General Assembly: 58th plenary meeting, Tenth emergency special session

Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to start. Welcome. The 58th plenary meeting of the 10th emergency special session of the General Assembly is called to order. The Assembly will continue its consideration of agenda item five entitled, Illegal Israeli Actions in Occupied East Jerusalem and the Rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. I now give the floor to His Excellency Do Hong Viet, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.

Mr. President, we are approaching the end of 2024, but we are nowhere near the end of the conflict and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and across the Middle East. In just over a year, we have witnessed the unfolding of a conflict that has taken the lives of more than 40,000 people. Many are women and children. Nearly two million are being displaced. Infrastructure is systematically obliterated. Schools, hospitals, homes are destroyed in Beit Lahia, in Gaza City, in Rafah, and beyond. Even if the conflict were to end today, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development, it would take at least three centuries for Gaza's GDP to be restored to the 2022 level. The need to put an end to the suffering of the people in Gaza and pursue lasting peace in the Middle East is paramount. Vietnam continues to call for an immediate, enforceable, and lasting ceasefire across Gaza and the broader region. We also call for the unconditional release of all hostages, many of whom are citizens of ASEAN member states. Vietnam commends the efforts and engagements of several member states over the past year towards this end. Unfortunately, successes have been short-lived while the underlying crisis remains. We are disappointed at the Security Council's failure to act to fulfill its primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. We call on members of the Council to overcome the current deadlock and bring about decisive, comprehensive action to address the multifaceted crisis in Gaza and the broader Middle East. Mr. President, Vietnam condemns the widespread, indiscriminate, and disproportionate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure in violation of the UN Charter and international law. We call for utmost restraint, strict adherence to the UN Charter and international law, and full respect for relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, the General Assembly, and the provisional measures of the ICJ. Parties must ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure indispensable to the survival of the population. Vietnam calls for more effective measures to ensure unimpeded and uninterrupted humanitarian relief for civilian populations in Gaza and other affected areas in the region. We deeply appreciate the vital work of UNRWA in delivering essential assistance and services to the Palestinian people. We support all efforts to ensure the safe, effective, and continued operation of UNRWA, which include ensuring necessary resources and capabilities for the Agency to carry out their mandates, particularly amid the perilous conditions in Gaza today. Vietnam once again reaffirms its unwavering support for the Palestinian people in exercising their inalienable rights to self-determination and fulfilling the legitimate aspirations for full membership in the United Nations. We strongly advocate for a two-state solution that ensures the establishment of an independent and sovereign state of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions. I thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Vietnam. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malaysia.

Mr. President, thank you for convening this meeting. Malaysia aligns with statements of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Mr. President, 431 days have passed since Israel's onslaught on Gaza began. Over 44,000 deaths of mostly women and children have been recorded. More than 105,000 have been injured. 2024 has also become the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers, with 178 killed in the occupied Palestinian territory alone. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has long been described as apocalyptic. Still, humanitarian aid continues to be obstructed. According to OCHA, between 1st and 30th November, the UN attempted to reach besieged areas in North Gaza 53 times, out of which 48 were denied outright. Five were initially approved but then severely impeded on the ground. None was facilitated. The situation now has become unimaginably horrific. Israel's bombings have turned Gaza into a barren wasteland. About 60% of buildings in the strip have been destroyed or damaged, creating about 42 million tons of rubble, which would take decades to clear. Critical infrastructure, including for clean water and sanitation, has been decimated. The damaging environmental impacts of the bombings pose serious risks to the health and well-being of Gazans and will endure for a very long time. The situation in the West Bank also continues to worsen. Alarmingly, some Israeli high-ranking officials have openly advocated for annexation. Israeli settlers are growingly emboldened and have become increasingly violent in their attacks and harassments of Palestinians. Illegal settlements continue to spread, along with evictions and demolitions of Palestinian-owned homes and buildings. Israel's security operations have also intensified, which include airstrikes, shelling, live ammunitions and bulldozers, leading to large numbers of death, injuries and arbitrary detentions of civilians, as well as extensive destruction of homes and infrastructure. Israel has also been unrelenting in its attacks on the United Nations, its officials and agencies. UNRWA, the backbone of the humanitarian support system for millions of Palestinian refugees, has long become a target of Israel's malicious disinformation and smear campaign. Israel's decision to ban UNRWA's operations is condemnable and can only be understood in terms of Israel's longstanding strategy to repudiate the refugee status of Palestinians and their right to return. Mr. President, despite clear evidence of egregious violations of international law by Israel, the international community, particularly the Security Council, has failed to act decisively. The Council's inability to adopt a resolution calling for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire because of the use of veto emboldens Israel to be even more ferocious due to the impunity it continues to enjoy. Malaysia unequivocally condemns Israel's aggression in the occupied Palestinian territory and its offensive in the wider region. We also deplore Israel's ban on UNRWA's operations in the occupied Palestinian territory, which undermines the rights of Palestinian refugees as well as the UN's authority. UNRWA must be defended because its role is essential and irreplaceable. Malaysia therefore urges Member States to support and vote in favour of the two resolutions that are being tabled. The adoption of these resolutions are extremely critical to end the slaughter of innocent civilians, women and children in Gaza and to ensure the continuation of the much needed humanitarian activities in the occupied Palestinian territory. Mr. President, Malaysia also calls for an immediate halt to arms and financial support to Israel. This is vital to stop the massacre of children and other innocent civilians in Gaza. In addition, we believe that the Security Council must adopt a Chapter 7 resolution against Israel for its genocidal war. It is also about time for Member States to seriously consider whether Israel still deserves its seat in the General Assembly. Malaysia supports recent moves to hold Israeli leaders accountable for the war against humanity and war crimes committed against Palestinians. We urge member states to support these measures. We must uphold international law to ensure justice, as failure to act will further erode trust in the multilateral process and lead to the breakdown of international law and global order. Mr. President, 75 years since General Assembly Resolution 1812, the quest for Palestinian statehood remains unfulfilled. Malaysia welcomes the upcoming International Conference on the Question of Palestine next year. It provides the ideal opportunity to implement all relevant UN resolutions towards the full realisation of the self-determination of the Palestinian people. The only way to achieve sustainable peace and stability in the region is by ending Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and realizing a free and independent state of Palestine according to pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Malaysia will continue to be steadfast in its support for the rights of the Palestinians and the creation of a free and independent state of Palestine. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Malaysia. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba.

Mr.

President, we support the statements made by Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the UN Charter. The new veto of the United States against a draft resolution on the Palestine question in the Security Council, a draft resolution which received the support of the 14 other members of that body. and was to call for a immediate unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, that new ceasefire was another piece of evidence that the US government is complicit in the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people. That veto once again stands as an obstacle to the Palestinian people achieving their legitimate aspirations. Moreover, it perpetuates impunity for Israel's crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory. How much longer will we allow Israel to continue its collective punishment? to continue its indiscriminate attacks, its massacre of civilians, forced displacement and the destruction of housing, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure. These are all attacks which only serve to worsen the fragile humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. In the face of the Security Council's gridlock, it is vital that the United Nations General Assembly take decisive action. The Cuban delegation echoes the appeals for this Assembly to speak out firmly and with one voice to hold the genocide once and for all urgently via an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire. The General Assembly must see that this ceasefire puts an end to Israel's illegal policies and practices of colonization in the Palestinian territories. These are practices which have gone on for more than seven decades and have included the Israeli apartheid system in the occupied territories. The arrival of humanitarian assistance to those in need in Gaza must be guaranteed. Cuba supports the essential work done by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. We call for a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the basis of the creation of two states. The Palestinian people must be able to exercise its right to self-determination and to have an independent sovereign state, one which exists within pre-1967 borders and has East Jerusalem as its capital. The right of return must also be guaranteed to the refugees. All of the above will serve to buttress peace and stability in the Middle East. Moreover, we support the immediate and unconditional admission of Palestine as a full-fledged member of the United States. That move would be in line with the resolution entitled Admission of New Members to the United Nations. That resolution was adopted by an overwhelming majority of the international community during the 10th... emergency special session of the JEMAL Assembly held on the 10th of May. Mr. President, Israel, with the complicity and support of the United States Government, is responsible, is the party responsible for the dangerous escalation in the region. Israel indiscriminately shells territories in Syria and Yemen and is ensuring a dangerous escalation against the Islamic Republic of Iran. They are behind that escalation. In Lebanon, after having perpetrated a bloody attack, a ceasefire was reached with Israel, but Israel has already violated that ceasefire, flagrantly defying the letter of the very same. To achieve peace and stability in the region, we must see the total and unconditional withdrawal of Israel from all occupied Arab territory, We must see an end to the aggressions against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the sister nations of the Middle East. Specifically, we unequivocally appeal for the preservation of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Syria. We condemn the Israeli army's occupation of the demilitarized strip in the occupied Syrian Golan, established in the separation agreement of 1974, which the UN oversaw. The Israeli army's actions are in flagrant violation of international law, Cuba will never stand idly by and simply witness injustice. The Palestinian cause and that of sister nations of the region will always be able to enjoy our utmost solidarity. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Cuba. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Slovenia.

Mr. President, Gaza doesn't exist anymore. It is destroyed. Palestinians are facing hunger, despair, and death. We have said it before, history is the harshest critic of inaction. And history is being written as we sit here today. It has been a year of misery. Misery of the people in Israel during the Hamas attack on 7 October. Misery of the hostages kept in Gaza and their families and friends waiting for their return in agony. misery of the people in Gaza experiencing violence, displacement, killing, hunger, and the lack of the most basic items for survival. Their suffering and agony continues as we meet today. Despite the sound of alarm bells every step of the way, the collective response system vested primarily in the Security Council has failed again and again. A terrible chapter of our generation's story, one day our history, is being written. Quite frankly, the elected members of the Security Council did not want to be a part of that history. We were elected by the membership of this Assembly with a clear mandate of the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Slovenia's Security Council candidature had a clear message: building trust, securing our future. We keep trying to step up to the plate. The elected members of the Council build trust among each other to carry the responsibility together. We acted to secure a different future, a future of peace and prosperity for children and future generations in Palestine and in Israel. Day in, day out, we continue to observe the suffering of the people in the Middle East. We continue to see the evolution of misery that has become a clear threat to international peace and security. We therefore regret the use of the veto on the clear demand for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the demand for the release of the hostages. Mr. President, if we want to secure a different future for the Palestinian children, we must achieve a ceasefire and an end to the war in Gaza. We must also do everything possible to support the work of UNRWA and its personnel in the field. Firstly, and let me quote the Secretary-General from his recent letters to the General Assembly and to the Security Council, quote, "Because UNRWA is the backbone of the United Nations humanitarian relief operations, providing a lifeline, shelter, and other support for the large majority of the population of nearly 2.3 million in Gaza who have all been affected by the ongoing conflict." End of quote. Secondly, because UNRWA has been key to securing the future of children in Gaza for decades, from their first vaccinations to their first steps in education, all the way to vocational and training centers with continuous psychological support to nurture their well-being, given the difficult circumstances in which they grow up. UNRWA is not indispensable just for their survival in this war. UNRWA is crucial for a chance to build a life worth living in Gaza. It has decades of experience, knowledge, capacities, and trust. We take seriously allegations against UNRWA employees brought forward in January. but point out that the Colonna report has found that UNRWA already has robust procedures and mechanisms to ensure the neutrality of the agency and its staff. We recognize that further improvements could be made, and in this regard, we welcome UNRWA's action plan to implement the report's recommendations. With regard to comments on textbooks used in UNRWA schools made earlier in this hall, I want to quote from the Colonna report. Quote, the chair's assessment is that UNRWA has been responsive to allegations of neutrality breaches and criticism about the textbooks and initiated a range of initiatives to ensure neutrality of its teaching material and the teaching, end of quote. In addition, UNRWA has worked with UNESCO since 2011 to reform curricula and teaching materials. Colleagues, I wish to underline that UNRWA's work is mandated by the UN General Assembly as a promise of a just solution of the Palestinian refugee question. It contributes to the broader efforts towards achieving a two-state solution, which is the only just and sustainable solution for peace and security of both Palestinians and Israelis. UNRWA reflects the historical responsibility of the collective membership of the United Nations. UNRWA is part of the social fabric of its areas of operations. It is a factor of stability. In line with the shared commitments on UNRWA, which enjoys 123 signatories, we reaffirm the vital role of the agency. We repeat our call on the Israeli government not to implement its laws concerning UNRWA. No, there are no alternatives to UNRWA. Mr. President, an agency we established is under threat. It is an agency acting on our behalf, on behalf of the values and principles of this organisation. We need to support it. We are all UNRWA. Today, this Assembly will make two important decisions. It will vote on two resolutions, a demand for a ceasefire in Gaza and support for the mandate of UNRWA. Both far from what this organisation should be offering to Palestinians, yet both with an important message, the world has not forgotten Gaza. There is no reason for this war to continue. We need a ceasefire now. We need to bring hostages home now. Slovenia has co-sponsored both resolutions and intends to vote in favour, and we call on others to do the same. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Slovenia. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Algeria.

