debated in washington. scroll through >> c-span is your unfiltered view of government. >> the greatest town onerous is the time you call home. we are all facing our greatest challenge. sparklight is working round-the-clock to keep you connected. we're doing our part so it's easier for you to do yours. >> sparklight supports c-span as a public service, giving you a front row seats to democracy. >> the un security council held an emergency meeting following israel's launch of a ground incursion into gaza. this comes after 120 countries voted for a resolution introduced by jordan that calls for a sustained humanitarian truce in the region. the u.s. was one of 14 countries that voted against the resolution with 45 countries abstaining. >> the 167th meeting is called to order. the provisional agenda is the situation in the middle east including the palestinian question. the agenda is adopted. accordance with rule 37 of the councils provisional rules of procedure, i invite the representatives of israel and jordan to participate in this meeting. it is so decided. i propose that the council invite the permanent observer of the observer state of palestine to the united states -- the united nations to participate in the meeting in accordance with the rules of procedure and previous practice in this regard. there being no objection, it is so decided. in accordance with rule 39 of the councils provisional rules of procedure, i invite the following brief urges to participate. the commissioner general of the united nations relief agency for palestine refugees in the near east. the executive director of the united nations children's fund. and the director of the humanitarian financing and resourcing mobilization division of the office of coordination of humanitarian affairs. it is so decided. the security council will now begin its consideration of item two of the agenda. i know give the floor. -- now give up the floor. >> mr. president and members of the council. the last few weeks have been horrific. almost everyone in israel and the occupied palestinian territories and the broader region is in morning. the attack on october 7 was shocking. the bombardment by israeli forces is shocking. the level of destruction is unprecedented. the human tragedy is horrible. one million people, half the population of gaza, were pushed from the north of the gaza strip towards the south in three weeks. the south, however, has not been spared from bombardment, with significant numbers killed. i have said many times, no place is safe in gaza. civilians remaining in the north are receiving evacuation orders -- notices from israeli forces. many, including pregnant women, people with disabilities, the sick and wounded, are unable to move. what continues to happen is forced displacement. thousands of people are in overcrowded schools and buildings. there are unsanitary conditions with a -- with not enough is turning into anger in the international community. while seeking safety in places protected by international and humanitarian law. the current cease fire call on gaza is -- with a cyclical of a last week meaning that it services are crumbling. medicine and is running out. food and water are running out. it would call it very soon. the communication that happened over the weekend has aggravated the panic and distress of people. they could not communicate when they enter gaza. they no longer knew whether they would receive bread. they felt abandoned and cut off from the rest of the war. the communication background has a breaking down of serious order. panic with thousands of people to act well we started receiving it last week. the further breakdown will make it extremely difficult, if not impossible for the largest -- in gaza to cooperate. it will also make it impossible to bring in convoys. i say this while being fully aware that on where has a lifeline for the palestinian people in gaza. members of the council. calling on you for support. i've had 64 visits in three weeks. the head of the secretary in the middle region, was killed with his wife and eight children. this is the highest number of u.n. a workers killed in a conflict in such a short time. but certain ones in gaza have formed a community of 1.7 million refugees out of 2.2 million residents in the street. due to our life, and for the most part lost relatives that are displaced like the majority of gazans. many sleep and work in the centers. and yet they show an exceptional dedication to you and value. this cannot do justice to thousands who continue to work privately to support their community. if our teachers, doctors, social worker, engineer and support staff, they are mother and father, they could have been your neighbor or your friends, and there are over 150. one third of her health center has mobile health. it supports the entry of the convoys in the distribution. it would distribute the little fuel we have left to hospitals, bakeries and shelters. it's all in the entire gaza strip. the real flagged as humanity thinks. but we are running out of fuel, out of water, out of food and medicine and will soon be unable to operate. let me be clear, there are hundreds of convoys being allowed is nothing compared to over 2 million people trapped in gaza. the system is in place to allow them in on the political wave to make the