According to IRNA, Vasily Nebenzia whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council old on Tuesday local time during a meeting on Middle East and Palestine, pointed to solving humanitarian challenges and Gaza ceasefire as soon as possible.
Nebenzia warned about the level of "category 5" hunger in Gaza due to Israeli military offensive in Rafah and called for a "thorough assessment" of the situation in Gaza by humanitarian organizations.
The senior Russian diplomat deplored Britain saying “we would like to note that it is not for the UK to teach and lecture Members of the Security Council, including permanent ones, on upholding international law”.
He thanked Sigrid Kaag, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, for her briefing on the situation in the Palestinian territory and her efforts to ensure humanitarian access there in accordance with UNSC Resolution 2720.
Kaag told the council that 1.9 million people have been displaced after the Israeli attack on Rafah and said: "We need an immediate and complete ceasefire in Gaza and everyone must respect the law and international human rights laws and make protecting civilians a top priority”.
Reacting to the briefing, the Russian diplomat said the report makes it abundantly clear that the nearly nine-month military operation in the Gaza Strip supported by Washington renders to null all the efforts to sustainably and adequately provide the necessary assistance to the people of Gaza.
The situation "on the ground" is not just deteriorating, it is bringing the Gazans to the brink of starvation, and this is not a figure of speech, but a sad reality, he said, adding that the ongoing military operation and Israeli raids claimed over 38,000 lives, mostly of women and children.
The injured accounts for over 87,000 people. Tens of thousands are reported missing. Civilian infrastructure has been nearly destroyed, including hospitals, schools and housing. Rafah sees the direst situation.
We are also deeply concerned about the latest reports by the Gaza Health Ministry stating that the fuel provisions will suffice to keep the hospitals running no longer than for 48 hours. We must realize that there are numerous lives of patients in dire straits behind such news, Nebenzia elaborated.
In his remarks, the Russian representative to the UN commended the efforts of humanitarian organizations and the heroism of humanitarian aid workers, who continue to assist Palestinians, risking their own lives. “We believe that any aid provided, even in small amounts, is extremely important and can save lives or, at the very least, alleviate suffering. We need to continue working with the Palestinian and Israeli sides to find ways to deliver humanitarian aid”.
At the end, he called on the UN Security Council members to continue to exert pressure on both Israel and its American ally to ensure an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire regime. “Only thus can we put the conflict resolution process into a political and diplomatic track, primarily through creating conditions for launching direct dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis on the entire range of final status issues, including a two-state solution.
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