The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question - Security Council, 9830th meeting
Security Council
Date: 3 January 2025
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/sc/9830
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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Algeria · President [0:01]:

The 9,830th meeting of the Security Council is called to order. As it is the first formal meeting of the Security Council this year, I should like to extend my warm wishes on the New Year to all members of the Security Council, all members of the United Nations, and all members of the Secretariat. In presiding over this first formal meeting of the Council in 2025, I am happy to welcome the new members. Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia. And we look forward to their participation in the work of the Council. Their experience, their wisdom will be invaluable assistance in the discharge of the Council's responsibility. I shall also take this opportunity to express the Council's gratitude to the outgoing members, namely Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland, for their important contributions to the work of the Council during their terms. I should also take this opportunity to pay tribute on behalf of the Council to Her Excellency, Mrs. Linda Thomas-Greenfield and her team, representing the United States, for their service as President of the Council for the month of December. I am sure I speak on behalf of all members of the Council in expressing deep appreciation to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield and her team for the great diplomatic skill with which they conducted the Council business last month. The provisional agenda for this meeting is the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. The agenda is adopted. In accordance with Rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Egypt to participate to this meeting. The presidency of the Security Council invites the representative of Israel to participate in this meeting. It is so decided. I propose that the Council invite the permanent observer of the observer state of Palestine to the United Nations to participate in the meeting in accordance with the provisional rules of procedure and the previous practice in this regard. There being no objection, it is so decided. In accordance with Rule 39 of the Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Volker Turk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Dr. Riek Peppercorn, World Health Organization's representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and Dr. Tania Hajj Hassan, medical practitioner. It is so decided. The Security Council will now begin the consideration of item 2 of the agenda. I now give the floor to Mr. Volker Turk.


OHCHR · UN High Commissioner for Human Rights [5:51]:

Mr. President. Excellencies, a human rights catastrophe continues to unfold in Gaza before the eyes of the world. Israel's means and methods of warfare have killed tens of thousands of people, inflicted vast displacement, and laid waste to the territory. This has raised utmost concerns about compliance with international law. A recent report by my office covering the period between 7 October 2023 and 30 June 2024 documents patterns of attacks on hospitals, starting with Israeli airstrikes, followed by raids by ground troops, the detention of some patients and staff, the forced removal of others, and the withdrawal of troops, leaving the hospital essentially nonfunctional. The report also details the killings of patients, staff, and other civilians. Hamas and other armed groups continue to launch sporadic and indiscriminate attacks on Israel and reportedly to expose civilians and civilian infrastructure, including health facilities, to attack by operating amongst them, which is totally unacceptable. The protection of hospitals during warfare is paramount. and must be respected by all sides at all times. The destruction of hospitals across Gaza goes beyond depriving Palestinians of their right to access adequate healthcare. Those hospitals provided sanctuary for thousands of people with nowhere else to go. The destruction wrought by the Israeli military's attacks last Friday on Kamal Adwan Hospital, the last functioning hospital in North Gaza, reflects the patterns of attacks documented in the report. Some staff and patients were forced from the hospital, while others, including the general director, were detained, with many reports of torture and ill treatment. The Israeli military announced the next day that its months-long operation in North Gaza was concluded with the separation of North Gaza from Gaza City. We are now seeing reports that parts of North Gaza are almost completely emptied of Palestinians. We have repeatedly warned that Israel's military operations in North Gaza place the entire Palestinian population of the governorate at risk through death and displacement. For months, we reported intense bombardment on residential buildings, shelters, and medical facilitators, displacement orders, the prevention of the entry of aid, attacks on Palestinians trying to flee and on their shelters once they reached middle Gaza. Across Gaza, Israeli military operations in and around hospitals and associated combat have had a terrible impact precisely at a time of massive demands on health care due to the ongoing conflict. They have been particularly devastating for certain Palestinian civilians. Six babies have reportedly died of hypothermia in the past few days alone. Women, especially those who are pregnant, have suffered greatly. Many women have given birth with little or no support, increasing risks to both mother and child. My office has been told that newborns have died as a direct result of this lack of care. According to the Ministry of Health, of the State of Palestine, more than 100,000 Palestinians have been injured in Gaza. Many of these wounded people have died while awaiting treatment because of lack of access to healthcare. All this is occurring against the backdrop of increased obstacles placed before the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies in bringing aid, including urgent medical supplies, into Gaza and distributing them across the territory. Mr. President, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 1,050 medical professionals have been killed in Gaza. It is important to note that medical personnel are civilians who serve a critical function, particularly in wartime. They enjoy special protections under international law. The recent report by my office documents at least 136 strikes on at least 27 hospitals and 12 other medical facilities in Gaza, which caused significant death and injury among doctors, nurses, medical staff, and other civilians, and damaged or destroyed many of the buildings targeted. In the exceptional circumstances when medical personnel, ambulances, and hospitals lose their special protection and are considered military objectives, attacks on them must still comply with the fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack. Military operations must always distinguish between military targets and civilians. The use of heavy weapons against hospitals is difficult to reconcile with that principle. Failure to respect these principles is a breach of international humanitarian law. Intentionally directing attacks against hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are treated, provided they are not military objectives, is a war crime. Under certain circumstances, the deliberate destruction of health care facilities may amount to a form of collective punishment which would also constitute a war crime. If committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack on a civilian population, such acts may also amount to crimes against humanity. In most instances, Israel alleges that the hospitals were being improperly used for military purposes by Palestinian armed groups. I've in fact just received a letter from the Israeli ambassador asserting that Kamal Adwan hospital was militarized by Hamas and that Israeli forces took extraordinary measures to protect civilian life while acting on credible intelligence. Yet, Israel has not provided sufficient information to substantiate many of these claims, which are often vague and broad. In some cases, they appear to be contradicted by publicly available information. If these allegations were verified, this would raise serious concerns that Palestinian armed groups were using the presence of civilians intentionally to shield themselves from attack, which would also amount to war crime. This is why I am calling for independent, thorough, and transparent investigations into all Israeli attacks on hospitals, healthcare infrastructure, and medical personnel, as well as the alleged misuse of such facilities. Mr. President, I once more warn in the strongest terms about the risk of atrocity crimes being committed in the occupied Palestinian territory. I urge all those with influence to take action accordingly and to protect civilians as a matter of absolute priority. It is essential that there is full accountability for all violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. It is imperative that all parties do everything in their power to stop the fighting in Gaza so that a long-term ceasefire can take hold. All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. It is imperative that all those arbitrarily detained are released at once. I call on Israel as the occupying power to ensure and facilitate access to lifesaving humanitarian aid, including adequate health care, for the Palestinian population. I urge Israel to end its continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory as rapidly as possible, in line with relevant United Nations resolutions the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice and wider international law. And I call for future recovery and reconstruction efforts to prioritize the restoration of the healthcare system in Gaza. Thank you.


Algeria · President [14:30]:

I thank Mr. Turk for his briefing. I now give the floor to Dr. Riek Piterkorn.


WHO · WHO Representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory [14:44]:

Thank you, Mr. President, Excellencies. So, my name is Dr. Rick Bavercorn of the WHO, representing for the occupied Palestinian territory. I do visit Gaza very regularly, every two, two and a half months. I stay between two and four weeks. And have been participating on multiple of these WHO-led missions to all hospitals all over Gaza, and some of them which we will focus on today. So, first of all, thank you for this opportunity to review on the health situation in Gaza. 2025 begins on a somber and deeply worrying note, as fighting continues to intensify and hope dwindles for Gazans, who have been enduring this nightmare for 14 months. Approximately 7% of the population has been killed or injured since October 2023, with over 25% of the more than 105,000 injured people suffering from life-changing injuries, which will need extensive rehabilitation and lifelong medical assistive technologies, according to WHO and partners' estimates. Time and again, Hospitals have become battlegrounds, rendering them out of services and depriving those in need of life-saving care. The health sector is being systematically dismantled and pushed to the breaking point. Its resilience tested amid dire shortages of medical supplies, equipment, and specialized staff. Only 16 of the 36 hospitals in Gaza remain partially functional. with a total bed capacity of just 1,822, far below what is needed to address the overwhelming health crisis. Due to damage, attacks, and shortages, most hospitals can only provide basic care and lack the capacity for specialized treatment of chronic diseases and complex injuries, leading to increased suffering and death. Despite these challenges, the pace of medical evacuations remains extremely slow. Since October 2023, only 5,383 patients have been evacuated abroad for medical treatment with support from the WHO and its partners. Of these, only 436 have been evacuated since the closure of the Rafah crossing of 6th of May 2024. with WHO organized, facilitated by WHO. Over 12,000 people still require medical evacuation. And at the current rate, it will take five to 10 years to evacuate all these critical ill patients, including thousands of children. Despite this challenging environment, WHO and partners are doing all they can to keep hospitals and health service operational. However, our ability to move aid is severely compromised. entry of supplies into and across Gaza remains extremely slow due to restrictions, delays in the clearance of supplies entering the Strip and obstacles to our missions within Gaza. In 2024 alone, only 111 out of 279, so that's only 40%, of WHO missions were facilitated. directly impacting our ability to safely and promptly resupply hospitals, transfer critical patients, and deploy emergency medical teams. Since October 2023, almost every week, WHO has repeatedly issued urgent calls to protect health workers and hospitals, as per international humanitarian law, yet these calls remain unheard. Attacks on hospitals persist. To date, WHO has verified 654 attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza, resulting in 886 fatalities and 1,349 injuries. In North Gaza, which has been under siege for approximately 90 days, the health and humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. Only Al-Ahda Hospital remains minimally functional. There are no primary healthcare facilities available in the area. The lack of healthcare poses a severe threat to the lives of thousands of Palestinians still in the area. Kamalat 1 hospital, the main hospital in North Gaza, was put out of services following a raid last week and relentless attacks since October this year. WHO was constantly hindered in accessing the hospital during this period, with only 10 out of 21 missions partially facilitated. On 27 December, the hospital was emptied. A majority of the patients were forced to a nearby location, while critical patients were transferred to the non-functional Indonesian hospital, which lacks the necessary equipment and supplies to provide adequate care. The WHO remains deeply concerned about Dr. Husam Al-Busafi, director of Kamal Al-Huwan hospital, who was detained during the raid. We've lost contact with him since and call for his immediate release. Reports indicate that key areas of the hospital were burned and severely damaged during the raid, including laboratory, surgical unit, engineering and maintenance departments, operation theater, and the medical store. WHO and partners' efforts over the last months to sustain the hospital's operations have been undone. We call for urgent access to the hospital to assess the damage and determine if it can be restored. We also urge for facilitation to transfer the medical equipment from Kamal al-Wan to Al-Ahda and other hospitals in Gaza City. At Indonesian Hospital, the situation continues to deteriorate. Although the hospital is out of service, seven patients, nine caregivers, and six health workers remain there. The hospital reportedly received an order to evacuate and to provide a list of name and details of all those still inside. We urge that the hospital and its remaining patients who are in a dangerous and active conflict zone be protected. The hospital is already severely damaged and further attacks will make it even harder to restore the facility. Al-Ahda, which is the last remaining minimal functional hospital in North Gaza, is struggling to stay open. Hostilities continue around hospitals, resulting in an influx of injuries. 37 inpatients remain inside. Food, water, and fuel are depleting fast. The hospital has been without many essential medicines for more than 85 days. Access to the hospital is dangerous for patients in need due to the hostilities nearby. Unfortunately, we have just received reports that Al-Ahda 2 has been ordered to fully evacuate. With this, the last health lifeline in North Gaza is at risk of being severed. WHO is planning a mission to Al-Ahda, Kamal al-Wan, and an Indonesian hospital for assessment. However, currently, no roads to Kamal al-Wan and Al-Ahda are accessible. We urge for access to be facilitated urgently and for evacuation orders to be rescinded. As I close, I want to emphasize that despite the incomprehensible challenges, the health system of Gaza has not collapsed. It's deeply affected and bruised, but against all odds, health workers, WHO and partners have kept services going as much as possible. Al Shifa, as examples, Al Shifa and Nasser Medical Complex, which have been restored after being left in ruins, including European Gaza Hospital, following severe attacks, raids and destruction earlier this year, are prime examples of the resilience of a Gaza health system and the inspiring dedication of its health workers, with support of WHO and partners. This is nothing short of a feat and is a reason to be hopeful. It shows what can be achieved if health care is protected and peace is given a chance. I want to remind that hospitals have a special protection under international humanitarian law because of their life-saving functions. While hospitals may, under specific and limited circumstances, lose their protected status, such use does not then absolve any party from its obligations to comply with all other relevant rules of international humanitarian law that are applicable when launching attacks on military objectives, including the principles of distinction, precautions in attack, and proportionality. This remains fully applicable. Lastly, once again, I repeat WHO call. to ensure urgently that hospitals in North Gaza can be supported to become functional again, for an expedited pace of medical evacuation and use all corridors from Gaza to get patients out, including to the West Bank and East Jerusalem, for sustained access to hospitals, for increased flow of aid, and information across and goods across Gaza, and for an urgent and lasting ceasefire. Thank you, Mr. President, for your kind, and Excellencies, for your attention.


