Doha: Palestine called on the United Nations (UN) and the international community to take urgent action to halt the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, which has lasted for nearly 19 months, and to ensure the unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid to the civilian population.
According to Qatar News Agency, this appeal was made through three identical letters sent by Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations Riyad Mansour to the UN Secretary-General, the President of the Security Council for this month (Greece), and the President of the UN General Assembly. The letters highlighted Israel's continued blockade on the entry of humanitarian supplies for over two months and the daily attacks that have resulted in casualties among Palestinian children, women, and men.
The letters stressed the global community's responsibility to address Israel's public calls to target food and aid warehouses in Gaza, indicating an intention to starve the Palestinian people. Mansour cited statements from the UN Secretary-General and the UN humanitarian team in the occupied Palestinian territory, who condemned the use of aid as a weapon of war and warned against Israel's attempts to control the aid distribution system, violating basic humanitarian principles.
The letters also highlighted the risks faced by humanitarian workers and international organizations, referencing the bombing of a Freedom Flotilla coalition ship in Maltese waters on May 2. The vessel was transporting food and life-saving aid, and the attack endangered the lives of 16 humanitarian workers and activists.
Palestine urged international efforts to pressure Israel into adhering to international humanitarian and human rights laws, ensuring the provision of essential supplies to Palestinian civilians. It also called for accountability measures against Israeli officials, particularly the prime minister, for crimes against civilians and advocated for an immediate arms embargo on Israel.
The letters reiterated Palestine's call for the Security Council and member states to take immediate action to enforce its resolutions, particularly the establishment of a permanent ceasefire and the guarantee of unhindered access to aid and vital services for the people of Gaza.