Pakistan Urges UN Security Council to Act Decisively as Palestinians Face Israeli Violence, Starvation

In advance of a high-level UN General Assembly Conference set for June on the two-State solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, Pakistan has called on the UN Security Council to break its silence and act decisively as Palestinians face ongoing violence, starvation, and displacement.

Speaking during a Council debate on the Middle East, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, strongly criticized the global inaction, emphasizing that history would not forgive the failure to respond.

“The cries from Gaza must no longer be met with silence. The cost of inaction is too high,” he said. “We cannot afford another day without action. The world must respond now.”

The General Assembly will host a major Conference from June 17 to 20 at UN headquarters in New York, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, to discuss pathways to a two-State solution. In his address, Ambassador Asim emphasized that the UN Security Council must create conditions for the conference to succeed and immediately support a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and unrestricted humanitarian aid.

“There is no moral or legal justification for the suffering being inflicted on the Palestinian people. Enough is enough,” he declared.

He described the situation in Gaza as a “man-made catastrophe,” caused by Israel’s blockade, airstrikes, and assaults on civilians. According to Ambassador Asim, over 54,000 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed, with more than 122,000 injured.

He detailed the extensive destruction in Gaza, including the targeting of more than 800 medical facilities and a healthcare system operating under siege conditions. Starvation has already claimed the lives of at least 57 children, and humanitarian access remains severely restricted. He added that 80% of homes have been destroyed and basic infrastructure has been decimated, including water, electricity, and communication networks.

Ambassador Asim also warned of dire conditions for pregnant women, with over 50,000 expecting mothers and many facing childbirth in unsafe environments. More than 28,000 women and girls have reportedly been killed.

Turning attention to the West Bank, the envoy condemned rising violence, home demolitions, and restrictions on Palestinian movement. He also criticized provocative visits by Israeli officials to Al-Aqsa Mosque, warning these could escalate tensions across the region.

He urged the Council to take four urgent actions:

1. Enforce Resolution 2735 and immediately halt attacks on civilians;

2. Ensure unrestricted humanitarian access and lift all barriers to aid delivery;

3. Denounce all efforts to forcibly displace Palestinians;

4. Work toward a just, lasting peace based on the two-State solution, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of a sovereign Palestinian state.

“This is undoubtedly one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time,” Ambassador Asim concluded, calling for immediate and unified international action.

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