Algeria · President [24:48]:

I thank Dr. Rik Pietercorn for his briefing. I now give the floor to Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan. You have the floor, madam. Thank you.


Medical practitioner [25:07]:

Dear Excellencies and dear Chair, while I'm thankful for the opportunity to speak to you today, I recognize that what has been shared before me and has been said over and over again in this very chamber by so many other advocates, humanitarians, and authorities who have come before you in the last 454 days. is already so damning and both morally and legally sufficient to merit a response. In the words of my friend and female Gazan surgeon, Dr. Sara Asaka, who I spoke to this morning, she says, "I don't know what one can say or write honestly. Last time I was asked this question, I felt like screaming in the face of the whole world and telling them, 'What are you waiting for?' You've seen it and you've heard it all." I will attempt in the next few minutes I have with you today not to describe the systematic and intentional attacks on health care in Gaza because that would take far more time than the amount of time I have with you and has also been summarized by those who spoke before me and extensively documented by bodies of the United Nations itself. Instead, I would like to share with you the perspectives of health care workers in Gaza who've been sending SOS messages to this Council for over a year and who, if still alive today, are at the front lines, setting an example for all of us of what it means to practice what you preach. I've had the privilege of teaching in Gaza's medical schools and hospitals and getting to know these health care workers over many years. Despite being under siege, they were astoundingly able to build an extensive health care system, provide high quality medical care to patients, and nurture excellent medical education for the growing generation of doctors. They are proud, hardworking professionals who take their oath to care for their patients very seriously. Dr. Hamna Mlouh, when asked why he hadn't left the hospitals when they were besieged, responded, "Who would care for my patients? You think I went to medical school and for my postgraduate degrees for a total of 14 years so I think about my life and not my patients?" Dr. Al-Luh was killed by an Israeli airstrike on November 12, 2023, at the age of 36 years. Since October of last year, health care workers have become a clear target of Israel's military violence. Our colleagues and friends have been killed, maimed, unlawfully detained, and tortured. Over 1,000 health care workers have been killed in Gaza in the past 15 months. Hundreds of health care workers have been held in Israeli captivity. At least four have been killed while in detention. They tell us that they are targets because they're health care workers, that wearing scrubs and white coats is like wearing a target on their backs. Why, I asked, and you may be asking. It's because hospitals and health care workers represent life and a will to keep people alive. In May of last year, after Dr. Adnan El-Bursh, chief of orthopedics at Al-Shifa Hospital, was killed in Israeli detention after months of torture, a surgeon who knew him well sent us this message. "Practicing medicine has become a crime," he said, "and the penalty for saving people's lives has become detention and being tortured to death." I messaged colleagues in Gaza last night to ask what they would like me to say to the chamber today. Here are some of their messages. The savagery continues to get worse. The crimes are beyond brutal, and the world continues to watch. No one is stopping Israel. They do whatever they want without any consequences. There's no such thing as international law, or the law only applies to certain parts of the world and not to us. Double standards, as they say. After 15 months of brutality, it's now clear that our blood is cheap and we are just numbers to the world. End quote. Dr. Khamis Al-Essi, a Palestinian pain and rehabilitation doctor in Gaza and a dear friend and fellow Oxford graduate, wrote to me this morning saying, "Yesterday, I was working in the emergency department when I was shocked to find my nephews brought in. One was martyred and the other was severely injured. We are devastated. This is my message, stop the war. Enough is enough." End quote. My colleague, Dr. Sarah Saka, who I quoted earlier, and incidentally, who herself works for the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Gaza, said, "I never thought that international law or human rights institutions would allow this, for 2 million people to be locked in a cage and systematically massacred. Imagine being sick or injured and knowing that the cure is available, but not being able to access it because the crossings are closed. There is no greater injustice." The final set of messages I want to share come from Dr. Hassam Abu Safieh, who my colleague from the WHO just spoke about, the medical director of Kamal Adwan Hospital and a pediatrician like myself. On November 3rd, he wrote, "We urgently need increased pressure on the international community to help the healthcare system perform its duties in accordance with established humanitarian laws. We're not asking for anything beyond this. We are here to provide a humanitarian service to our people, the injured, and those in need of assistance, and we wish to continue doing our job." He then, on December 3rd, after repeated SOS calls in between, said, "Today, for the fifth time, Kamal Adwan Hospital has been targeted in a horrifying, relentless manner. Drones are dropping bombs filled with shrapnel that injure anyone who dares to move. Once again, the occupation is focusing its aggression on medical teams. We are exhausted by the ongoing violence. Why are we subjected to such brutality? Each day, the hospital is systematically targeted." And what happened next after that? After the Israeli military raided the hospital, people were blindfolded and undressed. Patients on crutches were put on the ground as Israeli soldiers took celebratory pictures with the surviving health care workers in humiliating positions. The hospital was burned down and Dr. Al-Safi was taken, we believe, along with many colleagues. I speak to you today, like so many health care workers and citizens around the world, filled with grief, with anger, with frustration, and frankly, with disbelief Disbelief that all of our repeated, first-hand, and utterly damning testimonies have still not moved the world to meaningful action. Disbelief that the countless addresses to the media and even here at the United Nations just five weeks ago, we're still here trying to convince anyone who will listen that this needs to stop. Disbelief that all previous propositions to end violence have been obstructed by the very body whose primary responsibility is supposedly to maintain international peace and security. In disbelief that on November 20th, the United States and my country of citizenship again vetoed a UN Security draft resolution that demanded an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, despite 14 votes in favor. In disbelief that it has been one entire year this month since the International Court of Justice issued provisional measures after ruling that Israel's acts could amount to plausible genocide, and that since, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, amongst other organizations, have concluded that Israel's actions are consistent with genocide. In disbelief that we are still here after we have driven 96% of Gaza's children to believe their death is imminent, while many wish for their own death, and after seven infants, as of yesterday, have died from hypothermia in the past week, meaning they literally froze to their death. In disbelief that we are still here when Israel's military violence has created the largest cohort of pediatric amputees in known history, largest cohort of journalists killed, the largest cohort of UN workers killed, And I shudder to even estimate the number of children who've lost their parents and have been orphaned for life. In disbelief that Israel has killed another 90 Palestinians in Gaza, at least, in the short time since I got the call last night requesting that I address you here today. We are pleading to the world, to the people and the states that make up this very body, to show us that international humanitarian law matters, that human rights are universally applied, and to stay true to the very reason that this body was created. Thank you.


Algeria [34:42]:

I thank Dr. Hajj Hassan for her briefing. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Algeria. We thank Mr. Volkan Turk and Dr. Rick Pippa Corn for their viable briefings. And we also extend our deep gratitude to Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan for her sobering briefing, which serves as a powerful testimony from a witness who was present in Gaza and observed firsthand the senseless destruction of health infrastructures and unprecedented atrocities inflicted upon the Palestinian people. The ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza, has a clear and alarming objective, pushing the Palestinian population out of their lands through an obvious and deliberate policy of ethnic cleansing. One of the key pillars of this policy is the systematic destruction the systematic demolition of the healthcare system. The United Nations Human Rights Office report, published on December 31st, on the eve of the new year, revealed devastating findings. 136 strikes targeted at least 27 hospitals and 12 other medical facilities, resulting in significant casualties and destructions. Figures. Figures speak volume. 53% of hospitals in Gaza are no longer operational. Out of 138 primary health centers, only six remain fully functional. 130 ambulances have been damaged. Over 14,000 Patients require urgent medical evacuation abroad. And more than 1,000 healthcare workers have been killed, and hundreds of healthcare workers have been detained by the Israeli authorities. NGOs reported on cases of torture, on cases of ill treatment. According to the UN, several physicians have died in Israeli custody. These are but a few examples that starkly illustrate the systematic dismantling of Gaza's health infrastructure, targeting essential services and medical personnel through actions that amount to genocidal tactics. One week ago, on December 27, following over Three months of siege and repeated attack near and around the area, the Israeli occupying forces finally invaded Kamel Adwan Hospital, the main facility in the north of Gaza. This hospital came under assault from snipers, tanks, and quadcopter drones, terrorizing patients and medical staff. These actions included torture, execution, the destruction of vital medical equipment, and the deliberate setting of fires that engulfed entire wards of the hospital. The Israeli occupying forces have actively sought to shut down Kamel Adwan Hospital. rendering it completely out of service. This raises legitimate and critical question about the real motives behind its demolition. However, what is indisputable is that the fact is that the act was not driven by military necessity, but rather by a deliberate effort to deprive northern Gaza of essential health services, thereby forcing the displacement of its population. The deliberate destruction of healthcare facilities constitutes a form of collective punishment, which under international law is classified as a war crime. Dear colleagues, international humanitarian law is clear. regarding the protection of hospitals. Article 11 of Additional Protocol Number 2 of Geneva Conventions stipulates, and I quote, "Medical units and transports shall be respected and protected at all times and shall not be the object of attacks. Resolution 2286 of this very Security Council, I quote again, demands that all parties to armed conflicts fully comply with their obligations and their international law to ensure the respect and protection of all medical personnel and humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties, their means of transport and equipment, as well as hospitals and other medical facilities." End of quote. To justify this heinous act, the Israeli occupying authorities have resorted to unfounded allegation, claiming that hospitals were being used for military purposes by Palestinian armed group. In the same UN human right report, however, it is stated clearly, and I quote, and I repeat what has been said by Mr. Turk, and sufficient information has so far been made available to substantiate these allegations, which have remained vague and broad, and in some cases appear contradicted by publicly available information. Yet, arguing based on international law, particularly international humanitarian law and Security Council resolution feels increasingly futile. What we are witnessing in Gaza, it is a complete disregard for the rule of law. And Israel as the occupying power of the occupied Palestinian territories acts as though international law does not exist or simply does not apply to it. These barbaric actions are fueled by a sense of impunity, a sense of immunity. We must end this impunity. We must end this immunity. As Mr. Turk aptly stated, it is essential that there be independent, thorough, and transparent investigations into all these incidents, and full accountability for all violations of international humanitarian and human rights law which have taken place in Gaza. Crimes Crimes are being committed in full view of the world, broadcast live and meticulously documented, in an era where no act escapes the lens of global scrutiny. Today, ignorance is not a defence. Today, silence is complicity. And the evidence is undeniable. And the suffering of the Palestinian is irrefutable. It is incumbent. It is incumbent upon everyone as human being to take a clear and principled stand. No one can claim ignorance of the blatant violation of international law that continue to unfold before our eyes. Dear colleagues, we cannot afford another year of misery. another year of massacres. Israel's actions are an attempt to extinguish hope in the heart and mind of the Palestinian people, and to deny them the means to survive on their own land. By destroying hospitals, beacons of hope, places of healing, and symbols of humanity. The Israeli occupying power aims to erode the resilience of the Palestinian people. We must act together to put an end to this tragedy. To delay action is to condone injustice. To remain passive is to abandon humanity. It is time for this Council to demand, to demand, an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. I thank you. I resume now my function as President of the Security Council. I now give the floor to the representative of the United States. You have the floor, Madame.


