UN Security Council members warned that Israel’s plan to occupy Gaza City and forcibly displace its residents would deepen the humanitarian crisis, risking mass civilian deaths and regional instability.
Several representatives of UN Security Council member states warned on Sunday against Israel’s plan to occupy the Gaza Strip, amid mounting international opposition and concerns over an escalating humanitarian disaster in the territory, which has been subjected to genocide for nearly two years.
The Security Council convened an emergency session at the request of the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Greece, and Slovenia, with the backing of Russia, China, Somalia, Algeria, and Pakistan, to address the Israeli occupation’s announcement of its intention to seize control of Gaza and forcibly transfer its population into camps.
At the start of the meeting, British Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN James Kariuki said the current Israeli escalation in Gaza could displace about one million people.
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He described Israel’s decision to expand its military operations as wrong and urged it to immediately reverse the move.
Kariuki added that fragmentary aid deliveries were inadequate, calling on Israel to lift its restrictions on humanitarian assistance and to stop obstructing aid agencies through arbitrary measures.
French Deputy Permanent Representative Darmad Hikari also strongly condemned Israel’s plan to expand operations to take control of Gaza City.
He reiterated France’s firm opposition to any attempt to occupy, annex, settle, or forcibly displace the Gaza Strip, and urged Israel to urgently open all crossings to allow the entry of humanitarian aid and comply with international humanitarian law.
For her part, Acting US Representative to the Security Council Dorothy Shea claimed Israel’s decision to continue its military campaign was made after months of what she called Hamas’s intransigence.
She also said that Israel had the right to determine what was necessary for its security and to take measures to end what she described as the Hamas threat. Shea argued that the Council should hold Hamas fully accountable, claiming that Sunday’s meeting undermined that effort.
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The meeting followed last week’s approval by Israel’s security cabinet of a plan to occupy Gaza City and establish an alternative administration there.
A senior UN official, Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča, warned that the plan could trigger “a new catastrophe” with repercussions far beyond Gaza, leading to further displacement, killing, and destruction.
Earlier, Slovenia’s Ambassador to the UN, Samoil Zbogar, speaking on behalf of the five European members of the Council, said the decision would not guarantee the return of Israeli captives and could put their lives at greater risk. He warned it would worsen Gaza’s already catastrophic humanitarian situation and increase the likelihood of mass displacement and civilian deaths.
Under the Israeli plan, Gaza City’s estimated one million residents would be forced to move south, after which the city would be encircled and subject to raids. In a second phase, Israeli forces would occupy central Gaza’s refugee camps, many of which have already been heavily damaged during the ongoing war—waged with US support since October 7, 2023.
Israel estimates that 50 of its captives remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Meanwhile, over 10,800 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, where they face torture, starvation, and medical neglect. Many have died in custody, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.
(PC, AJA)
The Nations that oppose israel HAVE TO NOW mobilize for WAR!! Mobilization does not mean war, but the usa and israel have to be shown that the Nations will NOT tolerate or permit GENOCIDE any longer — let alone an increased magnified GENOCIDE!!… israel may have announced ” plans “, but bringing ” plans ” into Reality is a very different matter. The insain government in israel IS NOW a real danger to the jews in israel, and to jews World-wide as hatred against them grows…The usa IS WRONG!!! No Nation has the right to a security which endangers other Nations’ security or entails MASS-MURDER of 60,000 innocent unarmed trapped starving Palestinian Human Beings!!…GOD LOVES PALESTINE!
Why don’t hamas release the captives and end the war. So many people are getting killed.
Do something. Anything, except toothless, pointlessly, shame blame the captive population who, like the Jewish ghetto residents – starved to death by the Nazi – who tried to break out of their death camp. Hamas is the Resistance. The Nazi Zionists “Israelis” are the usurper, invaders, temporary entity. UK created this nightmare, the pact with the Devil, to get the Yanks into the WWI (yes, the first one). Death to Zionism. Death to “Israel”. Death to anti-Semites (like 79% of “Israelis” are).