The Document Library serves as a centralized repository housing a diverse collection of essential documents and resources. It provides convenient access to a variety of materials, including manuals, guides, and reference documents, ensuring that users can easily locate and utilize key information.
- Statements by the UN Special Coordinator
Statement by UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, on the Situation in the Middle East
Statement by UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process,
Tor Wennesland, on the Situation in the Middle East
Cairo, 21 October 2023
“I welcome the efforts of the Arab Republic of Egypt for convening today’s Cairo Summit for Peace to address the ongoing hostilities in Gaza and Israel.
Alongside the Secretary-General, today we continued the United Nations’ political engagements with relevant parties in the region and beyond to bring an end to the bloodshed and prevent further loss of civilian lives.
I took note of the shared concerns about the risk of a spillover of the conflict to the wider region and welcome the many calls for a political solution as the way forward.
I wish to thank the Egyptian authorities for facilitating today’s entry of the first truckloads of aid into the Gaza Strip through Rafah. This is an important step that must not be the last. Aid needs to flow safely and continuously going forward.
It is a war zone in Gaza and the needs are immense. All of us can and must do more to save lives now.
I reiterate the Secretary-General’s urgent appeal for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.”
- Secretary-General Statements [dup 827]
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General on the situation in the Middle East
21 October 2023, Cairo
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General - on the situation in the Middle East
The Secretary-General is grateful for the assistance of the Emir of Qatar for his efforts to secure the release of two Americans who had been held hostage in Gaza.
The Secretary-General renews his call for an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
He calls once again for unhindered and sustained humanitarian access in Gaza; full respect for international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians; as well as for a concerted effort by the international community to avoid a wider regional spill-over of the conflict.
Stephane Dujarric
Spokesman for the Secretary-General
- Security Council Resolutions and Statements
- Secretary-General Statements [dup 827]
Secretary-General's press encounter in front of the Rafah Border Crossing in Egypt
20 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt
Secretary-General's press encounter in front of the Rafah Border Crossing in Egypt
Dear Volunteers, ladies and gentlemen of the press,
It is impossible to be here and not to feel a broken heart.
We are witnessing a paradox.
Behind these walls, we have two million people that is suffering enormously - that has no water, no food, no medicine, no fuel, that is under fire, that needs everything to survive.
On this side, we have seen so many trucks loaded with water, with fuel, with medicines, with food. Exactly the same things that are needed on this side of the wall. So these trucks are not just trucks. They are a lifeline. They are the difference between life and death for so many people in Gaza. And to see them stuck here makes me be very clear. What we need is to make them move, to make them move to the other side of this wall, to make them move as quickly as possible and as many as possible.
Now, recently it was announced by Israel and by the United States that humanitarian aid will be allowed to enter Gaza. And I know that there is also an agreement between Egypt and Israel to make it possible.
But these announcements were made with some conditions and some restrictions. And so we are now actively engaging with all the parties, actively engaging with Egypt, with Israel, with the US, in order to make sure that we are able to clarify those conditions, that we are able to limit those restrictions in order to have as soon as possible these trucks moving to where they are needed.
We need, we absolutely need to have these trucks moving as quickly as possible and as many as necessary. But for that, this must be a sustained effort.
We are not looking for one convoy to come; we are looking for convoys to be authorized, with meaningful numbers of trucks to go everywhere into Gaza to provide enough support to the Gaza people.
On the other hand, there are requirements of verification. But those verifications need to be effective, but at the same time, those verifications need to be done in a way that is practical and in a way that is expedited.
On the other hand, we are not in a no-man’s land. We are in the land of a sovereign country – Egypt. And it is essential to recognize the role of the Egyptian institutions and namely of the Egyptian Red Crescent.
And finally, for UNRWA, to be able to distribute aid on that side, it is necessary that UNRWA has fuel and so we need to have the guarantee that we have enough fuel on the other side to distribute aid to the people in need.
So, it is very clear that it is absolutely essential to solve these problems quickly and I am hopeful they will be solved quickly to make sure there is massive support, humanitarian support, to the people of Gaza.
Unfortunately, this is not a normal humanitarian operation. It is an operation in a war zone and that is the reason why I have appealed for a humanitarian ceasefire, not that I consider that a humanitarian ceasefire is a precondition for humanitarian delivery. We don’t want to punish the Gaza people twice. First because of the war and second because of the lack of humanitarian aid. But it is clear that a humanitarian ceasefire will make things much easier and much safer for everybody.