United States of America [50:41]:

Thank you, Mr. President, and On behalf of the United States, I congratulate Algeria on your presidency and extend a warm welcome, as you did, Mr. President, to the new members who have joined us today: Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia. Thank you, High Commissioner Turk, Representative Pieperkorn, and Dr. Hajj Hassan for your powerful briefings. Colleagues, throughout this conflict, Hamas has repeatedly misused civilian infrastructure, like schools and hospitals, to store caches of weapons, house fighters, and coordinate attacks against Israel. Hamas continues, day in and day out, to put civilians in harm's way. through their tactics and use of these facilities. I urge colleagues in this room to criticize Hamas for these actions and call them out for continuing to put Palestinian civilians in Gaza in the crosshairs. Far too many still cannot bring themselves to do so. Israel's fight is with Hamas and not the Palestinian civilians the terrorist group falsely purports to represent. According to the Israel Defense Forces, over 240 fighters were apprehended at the Kamal Adwan Hospital, including 15 individuals who participated in the October 7th massacre. Even as it battles Hamas, Israel has a moral imperative to prevent civilian harm. We don't want to see hospitals as scenes of violence. No one benefits, least of all the civilians who neither started this conflict nor have the means to end it and desperately need medical attention. Civilians cannot be left without functioning hospitals or adequate medical care. It is vital for Israel to comply with international humanitarian law and to take every possible step to prevent civilian harm, notably as it relates to patients receiving care at Kamal Adwan Hospital, and medical professionals dedicated to treating the population. And with regard to reports about the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, we in the United States government are in contact with the Israeli government and partners on the ground and are gathering information. Colleagues, far too many civilians in Gaza are hungry, without medication, clean drinking water, or adequate housing. Secretary Blinken has repeatedly emphasized we need to end the conflict, bring the hostages home, including the seven Americans held by Hamas, and chart a path forward in the post-conflict period that provides governance, security, and reconstruction in Gaza. We must also immediately surge humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians throughout Gaza. or many will not survive the rest of the winter. And we have made clear to Israel that they must do more to address these preventable humanitarian shortfalls. We have been explicit about the specific steps we need to see Israel take, including surging the entry of food, medicine, and other essential supplies into Gaza, knowing that winter is here. There must be no forcible displacement, nor policy of starvation in Gaza, which would have grave implications under both U.S. and international law. We need to see a surge in humanitarian aid delivered immediately. Only a sustained flow of assistance, food, clean water, medical supplies into Gaza will bring relief and address catastrophic levels of food insecurity. Colleagues, the work before us to forge a ceasefire remains difficult. The challenge of helping a revitalized Palestinian Authority rebuild Gaza without Hamas is immense. And yet, we first need to address the immediacy of the humanitarian situation because lives are at stake, the lives of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the lives of the hostages who have suffered mightily since Hamas initiated this horrific conflict on October 7. We need to give Palestinians a future to look forward to with self-determination, dignity, and security. We need Israel to feel secure within its own borders. The United States continues to push for a ceasefire and hostage release deal that allows for a surge in lifesaving assistance to Palestinian civilians. There are simply no alternatives that lead to durable peace and regional calm. Thank you.


Algeria · President [56:03]:

I thank the representative of the United States for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation.


Russian Federation [56:14]:

Mr. President, we welcome you. in your in as president and we wish you every success over the course of your presidency we also welcome the new elected members of the security Council of the United Nations Mr. President we support the initiative of the delegation of Algeria to convene today's Security Council meeting to discuss the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip amid the IDF military operation, which has been ongoing for 15 months and counting on the occupied Palestinian territory. We thank the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, the World Health Organization representative for the occupied Palestinian territory, Dr. Rick Pieperkorn, for their briefings. And we wish to separately thank Dr. Tania Haj-Hassan for her elucidating testimony, for her courageous and frank description and testament to the horror that is being endured by medical personnel, patients, including children, in Gaza. we plan to request a separate meeting of the Security Council dedicated to the topic of children in Gaza, which our Western colleagues unfortunately prefer not to notice for the advancement of other, more beneficial from their standpoint, topics. Mr. President, we are gravely concerned at Israel's ongoing shelling and bombardment of civilian objects on the territory of the Gaza Strip. Every week from north Gaza, there are reports about airstrikes on refugee and IDP camps. Amid the hostilities and the blockades imposed by West Jerusalem in the Gaza Strip, a genuine humanitarian catastrophe has broken out. And this is compounded by large-scale hunger, outbreaks of communicable diseases, and the total devastation of vital infrastructure. Refugees and persons repeatedly displaced is close to millions. the leadership of UNRWA forewarned us about the imminent famine in the Gaza Strip, given the insufficiency of humanitarian assistance being provided. The Israeli strikes frequently target medical facilities. Furthermore, we have every reason to believe that Israeli troops who are bent on collective -- inflicting collective punishment on Gazans have been systematically and deliberately destroying the health system of the Strip, for the bombardment, artillery strikes, the cleansing and setting of fires on hospital complexes are now a daily occurrence. For -- on an almost a weekly basis, there are reports from Kamal Adwan Hospital in Al-Awja hospital, as well as the Indonesian hospital, and which, since the 21st of December, they have effectively become targets for the Houthis' military operations. Attacks, devastation, and evacuation orders for patients of these institutions has resulted in the fact that the residents in the northern regions that are besieged, who are already effectively entrapped, have now been left completely without medical treatment and services. The Indonesian hospital, which provided assistance to thousands of Gazans, no longer functions. Half of Al-Awda Hospital has been destroyed. And a spate of Israeli strikes on Kamal Adwan Hospital, that is the most -- the last major medical institution in the region. These attacks and strikes have completely rendered it unoperational and threatened the lives of 75,000 Palestinians. This inevitably gives rise to grave concern vis-a-vis the plight and the fate of those residents of Gaza who are counting on medical assistance. Under these circumstances, the Director General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, whom as we are we all remember well just a few days ago by some miracle survived an Israeli strike on Sana'a Airport in Yemen, announced that Gaza's health sector is under serious threat. And he called upon Israeli authorities to cease attacks on medical institutions, as well as to release the leaders and medical personnel of Kamal Adwan Hospital, who were detained during the Israeli military operation. However, this call clearly fell on deaf ears in West Jerusalem. The distinctive response there was an Israeli airstrike on the Baptist Hospital in Al-Ahli, as a result of which at least seven people died and dozens were wounded. The inhumanity of Israel's action, who Israel, which relies on the unconditional and reserved support of Washington, is becoming all the more clear given that the hospital attacks in the north, the enclave, that before those attacks, 14,000 people required medical evacuation, including children, women, and persons with disabilities. Where are people to flee when they -- how can people flee when they cannot do so physically? Or perhaps Israeli authorities who provide medical evacuation and send those patients for treatment in their country? No, unfortunately, we have not observed any such action on the part of Israel, and we have not even received any we have not seen any indication of West Jerusalem's interest to resolve these issues through cooperation with the United Nations and the ICRC. On the contrary, the activities of humanitarian organizations working on the ground are being is being obstructed with movement restrictions and prohibitions on the entry of humanitarian assistance. On the whole, this is all geared towards the achievement of a single objective, namely to cleanse the Gaza Strip from the maximum number of Palestinians residing there and to create conditions unfit for human survival. In this context, we note that we fully support the intention of the WHO to organize an urgent mission to the north of the strip in order to attempt to transfer critically ill patients to the south of Gaza, where for now certain minimal conditions do still exist for the delivery of the necessary medical assistance. We call upon the Israeli authorities to immediately cease hostilities and to provide for normal operations for those few medical institutions who, for the moment, are still capable of receiving patients. This is approximately 15 of the previously 36 operational hospitals. Distinguished colleagues, hospitals must not become battlefields. They may not be used for military purposes, and medical workers need to have opportunities to unimpededly fulfill their civilian duty and their moral duty. These are the core principles which lie at the very heart of modern international humanitarian law. What is taking place right now constitutes an egregious violation of the methods and rules of warfare, and this must be put to an end. Peaceful civilians trapped in the conflict need to be provided with food and the right to medical assistance. And of course, parties to conflict have an obligation to protect those who save lives, namely medical workers. In Gaza, 1,417 medical institutional staff have already been murdered. These are shocking figures. Mr. President, we all understand that the ongoing suffering of civilians in the Gaza Strip will continue at the minimum until there is an end put to the the ruthless military operation of the IDF, which is being carried out without any consideration for the opinion of the entire international community, the conditions for this will not emerge while Washington continues to provide political cover for Israel and it continues to block any relevant steps and initiatives by the UN Security Council, and as it continues to funnel weapons into West Jerusalem. And these are weapons which continue to cause the deaths of civilians the Gaza Strip, we believe that the membership of the Security Council cannot, must not remain indifferent to the situation that is tarnishing the reputation of the Security Council. There is a need to continue to attempt to awaken the conscience of our colleagues, to convey to them the importance of abandonment of advancement of parochial, one-sided schemes for reconciling Israel with its neighbors without taking into account the need for a fair solution, a just solution to the Palestinian issue on the basis of framework agreed upon of the with the United by the United Nations that is a well-known international legal basis. What is exceedingly unseemly is the U.S. tactic of dragging out the time for the benefit of Israel and their imposition upon the Council of support for negotiations that have been unsuccessfully ongoing for more than six months with Washington's mediation to reach a deal between Israel and Hamas. As we are all perfectly aware, the Western authorities, West Jerusalem authorities time after time place before us one new condition after another new condition for the achievement of agreement on a ceasefire and exchange of hostages, abandoning even the dubious schemes which have been enshrined in Resolution 2735. At the same time, responsibility for the derailment of this U.S. deal time after time is pinned on Hamas. even if the agreement ultimately is reached, responsibility for the deaths of thousands of Palestinians in this time and those Israeli hostages who could still have been saved six months ago lies with the outgoing Biden administration inter alia. Mr. President, the Russian Federation's position in principle on Middle East resolution remains unchanged, and this is in alignment with the will of the international community. We consistently advocated and continue to advocate an unconditional ceasefire, unfettered humanitarian access, the release of all hostages and forcibly detained persons, the relaunch of the peace process on the well-known international legal basis, at the heart of which lies the two states for two peoples principle. Naturally, the Israelis have the right to provide for their own security. However, the path to achievement of this objective pure lies exclusively through a comprehensive process of Middle East settlement and the realization of the legitimate right of the Palestinians to their own state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. This is the only way that not only can a lasting peace be achieved between Palestinians and Israelis, but the only way to eradicate the root cause of the escalation of violence whose repercussions have already spiraled out far beyond the occupied Palestinian territory, destabilizing the situation throughout the entire Middle East region. Thank you for your attention.


Algeria · President [1:08:05]:

I thank the representative of the Russian Federation for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Somalia.


Somalia [1:08:19]:

Mr. President. At the outset, I would like to congratulate you on assuming the presidency of the Council for this month, and thank you for convening this important meeting today. I express appreciation for Mr. Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Dr. Rick Peppercorn, WHO Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, for their comprehensive briefings. I am also immensely grateful to Dr. Tania Haj Hassan for her sobering and invaluable briefings. Mr. President, Somalia is deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in Gaza and the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people due to the prolonged conflict, which has now persisted for over 14 months. In that regard, I would like to make the following four points. As reported, systematic military operations targeting medical facilities and personnel are particularly alarming. According to WHO, 94% of all health facilities in Gaza are either damaged or destroyed, and only 17 out of the 36 hospitals with inpatient capacity are even partially functional. We have all witnessed the recent destruction of Kamal Adwan Hospital and the abduction of its director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, which has put one of the last major health facilities in northern Gaza out of service. In that vein, we call for the immediate release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, whose detention raises serious concerns regarding human rights and the due process. Furthermore, the deliberate attacks against Kamal al-Ahwan Hospital and the numerous other healthcare facilities and personnel are a form of ethnic cleansing and collective punishment against the civilian populations in Gaza. We underscore that the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure is not negotiable. It's an absolute requirement under the international law, and it's clear in the international humanitarian law. Second, the role of United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, as the primary humanitarian lifeline for the Palestinian cannot be overstated. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the dedicated and the courageous personnel of all humanitarian workers, including the UNRWA, which are working tirelessly under the challenging circumstances. Any impediment of UNRWA's operation directly threatens the survival of over millions of Palestinians, and deliberate obstruction of humanitarian assistance is unacceptable and constitutes a clear violation of international law. We urge Israel to head strong call for international community to allow UNRWA to proceed with its aid operations in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as the lifting of the longstanding inhumane blockade that severely restricts the delivery of essential services. The civilian population, mostly women and children, face severe health issues including food insecurity and experiencing acute malnutrition, a situation that requires our immediate attention as the winter is proceeding. As the occupying power, Israel has the legal obligation under the international law to ensure the basic needs of the civilian populations are met. This includes safe return of the displaced to their homes, providing access to food, water, medical supplies, and essential services. These are binding legal obligations under the international law and merit a careful consideration and implementation. Third, the escalating Israeli military widespread and systematic attacks in Gaza for over a year is a major concern for my delegation. The toll on human life continues to mount, with implications that extend far beyond statistical measures to affect families and communities profoundly. We reiterate our strongest condemnation for those blatant violations. The argument that the security concern prevents a ceasefire is both morally and practically untenable. There can be no military solution to this conflict. An immediate and unconditional ceasefire is the first step and is indispensable for creating a condition conducive to meaningful political discourse and prerequisite for any meaningful progress towards sustainable and lasting peace between Israel and Palestine. Fourth, the current crisis underscores the urgent need to revive the political process breaking the cycle of violence, and establishing a lasting peace in the region. We reiterate our call that only viable options for the resolution of the longstanding conflict is the end of the occupied Palestinian territory and full recognition of a free, sovereign, and independent Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital in accordance to the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and General Assembly's international law. In conclusion, my delegation urges full compliance with international human rights and humanitarian law and join the call for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire. Somalia reaffirms its commitment to supporting all diplomatic efforts toward achieving a just and lasting peace. I thank you.


