Some UN Security Council Members Warn Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Worsening Despite Ceasefire
HAMILTON, June 19 (Bernama) -- Some UN Security Council members warned Thursday that Gaza's humanitarian crisis continues to deepen despite a ceasefire agreement, with Pakistan, China, the UK and Russia demanding that Israel allow unrestricted humanitarian access, while the US blamed Hamas for prolonging the suffering of civilians.
Addressing the Council's session on Palestine, Pakistan's UN envoy Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said ceasefire violations and humanitarian conditions remain severe despite the adoption of Resolution 2803.
"Despite the endorsement of the comprehensive plan and subsequent adoption of Security Council Resolution 2803, ceasefire violations continue, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains acute," Ahmad said, according to Anadolu Ajansi.
He said civilians continue to face "immense hardship marked by killings, deprivation, displacement and an uncertain future," noting that more than 90 per cent of Gaza's population has been displaced and only half of the territory's hospitals remain partly functional.
Ahmad said "the core issue is the arbitrary denial and delay of humanitarian access, a recurring pattern of Israeli policy and a direct violation of the occupying power's obligations under international law."
"The blockade of Gaza has been an instrument of occupation and collective punishment for years now. By controlling access and movement, the occupying power perpetuates the suffering of 2 million Palestinians," he added.
China's UN envoy Fu Cong said a recent easing of tensions in Wes Asia offered hope for addressing other regional crises, including Gaza, but warned that conditions on the ground remain dire.
"Instead, death and suffering remain the daily reality in Gaza," Fu said, referring to the period following the ceasefire agreement reached last October.
Expressing concern over Israel's military activities, he said: "Since the conclusion of the ceasefire deal, Israeli military operations have claimed nearly 1,000 lives."
Fu also warned of Israel's "continued expansion of military occupation" and "its threats to control 70 per cent of Gaza's territory."
Calling for unrestricted humanitarian access, he urged Israel to "lift its restrictions on humanitarian supplies, keep all crossings fully open, and guarantee the delivery of badly needed food, medicine, fuel and shelter."
UK Charge d'Affaires James Kariuki also expressed concern over the situation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
"The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. Ongoing violations of the ceasefire are reported to have killed over 1,000 Palestinians since October," Kariuki said.
He urged Israel to "immediately remove unjustifiable restrictions on humanitarian access" and condemned rising violence in the West Bank.
Kariuki also said the UK was "horrified by footage of Israeli forces killing a seven-month-old baby in Hebron on the fifth of June" and called for accountability.
Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative for Political Affairs Anna Evstigneeva described Gaza as a "deteriorating humanitarian catastrophe" despite reduced hostilities under the ceasefire.
Also warning that Israeli plans to take control of large parts of Gaza could jeopardize future peace efforts, Evstigneeva said: "There is a need for urgent action. Otherwise, the current trajectory will give rise to irrevocable consequences."
She stressed that humanitarian aid "must not be made contingent on the fulfillment of political demands."
Evstigneeva reiterated Russia's support for a two-state solution, saying it "remains on the table" and that alternatives could not guarantee lasting peace.
US deputy UN envoy Tammy Bruce said Washington remains committed to working with regional partners to advance peace and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
"Our focus will move to the redevelopment phase for the benefit of the people in Gaza, who have suffered too much for too long," Bruce said.
While highlighting US efforts to facilitate humanitarian assistance and medical evacuations, Bruce argued that the root cause of Gaza's suffering is political rather than logistical.
-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU
