Statement by H.E. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Permanent Representative of Guyana to the United Nations, at Security Council meeting on 'The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question'

Madame President,

Thank you for convening this meeting and allow me to also express appreciation to our briefers Mr. Rajasingham and Ms. Soeripto for the insight they provided on the worsening crisis in the Occupied Palestinian territories, particularly as it relates to the food security situation and the threatening conditions under which humanitarian workers are operating. 

Madame President, colleagues,

Two weeks ago, this Council met and demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the month of Ramadan and envisaged that this ceasefire would pave the way for a permanent end to the fighting. It was also envisaged that this ceasefire would create the conditions for facilitating the expansion of humanitarian assistance into Gaza. Regrettably, resolution 2728 is being completely disregarded while the humanitarian situation worsens. In the days since 25 March, the Al-Shifa Hospital was completely destroyed, and the world witnessed a most brutal and daring attack on a convoy of the World Central Kitchen resulting in the death of seven team members. Guyana commiserates with the families of all those who lost their lives in these tragic circumstances.

We have time and again highlighted the fact that deconfliction and notification mechanisms are not functioning resulting in serious compromises to the safety and security of humanitarian workers in the Gaza Strip. Consequently, more than 200 aid workers have been killed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since October 2023. These indiscriminate killings of humanitarian personnel are an egregious illegality which must be investigated and the perpetrators must be held accountable. 

A pattern has emerged in this conflict of indiscriminate attacks on humanitarian workers and agencies, including UN agencies. Palestinian civilians ultimately bear the brunt of these actions. When humanitarian agencies decide to restrict or suspend their operations owing to the dangerous conditions in the Gaza Strip, the number of civilians they can assist decreases. The humanitarian situation thus worsens. 

The strategy of collective punishment that is being inflicted on the Palestinian people has incorporated starvation as a method of warfare evidenced by, inter alia, savage attacks on those attempting to meet the needs of starving Palestinians. Palestinians themselves have been fatally attacked while seeking sustenance. We are familiar with the results of this strategy – manmade malnutrition,  manmade famine, disease, and death. We recall the latest IPC report which projected famine in the northern governorates of Gaza between mid-March and the end of May. Guyana believes that famine is already present in Gaza, taking note, for example, of the assessment by UNICEF in March that 1 in 3 children under 2 years of age is acutely malnourished in the north and reports by UNICEF that several children, including babies, have died from malnutrition. Those children who manage to survive will likely face serious challenges into adulthood affecting their quality of life and productivity, and therefore their capacity to contribute to the development of their homeland. One can only conclude, then, that there is method to this madness that has been unleashed on Palestinians in Gaza – and it threatens the very survival of the nation.

International humanitarian law prohibits the use of starvation as a weapon of warfare. By extension, those who seek to provide humanitarian relief to starving civilians in armed conflict should be protected and not targeted. Guyana condemns in the strongest terms, all attacks on humanitarian workers and UN personnel operating in the Gaza Strip and calls on Israel to uphold its obligations under international law.

Madame President, dear colleagues,

Guyana also underscores the critical work of agencies such as UNRWA in providing food assistance, medical care, emergency aid and other critical support to the Palestinian people. We call on the Israeli authorities to reverse their decision and allow UNRWA to deliver lifesaving services to the people to the north of Gaza. We stress the need to ensure adequate funding for UNRWA and call on Member States to scale up their contributions to the Agency as a direct investment in the humanitarian response in Gaza.

We also stress the importance of additional routes into Gaza, particularly land routes. We hope that these would not be rendered almost useless by burdensome verification processes. We acknowledge the announcement of Israel to temporarily open the Erez crossing and allow the use of the Ashdod port.

In closing, Guyana calls for the upholding of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Accountability is a critical element of international law and we urge this Council to ensure that the occupying power does not continue its flagrant violations of international law.

I thank you.