Algeria · President [1:14:59]:

I thank the representative of Somalia, and I now give the floor to the representative of Denmark.


Denmark [1:15:08]:

Thank you, Mr. President, and allow me also to congratulate you and Algeria for taking up the presidency of the Council this month. Let me also thank High Commissioner Turk, Dr. Paperkorn, and Dr. Hash Hassan for their sobering briefings. Denmark is honored to take a seat on the Security Council. It's a responsibility that we do not take lightly, and one which we are ready to fully shoulder. Mr. President, earlier this week, millions around the world came together to ring in the New Year. For most, it's a time of reflection and celebration, a time to be with loved ones. This was not the case in Gaza, where unrelenting hostilities continue to obliterate what remained of the healthcare system. More healthcare workers were killed, wounded, and detained. As always, it is innocent civilians who suffer first and most. Many are left without the lifesaving care they need. Many are denied access to adequate medical equipment and supplies, fuel, food, and specialized health care capacities. Put simply, they do not have what they need to survive. This morning's briefing is, therefore, very timely. Mr. President, today I will focus on three points: First, We are deeply concerned over the toll the hostilities have taken on Gaza's healthcare infrastructure. As we've heard today, the WHO has warned of a pattern of systematic dismantling of the healthcare system in North Gaza. This pattern must be reversed. Most recently, we received the news of a military operation at the Kamal al-Dwan Hospital on 27 December. This has put the last major health facility in North Gaza out of service and pushed the health system there to a breaking point. Denmark condemns all attacks on civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including hospitals, that are in violation of international humanitarian law and Security Council resolutions. This includes Resolution 2286 on the protection of healthcare in armed conflict and Resolution 2730 on the need to respect and protect UN and humanitarian personnel. We reiterate that it falls on all parties to protect civilian infrastructure in accordance with international humanitarian law. The specific protection of hospitals is critical, and we call on all parties to the conflict to fully respect the special status of hospitals and other medical facilities. While recognizing Israel's right to defend itself in line with international law, We remind Israel of its specific obligation as an occupying power to ensure and facilitate access to adequate health care for the Palestinian population. We call for urgently ensuring that hospitals in North Gaza can be supported to become functional again. Future recovery and reconstruction efforts must also prioritize the restoration of Gaza's medical capacity. Second, Mr. President. Denmark is deeply concerned by the lack of protection of civilians, leading to a staggering number of civilian casualties in Gaza. This includes humanitarian and healthcare workers. Attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza have killed and wounded hundreds among doctors, nurses, medics, and other civilians. Such attacks deprive the most vulnerable of the care they need at the very time when they need it most. In the midst of near-constant evacuation orders, We also note that the transfer of critical patients associated with such attacks pose grave risk to their survival. We condemn any attack on aid workers and medical personnel. They must be protected in accordance with the parties' obligations under international law, including when detained. Finally, Mr. President, the rebuilding and rehabilitation of Gaza's health infrastructure is crucial. But that is only one element of what is needed to address the abysmal humanitarian situation in Gaza. The sheer level of destruction and devastation outlined by our briefers this morning underscore the absolute and urgent need for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, as well as the unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas. This Council has a solemn responsibility to maintain international peace and security. We should speak out in support to this once and for all, alleviate the suffering of Israelis and Palestinians alike, and prepare the ground for regional peace and stability for the benefit of all. We thank Egypt, Qatar, and the United States for their tireless efforts to broker a ceasefire between the parties and hope that a result will materialize. A ceasefire is fundamental to releasing all hostages, addressing the catastrophic humanitarian situation, initiate reconstruction, and works towards a two-state solution. A two-state solution remains the only durable solution to this tragic conflict, which has lasted for way too long. To achieve it, we need to strengthen and reform Palestinian Authority as the foundation of an independent Palestinian state that includes Gaza, a state that will live side by side with Israel in peaceful coexistence. Mr. President, As we look into this new year, let us recommit to peace and security across the Middle East. Let us redouble our efforts to uphold international law and end the staggering violence that we are witnessing. Let us look ahead with forbearance and courage. This Council has a responsibility to act. Count on Denmark's support. I thank you.


Algeria · President [1:20:52]:

I thank the representative of Denmark. I now give the floor to the representative of the Republic of Korea.


Republic of Korea [1:21:04]:

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Trichet, Dr. Pipa Khan of WHO, and Dr. Haji Hasan for their sobering briefings. Since this is the very first meeting of the Secret Council this month and year, I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, for assuming the presidency. I would also like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome the new members of the Council: Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia. I look forward to working closely with you. Mr. President, the whole world is celebrating the commencement of the new year. But the unfathomable suffering of Palestinians in Gaza shows no sign of abatement. We are particularly troubled by the ongoing attacks by Israel on hospitals and healthcare in Gaza, which were detailed by the briefers. International humanitarian law is crystal clear. Article 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention plainly provides that civilian hospitals may, in no circumstances be the object of attacks and shall at all times be protected by the parties to the conflict. Civilians, the wounded and sick, and medical personnel, all of these people must also be protected under international law. Israel argues that its military operation last week in the areas of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza were limited. and based on intelligence regarding the presence of Hamas infrastructure, and that over 240 people it describes as terrorists were detained. But it should be noted that Article 19 of the Fourth Geneva Convention strictly details the requirements to legally justify the discontinuation of protection of hospitals. including the need for due warning with a reasonable time limit. However, it is troubling that this hospital has been repeatedly attacked by Israel, and on December 20, the burning of the facility began when patients were still inside. As such, we urge a transparent investigation and full accountability for any violations. Indeed, there is no justification under any circumstances for harming civilians and medical personnel. To claim that Hamas and the other groups have misused the facility simply does not lessen the burden of Israel to observe its legal obligation under IHL. However, it is deeply concerning that, despite Israel's argument that IDF made extensive efforts to enable treatment for patients, we have witnessed the contrary through harrowing media reports and viral images of what exactly happened at Kamal Adwan Hospital. In this regard, we remain deeply worried about the conditions of those patients who were forced to relocate to other locations including non-functional in the nation hospital. We are also concerned about impacts of the arrest of medical staff there, including the hospital's director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safia. Their fate must be clarified. Israel should implement every measures to ensure the health and safety of patients and medical staff. We also call on Israel to protect the rights of those detainees, including Dr. Abu Safia, and to share the information on their charges and their whereabouts, especially with their family members. Mr. President, we note with serious and deepening concern the WHO's announcement the last week attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital, North Gaza's last major health facility, which led to its complete closure, was not an isolated event. Indeed, at least 50 attacks targeted the same facility over the last three months alone. We are also disturbed by the never-ending destruction of the health system in Gaza, as detailed in the recent OCHA report, including daily attacks on hospitals and shortages of medical supplies. As such, The Republic of Korea reiterates its firm positions that an immediate ceasefire in Gaza is in dire need. The unfathomable humanitarian suffering of civilians in Gaza cannot be resolved amid the ongoing hostilities. Once again, we call on the parties to this conflict to seriously engage in negotiations to secure a ceasefire and release of hostages, keeping in mind that their horrific terrorist attack on October 7th and the continued holding of hostages are the direct cause of the current chaos. Hamas must negotiate faithfully, considering the humanitarian imperatives. Israel should also make necessary concessions. We sincerely hope that a complex cease-fire can be agreed and implemented as soon as possible. And that this will lead the region, including the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and the Red Sea, to durable stability and peace. I thank you, Mr. President.


Algeria · President [1:27:34]:

I thank the representative of the Republic of Korea for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.


Pakistan [1:27:50]:

Mr. President, my delegation would like to thank you for convening this important briefing at the outset of the Algerian presidency. We commend your stewardship and assure you of our full support. Pakistan looks forward to working closely with all Council members to reinforce our collective efforts for global peace and security. Let me thank High Commissioner Turk, and Mr. Pepicorne from WHO, as well as Dr. Tania Hassan for their sobering briefings. The figures are astounding. The picture beyond belief. And I'm particularly grateful to Dr. Hassan for sharing the perspectives of healthcare workers And I think she asked a lot of questions that are unanswered. And here at the Council, we must answer those questions. Mr. President, as we have heard yet again, the situation in Gaza is a catastrophe of unprecedented magnitude. Nowhere in the world has international law been trampled with such brazen impunity as in the occupied Palestine by Israel, the occupying power. One aspect of this harrowing reality is illustrated by the recent report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on attacks against healthcare infrastructure in Gaza. It lays bare a truth we cannot afford to ignore as you also explained at length in your statement, Mr. President. Between October 2023 and June 2024, at least 136 strikes were carried out on 27 hospitals and 12 other medical facilities. Over 500 healthcare workers lost their lives. By June, 22 of Gaza's 38 hospitals were rendered nonfunctional, leaving the healthcare system on the verge of collapse. The brutal destruction of Kamal Adwan Hospital, the last operational major facility in northern Gaza, is an atrocity that shocks the conscience of humanity. The deliberate targeting of hospitals, medical personnel, patients, and wounded defies every principle of humanitarian law and has no justification whatsoever. Not just condemnation, there must be accountability for these crimes. Mr. President, for over 14 months now, the Palestinian people have endured an unrelenting assault on their lives, rights, and dignity. Over 45,000 Palestinians have been killed, more than half of them women and children. Over 90% of 2.1 million population of Gaza are displaced. With around 160,000 housing units destroyed, almost the entire population has been rendered homeless. The scale of this genocidal campaign is staggering. Its intent, unmistakable. Gaza's homes, schools, hospitals, and even its cultural heritage, lay in ruins. Even the UN and its personnel have not been spared. This is not a war. It is a campaign of dispossession, ethnic cleansing, and annihilation. The indiscriminate bombing of civilians and the systematic destruction of critical infrastructure are not isolated incidents. These are calculated acts aimed at erasing an entire people from their homeland. Mr. President, for decades, this Council has passed resolutions. The International Court of Justice has issued rulings, and the world has cried out for justice. Yet this Council is inexplicably paralyzed, undermining its own authority and credibility in the process. It is a pivotal moment for the Council to take immediate and decisive actions, and we are thinking these should be on the following lines. Ceasefire now. The Council must demand and put in place an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to halt the bloodshed and destruction in Gaza. Lift the blockade. The inhuman blockade of Gaza must be lifted without delay. Food, Medical supplies and humanitarian aid must flow freely to those in desperate need. Demand accountability. Justice must be served. Independent and transparent investigations into the targeting of medical infrastructure and other war crimes must ensure that perpetrators are held to account. Impunity must end. Establish safe corridors. Civilians must be protected. Safe and secure humanitarian corridors must be created to allow people to access life-saving care. Eventual reconstruction efforts must also prioritize rebuilding Gaza's shattered healthcare system. Revive the two-state solution. A political horizon is imperative for peace. a process to realize the two-state solution based on relevant UN resolutions, an end to occupation, enabling the Palestinian people to exercise the right to self-determination, and the establishment of a sovereign, independent, and contiguous Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Grant Palestine full membership. Palestine must be recognized as a full member of the United Nations. This will not just be a symbolic gesture in our view. It is a moral imperative to secure the irreversibility of the two-state solution. Mr. President, we stand at a defining moment in history. The entire world is watching. Will this Council shoulder its responsibility, or will it continue to turn a blind eye to the tragedy unfolding before us? Silence is complicity, as you said, and I would add that it amounts to moral bankruptcy. Can we finally come together to defend and uphold universal respect for the UN Charter principles and international law? I think this is the question before us. The Palestinian people look to this Council for hope, for justice, for the promise of peace. We must not fail them. The bloodshed in Gaza must end. The relentless suffering of innocent men, women, and children must cease. Let us cross the divide. Let us unite in the pursuit of peace. grounded in justice, human dignity and international legitimacy. Let us give meaning to the promise that we made, never again. Let us prove the skeptics wrong. Let us act now. I thank you.


Algeria · President [1:36:10]:

I thank the representative of Pakistan for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of France.