And I want to end by expressing my deep gratitude to the people and the Government of Egypt. Egypt is today the fundamental pillar that allows hope to exist on that side of the border. Hope that these trucks will move to support them. Hope that the food, aid and the medicines I have seen in a plane that has landed will also go to the people that needs it. Hope that there will be a future and hope that one day there will be peace with a two-State solution, with Palestinians and Israelis living in peace in two States, one side by the other.
Thank you very much.
- Secretary-General Statements [dup 827]
Secretary-General's Press Encounter at the Al-Arish Airport in Egypt
20 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt
Secretary-General's Press Encounter at the Al-Arish Airport in Egypt
I just came from the gate to Gaza (Rafah Crossing) with a deep emotion and a broken heart.
On one hand, to see the generosity of drivers of so many more than 100 trucks.
Some have been there for a few days waiting to be able to cross and they are a lifeline to the people in Gaza.
The difference between death and life, with water, with food, with medicines, with everything the people of Gaza need.
And at the same time when we have the trucks stuck at the border, we have the people in Gaza in a dramatic situation.
Children, mothers, elderly people, all without water, without electricity, without food, without medicine.
And so, we must stop this dramatic impasse.
We absolutely need to move the trucks as quickly as possible, and as many as possible, from Egypt into Gaza.
Now, there was an announcement by the US and by Israel, that humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza.
There are agreements in principle between Egypt and Israel in this regard, but we need to overcome the conditionalities and the obstacles that still exist.
We are engaging very actively with Israelis, with Egyptians and with the Americans, to see if as soon as possible we are able to move the trucks.
But it's important that we have not a one-shot operation.
It's important that we have continued support, with a meaningful number of trucks approved every day to cross.
On the other hand, there must be a verification.
That verification needs to be serious, but it needs to be also expedited and practical.
We have seen how many trucks are there that are led by the Egyptian Red Crescent.
It's important to recognize the role of the Egyptian Red Crescent and of other Egyptian institutions that are there also to support the people in Gaza. It’s not only the United Nations.
And it is essential to have fuel on the other side from UNRWA to be able to distribute humanitarian aid for the population in Gaza.
At the same time, this is a war zone, and that is the reason why I've asked for a humanitarian ceasefire.
We don't consider it to be a condition sine qua non because we don't want the Gaza people to be punished twice.
First, with water, second, with the absence of humanitarian aid.
But let's be clear, a humanitarian ceasefire would enormously facilitate and make much safer the distribution of humanitarian aid.
I have repeatedly said that the barbaric attack by Hamas needs to be condemned.
But I've also said they can not be a pretext for a collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
It's absolutely essential to respect international humanitarian law.
It's absolutely essential to protect civilians.
And it's absolutely essential to make humanitarian aid come to the Palestinians in need.
Question: When you saw the anger of those protestors, most of it levelled at Israel and the US but also at the international community for failing to stop the situation, what is your response to these protestors?
Answer: Many of them as I said were drivers that have been waiting, and can you imagine what it is to have to be stuck with a truck for two weeks waiting, leaving the family? And so there is considerable amount of anger.
Question: But many of them were just ordinary people as well.
Answer: But most of them were volunteers that are waiting to be able to act and the drivers. I think what's important to say is that we are doing everything we can, engaging with all the parties to make sure that sooner rather than later, we are able to have not only a first convoy, but continued aid to the population.
Question: But no timeline?
Answer: I think, it should be as quickly as possible, and with as many as possible trucks to cross in the first few days.
Question: There have been extraordinary diplomatic efforts involving you, the President of United States and the president of Egypt and still not a single bottle of water, not a single bale of grain or flour has made it into Gaza, why?
Answer: As I mentioned, there were, when these announcements were made some conditions and some limitations. And it's necessary to have the conditions clarified, and that's exactly what we are doing and some of the limitations removed, and others reduced to a minimum, because this is a very complex operation, and we need to make sure that it is a success. To cut a long story short, we need to have as quickly as possible the first convoy and we need to create all the guarantees for that first convoy not to be the last.
Question: Time is running out for people in Gaza.
Answer: Of course time is running out because without electricity, without fuel, without water, without food, I mean, life is not possible.
Question: How much is the delivery of aid tied to people coming out evacuations?
Answer: From our perspective, we should never create bargaining chips with humanitarian issues. We need to have conditions for hostages to be released. We need to have conditions for humanitarian aid to be delivered and we need to have conditions for those foreigners that are in Gaza and want to come out to be able to come out.
As I said, I do not accept the idea that we make this a kind of business. Everything has a value in itself and water has value in itself. It needs to be done because it's the right thing to do.
Question: So, what is the main thing holding this process up?
Answer: There are lots of complexities in the management of a border like that, and we are doing everything we can with all the parties to [address] those complexities.
Well, thank you very much. Thank you.