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Today we meet, Mr. President, after the failure of the Security Council once again to adopt a draft resolution that calls for a ceasefire in Gaza that was co-sponsored by the elected members collectively. This effort, of which Algeria was a part, motivated by its conviction of the need to move to rein in the Israeli occupiers and the deep regret for the bloodshed on the in the occupied Palestinian territories particularly in the Gaza Strip that draft which has enjoyed the support of 14 members of the Security Council proves that the immediate and unconditional and lasting ceasefire in Gaza has become a collective objective of the international group despite some voices that continue to accept the discourse of the occupiers. Now with the second year of the attack and the aggression against the Palestinian people, the international community continues, regrettably, to enforce its will and to force Israel to cease-fire and to allow humanitarian assistance to arrive at a time when the Gaza Strip is witnessing one of the worst humanitarian tragedies in the modern era. It is a crime of ethnic cleansing and genocide that is happening before our eyes. It's a blemish on the conscience of humanity. We must all ensure the accountability of those responsible for war crimes in Gaza and to facilitate the work of the relevant international organizations and not to impede its work. This is the only way to ensure the continuation of the international system based on the rule of law. Our president, Abdel Majid Tabun said, and I quote, the price of silence and failure in the face of the Palestinian tragedy is a very heavy price and it will be heavier tomorrow. The failure of the international community to impose the international will on Israel does not only threaten the rules of the international system established by our founding fathers and strengthened by successive generations, it also leads to a chaotic system that will be based only on the logic of force and will destroy the balance of justice and law." The international reports and the reports of NGOs and civil society organizations are all Alerting us to a tragedy that is unfolding and is happening, the situation in Gaza, despite its grimness, can be exasperated and can deteriorate because of the blockade of Gaza. population of the Strip are losing hope after the displacement that forced them to keep going around a very small area of land where they cannot enjoy security, peace, or even a crust of bread. The international organizations, despite all their efforts, are suspending their activities because of the lack of response of the Israeli occupiers with their need. and the deliberate targeting of their convoys. In view of the, in this tragic situation, the Israeli authorities took its decision to suspend the activities of UNRWA in the occupied Palestinian territories, thus leading to a further exasperation of the tragedy of the Palestinians. We stress that UNRWA has always been the backbone of the humanitarian in Gaza, no organization, no group of organizations can replace it in fulfilling its mandate for the service of the Palestinian refugees and the civilians who are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. UNRWA was established by a mandate of the General Assembly, which expresses the international will This mandate cannot be touched until and unless the General Assembly decides so, or unless the cause for it is eliminated through a final resolution of the tragedy of the Palestinian refugees in accordance with Resolution 194. Palestinians have paid a very heavy price for their freedom. We all must stand side by side with them to allow them to exercise their established and inalienable rights in the establishment of their independent state with its capital in Al-Quds. We will spare no effort in continuing our support for the Palestinian people and their just cause. Thank you for your kind attention.

I thank the distinguished representative of Algeria. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Morocco.

Mr. President, at the outset, I would like to thank you for your response to the request by the OIC, the Arab group, and to resume the tenth emergency. Since the last meeting of the session, the situation in Palestine has exacerbated, in particular in Gaza, which calls on the international community to take swift and immediate action to stop the war and to compel Israel to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip and allow the refugees and IDPs to return within a process of reconstruction after the destruction made by the war. King Mohammed VI, in his message of solidarity this year addressed to the president of the Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, he stated, and I quote, "It is important to reach an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and to put an end to the repeated attacks against the safe civilians in Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Second, no attack to take place against the civilians in the entire Palestinian territory. Third, it is important to open all crossings in an immediate and permanent manner without any conditions to ensure that humanitarian and relief aid are delivered as well as medical supplies in a smooth, adequate manner and at scale to Palestinians in Gaza and the entire Palestinian territory. Fourth, the role of UNRWA should be maintained. and promoted and supported. Fifth, forced displacement of Palestinians should be rejected and international law and international humanitarian law should be strongly upheld. Sixth, serious negotiations should be relaunched in line with resolutions of the United Nations. End of quote. Therefore, we call to support the resolution submitted today. The first draft resolution calls for an immediate, permanent, unconditional ceasefire to be respected by all parties. The second draft calls for the support of the role of UNRWA. Mr. President, the continued unilateral measures by Israel in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, leads to extremist tensions, violence, and they undermine all efforts for de-escalation. His Majesty King Mohammed Al-Saad, being the chair of the Al-Quds Committee of the OIC, he has been closely following all developments of the Palestinian cause. He spared no effort and invested all tools available to maintain the legal, historic and demographic character of the sacred city, which has significance for the followers of the three monolithic religions. Mr. President, Morocco stresses its firm position about the centrality of the Palestinian cause as key to stability, security, and peace in the Middle East, in line with a two-state solution that would lead to an independent state of Palestine along the borders of 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. In conclusion, Mr. President, the Kingdom of Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, supports the territorial integrity of Lebanon. Morocco believes that the ceasefire announced in Lebanon is a positive step, but it has to be respected and built upon to maintain the integrity, unity and unity of this country. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Morocco. I will now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico.

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, the resumption of this emergency special session today once again brings us back to the topic of the European Union's relations with Russia. reflects the fact that this organization has been unable to discharge its primary mandate, that is to maintain international peace and security and preserve future generations from the scourge of war. The veto cast against the most recent Security Council resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has prolonged war and human suffering. That resolution called for a permanent ceasefire, the immediate release of the hostages, and the immediate access of the civilians in the Gaza Strip to basic services and to humanitarian aid. That veto has heightened the current humanitarian disaster and heightened the risk of an escalation of the conflict throughout the region of the Middle East. The figures shared by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs are devastating. Today, we are witnessing a humanitarian hell in the Gaza Strip. It is estimated that 1.9 million people, 90% of the population, have been displaced on the territory in question. The very same office, OCHA, has reported that between October 2023 and November 2024, at least 44,000 people have died in Gaza and 105,000 have been wounded. The majority of the victims are children. In addition, 1.96 million people are facing critical levels of food insecurity. this deplorable situation is far from improving quite on the contrary it is only worsening the Israeli legislation recently passed according to which an attempt is being made to prohibit the activities of the of unwa on Israeli territory is ultimately manifesting itself as the absence of basic humanitarian aid and activities. None of those activities can be replaced by what the Israeli authorities can do. We must be frank. UNRWA not only provides protection and assistance to 2.5 million Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and East Jerusalem. It also, on those very same territories, provides to 350,000 children educational services. Moreover, 65 hospitals in those territories are under UNRWA control. In times such as these, times where multilateralism as a whole is under threat, a resolution to support UNWRA's mandate, that resolution is indeed being considered here, it is an urgent resolution. Mexico's position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has remained unchanged in various multilateral fora. We have been lucidly clear. My country unequivocally condemns the atrocious attacks perpetrated by Hamas on the 7th of October, 2023, attacks perpetrated against Israeli civilians. However, We repudiate the indiscriminate attacks, the disproportionate, unrelenting attacks that have been visited upon the Palestinian civilians and humanitarian personnel by the Israeli Defense Forces. We're seeing the perpetration of atrocities, and as such, the international community has a moral imperative to take urgent action. We must recall that the foundational charter of this organisation states that the Security Council acts on behalf of all of us in maintaining international peace and security. Faced with the Council's inaction, in the on this file the General Assembly is now obliged to play an increasingly key role in order to guarantee peace and security that responsibility includes one that must be shouldered in the face of grave conflicts the adoption of resolution 10/ L24 on the implementation of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the Israeli policies and practices in the occupied territory is a demonstration of what the General Assembly can achieve in international peace and security we are weighing up the draft resolution to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and this is another occasion upon which the General Assembly can shoulder its responsibilities I also wish to recall that France and Mexico have worked flat out to champion an initiative which aims to restrict the use of the veto specifically in cases which might amount to atrocities, in this case atrocities in Gaza being committed, this organization cannot stand idly by while millions of innocent lives are cut short. Mr. President, Mexico lauds the various diplomatic endeavors whose aim is to bring about the peaceful resolution of disputes and respect for international law. particularly international humanitarian law. With that in mind, we commend the recent ministerial conference to promote a humanitarian response in Gaza that was held under the aegis of Egypt and the UN Secretary-General. My country wishes once more to reaffirm its position. Mexico advocates for the two-state solution. a two-state solution which heeds the legitimate security concerns of Israel and, in turn, allows a viable Palestinian state to be strengthened. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Mexico. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia.

Thank you, Mr. President. In the name of God, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful, my delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the Arab Group, the OIC, GCC, and NAM. I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for resuming the 10th emergency session after the failure of the Security Council once again to adopt a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and calls for other humanitarian actions. Mr. President, the intransigence with the use of the veto prevented the Security Council from assuming its role to stop the genocide committed by Israel, the occupying power, against the Palestinian people. The situation that has repeated more than once over the last 14 months, with every time the Israeli occupation forces persist in their crimes and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and expand the scope of the aggression, which undermines multilateralism and places the legitimacy and credibility of the world order at stake with the inability to put an end to the Israeli war machine and with the insistence of some to selectively apply international law and international material law and the charter of the UN. At the time when Saudi Arabia is calling on the international community to take swift action to ceasefire in Gaza and ensure the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid, it welcomes the ceasefire in Lebanon and condemns the Israeli violations of this agreement. Saudi Arabia commends all international efforts in this regard, wishing that this will lead to the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 and maintain the sovereignty, security, and stability of Lebanon with the… with the displaced are returning to their homes in safety and security. We also hope that this would lead to a similar ceasefire agreement in the entire Palestinian territories. My country condemns all the attacks by Israel in the buffer zone in Golan and targeting the Syrian territories, which confirms that Israel insists on violating the rules of international law and undermines the ability of Syria to restore its security, stability and territorial integrity. Saudi Arabia reiterates the importance of the international community to condemn these Israeli violations and stress that Syria has its sovereignty and to ensure its territorial integrity and to ensure that Golan is an Arab Syrian occupied territory. Mr. President, Saudi Arabia stressed the important role of UNRWA in delivering humanitarian aid to the Palestinian refugees and IDPs, and Saudi Arabia condemned the Israeli measures and legislations against UNRWA and the systemic targeting of UNRWA. Saudi Arabia stressed the importance of continuing the delivery of services by UNRWA and calls on the international community to implement the advisory opinion of the ICJ issued on July 19th of 2024. Mr. President, Saudi Arabia believes that peace is the strategic choice for the Middle East. Therefore, it spares no effort in promoting all actions that would lead to just and comprehensive peace. Therefore, Riyadh has hosted the first meeting of the International Coalition for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, which has been launched upon an initiative by Saudi Arabia in cooperation with Norway and the EU last October after it has been established in September. Riyadh has also hosted the Arab Islamic summit in last November. It is a follow-up summit to the summit previously hosted by Riyadh. This represents the position of Saudi Arabia. alongside its partners, the position that condemns and denounces the continued crimes and violations against the Palestinian and Lebanese people as a result of the Israeli aggression. Mr. President, Saudi Arabia calls all members and observers to actively participate in the international high-level conference for the settlement of the Palestinian cause by peaceful means and the implementation of the two-state solution that will be held in New York in upcoming June. The conference will be co-facilitated by Saudi Arabia and France. And the conference aims to advance the implementation of U.N. resolutions related to the Palestinian cause and the two-state solution to achieve lasting comprehensive and just peace in the Middle East and adopt an action-oriented document to accelerate charting an irreversible path for the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian cause and the implementation of the two-state solution. Mr. President, Saudi Arabia stresses the centrality of the Palestinian cause and its firm support to the Palestinian people and its rights. Saudi's position states that the security of the region requires action to find just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause based on the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative, and international resolutions in a manner that will ensure that the Palestinian people will have the right to establish its independent state along the 1967 lines of June 4th of 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital. In conclusion, Mr. President, my country will vote in favor of the two draft resolutions before the General Assembly today, and we call upon all peace and good-loving states to vote in favor of those two draft resolutions. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Portugal.

