Statement delivered by Ambassador Trishala Persaud, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Permanent Mission of Guyana to the UN, at the UNSC briefing on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question"

Thank you, Mr. President,

I express appreciation to the delegation of Algeria for requesting this meeting. I also thank Mr. Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Dr. Younes Al-Khatib, President of the Palestine Red

Crescent Society, for their sobering briefings.

At the outset, Guyana offers its sincere condolences to the UN and the PRCS on the loss of staffers in Gaza and to the families of all those who recently died under very tragic circumstances.

Mr. President,

The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is deteriorating rapidly, creating a severe security and humanitarian crisis. This crisis has been spawned by the ongoing violation of international law, including international humanitarian law. There is the risk of the total collapse of international law in the region if the Council does not find the collective will to uphold the rule of international law.

There must be a consistent application of international law, and Member States of the United Nations have a special responsibility to uphold the rule of law. Guyana, therefore, calls on the Security Council to address the anomaly in Palestine where the Occupying Power is inflicting immense hardships on Palestinians, including children, with no accountability.

Mr. President,

The incidents in Gaza over the past days are devastating signs of the depths to which the situation in Gaza has sunk. The reported deaths of the UN and Palestine Red Crescent Society workers and other first responders, and the burial of their bodies in shallow graves near to clearly marked, destroyed ambulances and a UN vehicle must elicit our collective outrage and a demand for justice and accountability. Medical personnel and humanitarian workers must be safe to undertake their functions.

Functioning coordination and deconfliction mechanisms are critical to ensuring this, and parties to a conflict are obligated to not cause harm. Guyana supports High Commissioner Türk’s call for an independent, prompt, and thorough investigation into the incident of 23 March and for those responsible to be held to account.

Mr. President,

We have heard the vivid descriptions of the conditions to which Palestinians are subject both in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Forced displacement on multiple occasions, deaths, starvation, and disease – while it is a repeat of the horrendous situation we saw since 7 October, some humanitarians have reported a level of recklessness and non-restraint not hitherto seen. Yesterday marked one month since supplies were barred from entering Gaza, leaving 2.1 million people to perish. Sixty-four percent (64%) of Gaza is under active forced displacement orders, with about 200,000 people displaced again since the ceasefire broke down. The Council must respond to these atrocities in accordance with its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

In the occupied West Bank, the combination of settler violence and the ongoing Israeli military operations has also created a crisis for thousands of Palestinian civilians who have been injured, rendered homeless following the destruction or damage of their homes, or have suffered economic loss on account of the theft of their livestock or destruction of their farmlands.

Mr. President,

Allow me to reiterate the following appeals.

First, there must be an immediate cessation of all hostilities in Gaza and a return to the implementation of the ceasefire deal pursuant to resolution 2735. Guyana also calls for the end of Israel’s military operations in the occupied West Bank. Civilians are bearing the brunt of the violence, and their situation is becoming increasingly intolerable as they endure hardship after hardship.

Second, the cessation of hostilities in Gaza must be followed by a permanent and unconditional ceasefire to create conditions for the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza.

Third, all hostages still held in Gaza must be immediately and unconditionally released. The taking of hostages is a war crime and those responsible must be held accountable.

Fourth, Palestinians detained in Israeli jails without charge must be immediately and unconditionally released. We were saddened to learn of the death of Walid Ahmad, a 17-year-old Palestinian boy who had been detained in Israel since September 2024. According to reports, Walid was the first Palestinian child known to have died in an Israeli prison. There must be accountability for his death and for the remaining Palestinians in Israeli custody without the administration of justice. They deserve accountability.

Fifth, as the occupying power, Israel is obligated to ensure that humanitarian needs are met in Palestine. We, therefore, call on Israel to ensure that humanitarian workers can operate freely and safely, that humanitarian supplies are allowed to enter Gaza, and that those supplies reach all civilians in need. We remind of the relevant provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice in January, March and May 2024.

Finally, Guyana calls for accountability for all of the crimes perpetrated against Palestinians and Israelis in the context of the October 7 war. We also call for justice and accountability for all Palestinian people who have been disenfranchised for almost eight decades. A key element of justice is for Palestinians to exercise their right to self-determination – specifically to have a free and independent state of their own in accordance with the pre-1967 borders. This requires a political solution, and Guyana urges this Council and all UN Member States to act in support of this just objective.

I thank you.