Statement by Ambassador , UK Permanent
Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on
the situation in the Middle East.
Last week, we heard the news that the bodies of six Israeli
hostages were recovered in Gaza. We condemn their murder by
Hamas.
My Prime Minister has conveyed his thoughts and prayers for the
families and the Israeli people.
The UK supported Israel's request for this briefing to shine a
spotlight on the abhorrent crimes of Hamas and their impact on
innocent civilians. It is also entirely right, as Algeria
proposed, to focus on recent grave developments in the West Bank
and Gaza.
President, of the 253 hostages taken in the horrific October 7th
terrorist attacks, 101 hostages remain captive in Gaza and
subject to unimaginable horror. We once again condemn Hamas'
terrorist acts in the strongest terms. We reiterate our demand
for Hamas to release the hostages immediately. There can be no
doubt that Hamas pays not the slightest heed to international
humanitarian law. We urge all parties to agree a ceasefire deal
which would bring an end to the ordeal of these hostages.
Israel continues to face threats, not only from Hamas, but also
from Iran and its range of hostile proxies who openly call for
Israel's annihilation. Iran should be in no doubt of our
commitment to challenge their malign and destabilising activity,
and our commitment to Israel's security.
President, the suffering of Palestinians also worsens each day.
Over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, many of whom are women
and children. The most basic needs of children and thousands of
orphaned children are unmet. A ceasefire deal offers an
opportunity to end their suffering.
As we've heard, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is beyond
appalling, with dire sanitary conditions, a serious risk of
famine and now polio. We welcome the polio vaccination campaign
and urge Israel to continue to cooperate with the WHO and health
agencies to ensure that the full 90% of children who need to be
are vaccinated.
More generally, as we've heard, humanitarian access remains
inadequate with attacks on convoys, evacuation orders undermining
operations and aid far below Israel's stated commitment to ‘flood
Gaza with aid'. We urge Israel to do much more to ensure
lifesaving food and medical supplies reach civilians in Gaza.
As my Foreign Secretary said this week, we are also deeply
concerned by credible claims of mistreatment of Palestinian
detainees, which the International Committee of the Red Cross
cannot investigate after being denied access by Israel.
President, concerns on the treatment of detainees and
humanitarian access were part of my Government's review into
Israel's International Humanitarian Law compliance. As a result,
my Foreign Secretary took the decision to suspend certain UK arms
export licences to Israel earlier this week. This decision in no
way undermines our unwavering commitment to Israel's security.
Whilst we recognise Israel's need to defend itself against
security threats, the UK is also deeply worried by the ongoing
IDF operations in the West Bank, particularly the reports of
civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian
infrastructure. Israel must also tackle the accelerating settler
violence and end its illegal expansion of settlements which
undermine prospects for the realisation of the two-state
solution.
President, let me conclude by thanking the US, Qatar and Egypt
for their efforts on the ongoing negotiations. The parties have
had time to study the deal on the table. The parties must now
bridge their differences and end the suffering by agreeing to a
deal and immediate ceasefire and rediscover the path to a
two-state solution.