Mr. President, Excellencies, Portugal appreciates the efforts of the elected members of the Security Council in tabling a draft resolution aimed at putting an end to the ongoing armed conflict in Gaza Strip and at achieving a long-awaited ceasefire. Therefore, we stand before this General Assembly compelled to address the implications of yet another veto cast in the Security Council, this time obstructing action on the humanitarian and security crisis in Gaza. We call on all sides to take all steps necessary to protect civilians, as stipulated in the Security Council Resolution 2573 from 2021. by, and I quote, "distinguish between, on the one hand, civilian population, civilian objects, and all other persons and objects afforded protection, and on the other hand, combatants and military objectives, prohibiting indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks." taking all feasible precautions in planning, deciding, and conducting attacks to avoid and in any event minimize harm to civilians and civilian objects." End of quote. The United Nations is entrusted with the purpose of maintaining international peace and security, if needed by taking effective collective measures and by upholding international law. Yet the Council's inability to act repeatedly, hindered by the misuse of the veto, undermines the international community's trust in multilateralism and our collective capacity to address crises of immense human suffering. Eight vetoes have been cast this year, the highest number since 1989 at the end of the Cold War. This highlights a troubling trend of growing division and inaction in addressing global crises. The draft resolution vetoed on 20 November 2024 sought an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, and access to essential and much needed humanitarian aid. These demands are not mere political aspirations, but moral and legal imperatives. As this situation continues to deteriorate, the inaction of the Security Council leaves civilians bearing the brunt of armed violence. Therefore, Portugal continues to call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, and the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. We also call for the full respect and support of UNRWA's mandate as stipulated by this Assembly. For that reason, Portugal will vote in favor of the two resolutions later today. The Palestinian question is a collective responsibility that member states of the United States undertook since the very inception of this organization. However, tensions on the ground rose to historic heights during 2022 and 2023. Then the unprecedented attacks of the 7 October took place, which claimed 1,200 lives. Since then, over 44,000 people perished in Gaza. Entire communities have been displaced. Humanitarian needs are escalating to catastrophic levels, and hostages are still in captivity. In this context, the General Assembly has a critical role to play. The veto must be subject to greater accountability. Until meaningful reforms are achieved, This Assembly must decisively bridge the gaps left by the Council inaction and continue to urge the Council to propel stability worldwide. With great power comes great responsibility, and the permanent members of the Council cannot be exempted from such responsibility. When it comes to human suffering, we must unite in the pursuit of peace. My country emphasizes the necessity of adhering to the principles enshrined in the Pact of the Future, ensuring that multilateralism evolves to meet the expectation of those it serves. In the spirit of promoting greater accountability regarding the Council's work, Portugal also calls on all member states which have not yet done so to subscribe to the ACT Group Code of Conduct regarding Security Council actions against genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes. The code clearly pledges the Security Council to not vote against a credible draft resolution before the Security Council on timely and decisive action to end the commission of genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes, or to prevent such crimes. We must abide by this preventive strategy. In conclusion, Portugal reaffirms its unwavering commitment to multilateralism, human rights, international law, and the enduring pursuit of peace. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Portugal. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ireland.

President, Ireland aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union at the opening of this session. I would like to also thank you for convening this emergency special session of the General Assembly. Let me also thank Indonesia for bringing forward two very, very important resolutions. Ireland has co-sponsored and Ireland will vote in favour of both resolutions. President, it is deeply regrettable that on the 20th of November, a draft Security Council resolution demanding an immediate, permanent and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages was obstructed by one permanent member of the Security Council, despite support from all other council members. We also recall that over a year ago, Ireland, along with 120 other UN member states, voted in favour of a resolution calling for an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities. These calls, and the calls of the international community for an immediate and unconditional end to this war and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, cannot continue to go unanswered. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of hostages and the hostages themselves held in Gaza. We can only imagine that over one year on, they must wonder when their suffering, fear and trauma, as well as the anguish of their families and friends, will end. Ireland will continue to call for their immediate and unconditional release. Ireland deeply regrets that UN Security Council resolutions, including 2735, have not been implemented. Now, 14 months into a conflict that continues to see untold suffering in Gaza, we, as the international community, can and must do better. Every day that this conflict continues costs lives and causes untold misery and takes us a step further from our shared humanity and the ability to find common ground on a path towards peace, a just and sustained peace. We cannot allow ourselves to become immune to the suffering of others. Many of us in this room recently heard the words of Dr. Tania Haj Hassan, a pediatric intensive care doctor and one of the few international observers allowed into Gaza. Dr. Haj Hassan told us that just five minutes, just five minutes in a hospital in Gaza was enough to make it painfully clear that Palestinians are being massacred, starved, and stripped of everything needed to sustain their life and their dignity. She poignantly described holding the hands of children in Gaza as they took their last breaths with no one but a stranger to comfort them. The horrors facing civilians in Gaza right now are unimaginable, simply unimaginable to us here in this hall. President, we are witnessing the collective punishment of an entire population and the destruction of the entirety of the Gaza Strip. In northern Gaza, famine looms large and the scale of destruction is simply unfathomable. This has to end. This profound level of suffering and inhumanity has to end. Ireland repeats its call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, a call that has been echoed again and again by this Assembly. President, in this catastrophic situation, international law, including international humanitarian law, should guide all of our actions. It must do so. Ireland is appalled at Israel's attempt to dismantle UNRWA. Since 1949, UNRWA has contributed to the welfare and human development of generations of Palestine refugees. Since the onset of this conflict, UNRWA, in the face of unimaginable challenges, has continued to provide life-saving assistance to more than two million people, many making the ultimate sacrifice in seeking to alleviate the suffering of others. Over the past year, UNRWA has turned schools into shelters, has provided learning spaces to children, and has kept health centers operational, playing a key role in the polio vaccination campaign. Attacks against UNRWA, including campaigns of misinformation and disinformation, are attacks on the UN and the multilateral system. We urge the Israeli government to end its attacks on UNRWA and to facilitate its critical work. President, Ireland believes that our collective failure to end this conflict represents a fundamental crisis for our rules-based international order. We have heard the concerns about double standards and impunity for the future of multilateralism. We must listen and we must act on these concerns. We must uphold a system where those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law, regardless of the whom or the where, are met with justice and accountability. Ireland is therefore a strong supporter of the International Criminal Court. be calling all states to respect the independence and the impartiality of the court and not to attempt to undermine its important work. Finally, President, when our children ask us why the children of Gaza are not afforded the same rights, the same freedoms, the same opportunities as other children across the globe, let us be able to say in clear conscience that their futures matter, that their health and well-being and young lives matter, that their dignity matters. The world is watching us, history is judging us, and action is needed now. So let us begin by supporting these two resolutions here today. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Ireland. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Maldives.

Madam President, I thank you for resuming the tenth emergency special session. of the General Assembly. The recent resolution considered at the Security Council sought to ensure basic humanitarian aid in Gaza. It called for adherence to international law and protecting civilians. Despite 14 affirmative votes, the resolution failed to pass. For victims in Gaza, This rejection deepens despair. The UN was founded to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. Yet since October 2023, the Security Council has repeatedly enabled a genocidal war. Thousands have died and countless more suffer unimaginable hardship. Protecting Palestinians should not be a choice we make. It's a fundamental duty upon us all. Indeed, this year, 2024, will go down in human history as the year of genocide by Israel against Palestinians. The UN member states, the civil society, and the global institutions have condemned Israel. The ICJ has declared Israel's actions as illegal. the ICC issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister and its former Defense Minister yet Israel the occupying power in Palestine continues its violations unchecked the M welcomes and reaffirms the resolution of the extraordinary Arab Islamic Summit in Riyadh Saudi Arabia in November 2024 which commended States recognizing Palestine as the State of Palestine and urge others to follow suit. The MoD also welcomes the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon and calls on Israel to withdraw from all Lebanese territories and respect Resolution 1701. Cycles of violence under the guise of self-defence must not be tolerated. The UN must reinforce its framework to prevent further bloodshed. Justice must be served and impunity must end. Israel is continuing with its genocide nevertheless. It is continuing to use starvation of Palestinian civilians as a weapon of war. And it is continuing to deny access to UN and other humanitarian aid in the occupied Palestinian territories. Each life lost erodes the credibility of this institution. The Maldives therefore urges decisive action to ensure accountability prevails. State of Palestine must be granted full UN membership. This is a legal and moral obligation for all states. The Maldives remains steadfast in its support for Palestinian people. History will honour those who stood firmly with the victims of oppression. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Maldives. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Colombia.

Mr.

President, I wish to begin by thanking you for convening this session, despite the fact that the reason for our gathering is a source of such sorrow. For Colombia, it is despicable that on the 20th of November, the Security Council was unable to take the decision that would make the difference between life and death, between reason and atrocities being committed. What we can say to the world from this rostrum today is that we wasted one more opportunity to demand an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire, and that, President, is a blot on the membership of this organisation. Colombia recognizes and is grateful for the efforts of the E10 countries to prepare and negotiate a text which, yet again, sought a declaration on the need to put an end once and for all to the unconditional end to the barbarity that we're seeing at a moment when time is everything. This work was arduous and several failed attempts have been made to seek agreements which would allow the Security Council to fully discharge its mandate to defend international peace and security. For those reasons, we can no longer remain indifferent and silent. As a founding member of the United Nations, Colombia continues to defend the principles enshrined in the Charter, fundamental as they are. They include the sovereign equality of states. As such, the historical position of my country on the veto is clear and has remained unchanged. Colombia insists that we must abolish the veto because the veto is a colonial and anti-democratic mechanism which, as has been proven yet again, stymies the legitimacy and effectiveness of the Security Council when it comes to it discharging its mandate to maintain international peace and security. It is clear that in the light of what the veto does and our current global crossroads, we must make urgent progress with substantive discussions on limiting the use of the veto. Discussions on Security Council reform have been playing out for more than 30 years and no meaningful progress has been made in spite of the multiple proposals made within the United Nations. Excellencies, it is our duty to remind the distinguished members of the General Assembly that according to the most recent report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, women and children are the primary victims of the fact that we have wasted the scant time at our disposal to put an end to the violence. The Security Council's inaction on this file over more than five months, given the use of the veto, is deeply regrettable. We have on more than a few occasions taken the floor as a delegation to call for the unfettered compliance with international law and international humanitarian law, as well as the principles that lie at their very core. Time and time again, we have called for an immediate and lasting cessation of hostilities and for the respect of life as the highest principle which must guide our work. Turning to the Palestine question more specifically, our position has remained unequivocal. We champion a peaceful, lasting and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian question, one grounded in the two-state solution, two states which will live side by side within safe and internationally recognised borders. in accordance with the provisions of the relevant resolutions of this Assembly and the Security Council. Moreover, we have rejected any attempt to use hunger as a weapon of war. and we have insisted that the civilian population of the Gaza Strip must have immediate access to the basic services and to the humanitarian assistance so vital for their very survival. We continue to acknowledge and defend the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, UNRWA, and we do so unequivocally and born of a sense of solidarity. At the same time, we appeal for efforts to be made to prevent their operations from being hampered or disrupted as a result of unilateral decisions. Excellencies, once again, we urge parties to seek a ceasefire which will put an end to the Palestinian people's suffering. This is an urgent appeal. one we need to make in the face of the barbarism that has woefully characterized the current situation. Today, more than ever before, we fervently appeal to the international community to work as one, to abolish the veto, to avoid us continuing to see more and more irreparable damage. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Colombia. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Turkey.

Thank you, Madam President. I express my appreciation for convening the tenth emergency special session at the request of the OIC, Arab Group, and NAM. We have gathered in this hall once again to address the ongoing war in Gaza, overshadowed by the use of veto against the draft resolution calling for a ceasefire, which is deeply regrettable. It not only prolongs the unimaginable suffering of civilians, but also undermines the very principle upon which the United Nations was founded. While a veto may halt a resolution, it cannot silence the truth or diminish the urgency of justice. The truth cannot be vetoed. History will remember who failed to act and who stood on the side of peace. The Security Council's inaction contrasts sharply with the General Assembly's response. The Assembly, reflecting the collective will of the international community, has called for a ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian aid, and an end to Israel's occupation of Palestinian land, in line with the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice. Today, once again, the General Assembly assumes the responsibility for the tasks left unfilled by the Security Council. We will be voting two draft resolutions. The first calls for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. And the second reaffirms the international community's unwavering support for UNRWA. Turkey has co-sponsored both resolutions, and we strongly encourage all member states to vote in favor. Israel's defiance of UN resolutions Violations of international law and disregard for the ICJ must be met with a firm stance. The situation in Gaza is a litmus test for the global commitment to human rights and international law. If systemic violations continue to be overlooked, the credibility of international law, the human rights agenda, as well as multilateralism itself, will irreversibly be undermined worldwide. The international community must uphold the principles it has established. Madam President, the international community has been clear. We need an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid and an end to forced displacement. Yet the human toll in Gaza is staggering. Over 44,000 Palestinians, mainly women and children, have been killed, and the entire population is displaced. Thousands of children have lost their parents, their limbs and their dreams. Some were amputated without anesthesia. Conditions in northern Gaza worsen by the hour. Famine looms and aid remains blocked. Palestinians are crushed to death outside of bakeries in Gaza to get a single loaf of bread. There are simply no words to describe this man-made catastrophe in the 21st century unfolding before our eyes. Mankind has not seen such human tragedy in recent history. A ceasefire in Gaza is the only way to end this crisis and prevent further suffering. While we welcome the ceasefire in Lebanon, the dangerous trajectory in Gaza demands the most urgent action. Hence, we reiterate our collective call for a halt to arms transfers to Israel. This is a legal, humanitarian, and moral imperative to end the occupation, protect the civilians, put an end to grave human suffering, and to prevent further destabilization. Madam President, UNRWA has gone above and beyond in fulfilling its mandate with unwavering dedication, often under most challenging conditions. Its operations, vital for millions of Palestinians, face unprecedented threats. Recent Israeli laws undermine the agency's mandate, while attacks on its staff and facilities are indefensible. These actions must stop, and UNRWA must be protected to continue its essential work. UNRWA is mandated by this very Assembly. Thus, it is incumbent upon us, as Member States, to stand firm against any attempts to undermine UNRWA. Madam President, ending the cycle of violence and long-term stability can only be achieved through a political solution. The two-state vision based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as Palestine's capital remains the only viable path to peace. Turkey will continue to advocate this vision as part of the global alliance for the implementation of the two-state solution. Turkey reaffirms its commitment to an immediate ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian aid, and the recognition of the state of Palestine. I thank you, Madam President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Turkey. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Islamic Republic of Iran.

