JAKARTA - The British deputy ambassador to the United Nations (UN), James Kariuki, expressed concern over the obstruction of international humanitarian aid access to Gaza by the Israeli authorities.
He condemned Israel's continued efforts despite the ceasefire as "heinous attacks", both on UNRWA facilities in East Jerusalem, or on restrictions on the work of international non-governmental organizations.
"This is the backbone of the humanitarian response, providing funding of USD1 billion every year, and without them, the Palestinians will face more suffering," he said at a high-level meeting (summit) of the UN Security Council (UNSC), Wednesday local time, quoted from AN.
Kariuki urged the Israeli authorities to honor their humanitarian commitments under the principles of international law, and the peace plan of the US President Donald Trump's government confirmed in the Gaza ceasefire agreement in October 2025.
"The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire," Kariuki said, with at least nine babies dying of hypothermia throughout the winter from late 2025 to the present, including a 3-month-old baby last week.
"This is completely unacceptable, especially when life-saving shelters and medical supplies are still on the border, blocked by the Israeli authorities," he added.
Kariuki emphasized that Israel's decision to open a crossing to Gaza at Rafah was not enough. "All crossings must be fully opened to allow aid to enter Gaza on a large scale," he said.
He also called for the immediate implementation of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, as stated in Security Council Resolution 2803.
The second phase, namely the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas, the deployment of international stabilization forces, and a clear schedule for the transfer of Government in Gaza to the reformed Palestinian Authority. "Hamas must not have a role in managing the region in the future," he added.
Previously, still during the UNSC Summit, the Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansourn, condemned Israel for targeting humanitarian organizations, including non-governmental organizations and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), especially when Israel openly seized and destroyed UNRWA facilities, even banning and expelling aid groups from the Palestinian territories.
He questioned what justice meant for Palestinian families whose relatives had been killed or were still missing under the rubble, or who had suffered in displacement, trauma, and long-term injuries, when the ceasefire took place but hundreds of people were still killed in Gaza as a result of Israeli attacks.
"The suffering of Palestinian civilians - men, women and children - must be ended with the same urgency," Mansourn said.
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