The UN Security Council convened on Tuesday to address the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, alongside broader discussions on the Middle East and the Palestinian issue.
The session was chaired by Evangelos Sekeris, Greece’s Permanent Representative to the UN, as Greece holds the rotating presidency of the Council this month.
UN Officials Warn of Catastrophic Conditions in Gaza
During the meeting, Tom Fletcher, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, and Angelica Jacome, Director of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Office in New York, provided briefings on the crisis.
Fletcher urged Council members to reflect on their responsibility, stating: “Before we begin, I ask you to consider what we will tell future generations about the actions we took to stop the atrocities of the 21st century that we witness daily in Gaza.”
He condemned Israel’s deliberate imposition of inhumane conditions on civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories, emphasizing that every single one of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents faces the risk of famine.
Fletcher stressed that the UN and its partners are working tirelessly to resume large-scale humanitarian aid deliveries, but Israeli restrictions continue to block access. He accused Israel of prioritizing the depopulation of Gaza over civilian lives, stating: “We have strict mechanisms to ensure aid reaches civilians, yet Israel denies us access.”
Criticism of Israel’s Aid Distribution Mechanism
Fletcher dismissed Israel’s proposed aid distribution system, arguing that it fails to meet humanitarian needs and violates international law. He described it as a “cynical sideshow, a deliberate distraction, and a cover for further violence and displacement.”
He also noted that UN officials have repeatedly engaged with Israeli authorities to discuss the mechanism but found it lacking the minimum conditions necessary for participation.
Calls for Action Against Israeli Violations
Fletcher detailed the devastation in Gaza, including widespread deaths, injuries, hunger, disease, and forced displacement, as well as systematic destruction of Palestinian lives and infrastructure.
He reminded the Council that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is examining whether genocide is occurring in Gaza, warning that by the time a legal determination is made, it may be too late.
Addressing Council members directly, he asked: “For the dead and those whose voices have been silenced—what more evidence do you need? Will you act decisively to prevent genocide and uphold international humanitarian law, or will you simply say, ‘We did all we could’?”
Fletcher urged Israel to cease killing and injuring civilians, lift the blockade, and allow humanitarian workers to save lives.
He also condemned the latest Israeli airstrike on the European Hospital in Khan Younis, which resulted in more civilian casualties.
Escalating Violence in the West Bank
Fletcher warned that violence in the West Bank has reached its worst levels in decades, with heavy weaponry, military tactics, excessive force, forced displacement, demolitions, movement restrictions, and illegal settlement expansion.
He described the destruction of entire communities, the evacuation of refugee camps, and violations by Israeli paramilitary colonizers, sometimes backed by Israeli forces. He cited a recent incident in which settlers kidnapped a 13-year-old girl and her 3-year-old brother, later found tied to a tree.
FAO Warns of Imminent Famine in Gaza
Angelica Jacome, FAO’s New York Director, described the situation in Gaza as dire, with millions facing extreme food insecurity and famine looming.
She referenced the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, which confirms that all of Gaza’s population remains at risk of famine.
Jacome warned of a systematic collapse of survival conditions, stating: “Gaza’s residents are not just suffering from food shortages but also from a deep breakdown in health, livelihoods, and social structures, leaving entire communities in despair and devastation.”
She highlighted the destruction of Gaza’s agricultural systems, soaring food prices, and the collapse of local food production.
- 75% of agricultural land—which previously provided one-third of daily food consumption—has been damaged or destroyed.
- 95% of livestock have died, along with over half of sheep and goat herds.
- Wheat flour prices have surged by 3000% since February 2025.
Jacome warned: “By the time famine is officially declared, people will have already died of starvation, with irreversible consequences for generations to come. The time to act is now.”
International Calls for Urgent Action
- UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward urged Israel to lift its blockade on aid, citing warnings from the World Food Programme that supplies in Gaza have run out.
- She reaffirmed the UK’s opposition to any aid mechanism that serves political or military objectives, calling on Israel to engage urgently with the UN to restore humanitarian access.
- French Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière rejected Israel’s proposed aid distribution system, stating that it violates international law and fails to meet humanitarian needs.
- Algerian Deputy Representative Toufik Goudri condemned Israel’s systematic starvation of Gaza’s population, describing it as a deliberate and complete crime.
Goudri declared: “The only thing allowed into Gaza is death. Bombs and bullets reach the territory while milk is denied to infants. Water is forbidden, medicine is blocked, and crossings are closed to life itself.”
He called for an immediate and comprehensive end to the aggression, the lifting of the blockade, and the opening of crossings for humanitarian aid.
Furthermore, The Chinese envoy to the United Nations emphasized that humanitarian assistance to Gaza should not be weaponized, calling for unimpeded aid delivery to civilians in need.
The Israeli envoy to the United Nations claimed that Israel will not accept what he called any humanitarian mechanism that he alleged would support what he called “the terrorist organization that slaughtered our people.”
The Israeli envoy to the United Nations claimed that Israel will not accept any humanitarian mechanism that he alleged would support what he called “the terrorist organization that slaughtered our people.”
He further alleged that the UN aims to maintain a humanitarian framework that serves Hamas, reiterating Israel’s opposition to aid mechanisms it claims benefit the group. However, he failed to acknowledge Israel’s ongoing collective punishment, which has resulted in the killing of tens of thousands of civilians—mostly women and children—and the large-scale destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure and communities.
The UN Security Council meeting highlighted grave concerns over Israel’s actions in Gaza, with officials warning of famine, systematic destruction, and escalating violence. Calls for urgent intervention were made to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe and uphold international law.
For more details, read the full UN Security Council briefing here
On Tuesday, Day 57 since the resumption of the genocide, the Israeli army continued the bombing and shelling of the devastated, starved and besieged Gaza Strip, killing at least 27 Palestinians, including a journalist, and wounding more than 70, including children and women.
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli attacks have killed more than 52,906 Palestinians, including at least 15,626 children, 9,807 women, 3,855 elderly individuals, 237 journalists, and 23 medics. At least 119,721 people—mostly children, women, and the elderly—have been wounded.
The figures remain incomplete, as many victims are still trapped under rubble or in areas inaccessible to rescue teams due to massive destruction caused by ongoing Israeli bombings and invasions.
Since the beginning of 2025, Israeli occupation forces and illegal paramilitary colonizers have killed 138 Palestinians in the West Bank—among them 24 children and 5 women.
The fatalities are reported as follows: 57 in Jenin, 24 in Nablus, 20 in Tubas, 14 in Tulkarem, 6 in Hebron, 5 in Bethlehem, 3 in Ramallah, 3 in Qalqilia, 3 in Jerusalem, and 2 in Salfit.
In addition, since October 7, 2023, these forces have killed 982 Palestinians in the West Bank, including 187 children, 22 women, 1 journalist, and 2 medics.