In the name of God, the compassionate and merciful, Madam President, distinguished delegates, based on the general debate held in the previous meeting of this emergency session and the adoption of resolution on the advisory opinion of the ICJ issued last April, the international community expressed its clear demand to end the occupation in the occupied Palestinian territory. The obligation of the Israeli regime to end occupation, as endorsed by the mentioned resolution, must include several main components. Withdrawing military forces, terminating settlement activities, returning land and property to Palestinians, allowing them to return to their homeland, ending discrimination against them, making reparation for them, and holding all perpetrators accountable for atrocities and violence against Palestinians. The provisions of the resolution adopted in this assembly are clear and unequivocal. However, we have witnessed no positive change in Israeli apartheid policies and actions. This regime relentlessly continues violence against civilians, aggression, mass killing, mass displacement, mass detention, mass destruction, mass starvation, and other grave crimes that are being perpetrated with a savagery unseen in human history. In fact, this is the pattern of this regime behavior to intentionally disregard United Nations resolution aiming to weaken the United Nations legitimacy. Israel has clearly demonstrated non compliance with UN resolution including the four resolution adopted since October 2023 during this emergency special session. These resolutions addressed the dire humanitarian need of Palestine, requested an immediate ceasefire in the occupied Palestinian territories, demanded an end to the illegal occupation and affirmed the inalienable right of the Palestinian to self determination. It is critical to note that the Israeli occupation has been ongoing for a long time, a fact that the Israeli regime deliberately omit. Israel is not in a position to criticize the international community for objecting to and condemning the illegal and colonial policies operated by this regime. Since the illegal occupation of Palestine, Israeli forces have engaged in violent acts of aggression against occupied territories, resulting in hundreds of thousands of civilian fatalities and injuries in past decades. Considering the horrific and unfair invasion and bombardments against Palestinian brutality and inhumanity of this regime stemming for its apartheid and genocidal policies would be undeniable. In addition to crimes against Palestine, Israel has also tried to extend war instability and aggression to other territories in Syria, Lebanon, and my country, Iran. In this regard, while welcoming to reach ceasefire in Lebanon, Iran would like to point out the Israeli regime history of reneging on agreement and emphasize the need to continue calling on this regime to be bound by the ceasefire agreement and fully comply with United Nations resolutions, including Security Council Resolution 1701. We also strongly condemn any aggression and invasion by the Israeli occupying forces against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. Israel must be accountable for repetitive aggression on Syrian territory, including the destruction of infrastructure and further occupation in Syria and Golan, which is committing in a violation of agreement on this agreement, disengagement between Israel and Syrian forces of 1940, 1974. We highlight the undeniable duty of the Security Council to immediately react to these aggressions. The violation of international law, including human and humanitarian law that is repeated by Israeli on numerous occasions, is a true threat to international peace and security. We consider this situation as a systematic failure by the Israeli regime to meet its membership conditions at the United Nations. We believe that Israeli illegal act should prompt all United Nations members to reconsider this regime membership in the United Nations in accordance with Article 6 of the Charter. This helps to enforce the implementation of international resolution and expedite the realization of Palestinian rights, including self-determination and establishment of an independent and sovereign state with full UN membership. Madam President, distinguished colleagues, in light of our first obligation on the UN charter, we must take effective collective measure to remove this long-lasting threat to peace. It is high time for us as United Nations members to fulfill this obligation. In spite of the fact that the Israeli authorities have committed a wide variety of crimes, they are enjoying total impunity. This impunity is perpetuated, among other things, by the unwavering support of certain states and the inaction of the Security Council, as evidenced by the US veto in November. This disgraceful veto not only highlighted the Security Council failure to uphold its charter-based mandate, but also served as a US-granted license for the occupying regime to continue its occupation and carnage in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. This impunity must be brought to an end. The Council must hold Israel accountable for its violation of international law and ensure the protection of civilians. Accordingly, the arrest warrant issued by the ICC must mark a turning point indicating the end of impunity and a beginning of accountability, upholding the rule of law, protecting civilians, and achieving justice for victims, as well as preventing further crimes. I would like to conclude by stating that my delegation will vote in favour of the resolutions drafted in this regard, given the urgency of the humanitarian situation and the importance of an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. It is also necessary to expedite the establishment and activation of an international mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed in the occupied Palestinian territory. Our support for the resolution does not affect our longstanding and consistent national position on the question of Palestine, which include non-recognition of the Israeli regime. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Iran. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nicaragua.

Madam President, Nicaragua aligns itself with the statement made by Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the UN Charter. be faced with the unchanged exceptionalist and obstructionist policy of the United States within the Security Council, a policy which has facilitated genocide and other Israeli crimes in the occupied Palestinian Arab territories, Nicaragua rallied behind the initiative to convene this emergency special session. The United States has on 40 occasions vetoed Security Council resolutions to support its ally Israel. In over the last year, with its veto on four separate occasions, the U.S. has It has demonstrated cruel disregard for the suffering of the Palestinian civilian population. In Palestine, the number of deaths and the scale of widespread destruction are overwhelming, and the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip is unprecedented. The United States has shamelessly cast its veto and, in so doing, has used it as a weapon to attack the Security Council, further undermining its credibility and its ability to discharge its mandate, that is, to maintain international peace and security. It is unjustifiable to continue to block the work of the Security Council. work done to put an end to a colossal civilian bloodbath. It is morally indefensible and an act of negligence within the Security Council to stop work designed to avoid the perpetration of atrocity crimes and to enforce international law. The United States has has in a shameless, barefaced way applied double standards and shown scorn for international law and as such is responsible for the repercussions of the devastating disaster in Gaza. What we're seeing once time and time again is the US blatant disregard for international institutions, multilateral diplomacy and international law. With the most recent tragic and barbaric events in Palestine, it has once again become patently clear that the Security Council, and primarily the United States, remain indebted to humankind, to the international community and to the people of Palestine. to peace and justice, particularly in the Middle East, it is reprehensible that the Security Council has not adopted a humanitarian resolution, a resolution which urgently demanded an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire. That same resolution called for the unfettered and mass access to humanitarian aid, bearing in mind the precarious situation of all of Gaza's people, a situation which is worsening day by day and is growing ever more difficult as winter draws near. We recall that the Security Council must uphold the responsibilities bestowed upon it in the UN Charter. It must do so with a sense of urgency and without double standards. President, Nicaragua continues to roundly condemn the fact that the Israeli Zionist government is worsening its attacks on these brotherly Palestinian people. Those attacks are creating more and more victims and visiting more and more pain upon so many innocent families. The world is acutely aware that this conflict and particular, the explosive, inhumane situation that the Palestinian people have lived through for more than 75 years. The occupation and the illegal blockade imposed have made this territory a vast open-air prison. That situation has led to hardship for 2.3 million people, and the majority of that number are children. That situation, if it were to persist, would simply bring more instability and insecurity to the Middle East and the world. Nicaragua is convinced that peace and stability in the Middle East are only feasible with the full implementation of all UN resolutions on Palestine. We will continue to support any and all efforts which lead to an immediate ceasefire. It is for this reason that Nicaragua has co sponsored and will vote in favour of the resolutions presented by Indonesia. when they are adopted in this emergency special session. This General Assembly has the overriding responsibility to demand the immediate compliance with a ceasefire. That compliance must also be unconditional. We also call for full protection of the Palestinian people without double standards, and the Palestinian people must be valued as equal human beings. All lives are worth the same. The United Nations, within its General Assembly and the Security Council, must act without delay it must demand solutions grounded in law and justice to halt this senseless spiral of violence. The Government of Reconciliation and National Unity of Nicaragua and the Nicaraguan people have always rallied behind the just cause of the Palestinian people. It is a matter of principle, solidarity, and being brothers in struggle. And jointly, alongside the rest of the international community, we believe that international efforts must be stepped up in the quest for a lasting and peaceful solution, a solution which will ultimately lead to the creation of a Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem and within borders recognized in 1967. That is the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. It is a moral and historic obligation incumbent upon all states to defend multilateralism and the purpose and principles of the United Nations Charter, as well as the principle of the peaceful resolution of disputes, and it is also their responsibility to refrain from the use or threat of use of force in international relations. Our prayers go to the peoples and innocent families that suffer so much as a result of Israel's occupation actions in the Middle East, Israeli families, Palestinian families, families of myriad nationalities, families of UN personnel, and families of journalists. Our love and respect goes to each and every one of them. Madam President, one thing is crystal clear and is being proven within this General Assembly and in cities throughout the world. Despite attempts to silence them, Palestine and Palestinians are not alone. The people of the world are with Palestine and their just struggle. This stands for cities even, of countries which hinder the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. In those cities and in others, hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people are calling for peace, a ceasefire and justice for the Palestinian people and the end of the harassment in Gaza. It is time. that the United Nations heed the cry of the world's people and put an end to the historic justice imposed upon the Palestinian people the ICJ the highest judicial organ of the United Nations has confirmed in its advisory opinion that the presence of the Israeli state in the occupied Palestinian territory is illegal consequently Israel is obliged to put an end to its present in the occupied Palestinian territory without delay all states the United Nations and regional organizations have obligation to recognize, enforce and respect the advisory opinion of the ICJ. States must not provide help or assistance to perpetrate the situation created by the state of Israel and its sponsors. If they do so, these states would be becoming complicit in the actions perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people. The time has come to take tangible action, action which will put an end to the practices of segregation, apartheid and genocide perpetrated day after day by Israel against the Palestinian people in their entirety. Such policies have been unveiled in research and studies produced by various bodies and the United Nations. In the face of this racist policy, it is necessary, as has been suggested, to reactivate the UN Special Committee against Apartheid in Palestine and to implement its recommendations. Nicaragua advocates for the unfettered respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, and the right to self-determination of our peoples. And we will be unceasing in our unconditional support for Palestine. Alongside the international community, we will champion all efforts and endeavors necessary to make progress on the Palestine question until Palestine's liberation is achieved. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Nicaragua. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iraq.

