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- Secretary-General Statements [dup 827]
Secretary-General's remarks to Cairo Summit for Peace
21 October 2023, Cairo
Secretary-General's remarks to Cairo Summit for Peace
Your Excellency President el-Sisi,
Your Majesties,
Your Highnesses,
Excellencies,
We meet in the heart of a region that is reeling in pain and one step from the precipice.
A region where it is impossible not to be rocked to the core by heart-wrenching, soul-searing images of suffering.
Yesterday I went to the Rafah border crossing.
There I saw a paradox -- a humanitarian catastrophe playing out in real time.
On the one hand, I saw hundreds of trucks teeming with food and other essential supplies.
On the other hand, we know that just across the border, there are two million people -- without water, food, fuel, electricity and medicine.
Children, mothers, the elderly, the sick.
Full trucks on one side, empty stomachs on the other.
Those trucks need to move as quickly as possible in a massive, sustained and safe way from Egypt into Gaza.
A 20-truck convoy of the Egyptian Red Crescent is moving today.
And I want to express my deep gratitude to Egypt in this regard.
But the people of Gaza need a commitment for much, much more – a continuous delivery of aid to Gaza at the scale that is needed.
We are working nonstop with all parties that are relevant to make it happen.
Excellencies,
Let’s be clear.
The grievances of the Palestinian people are legitimate and long.
We cannot and must not ignore the wider context for these tragic events: the long-standing conflict and 56 years of occupation with no end in sight.
But nothing can justify the reprehensible assault by Hamas that terrorized Israeli civilians.
And those abhorrent attacks can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
International humanitarian law – including the Geneva Conventions – must be upheld.
That includes protecting civilians and not attacking hospitals, schools and UN premises that are currently sheltering half a million people.
Excellencies,
Our near-term goals must be clear:
Immediate, unrestricted and sustained humanitarian aid for besieged civilians in Gaza.
Immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
And immediate and dedicated efforts to prevent the spread of violence which is increasing the risk of spillover.
To advance all these efforts, I appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire now.
Excellencies,
Our sustained collective efforts and resources have never been needed more.
As we focus on ending the bloodshed, we cannot lose sight of the only realistic foundation for a true peace and stability: a two-State solution.
Israelis must see their legitimate needs for security materialized, and Palestinians must see their legitimate aspirations for an independent State realized, in line with United Nations resolutions, international law and previous agreements.
The time has come for action.
Action to end this godawful nightmare.
Action to build a future worthy of the dreams of the children of Palestine, Israel, the region and our world.
Thank you.
Secretary-General's remarks to Cairo Summit for Peace | United Nations Secretary-General
- Statements by the UN Special Coordinator
Statement by UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, on the Situation in the Middle East
Statement by UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process,
Tor Wennesland, on the Situation in the Middle East
Cairo, 21 October 2023
“I welcome the efforts of the Arab Republic of Egypt for convening today’s Cairo Summit for Peace to address the ongoing hostilities in Gaza and Israel.
Alongside the Secretary-General, today we continued the United Nations’ political engagements with relevant parties in the region and beyond to bring an end to the bloodshed and prevent further loss of civilian lives.
I took note of the shared concerns about the risk of a spillover of the conflict to the wider region and welcome the many calls for a political solution as the way forward.
I wish to thank the Egyptian authorities for facilitating today’s entry of the first truckloads of aid into the Gaza Strip through Rafah. This is an important step that must not be the last. Aid needs to flow safely and continuously going forward.
It is a war zone in Gaza and the needs are immense. All of us can and must do more to save lives now.
I reiterate the Secretary-General’s urgent appeal for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.”
- Secretary-General Statements [dup 827]
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General on the situation in the Middle East
21 October 2023, Cairo
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General - on the situation in the Middle East
The Secretary-General is grateful for the assistance of the Emir of Qatar for his efforts to secure the release of two Americans who had been held hostage in Gaza.
The Secretary-General renews his call for an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
He calls once again for unhindered and sustained humanitarian access in Gaza; full respect for international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians; as well as for a concerted effort by the international community to avoid a wider regional spill-over of the conflict.
Stephane Dujarric
Spokesman for the Secretary-General
- Secretary-General Statements [dup 827]
Secretary-General's press encounter in front of the Rafah Border Crossing in Egypt
20 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt
Secretary-General's press encounter in front of the Rafah Border Crossing in Egypt
Dear Volunteers, ladies and gentlemen of the press,
It is impossible to be here and not to feel a broken heart.
We are witnessing a paradox.
Behind these walls, we have two million people that is suffering enormously - that has no water, no food, no medicine, no fuel, that is under fire, that needs everything to survive.
On this side, we have seen so many trucks loaded with water, with fuel, with medicines, with food. Exactly the same things that are needed on this side of the wall. So these trucks are not just trucks. They are a lifeline. They are the difference between life and death for so many people in Gaza. And to see them stuck here makes me be very clear. What we need is to make them move, to make them move to the other side of this wall, to make them move as quickly as possible and as many as possible.
Now, recently it was announced by Israel and by the United States that humanitarian aid will be allowed to enter Gaza. And I know that there is also an agreement between Egypt and Israel to make it possible.
But these announcements were made with some conditions and some restrictions. And so we are now actively engaging with all the parties, actively engaging with Egypt, with Israel, with the US, in order to make sure that we are able to clarify those conditions, that we are able to limit those restrictions in order to have as soon as possible these trucks moving to where they are needed.
We need, we absolutely need to have these trucks moving as quickly as possible and as many as necessary. But for that, this must be a sustained effort.
We are not looking for one convoy to come; we are looking for convoys to be authorized, with meaningful numbers of trucks to go everywhere into Gaza to provide enough support to the Gaza people.
On the other hand, there are requirements of verification. But those verifications need to be effective, but at the same time, those verifications need to be done in a way that is practical and in a way that is expedited.
On the other hand, we are not in a no-man’s land. We are in the land of a sovereign country – Egypt. And it is essential to recognize the role of the Egyptian institutions and namely of the Egyptian Red Crescent.
And finally, for UNRWA, to be able to distribute aid on that side, it is necessary that UNRWA has fuel and so we need to have the guarantee that we have enough fuel on the other side to distribute aid to the people in need.
So, it is very clear that it is absolutely essential to solve these problems quickly and I am hopeful they will be solved quickly to make sure there is massive support, humanitarian support, to the people of Gaza.
Unfortunately, this is not a normal humanitarian operation. It is an operation in a war zone and that is the reason why I have appealed for a humanitarian ceasefire, not that I consider that a humanitarian ceasefire is a precondition for humanitarian delivery. We don’t want to punish the Gaza people twice. First because of the war and second because of the lack of humanitarian aid. But it is clear that a humanitarian ceasefire will make things much easier and much safer for everybody.
And I want to end by expressing my deep gratitude to the people and the Government of Egypt. Egypt is today the fundamental pillar that allows hope to exist on that side of the border. Hope that these trucks will move to support them. Hope that the food, aid and the medicines I have seen in a plane that has landed will also go to the people that needs it. Hope that there will be a future and hope that one day there will be peace with a two-State solution, with Palestinians and Israelis living in peace in two States, one side by the other.
Thank you very much.