France [1:36:21]:

Mr. President, I would like to begin by congratulating you on acceding to the presidency of the Security Council, and you know that you can count on the full support of France. I'd also like to welcome the five new members to this Council. And finally, I would like to thank Mr. Turk and Dr. Peppercorn and Dr. Hajj Hassan for their briefings. The Palestinians in Gaza continue after 14 months of conflict to suffer from uh living conditions that are uh depriving them of everything France once again calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that is the only really the only way to protect the civilian population and deliver the humanitarian assistance that this population needs to such a great extent. We call for the immediate release without condition of all detainees, and we will never relent in condemning the terrorist attacks of the 7th of October. Resolutions of the Security Council must be applied. The extreme seriousness of the situation is incumbent upon us to do this. The situation in Gaza is disastrous, particularly with regard to access to care. France condemns the recent Israeli military operations targeting several hospitals, in particular that of Kamal Adwan. Israel must obey international humanitarian law. This requires respect for and protection of medical staff and infrastructure. Hindrances to humanitarian assistance are serious violations of international humanitarian law. Israel must allow humanitarian access to reach the population. All crossing points should be... open and humanitarian convoys and staff must be protected. We would also recall the irreplaceable, let me repeat that, irreplaceable nature of UNRWA in providing the humanitarian response in Gaza. Mr. President, this Council must act both to respond to the urgency of the situation and to work to bring about a political solution. the two-state solution that today is being threatened by the accelerated illegal settlement of the West Bank. France will be playing its part. We will be co-chairing next June, alongside Saudi Arabia, an international conference on the implementation of the two-state solution. We will remain mobilized within the Security Council to contribute to this solution. It is the only solution that will guarantee the long-term security for Israel and make it possible to build a viable state for the Palestinians. And we call for the establishment of a reformed Palestinian Authority able to govern throughout the Palestinian territories, including in the Gaza Strip. Thank you.


Algeria · President [1:39:22]:

I thank the representative of France for their statement. And I now give the floor to the representative of Guyana.


Guyana [1:39:32]:

Thank you, Mr. President. As this is the first formal meeting of the month, I take this opportunity to congratulate Algeria on assuming the presidency of the Security Council and warmly welcome the newly elected members, Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia. I also commend the United States for its able leadership of the Council in December and extend best wishes to Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerland, who just concluded their terms. Turning to our agenda for today, I thank Algeria for organizing this important meeting to discuss Israel's ongoing attacks against hospitals and healthcare facilities in Gaza. We are grateful for the updates provided by High Commissioner Volker Turk, Dr. Rick Peppercorn and Dr. Tania Haj Hassan. Mr. President, Guyana is deeply saddened that the new year finds the Palestinian people continuing to experience intolerable suffering brought on by Israel's brutal war on Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have no option but to live in tents exposed to the harsh winter conditions. One of the most devastating consequences has been the freezing to death of babies who are unable to maintain their body temperature and who have no access to the medical infrastructure that could preserve their lives. Last week, the UN reported that a series of deadly IDF attacks committed on and near hospitals in Gaza have pushed the healthcare system to the brink of total collapse. Hospitals have been subjected to airstrikes, shelled, and burned. We also noted from OHCHR's recent report that attacks on hospitals for the period October 2023 to June 2024 have reportedly rendered up to 22 out of 38 hospitals across Gaza nonfunctional. The situation today is much worse. Mr. President, colleagues, There is simply no place or time where such a state of affairs can be considered acceptable. If nothing else, this dire situation should strengthen our collective resolve to end this protracted war that Israel is waging against the entire Palestinian population. The destruction of Gaza's healthcare system is well documented. This deplorable situation, compounded by Israel's restrictions on the entry and distribution of medical supplies, has, according to the OHCHR, led to the drastic deterioration of health outcomes across the entire population and a health catastrophe of unprecedented proportions, including the spread of infectious diseases such as polio, hepatitis A, acute diarrhea, and jaundice. Ghana remains convinced that the ongoing attacks on the healthcare infrastructure in Gaza, including on medical personnel, is part of a systematic plan against the Palestinian people. They have been bombed, shot, starved of food and water, arbitrarily detained and tortured. They have also been displaced and forced to live in unsanitary conditions. Those who manage to survive encounter disease and other consequences of deprivation, with little or no recourse to functioning medical and healthcare facilities. Every time we think that the situation in Gaza could not possibly get worse, it does. Guyana condemns in the strongest terms all attacks on hospitals and medical and humanitarian personnel. Israel as an occupying power with specific legal responsibilities, must be held to account for its actions. The continued violations of international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law, in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank should not be met with inaction. We reiterate that there should be no comfort in calling for adherence to international law without taking tangible steps to bring about this adherence. The Security Council has a special responsibility to uphold international law and ensure the protection of civilians and civilian objects across Gaza. Guyana again calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the campaign of violence being waged against the Palestinian people. The two-state solution remains the only viable option. Mr. President, Guyana commends the WHO and its partners for their tireless efforts to continue providing healthcare, basic medical and hygiene supplies, food and water amid the ongoing chaos in northern Gaza. We call on Israel to uphold its legal obligations as the occupying power to ensure that the lifesaving and humanitarian and healthcare needs of the Palestinians are met. We also appeal to fellow Council members for us to work together to bring an end to this ongoing tragedy. I thank you.


Algeria · President [1:45:08]:

I thank the representative of Guyana for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Slovenia.


Slovenia [1:45:18]:

Thank you, Mr. President. As this is the first time, I also wish to -- I want to wish you all the success for your presidency. And I also welcome the new members of the Council, and I'm looking forward to working with them. I thank the President for convening this meeting today, and I also want to thank the briefers for their presentations. It is very appropriate to start new year with today's briefings as a way of reality check for the Council. Colleagues, briefings of the Security Council are not an end in itself. They have a purpose for the Security Council to reflect on the facts heard, to establish how much they threaten peace, security, and well-being of civilian population, and to take action accordingly. Last year, we spent many hours discussing the catastrophic situation in Gaza. Each of the briefings was more devastating, more brutal, more apocalyptic. We learned that the health community in Gaza coined a new term, wounded child, no surviving family. We were briefed about doctors performing amputations without anesthesia, including on children. We discussed the heartbreaking phone calls between emergency call operators and six-year-old Hind, later found dead, together with paramedics. We had no lack of established facts about the situation on the ground. We spent many more hours, days, weeks, months trying to find a united Council voice, too many times without success for proper Council's action. We start this year with news of babies arriving to hospital dead, dead on arrival, they froze to death. The message from Dr. Hajj Hassan, the messages from Hajj Hassan are touching us all, but they should not come as a surprise. What each of these briefings keeps telling us is that everything needed to sustain human life is under attack in Gaza. The hands of the Security Council seem to be tied. But these briefings and SOS messages are a reminder of why we cannot give up and need to keep trying for this Council to live up to its name and its responsibilities. Mr. President. Slovenia underlines that Israel, as the occupying power, has the legal responsibility to ensure and maintain the provision of medical services, public health, and hygiene. We are therefore appalled by the findings of the OHCHR report on the attacks on hospitals during the escalation of hostilities in Gaza. While we followed numerous attacks on and operations in major healthcare facilities, the report as well as the High Commissioner Turk today, highlight a pattern of similar attacks on hospitals by the IDF. It also addresses allegations regarding violations of protected status of hospitals and medical personnel. We are appalled that trauma injuries have not received life-saving assistance, that risks of preventable maternal and child mortality have grown, and access to chronic disease treatments has been lost. Infrastructure vital to public health, including entire water and sanitation system, have been systematically dismantled, as confirmed today also by the WHO representative for occupied territory, Dr. Pieperkorn. Medical evacuations have been restricted, and so have the essential medical supplies and basic items. Hospitals have been sieged. Medical workers attacked, many losing their lives while saving others. The work of UNRWA, the main provider of healthcare services in Gaza, has been challenged. And the list goes on. Now the director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital is detained after months of repeated attacks and last week's raid, which rendered the hospital out of service and patients left for themselves. We call for his release. We call for ICRC to get access to the detainees in Israeli detention centers, as well as for ensuring that hospitals in North Gaza can become functional again. We also continue calling for immediate release of hostages. We are deeply alarmed over the information about an attempted suicide. Polio vaccination campaigns showed that there is a way when there is a collective will, but There doesn't seem to be a will of the occupying power to save civilians in Gaza. On the contrary, with a sense of impunity for their continuous destruction of Gaza, there doesn't seem to be any humanity left in Gaza, neither for Palestinians nor for hostages. Mr. President, hospitals are not and should not be a battleground. It is against the law. We underline the moral and legal imperative of respecting the protected status of hospitals, the wounded and sick, the medical staff and their means of transport and equipment. In this regard, we deplore violations and call for full respect of international law, including Security Council resolutions. They must be actively protected and never attacked, nor used for military purposes. Already in October 23, Slovenia called for independent, full, prompt, and effective investigation of the attack on Al-Ahli Hospital. Today, we support High Commissioner Turk's call for independent, credible, and transparent investigations of the attacks and incidents on healthcare, including during hospital sieges, leading to full accountability. There is no convincing argument for this war on Palestinians in Gaza to continue. We continue to call for implementation of all Security Council resolutions. We call for unconditional release of all hostages, and we call for immediate and unconditional ceasefire. And we agree, Dr. Hajj Hassan, enough is enough. Thank you.


Algeria · President [1:52:15]:

I thank the representative of Slovenia for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Sierra Leone.


Sierra Leone [1:52:25]:

