Statement delivered by Her Excellency Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Permanent Representative of Guyana to the United Nations, at the UNSC meeting on the 'Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question'

Mr. President, Colleagues,

Guyana is pleased that this Council has finally been able to adopt a resolution which demands an immediate ceasefire albeit for the month of Ramadan, leading to a lasting and sustainable ceasefire. After more than five months of a war of utter terror and destruction, a ceasefire is the difference between life and death for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and others.

This demand comes at a significant time as Palestinians are observing the holy month of Ramadan. Sadly, this year’s Ramadan is different for Palestinians – fatally different. The observance began as people weep over the killing of their loved ones while bombs and bullets continue to fall indiscriminately around them. 17,000 children began Ramadan as orphans owing to this war. 70,000 families began Ramadan without a home, all rubble. Another 290,000 homes have been severely damaged.

Instead of being in their homes, the sacred place where they usually pray, break fast and commune with family and friends during this holy month, three quarters of the population of Gaza are internally displaced.

Ramadan is also a time for families to join for nightly feasts, and a time to share food and other blessings with the less fortunate. But for the people in Gaza, there is starvation and we are already seeing evidence of famine. All of this when there is food available but deliberately withheld.

Women and children are disproportionately impacted. They represent the majority of those killed. More of them are going hungry. More women are staying behind in dangerous situations because they choose to stay to care for those who simply cannot move. Children, and pregnant and lactating women, are at higher risk of mortality due to lack of adequate nutrition.

At the same time, the anguish of the families of the hostages held in Gaza continues to mount with no clear prospect for the return of their loved ones. Palestinians experience the same anguish waiting for their relatives who are illegally detained in Israel to come home. Guyana emphasizes the demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. We also demand the release of all Palestinians held in Israeli jails without trial.

Mr. President,

The realities that the population of Gaza has been facing since 7 October have worsened with each passing day, as the occupying power continues its atrocities.

Given these realities, and the consensus by elected members of this Council that we must act, Guyana unhesitatingly collaborated with fellow elected members to put forward this draft resolution for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages and for expanding humanitarian assistance.

In this regard, we thank the coordinator of the E10, His Excellency Ambassador Pedro Commissario and the delegation of Mozambique, for their excellent

leadership of this process.

Mr. President,

Today, the Security Council has chosen to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people. It is long overdue but it is still the right thing to have done, to stop the indignities against the Palestinian people.

But this is just the beginning. The task before us now is to secure full compliance with this resolution and its predecessors, including 2712 and 2720. In this regard,

Guyana calls for full adherence to these resolutions.

Finally, Mr. President, the holy month of Ramadan would end in a mere fifteen days. It is therefore essential that this Council, and those with influence on the parties, immediately redouble efforts to bring about the lasting and sustainable ceasefire this resolution calls for, to secure the release of hostages and to massively scale up humanitarian assistance. This is absolutely necessary to save lives, begin the reconstruction of Gaza, and to create a free State of Palestine with which Israel peacefully co-exists.

I thank you.