newborns, infants and pregnant women, many of whom enter labour under appalling conditions.\u00a0 He noted distressing reports of women undergoing Caesarean sections without proper anaesthesia.\u00a0 Meanwhile, children face constant threats to their safety and well-being, with psychological and physical impact on entire generations of Palestinian and Israeli children.\u00a0 He deplored recent attacks on two schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East\u00a0(Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA), resulting in the tragic loss of life, predominantly of women and children, and reiterated the inviolability of such facilities.<\/p>\n

DOMINGOS EST\u00caV\u00c3O FERNANDES (Mozambique<\/u>) said that it is the responsibility of Council members to maximize efforts and implement a coordinated response to save civilian lives in the Gaza Strip.\u00a0Describing as a \u201cpositive signal\u201d the potential agreement between the Government of Israel and Hamas on the release of hostages, he said that it could lead to a humanitarian ceasefire facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance.\u00a0 There should be a unanimous call by the Council in support of these actions, he said, underscoring that the humanitarian assistance to Gaza should be scaled up to match the scale of the humanitarian crisis on the ground.\u00a0 The parties need to demonstrate leadership, wisdom and courage to work towards a long-lasting solution allowing both Israelis and Palestinians to live side-by-side in peace.\u00a0 Council members should exert their influence for this noble and ideal goal,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

HERN\u00c1N P\u00c9REZ LOOSE (Ecuador<\/u>) said that women suffer the disproportionate burden of conflicts \u2014 and the explosion of violence unleashed by Hamas\u2019s terrorist attacks is no exception.\u00a0 The acts of sexual and gender-based violence on 7\u00a0October were particularly abominable.\u00a0 He added that the situation for civilians in Gaza is desperate.\u00a0 It is spine-chilling to hear that children are risking death due to a lack of electricity and that women are undergoing obstetric procedures and Caesarean sections without antibiotics or anaesthesia.\u00a0 All parties must uphold the norms of international humanitarian law, civilians must never be used as human shields and all hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally.\u00a0 Humanitarian aid must reach those in need, under an immediate and sustained humanitarian truce.\u00a0 He added that resolution 2712\u00a0(2023) must be immediately implemented and that the announcement on 21\u00a0November on the release of hostages is a hopeful first step.<\/p>\n

HAROLD ADLAI AGYEMAN (Ghana<\/u>) condemning the horrendous attacks of Hamas against Israel on 7\u00a0October, expressed concern about the high number of civilian casualties arising from Israel\u2019s military response.\u00a0 He urged \u201ca strong recalibration of approach\u201d and welcomed the decision for a temporary ceasefire. \u00a0Further mutual measures could reinforce respect for international humanitarian law by the parties, safeguard hospitals and schools and facilitate humanitarian access to prevent a potential health catastrophe. \u00a0Efforts to build confidence should also work towards reducing attacks on Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA installations. \u00a0Calling for an immediate halt to airstrikes beyond agreed deadlines, he emphasized that holding civilian hostages violates their fundamental human rights. \u00a0In this context, the Council must commit to ensuring the protection of civilians in strict compliance with international humanitarian law, he added.<\/p>\n

MICHEL XAVIER BIANG (Gabon<\/u>) said that the hope generated by the Council\u2019s adoption of resolution 2712 (2023) on 15\u00a0November is shrinking daily as fighting continues, adding to the terrible human and material toll in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. \u00a0All parties must exercise restraint and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, he said, also underscoring the need for a greater commitment to accountability for serious violations of international law. \u00a0The collective punishment of civilian populations is unacceptable and contrary to international humanitarian law. \u00a0There should be unimpeded, safe, and sustainable access to the delivery and distribution of essential goods and services to millions of people in need. \u00a0Noting the recent agreement on hostages, he called for their unconditional release as well as a broadened scope for the agreement to include hope for children.<\/p>\n

ZHANG JÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ (China<\/u>), Council President for November, speaking in his national capacity, said that the Palestine-Israel situation has been a concern for the entire world.\u00a0 Today\u2019s briefings further highlight the gravity of the situation and the urgency of saving lives. \u00a0After Israel\u2019s evacuation order, 80\u00a0per\u00a0cent of the population in Gaza has been forced to flee their homes, while the medical system has completely collapsed. \u00a0Civilian facilities, including hospitals, refugee camps and Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-run schools, are targets of frequent attacks and there is nowhere for the children in Gaza to run. \u00a0In the past 46 days, more than 5,000 children have been killed. \u00a0This must not be allowed to continue to happen, he said. \u00a0\u201cWe must step up efforts to promote an immediate end to hostilities,\u201d he said, calling resolution 2712 (2023) an initial step of great significance to avoid a greater humanitarian catastrophe.<\/p>\n

RIYAD H. MANSOUR,\u00a0Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine<\/u>, welcomed yesterday\u2019s truce agreement, saying it will save hundreds of Palestinian children.\u00a0 He called for a definitive end to the criminal assault on the Palestinian people, as well as a way forward that averts this aggression\u2019s resumption to protect civilians and prevent regional spillover.\u00a0 This cannot just be a pause before massacres start again.\u00a0 Also, while Israel claims to respect the laws of war, its true intention is the destruction of the Palestinian nation and its legitimate aspirations.\u00a0 Resolution 2712 (2023) rejected the forced displacement of civilians, but Israel\u2019s true plans are the forced transfer of Palestinians.\u00a0 By depriving 2.3\u00a0million people the means for survival, Israel is telling them they have a choice: \u00a0\u201cleave this land or leave this Earth\u201d.\u00a0 He pointed to Israeli officials calling Palestinians \u201chuman animals,\u201d imposing a siege, calling for their annihilation, bombing indiscriminately and deploying brutal force.<\/p>\n

