tous les Etats appelés à agir « individuellement et collectivement »
Title: Urgent Call for Collective Action to Address Humanitarian Crisis in Palestine
In a poignant address to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, the Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine, stressed the urgent need for states to act both independently and collectively to fulfill their international legal obligations aimed at protecting human lives in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly highlighted by the ongoing violence and alleged genocide in Gaza.
On a recent Friday evening, Mansour dispatched identical letters to the UN Secretary-General, the President of the UN Security Council, and the President of the UN General Assembly. In these communications, he condemned the ongoing collective punishment inflicted upon the civilian population of Palestine by Israeli forces, noting that this grave situation unfolds under the watchful eyes of the international community.
Highlighting the horrific devastation in Gaza and the dire circumstances faced by the Palestinian people in the West Bank, Mansour condemned actions that violate principles of humanitarian law and basic human dignity. He called for immediate international intervention, urging the global community to respond decisively by endorsing calls for a ceasefire, taking concrete steps to protect civilians, imposing sanctions against those responsible for violence, seeking justice for the victims, and ultimately, striving for lasting peace.
Mansour provided alarming statistics to emphasize the humanitarian crisis, reporting that since the resumption of hostilities following the breach of a ceasefire on March 18, 2023, 1,249 Palestinian civilians have been killed, with over 3,000 others injured. He also recalled the tragic incident on March 23, where 15 humanitarian workers—including eight paramedics from the Palestinian Red Crescent, six civil defense personnel, and one UN staff member—were killed while attempting to rescue victims of an Israeli military attack in Rafah, located in southern Gaza.
Reiterating his commitment to justice, Mansour called for an independent international investigation to uncover the facts surrounding the violence and to ensure accountability for those responsible. He urged the international community to take immediate action to halt the genocide and end the military attacks by both the Israeli army and settlers against civilians in Gaza and other occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
Mansour’s impassioned plea underlines a broader call for the global community to engage in meaningful action to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine. He seeks to mobilize international support to protect civilians, enforce compliance with international humanitarian law, and create conditions conducive to peace. The situation in Gaza and the West Bank, characterized by violence, suffering, and loss, continues to evoke outrage and calls for action from advocates for rights and justice worldwide. The urgency of collective response is critical in efforts to mitigate the ongoing crisis and to strive towards a peaceful resolution that recognizes the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people.