Madam President, I thank you for giving us the opportunity to participate in this meeting, to give expression to our grave concern at the dangerous escalation in the Middle East. and the events in the occupied Palestinian territories as well as in Lebanon and Syria, as well as the dangers emanating from the policies exercised by the occupation authorities. We associate ourselves to the statements made by the Arab Group, the OIC, and NAM. Madam President, The repeated meetings of the Security Council have not led to achieve any achievement, any results to put an end to the Israeli attacks in the occupied Palestinian territories. despite the fact that the Council has adopted some resolutions in this regard. The occupying power ignored those resolutions, persisted in its violations of international law and in the perpetration of the crime of genocide, and the continued occupation and the escalation of violence in the region. The clear demands of the international community is that the Security Council should be enabled to play its effective role and responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security under the UN Charter, in particular in view of the very difficult humanitarian situation suffered by our people in the Gaza Strip and the continued Israeli acts of aggression against the Lebanese and Syrian territories. The Security Council has failed to take any measures that would prevent Israel from continuing its crimes against humanity and from the threats that the menace international and regional peace. Iraq, such other, like other states, has warned against the Israeli impunity. We must all respect the advisory opinion of the ICJ and the resolution of the GA in the illegality of the Israeli presence in the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel must be held accountable for its genocide against the Palestinian people. Madam President, In the strongest terms, Iraq condemns the decisions to ban the work of UNRWA. It's the backbone and the lifeline in the occupied Palestinian territories. This decision is a grave violation of international legitimacy and a complete disregard of the work of the UN. especially in view of the catastrophic humanitarian situation and the weaponising of hunger in the war of genocide carried out by Israel. The continued violence exacerbates the situation and it allows Israel to continue its illegal settlements to increase humanitarian suffering and to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis day after day with the increase in the number of the displaced people and the deterioration of the living conditions of people. The alarm bells have been rung about the possible famine in the Gaza Strip. as well as the spread of disease as a result of the impeding by the occupied powers of the access, of humanitarian access to the civilians. The continued war has also led to further instability in the Middle East. Iraq welcomes the decision of the ICC to issue arrest warrants against the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense of that entity. This decision is a historic victory of international justice and a real expression of the principle of accountability for war crimes. We also welcome the ceasefire in Lebanon. We hope that this agreement will put an end to the violence, destruction, and suffering of the sisterly Palestinian people. We welcome the holding of the Cairo conference for the relief of Gaza that was held earlier this month. We call upon the international community to take urgent and serious steps to put an end to the massacres and the continued acts of aggression against the Palestinian people, to put an end to their humanitarian suffering, which has been exacerbated as a result of the continued military escalation. We reaffirm our basic and principal positions in support of all international efforts to achieve peace, stability, and lasting solution for the Palestinian question and the establishment of security and development in our region. In conclusion, we strongly condemn the seizure by the Israeli entity of the demilitarized zone with the Syrian Arab Republic in the Syrian occupied Syrian Golan. This action is a grave violation of international law and the relevant international resolutions. We stress the need for the respect of the choices of the Palestine, of the Syrian people and the maintenance of the stability and territorial integrity of Syria, as well as refraining of any interference in its internal affairs. We call upon the international community, particularly the… Security Council to discharge its responsibility in condemning this attack against Syria and to put an end to these violations that are trying to benefit from the current situation in the Syrian Arab Republic. Thank you, Madam President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Iraq. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United States.

Thank you, President. Colleagues, as the United States has made clear, a durable end to the war in Gaza must come with the release of hostages. This is not just our view. This was previously affirmed by the Security Council as reflected in Resolution 2735. At a time when Hamas is feeling isolated, due to the ceasefire in Lebanon. The draft resolution on a ceasefire in Gaza risks sending a dangerous message to Hamas that there's no need to negotiate or release the hostages. It would be shameful and wrong if the General Assembly voted today to vindicate Hamas's cynical strategy of stalling and obstruction. Indeed, rather than relieving pressure on Hamas, The General Assembly should be adopting a resolution that increases pressure on Hamas to accept the deal on the table without conditions and without further delays. There are still seven American citizens in the hands of Hamas and more than 100 hostages from more than a dozen countries whose families are waiting to be reunited with their loved ones. We will not forget them. Even as the Gaza resolution before us today does nothing to advance a realistic diplomatic solution, the United States will continue to pursue a diplomatic solution that brings peace, security, and freedom to Palestinian civilians in Gaza. With regard to the resolution on UNRWA, the United States also will keep working to improve the humanitarian situation on the ground. which requires unhindered humanitarian access and sustained humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza to reach those in need. To that end, UNRWA remains a critical lifeline to the Palestinian people. At present, no other entity is capable of providing lifesaving humanitarian assistance to millions of Palestinians in need. Any interruption in UNRWA's work would lead to severe humanitarian consequences for millions of Palestinian civilians. UNRWA personnel must enjoy freedom of movement to provide needed educational, health, relief, and social services. Israel's fight is with Hamas, not UNRWA, and humanitarian personnel must not be targeted. The UN is part of the solution, not the problem. and should play a role in bringing the conflict to an end. And yet, today's resolution on UNRWA operations also has serious flaws. It fails to create a path forward for restoring trust between Israel and UNRWA, despite U.S. efforts to put forward a proposal that would do exactly that. Colleagues, this is a serious deficiency. No one benefits from the UN's failure to address lingering questions about whether or not UNRWA personnel have violated the agency's neutrality policy. The proposed resolution on UNRWA is also problematic in that it denigrates Israel's actions in Gaza without addressing the central reason for them, namely Hamas's unprovoked October 7 attack and the terrorist group's deplorable behavior in the interim. More than 14 months into this conflict, some delegations here in New York cannot bring themselves to acknowledge, let alone condemn, Hamas' role in instigating a conflict that has visited so much pain, suffering, and anguish on the people of Gaza. We deeply regret that the drafters chose to try to score political points rather than pursue a resolution which could have provided unanimous support to UNRWA, address credible allegations about the activities of some of its personnel, and ultimately bolster UNRWA's vital humanitarian mission. Ultimately, Israeli officials and the UN must communicate and coordinate with each other to accomplish the task at hand, providing essential services to Palestinians in desperate need who neither started this conflict nor have the ability to end it. Colleagues, The messages we send to the world through these resolutions matter, and both of these resolutions have significant problems. One rewards Hamas and downplays the need to release the hostages, and the other denigrates Israel without providing a path forward to increasing humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians. For these reasons, and despite good faith efforts to find common ground, the United States will vote against these resolutions. We encourage other delegations to do the same. We can and must do better to set the region on a path toward a durable peace for the benefit of future generations of Palestinians, Israelis, and the broader region. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of United States. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Yemen.

Madam President, thank you for holding this meeting within the emergency special session of the General Assembly upon the request of the Arab Group, the OIC, and NAM. More than 400 days have elapsed since the beginning of the brutal Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in destructive results more than 44,000 Palestinian martyrs, more than 70 of them are women and children, more than 165,000 injured, in addition to thousands missing or under the rubble. The Palestinian people are facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, unwitnessed by humanity since World War II. 80 of the civilian infrastructure has been destroyed. Israel continues occupying power has weaponized hunger as a weapon of war Gaza is a place where the stench of death is everywhere it has become a piece of hell and the most dangerous place for children in the world it is no longer acceptable for the occupying power to continue to refuse uh the ceasefire and to continue with its brutal crimes and massacres against the Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, the majority of whom are women and children. This is a clear violation of international humanitarian law, human rights law and all international conventions. The occupying power, Israel, believes it is above the law, and the Security Council, particularly, and the international community, is unable to put an end to its grave and brutal violations against the Palestinian people and to hold those who perpetrated those crimes accountable for them. double standards has allowed Israel to continue its killing and destruction and the crime of genocide. We have repeatedly reaffirmed that the continuation of this brutal Israeli war gives a justification for the forces of evil in the region to continue to destabilize the region and the world and to take it all towards the unknown. We reiterate our strong call to the international community and the Security Council to put an end to this humanitarian, moral and legal catastrophe against the Palestinian people, who deserve respect, dignity and justice like all other peoples. The genocide crime perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people and the call of its criminals to exterminate that people and to deny their right to exist as a nation constitutes a black blemish and blot on the conscience of humanity. We renew our welcome of the advisory opinion of the ICJ of 19 July on the legal consequences of the policies and the practice of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories occupied since the 5th of June 1967. We renew our condemnation for the adoption by the Israeli entity of two laws to ban the work of UNRWA. We believe this decision to be a clear violation of international conventions. UNRWA is the blood, is a lifeline for the millions of Palestinian refugees, it is under constant attack by Israel, the occupying power, and it's undermining its operations in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem. This illegal decision exacerbates the suffering of millions of Palestinians, threatens regional stability and the possibility of achieving peace. It is also a clear defiance of the authority, immunities and privileges of the United Nations and Israel's commitment under the Fourth Geneva Convention and the run against the international, the collective will of the international community. We reiterate our support for the UNRWA and its continued work and discharge of its irreplaceable and indispensable humanitarian role in the provision of support to the Palestinian people to avoid the catastrophe that is resulting from the use of, uh, humanitarian relief as a tool of war in a grave violation of international law. We welcome the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. We hope that it will be complied with. We call upon the international community and the Security Council to discharge their historic and moral responsibilities and to take immediate actions to put an end to this barbaric Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and to put an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, as well as supporting this people and providing assistance to it. This is the collective commitment of us all and a collective obligation of us all. We call upon all states to put an end to the bloodbath and to take a united position to achieve peace and the just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine. This will not be achieved until the Palestinian people exercise their inalienable legitimate rights and the establishment of their independent state on the borders of 4 June 1967 with its capital in East Jerusalem. Words are not enough. Resolutions and statements are not enough. The Security Council must discharge its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security and take without delay a mandatory resolution for the end of the ceasefire, to save more lives and to stop the horrifying crimes against the Palestinian people. reaffirm the resolutions of the Arab and Islamic summit held recently in Riyadh. We call, we look forward to the holding of the high-level international conference for the settlement of the Palestinian question, which will be held in June of next year and will be co-facilitated by Saudi Arabia and France. We call upon peace loving people to support the draft resolutions on the ceasefire and the following the use of the veto power in the Security Council. Thank you, Madam President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Yemen. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Guyana.

President, thank you for your swift response to the request of the chairs of the Arab Group, OIC, and the NAM Coordinating Bureau in convening the resumed 10th Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly. Three weeks ago, the Security Council met to consider a resolution tabled by its 10 elected members after five weeks of careful consultations. Disappointingly for Guyana, who had the honor of coordinating this effort, and I'm sure for many others in this assembly, those efforts did not culminate in an unequivocal demand for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire, a demand which the Security Council as a whole has been unable to make after more than a year of war in Gaza. Despite the strong political will that exists for the Council to fulfill its charter mandate in response to the atrocities being committed in Gaza, the Council has been hamstrung by the use of the veto, as was once again demonstrated on 20th of November. President, A ceasefire in Gaza is the first and most fundamental step to ensure the protection of all civilians in Gaza in both the short and long term. There can be no sustainable improvement of the humanitarian situation in Gaza without a ceasefire. Neither can civilian life be safeguarded without a ceasefire. The world continues to witness the unprecedented impact of Israel's unrelenting violence in Gaza. Almost 45,000 persons have been killed and thousands more injured. Famine is likely occurring or imminent. Almost the entire population has been displaced multiple times. The healthcare system has been decimated and people are without access to reliable healthcare. All of this is compounded by the approach of winter and thousands not having access to appropriate shelter. In the context of the apocalyptic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the rapidly declining situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, UNRWA's role remains extremely critical. Guyana therefore deplores the decision of the Israeli Knesset to prohibit the agency's operations in Palestine from January 2025. We call on Israel not to implement this decision, but to rescind it. Guyana remains fully supportive of UNRWA's mandate decided by this General Assembly and will support the resolution tabled for adoption this afternoon. President Guyana further reiterates its call for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire. To this end, we will also support the resolution tabled by Indonesia for adoption by this emergency special session. While the E10 resolution was ultimately vetoed, we once again stressed the need for all the Security Council members to also issue a demand for a ceasefire. Given the Council's primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, Guyana is committed to continue engaging on all efforts to this end. President, Guyana remains deeply concerned about several extremely worrying features of Israel's unrelenting war on Gaza, which have led to entrenched suffering for the population. Allow me to highlight three of these. First, the ongoing lack of adequate humanitarian access to all parts of Gaza has had a debilitating effect on the humanitarian response. Access has steadily declined, while simultaneously growing more dangerous due in part to the breakdown of law and order in the territory. Israel continues to deny or impede requests for humanitarian access, with North Gaza suffering siege for over two months on account of this stance. Humanitarians themselves are operating in extremely challenging circumstances, with at least 343 humanitarian workers killed since 7th of October, including 253 United Nations staff. Guyana take this opportunity to remind that international humanitarian law stipulates that parties to a conflict must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need. Anything contrary to this is a violation of that obligation. We take note of the recent access granted to healthcare workers for interventions in North Gaza. We urge Israel to comply with its legal obligations and to allow full and unimpeded humanitarian access throughout Gaza. Secondly, the constant evacuation orders have put civilians in Gaza in an extremely precarious position. In addition to having to ensure accommodations that are far, far from ideal, civilians are also forced to grapple with severe shortages of supplies and services, severe overcrowding, and dire hygiene conditions. Guyana has taken note, for example, of the second December evacuation order issued to areas in North Canunus. As reported by OCHA, the area to which displaced civilians moved includes Al-Karrara seaport, where high tides had displaced many families in recent days. We utterly deplore the inhumanity of these constant forced movements. We call on Israel to cease this static, which has resulted in immense suffering for Palestinians who are not safe whether they move or they stay. Thirdly, the pummeling of critical infrastructure in Gaza since 7th of October 2023 has, among other things, created conditions for disease to thrive. It also ensures that recovery efforts would be made difficult, long, and expensive. The people of Palestine must have a place of redress for what has been done to them. Guyana recalls in this context the 19th of July advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which concluded that Israel has an obligation to provide reparation for the damage caused by its internationally wrongful acts. President, dear colleagues, the United Nations, particularly the Security Council and General Assembly, must act to bring this war to an end and to chart an irreversible path towards achieving the two-state solution. We look forward to the convening next year of the high-level international conference on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution. We urge all member states to participate constructively in the deliberations to secure an outcome of permanent peace for Palestine and Israel. We particularly urge Israel to abide by its international legal obligations, including its obligation to bring its continued occupation of the Palestinian territory to an end. It is clear, Madam President, after almost eight decades of war, that peace and security cannot be achieved through violence. Guyana is committed to supporting all efforts for lasting peace between Palestine and Israel. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Guyana. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Luxembourg.