While not denying the suffering of Israeli families on 7\u00a0October, he said Israel is not faced with an existential threat as Palestine is.\u00a0 \u201cIsrael is not being destroyed; Palestine is.\u201d\u00a0 In the General Assembly, Israel\u2019s Prime Minister presented his vision for the new Middle East, wiping Palestine off the map.\u00a0 What is happening in Gaza and the West Bank is an attempt to make this map a reality; Netanyahu must be stopped.\u00a0 Despair, destruction, displacement and denial of Palestinian rights will never bring security to Israel.\u00a0 The Palestinian people are entitled to freedom and dignity on their land and in their lifetime; the Nakba has to end.\u00a0 He called for a different path where the Palestinian people are not deprived of their rights and no one denies the other\u2019s existence.\u00a0 With two States side by side in peace and security, in line with Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, no Palestinians or Israelis would be killed and would instead enjoy equal measures of freedom, peace and security.\u00a0 The conflict has no military solution, only a political one.\u00a0 There is no peace possible in the Middle East without resolving the question of Palestine, and there is no coexistence with supremacy or subjugation.\u00a0 Unequivocally opposing the killing of civilians, his delegation remains committed to the rule of international law.\u00a0 \u201cWe believe in justice, not vengeance\u201d, he said. \u00a0\u201cWe should not be blind to each other\u2019s wounds, traumas or history, nor dismiss them\u201d.\u00a0Respect must be built on a common vision, where one\u2019s life is not at the other\u2019s expense.<\/p>\n

GILAD MENASHE ERDAN (Israel<\/u>) said for almost 50 days, the Council has not advanced a solution related to its mandate. \u00a0Amidst the one-sided condemnations, suggestions and calls for calm, there has been no single real solution. \u00a0If the Council cannot suggest a solution that also ensures the safety of Israelis, then it fails to address the security of both Israelis and Gazans alike. \u00a0The war can end today if Hamas returns all hostages and turns over all those who were responsible for the massacre. \u00a0No country will agree to anything else. \u00a0The hostage deal struck on 21\u00a0November shows Israel is ready to take far-reaching concrete steps, releasing convicted terrorists for women and children. \u00a0However, when the pause ends, his country will continue its goal of eliminating Hamas\u2019s terror capabilities. He hoped the Council would maximize the pause to advance a solution to end the war.<\/p>\n

The Council should tell the truth to Gazans that Hamas is solely responsible for their situation and, when that group is gone, their future will become bright, he said.\u00a0 He asked where the Organization, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵICEF and Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵFPA had been during the past 16\u00a0years when children were indoctrinated, adding that there is yet no condemnation against Hamas\u2019s brainwashing and attacks. \u00a0\u201cYou have all suddenly woken up, but sadly not for the right reasons.\u201d\u00a0 He wondered how many reports Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵICEF has written about the Hamas terror summer camps to indoctrinate children, especially considering that Gaza children have been taught that murdering Israelis is their life goal.\u00a0 He went on to say that while the briefers mentioned hostages in Gaza, they ignored the fact that 1,300 Israelis were massacred with another 8,650 still hospitalized. \u00a0They also intentionally refused to brief on acts of sexual violence and rape of Israeli women and children. \u00a0Today\u2019s briefings make clear that \u201cIsraeli victims do not matter\u201d.\u00a0 To the United Nations and its agencies, Israeli women are not women and its children not children.\u00a0 The Organization refuses to accept Israeli numbers or statistics, claiming it cannot verify their facts, but it trusts the fabrications supplied by Palestine terrorists and directly from Hamas in Gaza, treating it as God\u2019s truth without any of verification, he said, adding that this is why Israel calls out the United Nations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

9484TH MEETING (AM) SC\/15503 22 NOVEMBER 2023 Delegates Praise Hostage Deal, Renew Call for Humanitarian Ceasefire Briefers at the Security Council today spoke of the disastrous situation for women and children in the Gaza Strip due to the Israel-Hamas war, highlighting acute stresses and needs of mothers and declaring Gaza to be the most dangerous […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":301,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[],"document-category":[1329],"document-source":[1362,2481,2105,6169,2337],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1769,5449,1829,2265,2033,2005,6848,1741,5200,6845,1745,2729,1841],"entity":[],"document-language":[],"class_list":["post-290944","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-press-release","document-source-security-council","document-source-un-women","document-source-united-nations-childrens-fund-unicef","document-source-united-nations-department-of-global-communications","document-source-united-nations-population-fund-unfpa","document-subject-armed-conflict","document-subject-assistance-to-the-palestinian-people","document-subject-casualties","document-subject-ceasefire","document-subject-children","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-hostages","document-subject-human-rights-and-international-humanitarian-law","document-subject-humanitarian-relief","document-subject-protection-of-civilians","document-subject-refugees-and-displaced-persons","document-subject-shelter","document-subject-women"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/290944","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/301"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/290944\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":291005,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/290944\/revisions\/291005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=290944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=290944"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=290944"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=290944"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=290944"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=290944"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=290944"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=290944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}