{"id":306369,"date":"2025-03-18T15:47:58","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T19:47:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=306369"},"modified":"2025-03-19T15:48:09","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T19:48:09","slug":"resumed-hostilities-blocked-aid-destroying-ceasefire-gains-in-gaza-security-council-hears-press-release","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/resumed-hostilities-blocked-aid-destroying-ceasefire-gains-in-gaza-security-council-hears-press-release\/","title":{"rendered":"Resumed Hostilities, Blocked Aid Destroying Ceasefire Gains in Gaza, Security Council Hears – Press Release"},"content":{"rendered":"
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9881st Meeting (AM)<\/strong><\/div>\n
SC\/16023<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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18 March 2025<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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As Israel resumes airstrikes over Gaza and blocks entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip, the modest gains made during the ceasefire are being destroyed, Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the Security Council today.<\/p>\n

\u201cOvernight, our worst fears materialized,\u201d he added, noting unconfirmed reports of hundreds of people killed on 17\u00a0March.\u00a0 Recalling his recent visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel in February, he said that \u2014 despite the devastation he saw \u2014 \u201cmy trip coincided with some of Gaza\u2019s better days\u201d because a ceasefire was in place and humanitarians were delivering hundreds of trucks every day. \u00a0\u201cNot anymore,\u201d he reported.<\/p>\n

Since 2 March, Israeli authorities have halted the entry of all lifesaving supplies, including food, medicine, fuel and cooking gas, for 2.1\u00a0million people. \u00a0Repeated requests to collect aid sitting at the Karem Shalom border crossing have also been systematically rejected, no further hostages have been released and Israel has cut power to southern Gaza\u2019s desalination plant, limiting access to clean water for 600,000 people.<\/p>\n

Further, international staff of the Â鶹APP Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) are no longer able to rotate into and out of Gaza due to recent Knesset legislation. \u00a0He also highlighted new registration rules for international non-governmental organizations, as well as a law under consideration to impose high taxes on donations from third States to Israeli humanitarian and human-rights groups.<\/p>\n

Also pointing to the urgent crisis in the West Bank, he said that 95 Palestinians have been killed, including 17 children, since the start of 2025. \u00a0Additionally, Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank have displaced 40,000 Palestinians, while hundreds of Israeli settlers have launched large-scale attacks on Palestinian villages. \u00a0Outlining three urgent asks, he called on the Council to enable the entry of humanitarian aid and commercial essentials into Gaza, renew the ceasefire and fund the humanitarian response.<\/p>\n

Palestine Says Death Returns to Gaza, Israel Says Hamas Responsible<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, noting that this meeting was initially called to discuss Gaza\u2019s humanitarian situation, added: \u00a0\u201cNow we gather here after a series of deadly Israeli attacks that killed, last night alone, hundreds of Palestinians.\u201d \u00a0Bombardment, death, devastation, fire and fear are yet again spreading throughout Gaza, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCeasefire works \u2014 it is the only thing that does,\u201d he stressed, stating that it stopped the bloodshed, allowed the release of hostages and prisoners and enabled the delivery of humanitarian aid. \u00a0Unilateral, self-serving and irresponsible decisions cannot be used as excuses for breaking it. \u00a0\u201cWhile the Trump Administration has prioritized the release of hostages, it is evident that [Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin] Netanyahu\u2019s concern for his political survival far outweighs his concern for the survival of the hostages,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The Arab Summit endorsed a clear vision and a solid plan for a different trajectory for Gaza and Palestine \u2014 \u201cthese efforts should be supported, not compromised and sabotaged\u201d, he urged. \u00a0The international community must also support the Palestinian Government\u2019s assumption of its responsibilities throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the deployment of a UN-mandated mission throughout the Territory, a permanent ceasefire and the two-State solution.\u00a0 \u201cThis is a historical moment, where everyone must choose where they stand and what vision they want to see prevail,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

