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STORY: UN / GAZA ISRAEL
TRT: 04:59
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 21 MARCH 2025, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UN Headquarters
21 MARCH 2025, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ad Interim, United Nations:
“In Gaza, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health (MOH), at least 3,860 Palestinians were killed, and at least 5,979 were injured during the reporting period. According to Israeli sources, 59 hostages are still being held captive of the 251 hostages abducted on 7 October by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. Israeli sources also report 30 Israel Defense Forces soldiers killed and at least 3 injured during the reporting period.”
4. Med shot, Palestinian ambassador
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ad Interim, United Nations:
“Since 2 March, the entry of all humanitarian and commercial supplies into Gaza has been halted by the Israeli authorities, severely impacting humanitarian operations. Israel has also cut power to southern Gaza's desalination plant, limiting clean water access for 600,000 people.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ad Interim, United Nations:
“On 30 January, Israeli legislation that seeks to prevent UNRWA from operating in the territory that Israel regards as being part of the State of Israel, which includes occupied East Jerusalem, came into effect. On 18 February, Israeli Forces and municipality personnel forcefully entered the UNRWA Kalandia Training Centre in East Jerusalem, fired tear gas and sound bombs in its vicinity, and ordered its immediate evacuation, impacting at least 350 students and 30 staff members. Israeli police officers also went to several UNRWA schools in occupied East Jerusalem and ordered their closure.”
8. Med shot, Israeli ambassador
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ad Interim, United Nations:
“The escalation of violence in the occupied West Bank is deeply troubling. Alongside the rising death toll, Palestine refugee camps in the northern West Bank are being emptied and are sustaining massive infrastructure damage during Israeli operations. The number of displaced Palestinians continues to rise, and residents continue to be denied the right to return home. I am deeply concerned by any long-term presence of Israeli security forces in the camps, which would further undermine the Palestinian Authority and be contrary to Israel’s obligation to end its unlawful continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as affirmed by the International Court of Justice.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ad Interim, United Nations:
“The implementation of two Knesset laws concerning UNRWA could dramatically hinder efforts to ease human suffering. I reiterate that there is no alternative to UNRWA. I condemn the breach of the inviolability of United Nations premises in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and the attempt to forcibly enter UNRWA schools and to seek their closure. National legislation cannot alter Israel’s obligations under international law.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Dorothy Shea, Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“Hamas bears full responsibility for the ongoing war in Gaza, and for the resumption of hostilities. Every death would have been avoided had Hamas accepted the “bridge” proposal that the United States offered last Wednesday.”
14. Wide shot, Security Council
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Dorothy Shea, Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“We need bold thinking to avoid making the same mistakes in the West Bank, Gaza, and further afield. In 2017, President Trump recognized the reality that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital, and several other countries did the same. It is time for new thinking on Gaza, as well, so Gazans and the region may enjoy security and prosper.”
16. Wide shot, Security Council
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer to the United Nations, Palestine:
“Confronted with this unprecedented Israeli escalation, there must be an unprecedented escalation of international measures in response. If you do not escalate your action, concrete action, in upholding international law, defending Security Council resolutions and UN resolutions, Israel is not going to change its behavior.”
18. Wide shot, Security Council
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Danny Danon, Representative to the United Nations, Israel:
“There will be no sanctuary for terrorists. Not Judea and Samaria, not in Gaza, not in Lebanon, not anywhere. So let all enemies of Israel, whether in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, Yemen or Iran, understand this: If you seek to harm our people, we will rise and strike.”
20. Wide shot, Security Council
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Sigrid Kaag said, “The number of displaced Palestinians continues to rise, and residents continue to be denied the right to return home.”
Addressing the Security Council today (21 Mar) Kaag reported that in Gaza, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health (MOH), at least 3,860 Palestinians were killed, and at least 5,979 were injured during the reporting period.
She continued, “According to Israeli sources, she added, 59 hostages are still being held captive of the 251 hostages abducted on 7 October by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. Israeli sources also report 30 Israel Defense Forces soldiers killed and at least 3 injured during the reporting period.
Kaag said, “Since 2 March, the entry of all humanitarian and commercial supplies into Gaza has been halted by the Israeli authorities, severely impacting humanitarian operations. Israel has also cut power to southern Gaza's desalination plant, limiting clean water access for 600,000 people.”
On 30 January, Kaag said, “Israeli legislation that seeks to prevent UNRWA from operating in the territory that Israel regards as being part of the State of Israel, which includes occupied East Jerusalem, came into effect. On 18 February, Israeli Forces and municipality personnel forcefully entered the UNRWA Kalandia Training Centre in East Jerusalem, fired tear gas and sound bombs in its vicinity, and ordered its immediate evacuation, impacting at least 350 students and 30 staff members. Israeli police officers also went to several UNRWA schools in occupied East Jerusalem and ordered their closure.”
She added, “The escalation of violence in the occupied West Bank is deeply troubling. Alongside the rising death toll, Palestine refugee camps in the northern West Bank are being emptied and are sustaining massive infrastructure damage during Israeli operations. The number of displaced Palestinians continues to rise, and residents continue to be denied the right to return home. The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by any long-term presence of Israeli security forces in the camps, which would further undermine the Palestinian Authority and be contrary to Israel’s obligation to end its unlawful continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as affirmed by the International Court of Justice.”
She stressed, “The implementation of two Knesset laws concerning UNRWA could dramatically hinder efforts to ease human suffering. I reiterate that there is no alternative to UNRWA. I condemn the breach of the inviolability of United Nations premises in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and the attempt to forcibly enter UNRWA schools and to seek their closure. National legislation cannot alter Israel’s obligations under international law.”
Also addressing the Council, Dorothy Shea, US Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, stated, “Hamas bears full responsibility for the ongoing war in Gaza, and for the resumption of hostilities. Every death would have been avoided had Hamas accepted the “bridge” proposal that the United States offered last Wednesday.”
She also said, “We need bold thinking to avoid making the same mistakes in the West Bank, Gaza, and further afield. In 2017, President Trump recognized the reality that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital, and several other countries did the same. It is time for new thinking on Gaza, as well, so Gazans and the region may enjoy security and prosper.”
Riyad Mansour, Palestinian Permanent Observer to the United Nations, said, “Confronted with this unprecedented Israeli escalation, there must be an unprecedented escalation of international measures in response. If you do not escalate your action, concrete action, in upholding international law, defending Security Council resolutions and UN resolutions, Israel is not going to change its behavior.”
Danny Danon, Representative of Israel to the United Nations, said, “There will be no sanctuary for terrorists. Not Judea and Samaria, not in Gaza, not in Lebanon, not anywhere. So let all enemies of Israel, whether in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, Yemen or Iran, understand this: If you seek to harm our people, we will rise and strike.”
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