UN PHOTO RELEASED BY PAK. PERMANENT MISSION
Mumtaz Hussain
UNITED NATION: The grave humanitarian crisis in Gaza reflects the Security Council’s inaction, which is setting a dangerous precedent.
This was stated by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad during the Security Council open briefing on the situation in Palestinian Occupied Territories convened by Algeria with the support of Pakistan, China, Somalia and Russia.
“Given the impunity with which Israel is violating all norms of civilized conduct including UNSC resolutions, ceasefire agreement, international law, UN Charter and the Geneva Conventions, the Palestinian people are left questioning whether the Security Council will ever take meaningful steps or merely be confined to lamenting their suffering,” he said.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar added that our failure not only undermines this institution (Security Council) but also erodes the international order built on the UN Charter.
“What is happening before our eyes is a travesty. It is unacceptable. The Council must act. We cannot be part of a body that remains a mere spectator and does nothing. We refuse to be part of this moral bankruptcy, and what our Slovenian colleague referred to as ‘erosion of humanity’,” he stated while regretting the Security Council’s paralysis in the face of genocide by the Israeli occupation forces.
He urged the Security Council to assert its relevance by ensuring the implementation of its own decisions before it is rendered inconsequential.
Ambassador Asim lamented that Gaza has descended into an abyss of suffering, which is manifest from the way unarmed civilians including children, and women, humanitarian workers, UN personnel, and journalists as well as civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and schools are being attacked indiscriminately.
“Nothing is spared – not even the historic cultural sites. It is total annihilation, a situation where fundamental principles of humanitarian law are being disregarded with impunity,” he stated.
The Pakistan UN envoy said that since breaking the ceasefire last month, Israel has killed over 1,100 Palestinians, adding to the more than 50,000 martyred between October 2023 and January 2025— including 17,000 children. He explained that “this is not just warfare; it is the systematic destruction of a people.”
He drew the Council’s attention to the fact that for a month now, Israel has sealed all border crossings, blocking humanitarian aid with no food or medical supplies being allowed entry in Gaza. He said that according to UNICEF, one million children are without basic necessities, while WFP warns of imminent famine.
“Starvation as a weapon of war is a war crime,” he added.
Pakistan strongly condemned the deliberate targeting of aid convoys including the killing of 15 humanitarian workers on March 23 with Ambassador Asim saying that more than 400 humanitarian workers, including 284 UNRWA personnel, have been killed—the highest toll in modern history.
When UN staff and humanitarian workers are gunned down with impunity, we must ask: what remains of the global order we built from the ashes of World War II? he asked.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad also exposed the Israeli atrocities in the West Bank where it has driven over 40,000 Palestinians out of their homes — the largest displacement since 1967. He said that Israel’s intent to permanently colonize and annex the occupied West Bank is alarming and unacceptable.
“Equally concerning are Israel’s plans to seize territory in Gaza, including the establishment of a so-called “security corridor.” This would constitute a dangerous escalation and a violation of international law,” he said.
He also condemned Israel’s deliberate violation of Al-Aqsa Mosque’s sanctity, which, he said, is an act of provocation and a clear breach of religious freedom protections under international law.
Ambassador Asim called upon the Security Council and the international community to go beyond rhetorical condemnations to concrete action.
Pakistan urgently reiterates its calls for:
Immediate halt to hostilities and full implementation of the January 19 ceasefire, including its extension to the West Bank.
– Immediate lifting of Israel’s illegal blockade to ensure unrestricted humanitarian aid access.
Safeguarding UN staff and aid workers, with a UN-led Dashboard to track violations and ensure accountability.
Preventing the forced removal of Palestinians or annexation of their land.
Reviving a credible peace process, with Pakistan reaffirming support for a sovereign Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds as its capital
