AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Addressing an emergency meeting of the Security Council, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said that Gaza continues to face a severe humanitarian catastrophe, with millions of residents enduring extreme hardship.
He noted that widespread hunger and food insecurity have affected large segments of the population, while more than one million children are suffering from malnutrition and lack access to adequate healthcare and education.
“The only sustainable solution to the Palestinian issue and the recurring humanitarian crises lies in ending the Israeli occupation and establishing a sovereign, independent, and territorially contiguous Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Ahmad said. He added that this vision enjoys broad international support and should remain the focus of global diplomatic efforts.
The Pakistani envoy urged full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2803, calling for a permanent ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access, immediate reconstruction efforts without conditions, and the launch of a credible, time-bound political process that guarantees the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
Ahmad also highlighted the deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank, citing increasing settler violence, forced displacement of Palestinians, and the continued expansion of Israeli settlements.
He called on the international community to take collective action to ensure immediate, unhindered, and independent humanitarian access across Gaza. Pakistan urged the removal of all restrictions on aid deliveries in accordance with international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolutions 2720 and 2803, and called for the reopening and full operation of all border crossings, including Rafah, for humanitarian assistance, commercial goods, and medical evacuations.
Describing the blockade of Gaza as a long-standing instrument of occupation and collective punishment, Ahmad said restrictions on movement and access have exacerbated the suffering of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents. He argued that the blockade constitutes a violation of international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
“Humanitarian assistance must never be used as a weapon,” he said, calling for the immediate lifting of the blockade. He stressed that aid delivery should remain unconditional and should not be tied to political negotiations or diplomatic processes.
The Pakistani envoy further emphasized that humanitarian operations throughout Gaza should continue under the coordination of the United Nations and its agencies without interference. He also expressed concern over the severe funding shortfall facing relief efforts, noting that the UN’s 2026 humanitarian appeal has received only about 12 percent of the required funding.
While welcoming the establishment of the Gaza Reconstruction and Development Fund (GRAD) and pledges amounting to $17 billion for reconstruction, Ahmad stressed the need for immediate financial commitments to bridge existing funding gaps and support the recovery of the war-torn territory.
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