Statement delivered by H.E. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Permanent Representative of Guyana to the United Nations, at the Security Council Briefing on 'The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question'
Madam President,
Thank you for organizing today’s briefing and my thanks as well to USG Fletcher for his sobering briefing.
Madam President,
Palestinians are observing another Ramadan marked by deprivation and renewed destruction - more than 400 of them reportedly killed in the last 24 hours. It is ironic that in this holy month when Muslims across the world seek to grow in moral probity, Palestinians are confronted with more suffering brought about by an apparent paucity of humanity and compassion.
The past three weeks have seen a rollback of the humanitarian progress made over the previous six weeks following the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the United States. With the pause of the Israeli offensive in Gaza and the easing of several restrictions on humanitarian assistance, Palestinians, and indeed the international community, were hopeful that the situation would progressively improve, culminating at some point in a full recovery for Gaza. Guyana is therefore very disappointed that a decision was taken to halt humanitarian aid into Gaza since March 2, on account of a deadlock in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas. This decision is illegal since Israel is obligated under international law not to deprive civilians of the goods and services essential to their survival.
Once again, Palestinian civilians are being made to walk the path of war which has ravaged their lives and their land for over fifteen months. This Council must take the necessary action to prevent a repeat of the catastrophe which Gaza has endured for more than a year.
Coupled with this new offensive, the ongoing aid blockade has placed Palestinians in an extremely precarious situation, as we have heard from USG Fletcher. Guyana calls on Israel to lift the ban on the entry of aid into Gaza, in keeping with its obligations under international humanitarian law. As asserted by the World Food Programme (WFP), “unimpeded humanitarian access is the only means of survival for many families.” We therefore call for full respect for their right to life. We further call on Israel and Hamas to prioritize the lives and wellbeing of civilians and to urgently reach agreement on the next phase of the ceasefire deal, and ultimately on a permanent ceasefire. We also call on Israel to halt airstrikes on Gaza, as these only strain the negotiating environment in addition to bringing more death and destruction.
Madam President,
As the largest gathering on women’s empowerment and gender equality - the Commission on the Status of Women – is currently meeting in New York, allow me to speak on the painful reports of the situation of women and girls in Palestine – both in Gaza and in the occupied West Bank. We have taken note of the 13 March report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, on Israel’s systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence since 7 October 2023. The report has elaborated the disproportionate impact of the war on Palestinian women and girls who continue to bear the brunt of the decisions taken by those in power. Civilian women and girls have been reportedly targeted directly. Women have died from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth because of restrictions imposed and conditions created by the war. Their access to adequate healthcare, including reproductive healthcare, has been severely curtailed.
The combination of starvation, denial of humanitarian assistance, destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system and lack of access to water and sanitation has caused severe reproductive harms to women, impacting all aspects of reproduction, including pregnancy, childbirth, post-partum recovery and lactation. Further, women and girls are enduring conditions that severely limit their ability to manage postpartum-bleeding and menstruation hygienically and with dignity.
The mantra of no one left behind rings hollow, when Palestinian women and girls see their rights trampled upon daily, and the very basic of necessities for female hygiene which many of us take for granted, such as sanitary napkins and water, become a luxury.
Madam President,
One of the most painful realizations is all of this is happening in the twenty-first century. With all the international legal advances made for the protection and promotion of the rights of women and girls, the situation in Palestine should never have reached these proportions.
The situation of children is equally distressing, Madame President. As reported by UNICEF, without aid entering the Gaza Strip, roughly 1 million children are again living without the very basics they need to survive.
Madam President, dear colleagues,
The people in Gaza continue to suffer because of political decisions that they had no part in making. These decisions will be felt for years, even decades, by innocent people who will still be grappling with the socio-economic, physical, and psychological impacts of this war long after the guns have gone silent. In fact, this is a double tragedy since the people of Israel will also continue to grapple with the consequences of a decades-old war that keeps pitting them against people, who just like themselves, dream of peace.
Guyana’s singular appeal to the parties is to prioritize peace for the people of Palestine and the people of Israel.
In so doing, we reiterate the need for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire to create the conditions for the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza.
Guyana again calls on Israel to lift its illegal blockade of aid into the Gaza Strip to facilitate the easing of the dire humanitarian situation and on the international community to scale up its humanitarian assistance.
We also reiterate the demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages from Gaza and of Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli jails without charge.
Finally, Guyana calls for earnest efforts towards a lasting, just and comprehensive peace between Israel and Palestine premised on the two-state solution. Guyana remains committed to doing its part to this end.
I thank you.