flow of flow. mr. president, gaza has over 200 million people. how many children, education of the future. today, gazans feel that they are not treated right. most of them fthey is dangerous. in the entire population is civilized. they are not resolved of its obligation. every war has rules, and this one is no exception. the deaths of this is one of the first and most revealing sign of a culture that is supposed to fall into but parity. more than ever, gazans deserve our empathy. its absence will put it in the region and put in any prospect of peace. mr. president, when a lot of the focus is on gaza, i wish to reiterate that another crisis is unfolding. united nations and has been around for months on increased violence. this is the highest sense to keep recording since 2005. at least 115 palestinians have been killed since october 7. the movement imposed across the world banker impacting our services including schools and health centers. the situation at the border is getting worse with civilian casualties recorded. in conclusion, i'm very worried about the potential of this conflict beyond gaza, unless something is in force. for us there is an international -- and civilian exception. including the u.n. presidents. including hospitals and every civilian must be protected all over the gazan street, north and south at all times, this is not an option, it is an obligation. second, we need including fuel into the gaza strip and across it. for this we need unlimited cease fire. we have the largest presence from the ground, we can deliver if we have the means and the resources, including at the front lines. they have received a generous contribution and without this, we have it delivered. finally, we may not move with our humanity with individuals, palestinians, israelis, christian, jewish and muslim. the rules of law must be followed by all parties at all times in all places. civilians must be protected, hostages released and the response facilitated. this cease fire has become a matter of life and death for millions, to present and future palestinians and israelis depend on it. i urge all member states to change the trajectory of this crisis and walked towards a solution before it's too late. thank you. >> i thank him for his briefing. i now give the floor to miss catherine russell. >> thank you to the ambassador for convening this meeting, and to members of the security council for this opportunity to speak about the humanitarian situation in the state of palestine and israel. at unicef we firmly believe that the true cost of this latest escalation will be measured in children's lives. those lost to the violence in those forever changed by it. after little more than three weeks, the devastating tally is quickly adding up with rampant violations being committed against children. according to the palestinian ministry of health, more than 8003 hundred palestinians have been killed in gaza, including over 3004 hundred children, with over 6300 children injured. this means that more than 420 children are being killed or injured in gaza every day, a number that should shake each of us to our core. of course the violence being perpetrated against children extends beyond the gaza strip. in the west bank, including east jerusalem, at least 37 children have reportedly been killed. of course more than 30 israeli children have reportedly been killed, at least 20 children remain hostage in the gaza strip, their fates unknown. civilian infrastructure has also come under fierce attack. according to the world health organization in gaza, 34 attacks have been reported against health care facilities, including 21 hospitals. 12 of gaza's 35 hospitals, which are being used as shelters for displaced people -- people, can no longer function. 221 schools and more than 177,000 housing units have been damaged or destroyed. meanwhile, what little clean water remains in gaza is quickly running out, leaving more than 2 million people entire need. we estimate 55% of water supply infrastructure ours repair or rehabilitation. only one plant is operating at just 5% capacity. all six of gazans water waste treatment plants are now nonoperational due to a lack of fuel or power. the lack of clean water and sanitation is on the verge of becoming a catastrophe. alexis -- unless access to clean water is urgently restored, more civilians, including children, will fall ill or die from dehydration or waterborne diseases. as if this wasn't enough, children in both israel and the state of palestine are experiencing terrible trauma. the consequences of which could last a lifetime. studies have shown that violence and people can induce toxic stress in children that interferes with their physical and cognitive development and causes mental health problems over the short and the long term. we are doing our best to reach all children in need, but the delivery of humanitarian aid, especially in gaza is now extremely challenging. this is due to both the currencies, conditions imposed on gaza and the highly dangerous circumstances under which our staff are operating. some of our staff have lost both family members including spouses and children. we are grieving with them for their staff members who have been killed. two days ago we lost contact with our colleagues in gaza when telecommunications were disrupted. this