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STORY: UN / GAZA PALESTINIAN QUESTION
TRT: 7:07
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 24 APRIL 2024, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters
24 APRIL 2024, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sigrid Kaag, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, United Nations:
“I am pleased to announce that the operationalization of the UN 2720 Mechanism for Gaza will start in the coming days. I am grateful for the constructive cooperation. The mechanism will initially be applicable to the Cyprus and Jordan routes, respectively. Technical consultations will shortly be finalized with Egypt on its route. I have informed Israel on the operationalization of the Mechanism as per the resolution.”
4. Close up, Israel delegation
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sigrid Kaag, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, United Nations:
“The operationalization of the Mechanism will allow for pipeline prioritization, predictability, visibility and tracking of supplies to Gaza. As the Resolution intended, the Mechanism is designed to facilitate and support the work of all humanitarian partners on the ground.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sigrid Kaag, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, United Nations:
“With respect to Jordan, my team has worked with the concerned authorities to launch the Jordan land corridor under a new streamlined modality. This has resulted in an increase in the number of trucks, thereby volume, with only one transloading inside the Gaza crossing, and has the potential for further increases. The entire UN family is planning for the receipt and onward distribution of cargo at scale directly from Jordan to Northern Gaza via the Erez crossing. This route is both effective and vital to reach civilians in Northern Gaza and beyond.”
8. Wide shot, Security Council
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sigrid Kaag, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, United Nations:
“The Cyprus maritime corridor provides for additionality of humanitarian aid to Gaza. It can never be a substitute for delivery by land. Land routes are the only way to bring in the bulk of supplies needed. Preparations for building the floating port and pier on the shores of Gaza are advancing, with the involvement of the US and other Member States. The UN has outlined the parameters under which it can play a meaningful role in the distribution of aid via this corridor.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Sigrid Kaag, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, United Nations:
“Let us remember that behind every statistic is a human story of loss and suffering. It is our duty to provide protection, support and therefore hope to the Palestinian population in Gaza. It is also our duty to advocate for lasting peace between Israel and a fully independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert A. Wood, Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations, United States:
“Israel must do more to prevent civilian casualties immediately. And President Biden has made clear that US policy will be determined by our assessment of Israel's immediate and sustained action on the steps. Israel has taken some positive steps, but not nearly enough and not quickly enough. And so the United States position is clear. Israel must take immediate action to open additional land crossings. into northern Gaza.”
14. Wide shot, Security Council
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert A. Wood, Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations, United States:
“Deconfliction mechanisms are vital. This is how we protect the lives of those who are working to save the lives of innocent people. And so, Israel must fully implement functional deconfliction procedures. It must. We reiterate our call for accountability, for instance in which humanitarian personnel were killed. This includes the deadly attack on World Central Kitchen personnel earlier this month. There must be an additional independent, transparent investigation.”
16. Wide shot, Security Council
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert A. Wood, Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations, United States:
“The United States has been clear from the beginning, that we fully support Israel's right to self-defense, and that support is ironclad. But we have also been clear that as Israel continues to pursue the destruction of the remaining elements of Hamas, we are opposed to a full scale military operation in Rafah, which would have catastrophic consequences for the civilian population. We reiterate our call for Israel to produce a credible and actionable plan to protect the civilian population in Rafah and address the humanitarian needs of those who have sought refuge in the south.”
18. Wide shot, Security Council
19. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“We’d very much like to believe that the proposed mechanism on the delivery of humanitarian relief consignments will change the situation for the better, but this is unrealistic given the hostilities and the clearing out that's going on. The situation has gotten so out of hand that the Israeli settlers are raiding Palestinian villages, setting them alight, killing. Against this backdrop humanitarian aid workers are going to continue perishing, the one stop shop that's proposed within the fabric of the mechanism will hardly help.”
20. Wide shot, Security Council
21. SOUNDBITE (English) Brett Jonathan Miller, Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Israel:
“While Israel has clearly stepped up its efforts according to external sources as well, it is essential that the UN steps up its capabilities too. As growing numbers of trucks are inspected enabled entry from Israel side, we are concerned that these amounts of aid are not always swiftly distributed in the Gaza Strip. As reported recently, the main problem at the moment is not getting assistance into Gaza, but rather getting it distributed within the Gaza Strip. Unfortunately, there have been several occasions lately when large numbers of trucks carrying aid after being inspected enabled passage by Israel, stood ready and waiting on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing.”
22. Wide shot, Security Council
23. SOUNDBITE (English) Brett Jonathan Miller, Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Israel:
“While this council expects Israel to step up efforts and do it share with regard to humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, this Council must step up its own efforts and demand that this horror which has last for more than six months finally ends. It is regrettable that this Council cannot bring refuge to these hostages and their families. We're here to remind all that these hostages have not been allowed any basic humanitarian assistance by the monstrous terrorist kidnappers at all. Israel will do whatever it takes to bring them home. This Council must step up to that task too.”
24. Wide shot, Security Council
25. Wide shot, Sigrid Kaag walking to the podium
26. SOUNDBITE (English) Sigrid Kaag, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, United Nations:
“How the maritime corridor and the port are connected - well, you need to leave from Cyprus, the goods will be cleared, the goods will arrive, the humanitarian goods will be cleared, will be security checked, they will be shipped and then there's a pier that's currently pier/port being constructed by the US where the goods will be received, so to speak, and will be received and distributed by the international community across the entire Gaza Strip. For the UN, we have determined a number of parameters under which the UN family is able and in a position to receive and distribute the goods. But there are also a number of international NGOs that are considering participating in the distribution of goods that come via the maritime corridor.”
