United Nations (TDI): Pakistan has called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to take urgent measures to halt Israel’s plans to occupy Gaza, amid warnings from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) about a worsening humanitarian catastrophe in the enclave.
At an emergency UNSC session addressing Israel’s intentions, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, stressed the need for immediate action under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. He urged the Council to compel Israel to abandon its occupation plans and warned that enforcement measures should be ready if Israel fails to comply.
“Pakistan believes decisive steps must be taken now,” Ambassador Ahmad said. “The Security Council must invoke Chapter VII to demand that Israel halt its stated plan of occupying Gaza City. If Israel disregards the Council’s demand, enforcement actions, including possibly deploying an international protection force, must follow to safeguard the besieged population.”
The session came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his government’s decision to escalate the conflict in Gaza, stating that Israel was prepared to continue fighting even without international backing.
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UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca warned that Israel’s plans risk triggering “another calamity” with far-reaching regional consequences. “If these plans proceed, they will likely cause more displacement, deaths, and destruction, exacerbating an already dire situation in Gaza,” he said.
The meeting was held shortly after UNRWA released a report describing the Gaza Strip’s humanitarian situation as “catastrophic.” The agency highlighted that no aid trucks have been allowed into Gaza for over five months, leading to increasing malnutrition and deaths.
“For more than 150 days, UNRWA has not been permitted to deliver food, medicine, or essential supplies into Gaza,” the report said. “This blockade is costing lives every day.” Nearly 350 UNRWA staff members have died since the conflict began on October 7, 2023.
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Citing Gaza’s Ministry of Health, the UN reported at least 61,158 Palestinians killed and over 151,000 wounded due to ongoing Israeli bombardments and ground operations.
UNRWA called for immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access, urging the international community to “open the crossings, stop the suffering, and uphold the most basic principles of humanity.”
Farkhund Yousafzai is the Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
