This came in a speech by the Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, during an emergency session of the Security Council regarding Israel's plan to occupy the entire Gaza Strip. Excerpts from the speech were published by the official Palestinian news agency, WAFA.
"We must not be content with feelings of guilt and shame. We must act now to stop the genocide," Mansour said during the emergency meeting, which was requested by all Security Council members except the United States. "Israel is killing Palestinians in Gaza, and that is its goal. It is also seeking to consolidate its control over Gaza to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state."
He pointed out that in Gaza, "more than two million victims are suffering in a way that the human mind cannot imagine. We are no longer allowed to fail them. We must not be content with feelings of guilt or shame. The Council owes it to us to act now to stop the genocide."
He continued, "It cannot be denied that Israel does not care about what anyone says, and that all that matters now is the ability to turn condemnations into just actions, and that history will judge everyone." He expressed his appreciation for "almost everyone's description of the depth of the pain and tragedy suffered by the Palestinian people."
He added, "However, this is not enough. Action must be taken to address the situation and put an end to it. Otherwise, this description means nothing if no action is taken." He called on the Security Council to act "under Chapter VII, to prevent Israel from pursuing or continuing this war, which is full of horrific crimes."
Regarding the plans to occupy Gaza, the Palestinian delegate said, "The destruction of our people and the annihilation of life in Gaza continues to this very moment. Therefore, given Netanyahu's insistence on continuing this massacre to eliminate our people through destruction and death, and to annex our land to destroy Palestine and with it any chance of achieving peace, it is time for this Council to act."
On Friday, the cabinet approved a plan to begin occupying Gaza City (north), displacing its population of approximately one million to the south, then encircling the city and carrying out incursions into residential areas.
This will be followed by a second phase, which includes the occupation of refugee camps in central Gaza, large parts of which have been destroyed by Israel, as part of an ongoing war with US support since October 7, 2023.
"Pure famine"
In a related context, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Sunday that the situation in the Gaza Strip "is no longer an imminent hunger crisis, but rather a full-blown famine."
This came in a statement by Ramesh Rajasingham, head of the OCHA office in Geneva, before the UN Security Council, which is holding an emergency session to discuss the situation in the Middle East, particularly the Palestinian issue.
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The occupation continues its raids in several areas, and new settlement outposts are established in the West Bank.
"The suffering endured by Palestinians over the past 22 months has been nothing short of soul-wrenching, and our shared humanity demands that this catastrophe end immediately," Rajasingham said, adding that Israel's decision to occupy the entire Gaza Strip "represents a dangerous escalation in a conflict that has already caused unimaginable suffering."
The head of the OCHA office continued, "The situation in the Gaza Strip is no longer an imminent hunger crisis, but rather a full-blown famine." He emphasized that "Israel must stop arbitrarily arresting Palestinians in the West Bank and facilitate the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip."
"For more than 670 days, Palestinians in Gaza have suffered daily killings and injuries," Rajasingham said, warning that developments in the West Bank "exacerbate an existing humanitarian situation that unfortunately remains less visible, not because it is less serious, but because global attention has been diverted."
“Another disaster”
For his part, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for European Affairs, Miroslav Jenča, in his address to the Security Council, referred to Hebrew media reports stating that the Israeli government expects all civilians to be displaced from Gaza City by October 7, 2025, affecting approximately 800,000 people, many of whom have already been displaced.
Yantsha warned that "if these plans are implemented, they will likely lead to another catastrophe in Gaza, reverberating throughout the region, causing further forced displacement, killing, and destruction, further exacerbating the unbearable suffering of the population."
He added, "Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security. Palestinians must be able to return to their homes." He emphasized the United Nations' clear position that "the only way to end the massive humanitarian suffering in Gaza is through a complete, immediate, and permanent ceasefire," and called for "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages."
The UN official called on Israel to "abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law and allow the rapid, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the population on a large scale," stressing the "need to protect civilians, including humanitarian workers seeking assistance."
Since March 2, Israel has closed all crossings into Gaza, preventing the entry of any humanitarian aid. This has plunged the Strip into a state of famine, despite the backlog of aid trucks at its borders and the limited quantities allowed in, which do not meet the minimum needs of the population.
With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.
The Israeli genocide left 61,258 Palestinians dead, 152,045 injured, and more than 9,000 missing. Hundreds of thousands were displaced, and a famine claimed the lives of many, including dozens of children.