Thank you, Mr. President. Sierra Leone congratulates you and Algeria on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of January 2025. We assure you of our full support. We thank and commend the United States for their successful presidency in December 2024. And we further welcome the newly elected members of the Council, namely Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia. We look forward to working collaboratively with the new members, as well as the whole Council, in discharging its important responsibility. As I thank the delegation of Algeria for requesting and convening today's briefing, I also thank Mr. Volker Turk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Dr. Rick Peppercorn, WHO representative for the occupied Palestinian territory, that is the West Bank and Gaza, for their sobering briefings that describes the appalling situation in the Gaza Strip. I further thank Dr. Tania Hajj Hassan, medical practitioner at the Medical Aid for Palestinian Charity, for a compelling contribution. As we start the new year, our thoughts and prayers are with the Palestinian and Israeli civilians who have been subjected to a prolonged war, lost loved ones, properties, displaced from their homes, and still held hostage or under collective punishment. We stand in solidarity with the civilians in the Gaza Strip and those in other active conflict zones, overshadowed by indignity, inhumanity, and a series of man-made crises threatening their well-being. Mr. President, These important words bear repeating. Even wars have rules. However, the conflict in Gaza has tested all principles and rules under international law that safeguard the dignity of humanity, even in times of conflict. At the heart of these principles is the protection of civilians, including medical personnel and facilities, essential to ensuring that humanitarian aid can reach those in their need and the maintenance of human dignity. Despite the protections under international law, the ongoing violence in Gaza has seen repeated attacks on hospitals, healthcare facilities, transportation, and healthcare workers. Violations that strike at the core of human rights and the very essence of international humanitarian law. In terms of armed conflict, IHL has made provisions through its humane rules to protect access to health care. These rules bind parties to a conflict, and they apply to the wounded and sick, medical personnel, medical units, and transports. Parties to an armed conflict are not to impede the provision of care by preventing the passage of medical personnel. Parties must facilitate access to the wounded and the sick, and provide necessary assistance and protection to medical personnel. Generally, States have an obligation to maintain a functioning healthcare system. In situations of occupation, the occupying power must, to the fullest extent of the means available, ensure and maintain, inter alia, medical and hospital establishments and services, public health and hygiene. In the context of the situation in Palestine, it is the responsibility of the occupying power, Israel, to ensure healthcare access within the functioning healthcare system, and not to destroy the already fragile healthcare system. In the aftermath of the condemnable October 7, 2023 attacks led by Hamas, we have witnessed an unrelenting wave of violence in the occupied Palestinian territory, marked by appalling living conditions, high level of insecurity, airstrikes on residential buildings, hospitals, and densely populated areas. CLU is deeply disturbed by the joint statement of the independent UN Special Rapporteur on the rights situation in Palestinian territories and the Special Rapporteur on the right to health and the assessment that, and I quote, "Israel's blatant assault on the right to health in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory is plunging to new depths of impunity," end of quote. Similar to the briefing by the WHO representative, The most recent updates from the UN and its humanitarian partners highlight the critical status of the health situation in the Gaza Strip, as hospitals have been struck, health workers been killed and/or detained, as well as the unavailability of medical supplies to treat the injured and ill patients. The attacks on and around hospitals have pushed the healthcare system to the brink of collapse, as over 85% of the healthcare facilities remain non-operational. Recent raids around the Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of the major health facilities in the north, have forced the facility out of service. Health experts have projected that if care is not taken, sooner than anyone can imagine, the death from diseases will surpass those from airstrikes, as civilians live in unsanitary conditions, characterized by the accumulation of solid waste, sewage overflow, and exposure to intense weather conditions without appropriate shelter and proper sanitary facilities. We deeply regret to hear about the deaths of babies and other civilians due to the poor housing and severe weather conditions. This appalling situation being inflicted on the Palestinians can be irreparable, and it is an outright violation of the dignity and human rights of the Palestinian people. As we reflect on the over 45,541 Palestinians killed and 108,338 injured so far in the Gaza Strip, we again urge the conflicting parties to cease all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, avoid any further action that could claim more lives and cause more injuries. Any circumstances that will lead to deliberate killings of civilians must be avoided at all costs. And we call on the conflicting parties to respect and uphold the right of all people to life, dignity, food, and water, the bare minimum required for human existence. Mr. President, as we have heard from the Human Rights Commissioner talk, international law, particularly the Geneva Conventions and the additional protocols, unequivocally prohibit the targeting of medical personnel and medical facilities in armed conflict. The legal framework embodied by the principles of humanity and medical neutrality, designed to safeguard human life and dignity, asserts that medical units must be respected and protected. Medical personnel, symbolized by the director and the medical team of the Kamal Adwan Hospital, should be allowed to perform their duties without interference and be protected from attack, while medical facilities are to be safeguarded. They are not to be used for military purpose to maintain their protected status. The systemic exploitation of medical facilities by all sides must stop. It must be clear to all states and non-state actors that international law prohibits attacks and threats against the wounded and the sick, medical personnel, or humanitarian personnel, exclusively engaged in medical duties, their means of transportation and equipment, as well as hospitals and other medical facilities. As a matter of fact, this Security Council has repeatedly reinforced the need for strict adherence to these principles. In resolution 2286, this Council condemned the targeting of medical personnel and facilities, calling for the protection of medical workers, and unimpeded access to health care in conflict zones. This Council has demanded that all parties to armed conflict must comply fully with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, as applicable, in particular their obligations under the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols. This Council has also demanded that all parties to armed conflict facilitate safe and unimpeded passage for medical and humanitarian personnel. Resolution 2286, adopted by this Council, also emphasized the critical need to hold accountable those responsible for violating IHL and to ensure that medical personnel can operate freely and safely. In this regard, we call the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on the prohibition of intentional attacks on hospitals and places where the sick and the wounded are collected, as well as medical units. The international community, including the United Nations and this Council, must call for and hold accountable those responsible for these violations and take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of medical personnel and the preservation of healthcare infrastructure in conflict zones like Gaza. It is imperative that all parties involved in the conflict adhere to their legal obligations and respect the sanctity of healthcare in times of war. Let me close, Mr. President, with the words of the WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus. The best medicine is peace. The longer we allow this war to persist, the greater the cost. We once again demand an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, the release of all hostages as a first step to ending the inhumanity in Gaza and usher in a period of stability in the region. I thank you.


Algeria · President [2:02:56]:

I thank the representative of Sierra Leone for their statement and now give the floor to the representative of China.


China [2:03:06]:

Thank you, President. At the outset, I congratulate Algeria on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month. I welcome that Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia are officially taking part in the Council's work. China looks forward to working with all Council members for the Security Council to effectively fulfill its mandate under the UN Charter. I thank Algeria for the initiative to hold today's meeting. I thank High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Tork, Dr. Pieperkorn, and Dr. Hassan for their briefings. As the new year begins, people all expect everything to take on a fresh look, yet in Gaza, death continues to cast its shadow, and the bombings and attacks by Israel do not cease even for a moment. For the people in Gaza, they were not counting down for the happy celebration of the new year, but the next bombing that can happen anytime. Right before the new year, a heinous tragedy took place in northern Gaza. Israeli force launched an attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital, the only remaining comprehensive medical service institution in northern Gaza, forcibly detaining medical and care personnel, forcibly transferring innocent patients, causing the deaths of a large number of people, and plunging the hospital into a sea of fire. This act seriously violates international law, and in particular international humanitarian law. It is appalling, and China strongly condemns this. It is not the first time that the Kamal Adwan hospital has been attacked, nor is it the only hospital in Gaza that has been attacked. According to the OHCHR report, only by June 2024, at least 27 hospitals and 12 medical institutions in Gaza have been subject to 136 attacks, which claimed the lives of over 500 medical personnel. Protecting the safety of medical facilities in armed conflict is a bottom line under international humanitarian law. Without sufficient evidence proving that medical facilities have become hostile facilities, deliberately launching large-scale and indiscriminate attacks against medical institutions that cause casualties of innocent civilians violates international humanitarian law and could constitute war crimes. There is also analysis indicating that the lethal attacks launched by Israel against the medical institutions in Gaza to bring the medical system in Gaza to the brink of collapse. As part of this systematic strategy to make Gaza uninhabitable, China expresses its grave concerns over and strong opposition to this. We urge Israel to effectively abide by its IHL obligations, stop turning hospitals into battlefields, stop launching attacks on medical facilities, ensure the safety of medical institutions and personnel, and release all medical personnel detained. President. The conflict in Gaza has already caused unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe and civilian casualties. As the conflict enters its 15th month and comes to the beginning of 2025, ending the conflict and restoring peace remain the most pressing matter and a duty whose fulfillment has been delayed by the Security Council for too long. The country concerned repeatedly claims that a ceasefire agreement will soon be reached. Yet the reality is continued killing and death. I wish to stress that differences in negotiations should be bridged by political will and not be filled with innocent lives. Winning the war doesn't necessarily mean owning peace. And resorting only to military strength does not guarantee lasting security. China urges Israel to heed the strong calls of the international community and immediately stop all acts of military adventurism. China calls upon Israel to lift restrictions on humanitarian access for Gaza, stop implementing and revoke promptly the bills against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. and guarantee safety and facilitation for UNRWA and other humanitarian agencies to carry out their assistance. China supports the Security Council in fulfilling its responsibility in maintaining international peace and security and in taking all necessary actions to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, alleviate the humanitarian disaster, and implement the two-state solution to respond to the expectations of the international community. Thank you, President.


Algeria · President [2:08:04]:

I thank the representative of China for their statement. And now, I give the floor to the representative of Greece.


Greece [2:08:20]:

Thank you, Mr. President. First, let me congratulate you on assuming your duties and wish you a very productive presidency. And I want to thank colleagues of fellow member states for welcoming us in the Security Council. I would also like to thank UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Volker Turk, WHO representative Dr. Rick Piper-Korn, and Dr. Tania Haddad-Hassan for their detailed yet sobering briefings. Their participation here sheds valuable insight on the issue at hand. Mr. President, it has been 14 enormously difficult months for the people of Gaza. Our distinguished briefers today, and those who have preceded them in this chamber over the past year, have tried to describe the situation in the Gaza Strip almost beyond comprehension. This is a grave situation that has been in a downward spiral for the past year, while the recent attacks on hospitals have pushed an already inadequate health system to the brink of total collapse. Greece is extremely concerned that after more than a year of ongoing conflict in Gaza, an end to the human suffering remains elusive. While we recognize Israel's right to self-defense and the shock that Israeli society has been through following the death of 1,200 citizens and the continuous captivity of 100 hostages for 14 months, we have to remind ourselves that when all else fails, international law and international humanitarian law is a compass to our humanity. We joined our fellow member states in calling for full respect to the provisions of international humanitarian law, the compass and the framework for all operations in Gaza. IHL tell us that hospitals should not be used improperly for any military use, nor any operation against those facilities be made under vague allegations. The destruction of the healthcare system, in combination with the killing of patients, humanitarian workers, medical staff and other civilians, constitutes severe violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. Mr. President, the suffering and dehumanization of civilians must come to an end. All crossings should be open for aid delivery, and sanctuaries should be protected and not turned into death traps for those who are forced to flee. At the same time, it is important for the humanitarian aid to be delivered without being pillaged by criminal elements ravaging the area. UNRWA's operation remains vital for the civilian population. Mr. President, the current humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip cannot be dealt with without dialogue and diplomacy. Military pressure alone is insufficient to defeat terrorism and extremist ideologies. Since the October 7th horrific attacks and the pain they have inflicted on Israeli society, hostages remain in captivity while death, destruction, and disease reign over Gaza. It is beyond any doubt that a ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and the urgent, unhindered distribution of aid at scale is the only way to stem the tide. The only long-term solution for the region is to revitalize the political process to pave the way for a political horizon for a two-state solution, according to the relevant Security Council resolution, while recognizing the right of Israel to exist in peace and security. Mr. President, only two days ago, we all rang in the new year, most of us with a new year's resolution. Ours was to represent our country with dignity to this august body. This time of the year, I cannot help but think of the people in Gaza and the families of the hostages in Israel. And I do believe that peace is a demand and a hope for this year, and it is a gift worth trying to give them. I thank you.


Algeria · President [2:11:45]:

I thank the representative of Greece for her statement. And I now give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom.


United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [2:11:56]:

Thank you, President. And let me start by congratulating you on assuming the presidency of the Council this month. And I join you and others in welcoming Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia to the Council. Thank you, President, for calling this important briefing. I also thank Dr. Pieperkorn, High Commissioner Turk and Dr. Hassan for their powerful and compelling briefings and for your team's work on the ground. President, we are all horrified by the deterioration of the healthcare situation in Gaza. It is completely unacceptable that since 7 October, many medical facilities have been destroyed or damaged. Over 1,000 medical personnel have been killed, injured or detained. And, as Dr. Hassan reminded us, their SOS calls have been ignored. Following the forcible evacuation of Kamal Adwan Hospital, there are now no functioning hospitals in North Gaza Governorate. Deteriorating access to medical services across Gaza is compounding acute child malnutrition, the risk of imminent famine, and the spread of infectious diseases. As we face this devastating situation, the UK reiterates three key and fundamental demands. First, we call for civilians and medical staff to be protected in line with international humanitarian law. Israel is responsible for ensuring that civilians have access to vital medical care and for enabling medical practitioners to operate safely. The UK continues to urge Israel to abide by their international obligations, including those set out in Security Council Resolution 2286. And we also call on Israel clarify the whereabouts of medical staff detained from hospitals in the north. We are aware of reports of Hamas using civilian infrastructure for its operations, including hospitals. The UK strongly condemns such actions. By embedding itself in civilian infrastructure, Hamas clearly put Palestinian civilians and medical staff at risk. We reiterate, however, that obligations under IHL to protect hospitals and healthcare workers are unconditional. Second, UNRWA must be allowed to play its essential role, including in delivering medical services. and we unequivocally reject attempts to undermine its mandate. On 11 December, my Prime Minister committed an additional $16.5 million to UNRWA to support vital services, including for medical care. The UK is also supporting provision of essential healthcare including through funding to UK Med to run a field hospital and provide other healthcare services in Gaza. Third, Israel must do much more to immediately address this crisis, and both sides must finally end this war. The UK will keep pushing for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages cruelly detained by Hamas, for the better protection of civilians, for more aid consistently entering Gaza, and for a path to long-term peace and stability. I thank you.


Algeria · President [2:16:46]:

I thank the representative of the United Kingdom for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Panama.