Madam President, Luxembourg fully aligns itself with the statement by the EU. I will now make some comments in a personal, in a national capacity. Luxembourg would like to thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this resumed 10th Emergency Special Session. We deplore the fact that the Security Council has once again been unable to adopt a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and this despite broad-based support from the Council's 14 members. This was due to a veto cast by the United States on the 20th of November. The veto isn't a privilege, it is a responsibility. We welcome the dogged efforts of the E10 with a view to finding an agreement the Security Council, paving the way for a lasting solution to this conflict which has gone on for too long. A common objective transcends divisions, achieving an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and an urgent improvement to access and the sustained distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale throughout the Gaza Strip, as well as an end, a lasting end to the hostilities. These fundamental principles, as per resolution 2735 of the Security Council, would have been the very heart of the resolution that was tabled, a draft resolution on which so many hopes were pinned as over five months had gone by since the last Security Council resolution on the Middle East had been adopted. In the meantime, every day the tally of human lives lost continues to grow, and the main victims are women and children. It has also underscored the dire situation of persons with disabilities. The fate of Palestinian civilians trapped in the north of the Gaza Strip is unbearable. The situation is sinking further into an abyss of despair. serious violations of international humanitarian law must end now. The longer impunity prevails, the more international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions will lose of their relevance. The protection of civilians and respect for international law and international humanitarian law must be upheld in all circumstances without any exception. This includes UNRWA operations and workers, UNRWA being an irreplaceable humanitarian actor, a lifeline for millions of Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and in Gaza. UNRWA's mandate, granted by this very Assembly, transcends political contexts so as to meet the fundamental needs of refugees. Luxembourg would like to reiterate its unstinting support for UNRWA. We've decided to allocate supplementary flexible amount to UNRWA 2.6 million euros which will bring our total contribution to UNRWA for this year to roughly 10 million euros this sustainable and predictable funding aims to guarantee essential services continue to be provided to millions of Palestinian men and women who depend on UNRWA for their survival their health care and their education Luxembourg strongly deplores the Knesset's adoption of laws aiming to abolish UNRWA's activities in the occupied Palestinian territory. We urge the Israeli government to guarantee that UNRWA can continue to implement its mandate in the interest of the peace and security of all, as the Secretary-General also requested in his letter dated 9 December 2022. Without UNRWA, the humanitarian system in the occupied Palestinian territory will collapse. Without UNRWA, there cannot be food security. Without UNRWA, millions of people won't get access to basic health care. Without UNRWA, an entire generation will lose out on its right to education. Ladies and gentlemen, until we have a just and lasting political solution to the conflict, within the framework of a two-state solution, UNRWA's mandate will remain essential. For this reason, Luxembourg co-sponsored and will be voting in favor of the two draft resolutions at the General Assembly this afternoon, the first on a ceasefire in Gaza and the second on the crucial importance of safeguarding UNRWA. Luxembourg remains committed to the peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, guaranteeing Israel's right to security, all the while respecting the inalienable right of Palestinians to self-determination and to live in dignity. It is only comprehensive, just and lasting peace on the basis of the two-state solution that will help to break the infernal cycle of violence. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Luxembourg. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Russian Federation.

Madam President, even against the backdrop of the dramatic events currently unfolding in Syria, it is unacceptable to forget about the horrific situation in Gaza, where Israel's military operation continues, an operation as a result of which tens of thousands of peaceful civilians have died and continue to die. Throughout the long months of this escalation, the Security Council has not taken any tangible measures so as to ensure a ceasefire in the enclave. Humanitarian decisions remain dead letter, and yet several hundred humanitarian workers have died, those who were putting their lives on the line providing assistance to Palestinians. Why did this happen? Traditional criticism Critics of the Security Council will probably say that it's due to the traditional problems plaguing this body, but such an assertion not only does not reflect the real crux of the problem, it also… means that the one UN member state which is fully responsible for the situation frees this delegation from criticism. It has blocked six Security Council decisions calling for a ceasefire, including the decision vetoed on 18 October 2023, a draft resolution tabled by Brazil, which contained an unequivocal condemnation of the 7 October attacks. And I'm saying this for the benefit of our US colleague who lamented the fact that no such Security Council decisions were tabled. Many of you pointed the finger at the Security Council as a whole, failing to name the delegation, although we all know full well that we are all referring to the United States. The latest victims of the narrow-minded decisions of the US were the E-10, the E-10's draft resolution which called for an end to the bloodshed in Gaza at last. Thus, the outgoing Democratic administration, which positions itself as a defender of human rights, a bastion of freedom, once again sided with the impunity, inhumanity, and violence. It sent the following signal to the world: if you're a close ally of the United States, well, you must abide by no laws or restrictions. Your obligations under international law, they're absolutely empty. Distinguished US colleagues, not everyone in the room today will speak openly about what they think about your veto, because many fear the consequences. We know that Washington punishes any dissent from it, not to mention any criticism of it. But do not worry. The US's unsightly role in this current crisis and in everything that's going on in the Middle East will still go down in history. Madam President, The veto is an instrument which was designed by the founding fathers of the UN not to give license to your friends to kill civilians. It was created to ensure that Security Council decisions are balanced in their character. Unfortunately, the US has not realized this and is using this to encourage the Israeli military machine. As a result, over 44,000 people have died in Gaza. How many more tens or hundreds of thousands of Palestinians will have to die for the US to open their eyes and to awaken their conscience? The ongoing Israeli military operation in Gaza, how is it helping to release the hostages, to secure their release? These hostages include Russian and US citizens. What about West Jerusalem's actions against Lebanon or its foray deep into Syria? How are they helping the situation? As they have such strong US support, as they're getting off scot-free in Gaza, Israel is launching more and more new military operations and using pan-regional instability to achieve its military objectives by force. All of this is part and parcel of a chain of events, part of which the Joe Biden administration has given carte blanche to the current administration in Israel. And this carte blanche has not managed to solve any of the problems in the situation in the Middle East. In fact, the current US administration has provoked a number of crises. 133 days have passed Palestinian women and children have died. Security Council members are forced to continue listening to US assertions about the effectiveness of their bilateral diplomacy on the ground and watch as they turn a blind eye to what's happening, what's been done by Israel. In July, Resolution 2735 was adopted. endorsing the so-called Biden plan, as you know, Russia abstained. As we warned back then, the resolution was underpinned by clear sleights of hand. West Jerusalem is not only following that plan, in fact, it continues to set more and more new conditions, which it knows are unacceptable to the other party. This document effectively provided diplomatic cover for Israel's military operation in Gaza. And there were other maneuvers that took place. For instance, Algeria's initiative, which talked about the inacceptability of an offensive on Rafah. Such spineless connivance with Israel, the US's blindness, is unacceptable. Today in the world there are hardly any people left prepared to continue to believe the US. This is clearly demonstrated by the outcome of the election of the vote on the resolution that occurred on the 20th of November. Many of the US's allies did not support its position and we will probably see more of the same as we vote on the resolutions on UNRWA and on the ceasefire this afternoon. We fully support these draft resolutions. Today, all of the UN member states have the opportunity to reassert their position in defense of the Palestinians, to protect Palestinians and UNRWA, not just in word, but in deed. We value the constructive approach of the co-sponsors. They've exhibited flexibility and a willingness to compromise. We call on everybody to vote in favor of the draft resolutions. for thousands of peaceful civilians who have lost their lives in the Middle East, we will be taking a step too late. However, it is not too late to help those who are still alive. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Costa Rica.

Madam President, since the onset of the conflict that has led to the resumption of the 31st special session of the General Assembly, Costa Rica has called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. We have urged an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire. We have emphasised that there is a need for the civilian population of Gaza to have access to basic services and the humanitarian aid vital for their very survival. Moreover, we have reaffirmed the obligation which falls upon all parties to the conflict to respect international law. This includes international humanitarian law. They are also obliged to ensure the full and unconditional implementation of Security Council Resolution 2735. All of the above was reflected in the text of the resolution presented on the 20th of November by the elected members of the Security Council. That text was driven by their deep concern at the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the need to address it urgently. Costa Rica expresses its gratitude to Guyana for its coordination work and to Algeria, Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Switzerland for their efforts. We thank them for working in good faith to provide a legally binding obligation to end the hostilities. Moreover, the text contains a condemnation of all acts of terrorism that implicitly covers those committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the taking of hostages. However, its adoption proved impossible. Madam President, the obligations pursuant to international humanitarian law are binding upon all parties to the conflict. irrespective of any inaction on the Security Council's part. Costa Rica calls upon both the Security Council and this Assembly to utilise all the tools provided by the Charter of the United Nations to respond to situations of this kind. Moreover, we reaffirm that the role played by UNRWA is essential and irreplaceable for millions of Palestinian refugees in the region, particularly in view of the current situation in Gaza. For this reason, we once again express our support for the agency, as well as for the International Court of Justice. We trust in the integrity of the institution and its officials. We also remind this General Assembly that it has the mechanisms it needs to address the gaps left by Security Council inaction and to ensure that the fundamental principles of the organization are upheld. This complementarity between the General Assembly and the Security Council is vital to preserve the legitimacy and effectiveness of the multilateral system. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Costa Rica. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bangladesh.

Madam President, we thank you for the resumption of the plenary meeting of the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly. Today, ruthless devastation and atrocities in Gaza continue. disregarding all calls and concerns of the international community, including the United Nations system. So many deaths and damages are unacceptable to any person of conscience. Bangladesh aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the OIC group and on behalf of the non-aligned movement. Madam President, despite adopting a number of resolutions in the 10th emergency special session, we have been witnessing the continuation of one of the horrific massacres in the history of the world. We need to immediately stop the aggression, killing, and all other illegal practices in the occupied Palestinian territory by bringing an end to Israeli occupation and apartheid. Deplorably, after 7 October 2023, more than 44,000 Palestinians have been killed, and Gaza has been destroyed. Unfortunately, Israeli aggression and genocide has been intensified in other parts of the occupied Palestinian territory of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as well as in other countries in the Middle East. The arrangement for a cessation of hostilities to bring an end to the Israeli aggression against Lebanon is an encouraging development. In this regard, we join others calling for the full implementation of resolution 1701 of 2006. Madam President, At this moment, the international community needs to take urgent immediate action to end all hostilities and illegal occupation by Israel. We commend the continuous efforts to take forward the discussion towards a peaceful solution to the question of Palestine. In this regard, we welcome the launch of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. We demand full membership of the State of Palestine in the United Nations and call upon the UN Security Council to recommend the same without delay. We also echo the call of the resolution issued by the recent extraordinary Arab Islamic summit to mobilize international support to suspend Israel's participation in the UN General Assembly. Madam President, without ensuring accountability, without bringing the perpetrators to justice, peace cannot be established fully. We recall the orders of provisional measures and advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice and emphasize on ensuring full respect to those orders and their full implementation by immediately stopping Israeli attack and by full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied Palestinian territory and other occupied Arab territories in the Middle East. We also refer to the indictments by the International Criminal Court and call upon all member states to assist in its implementation. Accountability must be ensured for the perpetrators of mass atrocity crimes. We also would like to welcome the decision to establish, under the auspices of the United Nations, the international mechanism to assist the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed in the occupied Palestinian territory. Madam President, Gaza has been demolished and it could take 350 years for Gaza to rebuild if it remains under blockade. In this destroyed territory, when many dead bodies are under the rubble, when the remaining alive people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance and desperately seeking any kind of help to save life, Israel has been using forced starvation and forced displacement to continue their aggression against the innocent civilians. Regrettably, Israel has been killing and attacking the UN humanitarian personnel and destroying its facilities, and furthermore, it has passed legislation to stop UNRWA's activities. that will have devastating humanitarian consequences. Such actions against the UN humanitarian agencies are truly deplorable. We commend the role of UNRWA despite so many challenges and financial constraints, and also for maintaining humanitarian principle of neutrality. We urge to take all necessary measures to safeguard the mandate of UNRWA, save its staffs, premises and resources, and extend all kinds of support to UNRWA, including financial contribution. We also refer to the Secretary-General's proposal for an increased assessed contribution from the regular budget of the United Nations for UNRWA. Madam President, immediate ceasefire is must to save the innocent people from an unimaginable catastrophe. However, for a durable solution for peace and stability in the Middle East, Establishing a sovereign and independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the pre-1967 border, is a must. In this regard, we once again call for undertaking immediate necessary steps to implement the General Assembly resolution with regard to Palestine's admission to the United Nations as a full member. Finally, Madam President, we are going to consider two resolutions, and like previous resolutions of the ESS, we hope those will be adopted. We would like to see immediate and full implementation of these resolutions and full cooperation by the members of the U.N. Security Council, which is the primary responsible body for maintaining international peace and security. Bangladesh remains concerned that if the decades-old injustice against and suffering of the Palestinians are not addressed, this would continue to erode U.N. acceptance among the mass people around the globe. We must maintain sanctity and relevance of this august top multilateral body. I thank you, Madam President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Bangladesh. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Spain.

