Security Council Adopts Resolution Calling for Urgent Humanitarian Pauses and Corridors Throughout Gaza Strip

Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

The Security Council adopted resolution 2712 (2023) calling for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip for a sufficient number of days to enable, consistent with international humanitarian law, the full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access for United Nations humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other impartial humanitarian organizations, to facilitate the continuous, sufficient and unhindered provision of essential goods and services important to the well-being of civilians, especially children, throughout the Gaza Strip, including water, electricity, fuel, food, and medical supplies, as well as emergency repairs to essential infrastructure, and to enable urgent rescue and recovery efforts, including for missing children in damaged and destroyed buildings, and including the medical evacuation of sick or injured children and their care givers. The resolution also demands that all parties comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, notably with regard to the protection of civilians, especially children. The resolution was adopted with 12 votes in favour, none against and three abstentions (Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States).