Mansour Sends Identical Messages Regarding Israeli Escalation in Gaza and the West Bank

SadaNews - The Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, sent three identical messages today, Friday, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the Security Council for this month (Panama), and the President of the United Nations General Assembly, regarding the Israeli escalation in attacks against the Palestinian people in the occupied territories, calling on the world to act to stop the genocide and the destruction of Palestine by Israel, including the deployment of an international protection force for the Palestinian people.

In this context, Mansour noted that one million Palestinians are facing an existential threat to their lives, while Israel continues its plans to invade Gaza without any regard for ceasefire demands or commitments under international humanitarian law. He also pointed out that the absence of international action has allowed Israel to persist in its harsh and illegal obstruction of humanitarian aid, including from United Nations humanitarian agencies, which has accelerated the spread of famine and disease in Gaza. He confirmed that the international classification of food insecurity (IPC) officially announced in its report issued today, the occurrence of famine in Gaza, in addition to a report from MedGlobal, which concluded that severe malnutrition among children has increased by 914% since the Israeli siege began last March, and that the famine threshold has already been exceeded.

Mansour reiterated the constant calls from the Palestinian leadership for immediate international action to end the abominable, inhumane, and illegal situation, including through the use of all legitimate tools and means, including taking immediate action by the Security Council under Chapter VII, to protect the Palestinian people from the Israeli genocide attacks and Israeli destruction conspiracy.

Mansour also pointed out that Israel continues to execute humanitarian workers and journalists who save lives and expose Israeli atrocities to the world, citing the journalists Anas Al-Sharif and Muhammad Qariqa, who were targeted by Israel along with three of their colleagues in an Israeli air raid on a tent next to Al-Shifa Hospital on August 10. He also clarified that the Israeli occupation forces deliberately target Palestinian civilian men, women, and children, with the number of victims reaching 62,122 martyrs so far, in addition to 156,758 injured, with thousands remaining missing to this day.

Mansour noted that UNICEF has documented that over the past five months alone, Israeli occupation forces have killed an average of 540 Palestinian children monthly, and injured and maimed thousands more with rockets, artillery, and Israeli gunfire, while using starvation as a weapon, as they played or struggled to obtain food and water. Mansour stressed the necessity of immediate international action to enforce a ceasefire and protect the Palestinian people, reminding Israel, both verbally and in action, that humanitarian law strictly prohibits targeting civilians and civilian objects, and that Israel has no right whatsoever to defend itself in the occupied Palestinian territories, where it is an illegal occupying power, lacking any sovereign rights.

Mansour addressed the Israeli annexation plans in the West Bank, noting Israel's announcement to proceed with its scheme targeting Area "1-E", which includes plans to build 3,400 settlement units that would separate northern, southern, and central West Bank, deepening its illegal occupation and enhancing the isolation of East Jerusalem. He explained that since July of last year, Israel has presented plans to build more than 20,000 settlement units, coinciding with escalating violence and terrorism against Palestinian civilians and communities, fully supported by the government and the army.

Mansour emphasized the need for the Security Council to assume its responsibilities, including the protection of civilian populations and stabilizing the catastrophic situation that threatens international peace and security. He also insisted that all countries, in accordance with international law, must exert real and immediate pressure on Israel to stop its war of genocide and all of its crimes in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories, noting that this requires collective and individual action from countries, including arms embargoes and imposing sanctions, and taking diplomatic, political, and legal measures, including recognizing the State of Palestine, in implementation of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and independence.