Madam President, Spain aligns itself with the statement made by the European Union. We wish to make the following statement in our national capacity. Spain is grateful for the convening of this special session following the Security Council's inability to agree upon a ceasefire in Gaza on the 20th of November. That followed the use of the veto by one of its permanent members. We wish to thank the Security Council and particularly the 14 members of it who voted in favour. We thank them for their efforts to adopt a text that would stop the violence in Gaza. More than a year since the onset of the crisis, an agreement from the Security Council is all the more necessary. Spain laments the dizzyingly high number of civilian victims in Gaza. That number now exceeds 44 000 deaths since the indiscriminate terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas against Israel on 7 October. Those attacks were brutal. We have been unequivocal in our statements. The conclusion of a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon should lead to an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, a ceasefire which allows the release of hostages and the entry at scale of humanitarian aid into Gaza through all land border crossings. As such, we thank mediators for their work and we encourage them to continue. We must put an end to the violence in Gaza and usher in a new phase, a phase grounded in an international multilateral rule-based order. Moreover, it is vital to stop the action by violent violent settlers in the West Bank. That action compounds instability. We fervently support UNRWA both financially and politically. Since the 1st of July, we have chaired its advisory commission. There, we work to preserve the vital role of the agency, including in the stabilization phase. Spain repudiates the legislation passed in the Israeli parliament on the 28th of October. That legislation directly hampers UNRWA's ability to discharge its mandate, a mandate granted to it by this very General Assembly. That legislation is an absolute challenge to international law. Faced with these challenges, Spain reiterates its support for the International Criminal Court. Its work is work we defend. We reiterate the fact that we staunchly believe that international law is applicable. That includes IHL. Madam President, the stabilization in the post-conflict phase requires our immediate attention as a sign of political and financial support for the Palestinian National Authority so that it can assume its responsibilities as a unified government across all occupied palestinian territories on twenty one november we held the first intergovernmental meeting between spain and palestine. the entire international community must support the pa so that it is successful in restoring security and basic services and so that it can tackle reconstruction in gaza. President Spain has always maintained that the only solution to the conflict in Middle the Middle East is the implementation of the two-state solution Spain's recognition of the P the state of Palestine as well as the that recognition from other like-minded Partners serve to reactivate that proposal that was the driving force behind the global Alliance which was launched in New York in October it's held its first two meetings in riad and Brussels we hope that the global Alliance will produce concrete proposals so that the peace conference that the general assembly is seeking to in June can lay the foundations for regional stability. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Spain. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of United Arab Emirates.

Madam President, today we meet once again in the General Assembly to support the Palestinian cause. to ensure the protection of the equitable rights of the Palestinian people and to promote peace in the region. This has become a frequent scene since October 7 of last year. The resumed 10th emergency special session of the General Assembly was convened several times, following the Security Council's inability to adopt a resolution calling for a permanent, immediate, and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza and its failure to fulfill its mandate of maintaining international peace and security. I align myself with the statements delivered by the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab Group, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement, all of which expressed the need for an urgent and immediate ceasefire. This too has been expressed by the international community over the past 14 months. I also emphasize the importance of allowing urgent access to at-scale humanitarian assistance throughout the Gaza Strip, along with the release of the hostages and detainees. We also renew our call for the protection of humanitarian workers and condemn the attacks on them. In line of the dangerous developments taking place in the occupied Palestinian territory, and most especially in the Gaza Strip, We must take a firm stance and act urgently against the continued killing of civilians and the deteriorating tragic humanitarian situation. It is shocking that the prices of basic foodstuffs in Gaza soared by more than 1000% compared to pre-war levels. This is in addition to the displacement of more than 130,000 people over the past few weeks due to the Israeli military's ongoing operations, while in the West Bank there is rising violence and accelerating settlement activities. On the other hand, the ceasefire agreement, reached between Lebanon and Israel last month gave us a glimmer of hope of a permanent ceasefire along the Blue Line and the implementation of resolution 1701. This would spare the people of Lebanon additional suffering. At the same time, The United Arab Emirates strongly condemns the Israeli forces recent seizure of the buffer zone in the Golan Heights. This is in violation of international law, particularly the agreement of disengagement signed between Israel and Syria in 1974. We stress our commitment to the unity, independence and territorial integrity of Syria, and will continue our calls for de-escalation in the region and the restoration of security and stability. Madam President, UNRWA's development and relief mandate to support and protect Palestinian refugees is extremely important. This mandate must continue until there is a permanent, just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause, including the plight of the refugees and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-state solution. Both the General Assembly and the Security Council have an important role to play in addressing all actions aimed at undermining ONRWA's work, including the Israeli Knesset's recent decision to prohibit the work of the agency, and continue enabling the agency so that it can continue its work and perform its indispensable and irreplaceable role. In this regard, we stress the importance of the Secretary-General's message in his 9 December letter regarding the serious challenges facing the Agency and the impact of the Knesset's decisions. On the other hand, we commend the recommendations of the report of the Independent Review Group led by Catherine Colonna, and we encourage their implementation to improve the working methods of the Agency in the long term. Finally, Madam President, let us work together to end this protracted conflict and to protect the Palestinian people and all other peoples of this region from the plight of war and destruction. Let us support their aspirations of justice, security, and stability. Thank you, Madam President.

I thank the distinguished representative of United Arab Emirates. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Brazil.

Madam President, we gather again today in the shadow of not just immense human suffering in the Gaza Strip, but also of repeated legal and moral failures in the Security Council. The ongoing tragedy in Gaza has demanded immediate and decisive action for over a year now. Yet the Security Council, tasked with the responsibility to act, has been repeatedly rendered impotent by the veto of just one permanent member. Indeed, the United States has yet obstructed another ceasefire resolution, yet another one that could have contributed to stopping the carnage against Palestinians, allowed humanitarian assistance in and within Gaza, enabled the unconditional release of hostages, and paved the way for real diplomatic efforts towards sustainable peace. The veto in this instance is indefensible. It sends a chilling message that the lives of Palestinian men, women and children are expendable. This is not merely a diplomatic failure. It is a betrayal of the principles upon which the United Nations was founded. The veto here continues a troubling pattern of complete disregard for Charter responsibilities by some permanent members, seriously undermining the integrity, legitimacy and effectiveness of the Security Council. Colleagues, the situation on the ground is appalling. There are reasonable grounds to believe that serious international crimes are being committed in the Gaza Strip, and yet the Security Council is prevented from acting. The recurrent veto with respect to the situation in Gaza has been enabling impunity, emboldening aggressors. This raises urgent legal and moral questions about accountability. Moreover, a deeper sense of empathy has been absent in this repeated abuse of veto power. The population in Gaza are not statistics. They are human beings with hopes, dreams and an inherent right to live in dignity in a sovereign state. Permanent members, all permanent members have an obligation over the responsible use of the veto. A moral duty stems from that responsibility. This moral duty implies standing up against injustice even when doing so may be politically or strategically costly. It implies prioritizing human lives over geopolitical considerations. clear this is not what the international community is witnessing since the first veto related to this crisis was cast during Brazil's presidency of the Security Council in October last year. How many innocent lives could have been spared if Council efforts to achieve peace were not obstructed? Madam President, as we regret the profound moral disconnection from the harsh reality in Gaza manifested in the repeated vetoes against resolutions in the Security Council, we call for the long overdue institutional and comprehensive reform of that body in order to make it more representative, legitimate and effective. Finally, in the absence of the necessary Council action for the reasons indicated before, It falls upon this General Assembly under UN Charter to take matters in its own hands, once again pertaining to the situation in Gaza. Brazil is co-sponsoring the two draft resolutions to be voted this afternoon. Both of them, besides embodying measures that enjoy virtually unanimous support, leave no room for doubt about the international community's resolve in spite of all the Security Council's failings to advance peace, accountability, and to safeguard UNRWA's indispensable role for the present and the future of the Palestinian people. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Brazil. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Thailand.

Madam President, Thailand regrets that the Security Council was unable to adopt the draft resolution proposed by Guyana as coordinator of the EATL, that would have demanded an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as well as the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Veto is not a privilege, but a great responsibility. It should be used responsibly and with accountability to maintain international peace and security. Madam President, the situation in Gaza is too dire for the UN to remain silent. Thailand will vote in favor of the resolution demanding for peace, for ceasefire in Gaza, with the hope that it would re-energize determination to speed up the path toward peace in the region and the fulfillment of the two-state solution. We urge all parties concerned to immediately reach a ceasefire agreement and terminate all acts of hostilities, protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, comply with international humanitarian law, and implement relevant Security Council resolutions. We also repeat our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, including Thai nationals who are not involved in the conflicts, as well as their proper treatment pending their release. Madam President, Thailand reiterates our concern for the serious humanitarian, political and security risk from any interruption and suspension of UNRWA's work. The organization remains the backbone of all humanitarian response to generations of Palestinian refugees and civilians in Gaza and the wider region. We repeat that there is no alternative to UNRWA. In this regard, vote in favor of the resolution support for the mandate of the UNRWA. We also urge all member states to strengthen political and finance support to ensure its unimpeded operation and provision of services for the stability of the region as mandated, the mandate that the General Assembly have entrusted to them. Madam President, Thailand reiterates our call for all parties to fully comply with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions. We continue to appeal to all parties to seek ways to resolve the situation through peaceful means with a view to realizing the two-state solution by which the states of Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace and security. I thank you, Madam President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Thailand. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iceland.

Madam President, the fact that there is still need for us to reconvene this emergency session more than 14 months into the conflict that broke out following the heinous terrorist attacks of 7 October last year is beyond belief. The ongoing impasse in the Security Council and its continued failure in protecting the humanitarian system in Gaza, averting further escalation and civilian casualties is, to put it mildly, deeply regrettable. The violence and the suffering must stop now. A humanitarian catastrophe has unfolded before our eyes. We continue to call on Israel and Hamas to urgently agree to and implement a sustained ceasefire and commend all efforts to try to bring an agreement to fruition. While this ongoing situation continues, we, the international community, are failing close to two million civilians in Gaza every day. The people of Palestine and Israel deserve to live in peace and security. in prosperous and democratic societies. They deserve to live without fear of aggression or terrorist attacks. Iceland has friendly and full diplomatic relations with both Israel and Palestine, and we continue to call for an immediate ceasefire and a credible path towards a two-state solution. Iceland has always been and continues to be a strong supporter and advocate for international law and the international system. Iceland persistently condemns violation of international law. We demand accountability for such violations wherever they take place. Iceland has consistently condemned in the strongest possible terms the brutal and indiscriminate terrorist attacks by Hamas in October 2023. There can be no justification for terrorism. We have also repeatedly called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. The apparent violation of international humanitarian law in the Gaza conflict are unjustifiable and must end. Too many innocent lives have been lost. Madam President, given the dire humanitarian needs since the start of the Gaza conflict, Iceland has more than doubled humanitarian assistance and other contributions to the OPT. we announced another additional contribution to UNRWA at the Gaza Ministerial Conference in Cairo on December 2nd. We would like to stress, however, that without humanitarian access, aid cannot reach those in need. Desperation, hunger, thirst, diseases, and no place of safety. These are the apocalyptic conditions that the Gaza population faces. Under these circumstances, a halt to the operations of UNRWA the most centrally placed humanitarian organization responding to the needs of Palestine refugees in the Middle East, would have devastating consequences. Furthermore, UNRWA is the main provider of education and health services to millions of Palestine refugees, and the consequential vacuum in services and humanitarian aid in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, may further destabilize the situation in these areas, in Israel and in the region, and may fundamentally jeopardize the prospects for a two-state solution. Therefore, Iceland has called for the reconsideration of the recent legislation in the Knesset that, if implemented, may prevent UNRWA from carrying out its critical operations in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. Effectively, UNRWA will no longer be able to fulfil its mandate in the occupied Palestinian territory, a mandate given to it by this august Assembly, its parent organ. It should only be this Assembly that defines it. We are keenly aware of the importance of holding UN agencies to the highest standards. We welcome the prompt and thorough follow up action initiated by the United Nations Secretary General and the UNRWA Commissioner General following serious allegations directed towards some workers of the agency. We expect its continued implementation, including the recommendations of the Colonna report. Madam President, as I conclude, let me restate the only long term sustainable solution to this conflict, a two state solution based on international law, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security and mutual recognition. There is no better path towards peace, and the people of Palestine and Israel deserve nothing less. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Iceland. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mauritania.

