Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy
Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council
meeting on Gaza.
Gaza has become the deadliest place in the world to be a child.
Women and children continue to bear the brunt of this brutal
conflict that since October 7 has killed over 40,000 people.
Children account for nearly a third of identified casualties. We
call on Israel to take all possible steps to avoid civilian
casualties.
Over 100 innocent hostages remain captured by Hamas in Gaza. Time
is running out for them as they remain in captivity subject to
unimaginable horror. We call again for their immediate and
unconditional release.
President, we've heard today that Gaza is on the brink of a
devastating polio outbreak. Another deadly threat to a people
already facing a multitude of deadly threats: ongoing
bombardment, risk of famine and dire sanitary conditions.
Meanwhile regional tensions remain high – any attack by Iran
would have devastating consequences.
Urgent action is needed, on three fronts:
First, we need an immediate ceasefire. All sides need to focus on
the negotiations led by the US, Egypt, and Qatar. These talks
offer a vital opportunity to secure an immediate ceasefire that
ends the conflict, gets the hostages out, allows urgent access to
aid and de-escalates regional tensions.
We also urge Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah and other Iranian-aligned
militia groups to stand down the ongoing threats of military
escalation against Israel. All parties need to exercise
restraint, as my Prime Minister has made clear in recent weeks.
Second, Gaza stands on the precipice of a polio outbreak with
over 640,000 children under the age of 10 in need of
vaccinations. We call on the parties to continue cooperating with
the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, and partners to facilitate
vaccine rollouts.
Israel needs to allow safe and unhindered aid access into and
across Gaza and to put in place an effective deconfliction
mechanism to ensure aid and vaccines can be delivered and
administered safely.
Israel's ramping up of new evacuation orders is causing chaos in
Gaza. The humanitarian zone, now just covering 11% of Gaza, is
chronically overcrowded with people desperately seeking shelter.
It is not safe and it is still receiving fire.
British NGO, UK Med, reports that just last night their
residential compound in a humanitarian zone was damaged by
Israeli shelling.
Humanitarian actors are being forced to evacuate their offices
and abandon warehouses full of aid. If this does not stop, a
polio vaccine rollout may become impossible. All parties
must comply with their obligations under International
Humanitarian Law.
Third, President, settler violence in the West Bank is
inexcusable. The violence in the Palestinian village of Jit last
week was abhorrent. We call on Israel to take action against
these extremists. The UK has sanctioned eight individuals and two
entities related to settler violence.
We condemn the continued expansion of settlements in the West
Bank – it is a clear violation of international law.
Finally, President, my Foreign Secretary and French Foreign
Minister Sejourne visited Israel and the OPTs last week. They
conveyed three key messages: that the current ceasefire talks
were the only way to avert a full regional crisis; that the
humanitarian situation was catastrophic and we needed to see
immediate improvements; and that there had to be accountability
for the appalling settler violence in the West Bank. I hope that
we can all unite around these three messages today.
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