However, Israel\u2019s representative stressed that \u201cthe return to fighting is a necessity\u201d, reaffirming his country\u2019s commitment to bring home its hostages and defeat Hamas. \u00a0Hamas has refused to release hostages and has repeatedly rejected all offers by the United States and mediating countries \u2014 even during Ramadan \u2014 he said, spotlighting the Israel Defense Forces\u2019 precise attacks on Hamas targets.<\/p>\n

For months, Israel took unprecedented steps to facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza, he asserted, adding that these efforts are \u201cnot speculation, not political rhetoric\u201d; they are \u201cdocumented, verifiable and confirmed by the organizations distributing and supplying the aid\u201d. \u00a0The hostages still held in brutal captivity by Hamas should be paramount for those truly concerned about humanitarian crises, he said, adding: \u00a0\u201cAny discussion of humanitarian suffering that does not begin with the hostage release is not an honest discussion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe slander that the people of Gaza are currently starving is quite simply untrue,\u201d he continued, stating that \u201cclaims that electricity cut-off has plunged Gaza into humanitarian collapse are greatly exaggerated\u201d.\u00a0Rather, any suffering in Gaza is due to Hamas\u2019 hijacking of aid for its violent ends.\u00a0 Pointing to certain Council members\u2019 efforts to malign Israel, he stressed: \u00a0\u201cIf this Council wishes to address suffering, then it must demand the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some Council Members Also Point to Hamas<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Along similar lines, the representative of United States emphasized that\u00a0the blame for resumed hostilities lies solely with Hamas, which has steadfastly refused \u201cevery proposal and deadline they\u2019ve been presented\u201d. \u00a0Hamas prefers to hold hostages captive and hide amongst the people of Gaza, she said, dismissing the allegation of indiscriminate attacks by the\u00a0Israel Defense Forces. \u00a0Underlining the need to tackle Iran\u2019s \u201cmalign influence and State sponsorship of terror\u201d, she said that Middle Eastern countries have an \u201chistoric opportunity to reshape their region\u201d.<\/p>\n

Echoing that, Panama\u2019s delegate said that the suffering in Gaza is the direct consequence of Hamas\u2019 extremist actions, \u201cwhich unleashed this tragic spiral of violence\u201d. \u00a0He, too, condemned Hamas\u2019 current refusal to meet the commitments agreed upon and release additional hostages.<\/p>\n

France\u2019s representative highlighted the international conference to be held in June, chaired by his country and Saudi Arabia, on the implementation of the two-State solution.\u00a0 The reconstruction plan for Gaza put forward by the Arab League must exclude Hamas from Gaza\u2019s governance, he said.\u00a0 \u201cThe terrorist attacks committed by Hamas and other terrorist groups on 7\u00a0October\u00a02023 constitute the worst anti-Semitic massacre since the Shoah\u201d, and he therefore reaffirmed France\u2019s solidarity with the Israeli people.<\/p>\n

Others Point to Israel\u2019s Responsibility as Occupying Power<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Algerians understand the cruelty of occupation \u201cbecause we endured it for over 130 years\u201d, that country\u2019s delegate recalled. \u00a0\u201cThis deliberate blockade, timed to coincide with the holy month of Ramadan, is a calculated effort to break the resilience of the Palestinian people,\u201d he stressed. \u00a0Further, he observed that \u201cthe Israeli occupying Power is using water \u2014 yes, water \u2014 as a weapon of war.\u201d \u00a0Once again, Palestinian blood has become a tool for the calculations of Israeli politicians, and he called on mediator countries to ensure compliance with the ceasefire.<\/p>\n

Blocking trucks, cutting off electricity, mistreating non-governmental organizations, preventing Muslims from accessing the Aqsa Mosque compound \u2014 \u201cthese are all tactics of the oppressor\u201d, stated Pakistan\u2019s representative. \u00a0The manner in which the Council and the international community respond to such atrocities will have a lasting impact on the nature of the world order. \u00a0He also pointed out that international humanitarian law prohibits targeting military targets in civilian facilities.<\/p>\n

