UN / GAZA PALESTINE ISRAEL
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STORY: UN/GAZA PALESTINE ISRAEL
TRT: 08:53
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / NATS
DATELINE: 22 AUGUST 2024, NEW YORK CITY
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, United Nations Headquarters
22 AUGUST 2024, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process:
“A ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza is imperative now for regional peace and security. I have continued to emphasize that message in support of regional de-escalation in discussions with all relevant parties and member states in the region, including Lebanon, Egypt and Qatar. I commend the mediators Egypt, Qatar and US for their continued and relentless efforts in Doha and in Cairo this week. I urge the parties to reach a deal in the coming days. There is simply no time to lose. The UN remain committed and ready to scale up humanitarian assistance during a ceasefire and supporting implementation of a deal. Only a sustained ceasefire can enable a full-scale humanitarian and early recovery response in Gaza. Mr. President, the profound social, economic and political fallout from the devastation is yet to be seen and comprehended. We must work to put in place as soon as possible, the political and security framework necessary to more ably address the humanitarian crisis, start early recovery and eventually rebuild Gaza, as well as changing the negative dynamic at the West Bank. These political and security frameworks, even ones that are considered transitional, cannot be divorced from the context of the ongoing Israeli occupation and unresolved Israeli Palestinian conflict. There are no shortcuts and no quick fixes.”
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Louisa Baxter, Operations Lead, Save the Children’s Emergency Health Unit, Gaza:
“There is now a confirmed polio outbreak in Gaza. The first confirmed case, a 10-month-old baby in Deir el-Balah, is an individual tragedy, but at the same time, a sign of a larger looming catastrophe. Polio is a highly infectious virus and can infect anyone at any age. However, those most at risk are children under five. For every 200 children who become infected, one will suffer irreversible paralysis. Polio is easily prevented by safe and effective vaccine. At least 50,000 children born in Gaza since October 23 are unlikely to have had any of their childhood vaccinations. Older children, their brothers and sisters, have had their regular childhood vaccination schedules severely disrupted. Polio mostly spreads by water, particularly wastewater, which is now everywhere in Gaza. The government of Israel has destroyed the water and sanitation infrastructure whilst effectively shutting off clean water fermenting the strip. It is this drop in population immunity, combined with dire public health and environmental conditions that has allowed polio to reemerge. This decimated health system is wholly unprepared to face this new polio crisis, with 750 health staff killed since October 23 and less than a quarter of hospitals remaining functional. Unless preventative action is taken immediately this polio outbreak will not only be a disaster to children in Gaza but may substantially set back global eradication efforts.”
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Linda Thomas -Greenfield, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“Colleagues, Secretary Blinken just concluded his ninth visit to the region since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 and unleashed a war that has caused so much suffering and devastation. The Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ iron-clad support for Israel’s security, but he also aimed to advance discussions on a comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal that now is in sight, and to emphasize that no one in the region should take any action that would undermine ongoing negotiations.”
7. Wide shot, Security Council
8. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Dmitry Polyanskiy, the Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“According to the information we have, Israel is now insisting on keeping the idea of military presence in Gaza, including their control over the crossing with Egypt and the Philadelphia corridor. We do note that such a change as to the parameters of the deal is also something that some countries in the region vehemently object to. And I would like to put a question to our American colleagues, on whose behalf are you acting now when you're trying to push through that deal which is principally different from the original one, (the Security Council never blessed the deal formulated in this way,) and why? When you call upon all of us to exert pressure exclusively on Hamas leadership to make sure that the movement accepts the new Israeli whim, you consistently refuse to work with Western Jerusalem, which critically depends on you for weapons supplies.”
9. Wide shot, Security Council
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Riyad H. Mansour, Permanent Observer to the United Nations, Palestine:
“Mr. President Gaza had been polio free for the last 25 years now, it is under the imminent threat of the spread of this terrible disease that can cause paralysis and death. Gaza does not need more paralysis and death. First by bombs and bullets, now, combined with occupation sponsored famine and disease, Gaza has witnessed life destroyed. It needs life to be restored, and it needs it right now. We fully support the proposal of the Secretary General for an urgent vaccination campaign to stop the spread of this disease. Any obstruction of this effort will serve as further proof of Israeli's genocidal intent and actions against our people. Secretary General said the end of this month, along with humanitarian organizations in the medical field, to begin this campaign. Are we going to be supporting him in implementing the vaccination campaign and the ceasefire that he is calling for?”
11. Wide shot, Security Council
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Danny Danon, Ambassador, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Israel:
“We did not ask for this war. We are neither intentionally killing civilians, nor overseeing a famine. There is no famine in Gaza. Since the start of the war, Israel has facilitated more than 14,000 trucks carrying aid, including over 700,000 tons of food. We also continue to work with our partners addressing the medical needs in Gaza. Between December 23 and January 24 enough polio vaccines for over two million Gazans were delivered partnering with WHO and UNICEF, between 95 to 99 percent of Gazans are already vaccinated. This campaign is taking place without any UNRWA involvement. As we speak, another comprehensive vaccine campaign is being launched for children under the age of ten. With all due respect to our allies, the Israel Defense Forces have always taken pride in being the most moral army in the world in impossible conditions. Hamas knows that causing civilian casualties and depriving their own people of food will generate public outcry. So that is what they do. They're very good at that. They put civilians in a harm’s way and deprive them of the aid the international community has provided, rather than condemn Hamas' outrageous abuse of its own people. International aid organizations like UNWRA and other organs of the UN have chosen to collaborate with Hamas.”
13. Wide shot, Security Council
Briefing UN Security Council members on the situation in Gaza, today (22 Aug) Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process said, “a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza is imperative now for regional peace and security.”
The United Nations Security Council meeting on Thursday heard urgent calls for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, as well as reports about the worsening humanitarian crisis, including a polio outbreak.
Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, commended the mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the UN but warned that time is running out. Wennesland also underscored the need for political and security frameworks to address the broader crisis in the region.
Louisa Baxter, Operations Lead for Save the Children’s Emergency Health Unit in Gaza, spoke about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, highlighting repeated obstructions to aid delivery and the severe impact on children. “There is now a confirmed polio outbreak in Gaza,” she said, stressing that without immediate preventive measures, the outbreak could set back global eradication efforts.
The United States, represented by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, reiterated its support for Israel while also advocating for a comprehensive ceasefire. Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy spoke about Israel’s military presence in Gaza and the U.S.'s role in the negotiations.
Palestinian Ambassador Riyad H. Mansour voiced his concerns about the reemergence of polio in Gaza, urging swift action to prevent further loss of life. Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon defended Israel's actions, asserting that his country is not intentionally targeting civilians and is facilitating humanitarian aid, including vaccination campaigns in Gaza.