We urge Israel to immediately remove unjustifiable restrictions on humanitarian access: UK statement at the UN Security Council

We urge Israel to immediately remove unjustifiable restrictions on humanitarian access: UK statement at the UN Security Council Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East. President, last November this Council adopted resolution 2803, endorsing President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to end the Gaza conflict. This provided a historic opportunity to achieve lasting peace. And as USG Fletcher’s briefing set out, there has been some progress since then on the humanitarian front, and in the return of all hostages. But Mr Fletcher and Ms Khalidi also provided us with a stark reminder that the promise of this plan has not yet been realised, and urgent action is needed by both sides to fulfil their commitments and get implementation back on track. So I will highlight three priorities. First, as we heard today, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. Ongoing violations of the ceasefire are reported to have killed over 1000 Palestinians since October. Repeated displacement, unsanitary conditions, and inadequate access to medical care have left children and families exposed to disease; too malnourished to fight infection. And yet Israel continues to apply ‘dual use’ restrictions to block essential items, while also limiting aid delivery to a single crossing, creating congestion and further delay. Resolution 2803 is clear. There must be full resumption of humanitarian aid immediately, including rehabilitation of civilian infrastructure. The January 2025 ceasefire showed what can be delivered when there is political will. That level of delivery must now be restored, in line with the Comprehensive Plan. We urge Israel to fulfil its commitments under international law and immediately remove unjustifiable restrictions on humanitarian access. It is also vital that the UN, including UNRWA, and international NGOs are able to operate safely and at scale to deliver their essential work, in line with international humanitarian law. Second, we need renewed momentum on security arrangements and a political transition in Gaza. Hamas must fulfil its commitments under the Comprehensive Plan to decommission its weapons and dismantle military and terrorist infrastructure. The UK supports a phased and verified decommissioning process, alongside deployment of an International Stabilisation Force, training of a Palestinian police force, and a sequenced IDF withdrawal. But let me be clear. Israel’s obligation to facilitate humanitarian access is not conditional on Hamas’ disarmament. Humanitarian assistance must never be used as a political lever; this is one of the basic tenets of international humanitarian law. Third, stability in the West Bank is essential to any lasting peace. Yet violence against civilians is increasing at unprecedented levels. We are horrified by footage of Israeli forces killing a seven‑month‑old baby in Hebron on 5 June. Israel must take action to ensure the perpetrators face accountability. Such acts of violence, alongside continued displacement, and the withholding of Palestinian Authority revenues of over $5 billion undermine the Comprehensive Plan. This must stop. President, now is the time to move decisively towards peace. Last week, alongside Australia and Canada, we announced a new International Peace Fund for Israel and Palestine to reinvigorate these efforts. The United Kingdom remains committed to working with partners to lay the foundations for a different future, based on peaceful coexistence between two sovereign and secure states.