The Republic of Korea\u2019s representative said that Hamas\u2019 refusal to carry\u00a0out its obligations does not justify blocking humanitarian aid or using it as a bargaining chip. \u00a0He cited Under-Secretary-General Fletcher\u2019s remarks during a 12\u00a0March press briefing:\u00a0 \u201cI said to my colleague: \u00a0Why are the dogs so fat? \u00a0And he said: \u00a0Because the dogs are looking for corpses.\u201d \u00a0Israel must immediately cease its offensive, he stressed, urging all parties to return to the negotiating table.<\/p>\n

The representative of Denmark, Council President for March, spoke in her national capacity to spotlight Israel\u2019s obligation, as the occupying Power, to ensure that the civilian population does not lack food or other basic needs, including water. \u00a0Sierra Leone\u2019s delegate also noted that Israel, as the occupying Power, has obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention and international humanitarian law.<\/p>\n

They, along with the representatives of the United Kingdom and China, were among the many speakers who underscored the need for an immediate ceasefire. \u00a0Somalia\u2019s speaker, expressing concern that Israeli strikes in Gaza were taking place during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, also said that worshipers at the Aqsa Mosque compound must be able to freely and safely perform their religious rituals. \u00a0The Russian Federation\u2019s delegate warned against delays, noting that many have died because of the Council\u2019s earlier inability to decide on a ceasefire.<\/p>\n

Several speakers condemned Israel\u2019s decision to halt humanitarian aid into Gaza.\u00a0 \u201cThis decision is illegal,\u201d emphasized Guyana\u2019s representative, who also highlighted the impact on women \u2014 many have died from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth because of the restrictions. \u00a0She also noted the 13\u00a0March report of the independent international commission of inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which points to Israel\u2019s systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence since 7\u00a0October\u00a02023.<\/p>\n

Slovenia\u2019s representative, noting that it is roughly one year since the International Court of Justice issued provisional measures relating to humanitarian aid, famine and starvation in the case brought forward by South Africa, said that it is unacceptable that \u201cour conversations are still the same\u201d.<\/p>\n

Greece\u2019s delegate added that UNRWA\u2019s role is indispensable with millions in urgent need of primary health services, education and shelter. \u00a0\u201cWar has not left the next generation in Gaza untouched,\u201d he said, noting that thousands of children died, were injured or separated from their families and internally displaced.\u00a0 The unhindered and continuous flow of aid into all parts of Gaza should remain a priority, and he also voiced support for the Arab plan put forth by Egypt.<\/p>\n

Also speaking today was the Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States, who urged implementation of the first phase of that plan, adopted during an Arab League meeting in Cairo and later endorsed by a ministerial meeting of the\u00a0Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). \u00a0He also urged the Council to activate international oversight mechanisms to guarantee the safe and sustainable delivery of aid and ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

9881st Meeting (AM) SC\/16023 18 March 2025 As Israel resumes airstrikes over Gaza and blocks entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip, the modest gains made during the ceasefire are being destroyed, Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the Security Council today. \u201cOvernight, our worst fears materialized,\u201d he added, noting […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":301,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[],"document-category":[1329],"document-source":[1362,6169],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1769,5449,1829,2265,2005,6848,5200,2613,6876,6880,2385,6891,6251],"entity":[],"document-language":[],"class_list":["post-306369","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-press-release","document-source-security-council","document-source-united-nations-department-of-global-communications","document-subject-armed-conflict","document-subject-assistance-to-the-palestinian-people","document-subject-casualties","document-subject-ceasefire","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-hostages","document-subject-humanitarian-relief","document-subject-internally-displaced-persons","document-subject-international-court-of-justice","document-subject-occupying-power","document-subject-security-issues","document-subject-unrwa","document-subject-west-bank"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/306369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/301"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/306369\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":306374,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/306369\/revisions\/306374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=306369"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=306369"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=306369"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=306369"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=306369"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=306369"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=306369"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=306369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}