27. Wide shot, Kaag leaving the podium
Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag announced that the operationalization of the UN 2720 Mechanism for Gaza “will start in the coming days,” adding that she has informed Israel on the operationalization of the Mechanism as per the resolution.
Kaag today (24 Apr) told the Council in New York that the mechanism will initially be applicable to the Cyprus and Jordan routes, respectively. Technical consultations will shortly be finalized with Egypt on its route.
She explained that a database and notification system will go online for all cargo destined for Gaza along supply routes. The approval for the placement of international monitors at crossings, inspection and supply points has been requested from relevant authorities. Verification and monitoring inside Gaza will commence as soon as possible.
In the coming weeks, her office in Gaza will also be operational.
The Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza reiterated, “The operationalization of the Mechanism will allow for pipeline prioritization, predictability, visibility and tracking of supplies to Gaza.”
As the Resolution intended, Kaag said, “the Mechanism is designed to facilitate and support the work of all humanitarian partners on the ground.”
With respect to Jordan, she also informed the Council that her team has worked with the concerned authorities to launch the Jordan land corridor under a new streamlined modality.
“This has resulted in an increase in the number of trucks, thereby volume, with only one transloading inside the Gaza crossing, and has the potential for further increases, the senior UN official said, adding that “the entire UN family is planning for the receipt and onward distribution of cargo at scale directly from Jordan to Northern Gaza via the Erez crossing.”
“This route is both effective and vital to reach civilians in Northern Gaza and beyond,” Kaag reiterated.
On the Cyprus maritime corridor, the senior humanitarian official said that it provides for additionality of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
“It can never be a substitute for delivery by land. Land routes are the only way to bring in the bulk of supplies needed,” she highlighted.
Kaag further stated, “Preparations for building the floating port and pier on the shores of Gaza are advancing, with the involvement of the US and other Member States. The UN has outlined the parameters under which it can play a meaningful role in the distribution of aid via this corridor.”
The Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza concluded, “Let us remember that behind every statistic is a human story of loss and suffering. It is our duty to provide protection, support and therefore hope to the Palestinian population in Gaza. It is also our duty to advocate for lasting peace between Israel and a fully independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state.”
US Representative Robert A. Wood also spoke at the Council.
He said, “Israel must do more to prevent civilian casualties immediately. And President Biden has made clear that US policy will be determined by our assessment of Israel's immediate and sustained action on the steps.”
“Israel has taken some positive steps, but not nearly enough and not quickly enough,” Ambassador Wood said.
The United States position is clear, he reiterated, “Israel must take immediate action to open additional land crossings. into northern Gaza.”
Ambassador Wood also said, “Deconfliction mechanisms are vital. This is how we protect the lives of those who are working to save the lives of innocent people. And so, Israel must fully implement functional deconfliction procedures. It must.”
The US official reiterated the call for “accountability, for instance in which humanitarian personnel were killed. This includes the deadly attack on World Central Kitchen personnel earlier this month.”
“There must be an additional independent, transparent investigation,” Ambassador Wood said.
He highlighted that that United States has been clear from the beginning, “that we fully support Israel's right to self-defense, and that support is ironclad.”
“But we have also been clear that as Israel continues to pursue the destruction of the remaining elements of Hamas, we are opposed to a full scale military operation in Rafah, which would have catastrophic consequences for the civilian population,” Ambassador Wood said.
He reiterated the call for Israel to “produce a credible and actionable plan to protect the civilian population in Rafah and address the humanitarian needs of those who have sought refuge in the south.”
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya, whose country casted abstention when voted for the resolution, said, “We’d very much like to believe that the proposed mechanism on the delivery of humanitarian relief consignments will change the situation for the better, but this is unrealistic given the hostilities and the clearing out that's going on.”
Ambassador Nebenzya added, “The situation has gotten so out of hand that the Israeli settlers are raiding Palestinian villages, setting them alight, killing.”
“Against this backdrop humanitarian aid workers are going to continue perishing, the one stop shop that's proposed within the fabric of the mechanism will hardly help,” he concluded.
For his part, Deputy Permanent Representative of Israel Brett Jonathan Miller, told the Council, “While Israel has clearly stepped up its efforts according to external sources as well, it is essential that the UN steps up its capabilities too.”
He continued, “As growing numbers of trucks are inspected enabled entry from Israel side, we are concerned that these amounts of aid are not always swiftly distributed in the Gaza Strip. As reported recently, the main problem at the moment is not getting assistance into Gaza, but rather getting it distributed within the Gaza Strip.”
“Unfortunately, there have been several occasions lately when large numbers of trucks carrying aid after being inspected enabled passage by Israel, stood ready and waiting on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing,” Ambassador Miller added.
The Israeli official also said, “While this council expects Israel to step up efforts and do it share with regard to humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, this Council must step up its own efforts and demand that this horror which has last for more than six months finally ends.”
He concluded, “It is regrettable that this Council cannot bring refuge to these hostages and their families. We're here to remind all that these hostages have not been allowed any basic humanitarian assistance by the monstrous terrorist kidnappers at all. Israel will do whatever it takes to bring them home. This Council must step up to that task too.”
After the meeting, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag further explained the maritime corridor to reporters.
She said, “you need to leave from Cyprus, the goods will be cleared, the goods will arrive, the humanitarian goods will be cleared, will be security checked, they will be shipped and then there's a pier that's currently pier/port being constructed by the US where the goods will be received, so to speak, and will be received and distributed by the international community across the entire Gaza Strip.”
She added, “For the UN, we have determined a number of parameters under which the UN family is able and in a position to receive and distribute the goods. But there are also a number of international NGOs that are considering participating in the distribution of goods that come via the maritime corridor.”