Panama [2:17:00]:

Mr. President, allow me to congratulate you on Algeria assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of January. Panama would like to express our thanks to the presidency of this Council for convening this important meeting. We'd like to thank the representative of the World Health Organization for the West Bank and Gaza, Dr. Rick Peppercorn, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Volker Turk, for their presentations, as well as Dr. Tania Hajj Hassan from Medical Aid for Palestinians. Thank you for your moving presentation. We're meeting today for the first time in this distinguished chamber with a deep sense of urgency and responsibility, given the worsening of the situation in the Gaza Strip and its implications for regional and global stability. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as has been documented by various United Nations agencies, has achieved ever more alarming proportions. More than 45,000 people are dead. Tens of thousands are wounded and more than 2 million people have been displaced from one end of the other of the Strip. They have urgent needs, access to food, drinking water and medical care and shelter, particularly given the bad weather. The reports refer to young people that have lost their babies that have lost their lives due to hypothermia this is just so shocking the report of the Secretary General on the implementation of resolution 2334 highlights that basic services in Gaza have been completely devastated with Health Services in a critical situation and an imminent risk of the total collapse of the system due to the L serious lack of medication ambulances and treatments essential for saving lives, as well as electricity and drinking water, this situation is getting more and more dramatic. So much so, in fact, that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, informed us in December that after 14 months of bombing, Gaza is now home to the greatest number of amputee children in modern history. In addition to the risk to life and the physical well-being and protection, more than 540,000 women and girls in Gaza are facing an urgent need for access to essential products that will enable them to cope with their menstruation in conditions of dignity, health and well-being, which is fundamental not only to preserve their health, their physical health, but also to protect their health and ensure the quality of care in the midst of a humanitarian crisis that continues to worsen. We express our concern at the fact that the hospitals and healthcare workers, schools and UN installations and other protected areas continue to be attacked in the armed conflict, which is hindering the provision of essential services and the provision of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population, which according to the Director General of the WHO, he said that hospitals have been converted once again into battlefields. We express our solidarity with the Director of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who was a victim of an attack in Yemen, where he was risking his life to protect the freedom of United Nations officials and other civilians. We robustly reject attacks against humanitarian assistance workers and UN staff. These attacks are unjustified. These people are risking their lives, working in extremely difficult conditions to ensure that they provide care to those that need it. These actions, these acts of attack are unacceptable. We're also very much concerned about the information contained in the briefings, and we reaffirm that the protection of hospitals in wartime is essential, and the of course, should not be used for military purposes, but their protection is essential and this must be guaranteed and respected by all parties at all times. Panama insists on the urgent need to keep the crossing points open in order to facilitate the flow of vital humanitarian assistance in an unhindered manner, including medical and health care. And we would remind all parties of their obligation to ensure that this aid directly reaches the civilians that need it, in accordance with the provisions of the resolutions adopted by this Council. and following the unjustified attacks of Hamas against Israeli civilians on that awful 7th of October, and their insistence on attacking Israeli territory and its population, it's This is counterproductive and we don't understand the strategy of Hamas in refusing to release the Israeli hostages that it is keeping in captivity and that it should never have taken in the first place without showing any political will for finding realistic political conditions to achieve an agreement that would put an end to the cycle of violence. This is just suicidal. Suicide means taking away your own life, however, but in Gaza, Hamas, what it's doing is sacrificing other people's lives, men, women, children, innocent people amongst the Palestinian population of Gaza. President, with regard to the aforementioned, Panama reaffirms its commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter, and we regret the loss of civilian life, as well as any other violation of international law and international humanitarian law. Thank you.


Algeria · President [2:23:52]:

I thank the representative of Panama for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative, the permanent observer of the observer state of Palestine. You have the floor, sir.


State of Palestine · Permanent Observer [2:24:20]:

Thank you, Mr. President. Allow me at the outset to congratulate the brotherly Republic of Algeria on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month. We wish you every success. I would like to thank you for your tireless international effort in defense of the Palestinian people and its just cause, especially in light of the continued colonial Israeli illegal occupation and the continued massacres by this Israeli occupation against our civilians. We have learned from your experience, Mr. President, and from your glorious Algerian revolution, and from the experiences of peoples under the brunt of colonization and occupation, a testament of history that occupation and colonization are bound to end, and that freedom and independence is not just wishful thinking, it will be a reality matter how long it takes. We have ended the year 2024 with Palestine, and we start the year of 2025 with Palestine under the presidency of Algeria, and this is quite normal. The Security Council must end this aggression immediately and without condition.

At the start of this year, I also wish to convey our sincere congratulations to the elected members of the Security Council now taking forth their responsibilities: Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia. As proven in the past year, The elected members have a very important role to play in ensuring the Council upholds its Charter duties, and we assure them of our full cooperation. We also thank the briefers, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk; Dr. Richard Pippa Kohn, of the WHO, and Dr. Tania Hajj Hassan for their important briefings and compelling testimonies to the Council. I listen today, Dr. Hajj Hassan, as I listened to you at the end of November when you addressed the United Nations during the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. You are a great humanitarian, and you are very faithfully were able to convey some of the messages of the Palestinian people from the Gaza Strip, from the heart of a super humanitarian to the minds and hearts of those who are responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security. On behalf of the Palestinian people, I thank you. And on behalf of the people, our people, especially in the Gaza Strip, I thank you very much. Mr. President, the image of Dr. Husam Abu Safia wearing his white gown medical overcoat symbol of hope and humanity, summoned and walking towards Israeli tanks, embodying death and destruction, will remain forever a reflection of what is at stake in Gaza. Humanity itself. It will show a people standing up against all odds, in the face of terrible suffering, trauma, and death. And it will show how lonely they were in that moment. Palestinian doctors and medical personnel are fighting to save human lives and losing their own. They are fighting a battle they cannot win. And yet, they are unwilling to surrender and to betray the oath they took. They are trying to save lives while hospitals are under attack, while medical personnel are, together with their patients and people seeking shelter, besieged and killed, while buildings and works even for mothers and newborn babies, are being destroyed, while access to medicine is being denied, while electricity is cut, while starvation is imposed, and while they know that the people they are trying to heal will most probably die, and that they, the doctors, will be held responsible by Israel for the ultimate crime of trying to preserve life in Gaza and will be detained, tortured, and even killed. And yet, they continue trying. Dr. Mahmoud Abu Nujila, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Al-Awda Hospital wrote a message many months ago on a whiteboard in the hospital normally used for planning surgeries. And I quote him, "Whoever stays until the end will tell the story." We did. But we could. Remember us. Remember us. We owe them more than remembrance. Nothing can explain that for 15 months, Palestinians in Gaza have endured hell. and been abandoned to this fate. Nothing justifies that the doctors who were trying to save lives of victims have become themselves the victims, and that the international community was not able to match even part of their courage and of their dedication to humanity. Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh wrote, and I quote, "We will die standing, and we will not kneel. All that remains in the valley are its stones, and we are its stones." End of quotation. Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh was the head of orthopedics at Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital. He became a familiar face across the globe as his videos showed him operating on the injured and the dying with little or no equipment, or digging mass graves with his colleagues in the yard of the hospital, and finally facing the Israeli assault in a hospital where thousands had sought safety. The Israeli army ordered Al-Shifa, its patients, staff, and approximately 50,000 displaced people sheltering in the compound to evacuate before setting the hospital on fire. Instead of fleeing, Dr. Al-Bursh made his way to the Indonesian hospital in northern Gaza, where he worked until that too came under fire in November. But refusing to renege on his oath, he moved to allow the hospital where he was eventually arrested by the Israeli occupation forces. Four months later, over prison guards dragged Al-Burj and dumped him in the prison yard naked from the waist down, bleeding and unable to stand, according to a deposition collected by Israeli human rights organizations. He died shortly thereafter. The death of Dr. Al-Bursh while in Israeli custody is not a solitary case. Other doctors and many other detainees died while in custody after having suffered from abuse, torture, and rape. Mr. President, this is not a war, as Dr. Tonya has indicated. This is an assault against Palestinian existence. Its target is therefore life itself in Gaza and all those who are trying to sustain it, all those trying to ensure survival in the midst of this genocide. And according to this criminal intent, it is therefore logical that medical personnel, doctors, nurses, paramedics, are among its primary victims. This is immoral. I repeat, this is immoral, unbearable, and must be stopped. The entirety of international humanitarian law rests on a fundamental rule, affording protection to those not taking part or no longer taking part in hostilities. first and foremost civilians, the sick, and the wounded, and those detained. Instead of upholding the cardinal principle of distinction, Israel systematically resorts to indiscriminate attacks when it does not deliberately target those afforded protection under international law. Time after time, The same acts, the same patterns, the same criminal and inhumane conduct. Assaults against hospitals, leading to the death and detention of civilians, including babies and children who are already experiencing hell on earth. No one should grow accustomed to these horrors. Israel wants to normalize genocide. The report of OHCHR clearly indicates that, and I quote, "The attacks on hospitals often followed a similar pattern involving missile strikes on hospital buildings, the destruction of hospital facilities, shooting of civilians, sieges, as well as temporarily taking over hospital buildings." End of quotation. And this is without addressing, again, and a quote, the many cases of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and ill treatment of medical personnel and other Palestinians, including internally displaced persons, IDPs. taken into custody from inside hospitals, which has been reported on elsewhere." This is barbaric, and it should lead not only to repeated expression of outrage, but rather to resolute action for accountability to prevent the reoccurrence of such horrors. As warned by UN experts, and I quote, Under occupation, intentional assaults on healthcare facilities have the potential to expose individuals to cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment, and many constitute a war crime. In Gaza, this is clearly part of a well-established pattern of genocide for which Israeli leaders will have to be held accountable." End of quotation. There is no justification for the commission of war crimes. There is no justification for the commission of crimes against humanity. There is no justification for the commission of the crime of genocide. No justification whatsoever. The ICJ provisional measures Orders aimed at preserving the right of the Palestinian people to be protected from acts of genocide have not only been disregarded by Israel, they have been blatantly breached, materializing the risk instead of addressing it. Mr. President, Israeli action can only be understood in the context of the real goals of this war. Remember we talked about the report of the generals, which we don't talk about it anymore. Israeli officials and military commanders have often confessed to them for anyone willing to hear, some they don't want to hear. They like to hear what they like to hear. Israeli occupation soldiers describe the actions and instructions of their division chief division commander of Division 252, Brigadier General Yehuda Vak, stated to Haaretz that his aim was to flatten as much of Gaza as possible to forcibly displace some 250,000 Palestinians who were still present in northern Gaza to take over the land. He's building a private militia from settlers, from relatives, from fanatic soldiers to destroy every day 50, 60 buildings in the Gaza Strip, not to allow Gaza being a place for a single Palestinian to live in it. He was clear that they needed to, and I quote, according to Haaretz, make things hard on convoys that entered and harass them. Not only there are thieves who steal the trucks, the Israeli soldiers are watching and facilitating this behavior. Insisting, and I continue the quotation, there are no innocents in Gaza. For those of you who think that this is a war against Hamas and not against the Palestinian people, a general, brigadier general, currently in the Israeli army, head of division 252, there are no innocents in Gaza. Free game, every individual in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian people. But his greatest insanity In the words of one officer of the occupation army, and I quote, "was the one about moving the Gazans southward and taking land, as much land as possible." End of quotation. It is a war against the Palestinian people. It is a war of genocide to eliminate as many as possible and to allow the situation in Gaza to be not inhabitable by any individual. They don't want Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and later on in other parts of the occupied territory. Evacuation orders and destruction of civilians' infrastructures, including hospitals, and killings and maiming of civilians, including doctors, have to be understood in this context. Either the Palestinians are displaced or they are destroyed. There is no other option. Ethnic cleansing or genocide, and for the time being, it has meant both. Mr. President, the images are out there for all to see. of repeated assaults against our hospitals as part of the assault on Palestinian life and Palestinian existence. You can see such assaults also in the West Bank by the Israeli occupation forces. They keep claiming the use of human shields. They say Hamas used the people in Gaza as human shields, saying how outrageous it is for combatants to use human shields or to pretend to be civilians when their occupation forces have done both repeatedly. With occupation forces sometimes disguised as civilians, as patients, even pretending to be pregnant woman seeking care with her relatives, have conducted military raids against and within hospitals. That is their behavior. For those who try to lecture to you that others are using civilians and human shields, these evidence, these stories were documented and some were caught in the action. We salute all medical practitioners from around the world who have volunteered to help our people in Gaza, as well as all those who have expressed solidarity and provided support to their colleagues in Palestine. Your moral voices give hope to the Palestinian people and all those who cherish and seek to preserve humanity. Everyone needs to choose. If they stand by hope and humanity, as embodied by the white coat worn by doctors around the world, or if they stand with destruction and death. And those who say they have made the right choice need to act accordingly. Mr. President, Dr. Hussam Abu-Safieh stated a few weeks before this ultimate assault on the Kamal Odwan hospital, and I quote, "I refused to leave the hospital and sacrifice my patients. So the army punished me by killing my son. I saw him die at the entrance gate of the hospital. It was a great shock. I found a grave for him near one of the hospital's walls. so that he could stay close to me." End of quotation. Dr. Abu Safieh was himself injured, and now he has been abducted, detained, his fate unknown. He refused to leave the victims behind. Can't we display some degree of that same courage. The plight of Dr. Hussam Abu Safir, who must be immediately released, is but one story from Gaza, among an infinite number of stories of unimaginable loss and trauma and ache and suffering and courage and resilience, a story of a people who, while receiving solidarity of peoples and countries around the world, feel abandoned to a terrible fate, enduring an ever-ending hell. It is our collective responsibility to bring this hell to an end. It is our collective responsibility to bring this genocide to an end. We have a duty to save lives. this Council, you have an obligation to save lives. Palestinian doctors and medical personnel took that mission to heart at the peril of their lives. They did not abandon the victims. Do not abandon them. End Israeli impunity. End the genocide. end this aggression immediately and unconditionally now. And I thank you, Mr. President.


