The permanent representative of Egypt to the UN in Geneva, Ahmed Ehab Gamal El-Din, joined the ambassadors and representatives of 71 other missions in Geneva to issue an urgent appeal for the humanitarian situation in Gaza. They demanded an immediate ceasefire in the Occupied Palestinian territory and an end to the grave and appalling violations of international law in the area, including the Gaza Strip.
The joint statement, which was announced at a press conference, called on the international community to increase pressure to ensure the immediate delivery of emergency humanitarian assistance and the restoration of basic services, such as food, water, fuel, and electricity, to the Palestinian population in Gaza. The statement also urged the protection of civilian facilities that are protected under the Geneva Conventions, especially UN safe shelters, such as UNRWA schools, that are used as emergency shelters for displaced civilians. The statement also condemned the forced displacement of Palestinians within or outside Gaza.
The statement stressed the need to protect the lives of Palestinian civilians, as required by international humanitarian law and UN resolutions, and to provide international protection to the Palestinian people. The statement also called for the release of all hostages and political detainees and urged Israel to cooperate with the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem and Israel. The statement emphasized the importance of addressing and eliminating the root causes of the current crisis.