Madam President, at.

The outset, I would like to thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this resumed 10th Emergency Special Session to discuss the disastrous situation which is ongoing in the occupied Palestinian territory, the OPT. We align ourselves with this statement delivered on behalf of the Arab Group. the Organization for Islamic Cooperation, the Non-Aligned Movement as well. Madam President, we are meeting one year after the start of the brutal war on Gaza, a year of arbitrary murder which does not distinguish between civilians, women, children, the elderly, or the sick, a genocide, a genuine genocide which has cost the lives of tens of thousands of people, displacing hundreds of thousands, razing to the ground entire neighborhoods and urban areas. This genocide has gone hand in hand with Israel's war-mongering in the north of Gaza, where 500,000 civilians live in peril. They have very limited life choices. These are women, children, and the elderly. They are choosing between forced displacement, evacuation, and death. Death by starvation or death as a result of bombing and lethal weapons being deployed. This is the so-called general's plan, that is evacuate everyone from the region by bombing, refugee camps, hospitals, transforming the north of Gaza into a military zone. The international community was incapable to put an end to all this. Israel is continuing to defy international peace and security by waging war in the region. Israel is continuing to regard with contempt the decisions taken by various organizations and bodies. An irresponsible resolution, decision was adopted to ban UNRWA. in violation of the UN General Assembly's decisions, the GA being the authority, the only authority with the right to change the body's mandate. The occupying power has disregarded the ICJ's advisory opinion on Israel's illegal policies and practices in the OPT. This advisory opinion confirmed that Israel's continuing presence in the OPT is illegal and must end in the shortest possible amount of time. UN Member States should not recognize the situation resulting from Israel's illegal presence there, and Member States should not provide any aid or assistance which would demand recognition of Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territory. Despite all of these developments and this tragedy, we find ourselves once again back here at the General Assembly following the 20th November inability of the Security Council to adopt a decision tabled by the 10 elected members, the E10, calling for into alia an immediate permanent and unconditional ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The catastrophic humanitarian situation stemming from Israel's actions nevertheless was met with a failure on the part of the Security Council to secure a ceasefire, to secure an end to this genocidal war. This confirms that the organization is in a state of moral crisis. This is therefore an opportunity to call for Security Council reform. a reform of the irresponsible and immoral use of the veto, and also it should be an opportunity for us to overhaul the values system which governs the decision making of the organization. How else can we explain the Security Council's failure to introduce a ceasefire at a time when thousands of defenseless civilians are dying under bombs? They're dying from starvation and illness, And this at a time when winter is beginning. Madam President, on the 27th of November, we welcomed the ceasefire in Lebanon. And we call for the immediate implementation of the agreement that was reached there. It is vital for Resolution 1701, a Security Council resolution, to be upheld. And the same applies to Lebanese sovereignty. The government of my country reiterates the need to put an end to the massacre being perpetrated by the Israelis in Gaza and to ensure humanitarian assistance is delivered without delay to those under siege. By way of conclusion, it's high time for the organization and the international community to uphold international peace and security, as well as to apply international law in the OPT. We must compel Israel to respect the ICJ opinion and to end the illegal and inhumane occupation. We call on all UN member states to respect the ICJ's advisory opinion and to stop sending weapons to Israel as well as to end any assistance that might help the occupation to continue that might result in an increase in the number of lives lost in Gaza. We call on all states who are continuing to provide weapons and ammunition to Israel to shoulder their legal and moral responsibilities vis-a-vis civilians, women, children, and the elderly who are dying as a result of Israel's war machine that has been deployed for a year now. We also call on member states to vote in favor of the two draft resolutions before us today so as to introduce a ceasefire and lend our support to UNRWA's mandate so that this Agency can continue to serve the Palestinian people and alleviate their suffering. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Mauritania. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mauritius.

Madam President, Excellencies, the civilian population in Gaza is living in conditions that should make humanity shiver. The convening of this resumed session of the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly is a strong signal that we are committed to alleviating their suffering and to seeking a durable solution to the ongoing conflict. Madam President, Since October 2023, following the attack on Israel, which we have condemned, the suffering endured by innocent Palestinian people, including women and children, has continued unabated. Both the General Assembly and the UN Security Council have been engaged in addressing the crisis, yet peace remains elusive. Mauritius is concerned that our failure to take the right decisions could lead to more bloodshed and untold suffering. The decisions we take today will bolster our organization, which remains the only beacon of hope for the Palestinians. Mauritius, therefore, reiterates its call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Mauritius also calls on Security Council members to live up to their responsibilities and to act promptly to address the escalating crisis. We urge world leaders to exert collective efforts for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement. In this regard, the ceasefire in Lebanon, although fragile, remains a step in the right direction. Mauritius further welcomes the holding of the high-level international conference on the peace settlement on the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution to be held in June 2025. Madam President, as we speak, the death toll in Gaza and the West Bank has surpassed 44,000 people. Nearly the entire population has been forced and bombed out of their homes. Amidst this, UNRWA remains the backbone of humanitarian assistance. And yet, in October last, the Israeli parliament passed a legislation which will have catastrophic consequences for UNRWA's operations with no passage for its aid into Gaza. Dismantling UNRWA, so vital for the survival of millions of Palestinians, will lead to the collapse of the United Nations humanitarian response. We, as the international community, cannot remain indifferent. We must defend UNRWA's indispensable role and protect the unhindered access and sustained distribution of aid throughout Gaza, just as we must act for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Madam President, Mauritius also urges the Security Council to recommend the admission of the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations. Mauritius reiterates its unwavering stance for a two-state solution to the conflict based on relevant UN resolutions and international law, which envisages the establishment of an independent, viable and prosperous Palestinian state within secure and recognized borders, living in peace alongside the State of Israel. The path to peace and justice in the Middle East is clear, Madam President. It requires ending the occupation, respecting the right of Palestinians to self-determination, and establishing an independent, sovereign Palestine state. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Mauritius. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Plurinational State of Bolivia.

Thank you very much, Madam President. We thank the Presidency for once again convening the General Assembly for the resumed emergency special session to address the genocide in Palestine. We align ourselves with the statement made by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter and that made by Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. We wish to add the following remarks in our national capacity. Madam President, the world is witnessing the greatest human tragedy of modern times in Palestine. According to UN agency reports, more than 44,000 lives have been cut short and more than 100,000 people have been wounded. 70% of these victims are women and children. These heart-wrenching figures are not merely statistics; they are lives that have been cut short, dreams destroyed, and devastated communities. The indiscriminate attacks in Gaza have transformed this strip of land into an open-air prison, an open-air prison in which civilians are collectively punished for a conflict, through a conflict that they did not choose. Women and children, who make up the majority of victims, bear the weight of displacement, the loss of loved ones, and the destruction of their homes. Elsewhere in Lebanon, the recent escalation of the conflict has ratcheted up human suffering. Cross-border attacks, indiscriminate shelling, and the wholesale destruction of entire communities have caused a new wave of displacement and injured persons. Bolivia is outraged to note the lack of resolve on the part of the international community, especially within the Security Council, to act unequivocally and decisively to halt this genocide perpetrated by Israel. Yet more serious is the repeated use of the veto by the United States against resolutions seeking an immediate ceasefire in both regions. That veto has eaten away at the hope of millions of people calling for peace and justice. Madam President, the veto is not only an act which expresses absolute insensitivity towards human suffering. It is also an undue use of privilege, a privilege granted as a result of one of the cruelest wars in the history of humankind. Casting the veto perpetuates occupation, violation and systematic violations of international law in Palestine and now in Lebanon. Consequently, my country firmly rejects the abuse of that veto and reiterates our appeal for a comprehensive reform of the Security Council. a reform which will ensure that this body is truly democratic and representative, that it can be a body which meets the interests of the international community as a whole, rather than furthering the interests of hegemonic powers. It is of paramount importance to restrict or entirely abolish the use of the veto in situations of mass atrocities such as war crimes and violations of IHL. Bolivia fully supports initiatives designed to limit this privilege in cases of genocide, crimes against humanity and other serious crimes. We cannot allow the veto being cast by a single member of the Security Council to paralyse collective efforts to save lives and restore human dignity. This Assembly cannot remain impassive in the face of this tragedy. We have a moral and political responsibility to act decisively and urgently. Distinguished colleagues, Madam President, the world cannot continue to stand idly by watching this tragedy unfold. Our organization was created to prevent human suffering, not to allow it. Peace is not a privilege, it is a fundamental right of all peoples. Let us not allow future generations to judge us for our passivity in the face of this atrocious genocide caused by Israel's bombs and weapons and those of its allies. Once again, we express our support for and solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination. And once again, we recognize the fact that Palestine should exist as a free, independent and sovereign state within 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital. To conclude, we once again appeal for Palestine's admission to the General Assembly as a full-fledged member that will contribute significantly to international peace and security, just as it will to justice for a people that has historically been besieged and attacked. Bolivia once again underscores its unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people. This commitment is grounded in the principles of international law, justice, and peace. Multilateralism must be more than an empty word. It must become an effective tool with which we can address the most pressing problems of our age. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Bolivia. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sri Lanka.

Madam President, Sri Lanka welcomes the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that was agreed on 26 November this year. However, the situation in Gaza remains grave. It is deeply alarming and unconscionable. With each passing day, it is spiraling out of control. We are deeply concerned by the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the increasing tension in the Middle East. During the 10th Emergency Special Session on 12 December 2003, the General Assembly adopted a resolution entitled Protection of Civilians and Upholding Legal and Humanitarian Obligations. The Security Council has been briefed multiple times during the last few months on the loss of life, the plight of the civilian population and the grave challenges faced by UNARWA as well as other humanitarian workers. On 26 November, 117 countries, including Sri Lanka, were signatories to a joint letter calling for the protection of UN and humanitarian personnel, international humanitarian law and the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2735. Last week, The UN spokesperson said that all bakeries in central Gaza have shut down due to severe supply shortages. Bread is a lifeline for many families in Gaza. It's often the only food they can access. Now even that is slipping out of reach. UN OCHA warned of a worsening nutrition situation across Gaza and says that out of the total number of children admitted for outpatient treatment of acute malnutrition since the beginning of 2024 this year, Two thirds were recorded in the past five months. Its nutrition partners report that between the 1st and 23rd November, more than 3,400 children were admitted for outpatient treatment of acute malnutrition. This, Madam President, is in addition to the 43,000 civilians reported killed, most of them women and children. Madam President, Sri Lanka's solidarity with the Palestinian people has been consistent. Sri Lanka recognizes the legitimate and inalienable right of the Palestinian people to statehood and support a just and comprehensive negotiated political settlement to the Palestinian issue in line with UN resolutions leading to two states living side by side based on the 1967 borders. In this context, Sri Lanka has been chairing the special committee to investigate Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories for long years. We add our voice to the voices of other delegations in calling for all parties concerned to refrain from escalating the violence. We condemn all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure and urge all parties to end the violence. We reiterate the importance of ensuring the protection of all civilians at all times in line with international humanitarian law. We also call for rapid, safe, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access to all in need in Gaza. and reaffirm our support for the full and immediate implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2735 and all relevant UN Security Council and UNGA resolutions calling for a comprehensive ceasefire and access to humanitarian provisions in Gaza. We appreciate the efforts that the Secretary-General has and continues to take to try to de-escalate the conflict. We stress that diplomacy remains the cornerstone of achieving peace in the Middle East, and that dialogue and negotiations based on mutual trust and in accordance with the UN Charter and international law must be pursued to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East. In this context, we reiterate our support for all efforts and initiatives that would stop the ongoing conflict, create and expand space for meaningful dialogue and negotiations, build trust and mutual understanding and promote cooperation for lasting peace in the Middle East. Finally, we appreciate the relentless work on the ground that has been and continues to be carried out by the UN and all its personnel at the risk of their lives. For these reasons, Sri Lanka will vote in favour of the two resolutions to be considered. Thank you, Madam Chairperson.

I thank the distinguished representative of Sri Lanka. We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this item for this meeting. We shall hear the remaining speakers this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. in this hall. The meeting is adjourned.