Algeria · President [2:48:29]:

I thank the permanent observer of the observer state of Palestine for their statement. The presidency of the Security Council will now give the floor to the representative of Israel.


Israel [2:48:50]:

Mr. President, the Middle East stands today at a critical juncture. With continued Houthi attacks against civilians in Israel and in the Red Sea, Syria's precarious position following the fall of the brutal Assad regime, the ongoing firing of rockets by Hamas, again just yesterday at Be'eri, where Israeli civilians were massacred on the 7th of October 2023, and 100 hostages still being held captive by Hamas terrorists. The presidency called for an emergency session today, not to deal with these threats and challenges, and not to condemn terrorists blatantly violating international law by exploiting hospitals as the basis of military activity. Such actions negatively impact the credibility of the Council and the international system. Hospitals are meant to be sanctuaries of care and compassion. Yet Hamas has transformed them into tools for terror, exploiting their sanctity to shield its murderous aims and wage war against civilians. This is not an isolated tactic or an act of desperation. This is a deliberate and systematic strategy, a cornerstone of Hamas's operational doctrine, their modus operandi. Though we have known this for many years, the past 15 months have exposed the depth of Hamas's depravity. In November 2023, IDF troops exposed a 55-meter-long terror tunnel, 10 meters deep underneath the Shifa Hospital complex, along with massive caches of weapons throughout the tunnel and the hospital. In that same month, at the Indonesian Hospital, IDF forces identified a white Toyota truck used during the massacre of October 7, located within the hospital compound. Additionally, a vehicle with an Israeli license plate and bloodstains, later linked to a hostage, was found in the hospital area. In February 2024, the IDF uncovered a network of terror tunnels connecting the Turkish hospital in Gaza City to nearby operational facilities. These tunnels allowed Hamas operatives to move weapons and personnel discreetly, all the while exposing and exploiting the civilian infrastructure of the hospital. In March 2024, the IDF revealed dozens of weapons, millions of dollars in blood money, and hundreds of operatives once again inside Shifa Hospital. We found further video footage proving that Hamas took hostages to Al Shifa following the October 7th attack, and that the hostage Noam Marciano was murdered by a Hamas terrorist within the hospital walls. Just four days ago, on December 30th, Hamas operatives were caught on camera planting explosives a mere 45 meters from the Indonesian hospital in northern Gaza. And now, Kamal Adwan Hospital has become the latest site exploited by Hamas, a grim addition to their well-documented and public history of abusing civilian infrastructure. This Council must confront this undeniable reality. Hamas does not respect the sanctity of hospitals, schools, or places of worship. It uses them to protect its terrorists, store its weapons, and launch its attacks. It uses the civilian population as human shields, playing on the instinct to protect the vulnerable. At Kamal Adwan Hospital, Hamas turned a facility for healing into a command center for terror. Since October 2024, following an IDF operation in the area, Hamas entrenched itself in the hospital, embedding its military infrastructure and operational hubs within its walls. Despite repeated calls by Israel to cease the unlawful military use of the hospital since the start of the operation in October, these warnings were again ignored and disregarded. This week's precise operation by the IDF revealed the extent of Hamas's abuse of the facility. Over 240 terrorists were apprehended, including 15 who participated in the October 7th massacre, the darkest day in Israel's modern history, where over 1,200 lives were brutally taken by the terrorists. Among those apprehended was the hospital director himself, who is suspected of being a Hamas operative. as hundreds of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists were hiding inside the Kamal Adwan hospital under his management. He is currently being investigated by Israeli security forces. Colleagues, this operation was not a choice. It was a necessity. It was conducted based on extensive intelligence gathered over months, confirming Hamas's activities on hospital premises. In accordance with international humanitarian law, the IDF has implemented comprehensive measures to mitigate harm to civilians. Prior to this operation, Israel facilitated the evacuation of 350 patients, caregivers, and medical staff from the hospital, along with the delivery of tens of thousands of liters of fuel, hundreds of food parcels, and critical medical supplies to sustain hospital operations. As the operation progressed, an additional 95 patients, staff, and caregivers were safely transferred to the Indonesian hospital. This included the provision of 5,000 liters of fuel, two generators, and essential medical equipment to maintain the critical systems and ensure uninterrupted care. Israel continues to cooperate with the international community to strengthen the medical response capabilities at the Indonesian hospital. Additionally, the IDF worked with the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital to ensure the facility was vacated from patients and other civilians prior to the commencement of its precise operation. The operation uncovered caches of weapons, including grenades, firearms, ammunition, and other military equipment hidden within the hospital grounds. As IDF forces operated nearby, they faced attacks from Hamas operatives firing anti-tank missiles and RPGs. This is the stark contrast between Israel and Hamas. While Hamas endangers civilians, Israel protects them, even at the risk of our own personnel's lives. Hamas's exploitation of hospitals is not only a moral abomination, but a blatant violation of international law, and far too often, international response has been silence. On October 17, 2023, when an explosion rocked Al-Ahli Hospital, many in this chamber and around the world rushed to pass judgment, parroting casualty figures provided by Hamas terrorists. Those numbers were grossly inflated, and the explosion was caused not by Israel, but by a misfired Islamic Jihad rocket. Yet the damage was done. Hamas's propaganda had achieved its goal. This Council cannot afford to repeat those mistakes. It must not allow itself to be manipulated by those who weaponize the truth. It must maintain its dignity and credibility. Israel's actions exemplify its commitment to international humanitarian law and principles. Despite the challenges of protecting itself against an enemy that hides behind civilians, Israel continues to uphold its obligations. Over the past month alone, Israel has facilitated the medical evacuation of over 1,000 patients and caregivers from Gaza for life-saving treatments in 13 countries. These efforts reflect the fundamental truth: even as it faces relentless terror, Israel remains committed to preserving life. Distinguished Council members, the issue at hand extends beyond Israel and Hamas. It strikes at the heart of international norms and the principles that govern this Council. If hospitals can be turned into terror bases without consequences, If civilians can be used as shields with impunity, what does that say about the state of international law? What message does this send to other terror groups around the world? This is a test, not just for Israel, but for the Council and for the global community. Will we stand by as the sanctity of medical institutions is eroded? Will we allow Hamas to set a precedent where the protection of civilians becomes a shield for terror? This Council must act decisively. It must condemn Hamas's actions in the strongest terms. It must recognize that Israel's operations are not only a response to terror, but offense to the principles that underpin this institution. Israel will continue to protect its citizens, uphold its commitments under international law, and do all it can to bring the hostages home. But the Council must meet its own obligations. It must protect the innocent, fight for the release of the hostages alongside us, uphold the rule of law, and hold accountable those who seek to weaponize human suffering and civilian infrastructure. I thank you.


Algeria · President [2:57:19]:

The presidency of the Security Council thank the representative of Israel for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Egypt.


Egypt · Arab Group [2:57:34]:

Thank you, Mr. President. The delegation of Egypt is honored to deliver the statement of the Arab Group today. The Arab Group would like to congratulate Algeria on assuming the presidency of the Security Council. We look forward to working with the five new members and the remaining members of the Security Council. We thank you, Mr. President, for holding today's meeting to discuss Israeli attacks against healthcare facilities in the Gaza Strip. We also thank the briefers for their sobering briefings. Mr. President, Israel once again is displaying a new level of brutalities in its crimes. After targeting civilians and killing over 45,000 martyrs, 70 percent of them women and children, it has destroyed the civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. It has killed hundreds of UN personnel and humanitarian workers. Now Israel is targeting in a barbaric way the Palestinian healthcare system. It has launched a campaign of murder and destruction against hospitals, healthcare facilities, and medical personnel. And the latest chapters has been the destruction of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in north Gaza. It has become nonoperational, and they have arrested its medical personnel alongside a number of patients. Mr. President, to understand the scale of the catastrophe as a result of the destruction of the Kamal Adwan hospital, we refer to the WHO statement dated 28 December 2024, which clearly illustrates that this last major healthcare facility is now non-operational. It has also referred to the systematic dismantling of the healthcare system and the siege laid by Israel on North Gaza for over 80 days, which is now jeopardizing the life of 75,000 Palestinians that are still in the area. The efforts of WHO and its partners have failed, and therefore this lifeline for health in Gaza is now on the verge of collapse. Furthermore, the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, dated 31 December 2024, highlighted the catastrophic repercussions of Israeli attacks against hospitals in Gaza, which has pushed the healthcare system to the brink of collapse, making it impossible to access basic treatment that is life-saving or to access safe locations. The destruction of the healthcare system in Gaza, in addition to the restrictions imposed by Israel on the entry and distribution of medical supplies, has led to the deterioration of the health situation, has created a medical catastrophe. This is now a collective suffering. Facts, Mr. President. show that there are no evidence supporting the claims of Israel that these hospitals are being used for other purposes. Therefore, we reaffirm the obligations of Israel as the occupying power to provide medical and health services, as well as medical supplies and food to the citizens of Gaza and to approve relief plans. We also highlight the shortcomings of the Israeli justice system, When it comes to the behavior of Israeli forces, it is important to carry out independent, transparent investigations and to hold accountable those who violated international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Israel continues to perpetrate one crime after the other. They're boasting about these crimes and justifying them because there has been no deterrent punishment. There has been no determination from the international community to implement UN resolutions, to put an end to the violations of international humanitarian law and the laws of the war. Israel is facing the following question: Why not perpetrate another crime? Why not? The answer is known to Israel. It has, therefore, completed its plan to turn the Gaza Strip into an uninhabitable area, to empty it from the basic components of human life through a repeated and varied series of crimes, the latest of which is unfolding before our eyes, which is the destruction of the medical system in the Gaza Strip. with one main objective, to implement the systematic policy of forceful displacement by Israel to kill and liquidate the Palestinian cause. Mr. President, the Arab Group values the efforts of the Qatari-Egyptian mediation in partnership with the U.S. mediator to reach a ceasefire. We reaffirm the following steps as the only solution to the crisis. First, the Security Council must adopt a resolution under Chapter VII for an immediate unconditional ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the delivery of assistance to put an end to the forceful displacement policy that aims to liquidate the Palestinian cause. Second, the Security Council must compel Israel through all political and legal means to implement Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions, and the provisional measures issued by the ICJ since the beginning of the crisis, and to compel Israel to provide assistance to save civilians from the risk of famine. Third, the Security Council must shoulder its responsibilities pursuant to the UN Charter. to compel Israel to stop attacking hospitals, civilian objects, to immediately release medical personnel and the patients that it has detained, to provide protection to them pursuant to international conventions, including Security Council Resolution 2286. Fourth. Accountability for repeated Israeli crimes, especially those against hospitals, doctors, and patients. These has been the most heinous manifestation of ongoing Israeli crimes in Gaza since October 2023. Israel must cooperate with international tribunals to prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes. Fifth, all countries which respect international law must immediately suspend exporting weapons and ammunition used by Israel in this massacre for over 16 months so that you can deprive Israel from these tools of murder. Mr. President, members of the Security Council, once again, the Arab Group is wondering about the reason that prevents you from putting an end to this war against civilians. Why is the international community unable to put an end to the daily killing of Palestinians? We all wonder. How long will we continue to watch these horrendous scenes in Gaza? How long will you continue to deal with Arabs, the Palestinian people, and the citizens of Gaza as if they were not equal to other people around the world? Would you have allowed this massacre to continue for this time if it was perpetrated against another people in the developed world? Will you allow the bombing of hospitals and the killing of tens of thousands of children? Would you have allowed these scenes of famine, the cries of patients? Would you have tolerated these severe violations of international law? Mr. President, Israel must know fully well that all these crimes perpetrated against the Palestinian people will not push Palestinians to leave their homeland. It will not push Arabs or other peace-loving countries to abandon the Palestinians and the Palestinian cause, which is our cause. The Arab Group reaffirms that history bears witness that right and justice will prevail despite all the Israeli aggression, attacks, and violations. The Palestinian people will ultimately establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Thank you, Mr. President.


Algeria · President [3:06:32]:

I thank the representative of Egypt for their statement. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The meeting is adjourned.