left them at either greater risk and it was harder to accomplish. unicef and our partners are committed to staying on the ground to deliver for children, but make no mistake, this situation grows worse by the hour, and with that is the urgent end to the hostilities and i am afraid further regions children. but we and you have the power to help lift children out of this violence. and poor this secure -- i implore the security council to adopt a resolution that reminds parties of their obligations under international law and call for a cease-fire that demands the party safe and unimpeded humanitarian access that demands the immediate and safe release of all of the abductor children and urges parties to afford children special protection to which they are entitled. the security council should prioritize what is now a worsening displacement crisis with more than one point form people -- one point 4 million people in gaza with a majority of children displaced. as a secretary general has said, the order of 1.1 million palestinian and civilians to leave northern gaza should be rescinded. demands for hospital evacuations should cease, given the protected status under international humanitarian law. all parties must stop violence and present -- prevent any violation committed against children. we must have humanitarian access through all crossing points into the gaza strip to safe and sufficient supply routes and parties must ensure the safe and unimpeded movement of humanitarian supplies and personnel throughout the gaza ship to deliver humanitarian assistance included but not limited to food, water, medicine, fuel and electricity. measures to prevent electricity, food, water and fuel from entering gaza from israel must be reverse so that civilians have access to the services they need to survive. unicef was created almost 77 years ago out of the ashes of world war ii. since then, our commitment to our mission has never wavered. we advocate for the rights of every child. on behalf of all the children caught in this nightmare, we call on the world to do better, whether they are young people attending a music festival or children going about their daily lives in gaza, they all deserve peace. children do not start conflicts and they are powerless to stop them. they need all of us to put their safety and security at the forefront of our efforts. to imagine a future where children are healthy, safe and educated. no child deserves any rest, thank you. >> i think mrs. ruffle for her briefing, i now give the floor to mrs. lisa. >> thank you, mr. president. i'm delivering this statement on behalf of the emergency release coordinator and under mr. martin griffith, who is currently on mission in israel and the occupied palestinian territory. the events that have unfolded since seventh of october been nothing short of devastating and heartbreaking. we do not forget the 1400 people killed and thousands more injured and taken in the brutal hamas attack. indiscriminate rocket fire continues from gaza into populated areas of israel causing more civilian casualties in displacement and trauma. we deplore that you hundred 30 people held hostage in gaza, all hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. we welcome all diplomatic efforts to secure their release and to learn that indian to room they be treated humanely and be allowed to receive visits from the international committee of the red cross. as you just heard from the commissioner general, the situation for the more than 2 million people trapped in the gaza strip is catastrophic. they have now endured acs and continued bombardment for 23 days. according to the ministry of health in gaza, more than 8000 people have been killed, 66% of whom are said to be women and children. tens of thousands more have been injured. the scale of people experiencing gaza is really hard to convey. people are becoming increasingly desperate as they search for food, water and shelter amid the relentless bombing campaign that's wiping out whole families and entire neighborhoods. in their desperation, people have resorted to breaking into u.n. warehouses in search of food and water. dehydration is an increasing concern, as is the possibility of the spread of disease and other health concerns due to unsafe water and break down and sewage treatment services. more than 1.4 million people are internally displaced in gaza and hundreds of thousands of children, women and men are crowd into overcrowded shelters and hospitals. many of these people are in search of safety. but the reality is that nowhere is safe and we simply don't have enough essential supplies to provide for the survival of internally displaced people at the scale. as we heard from the executive director, the health care system is in tatters, patients lie on the floors and in quarters, surgeons are operating without anesthesia. out of an estimated 50,000 pregnant women, 5500 are due to deliver within the next 30 days. for the 1000 patients depended on dialysis on the 130 premature babies in incubators, wife hangs by a thread as hospital backup generators run on fumes. some 9000 cancer patients are not receiving adequate care. we are deeply concerned by allegations of military installations in the close vicinity of hospitals in the request by israeli authorities for hospitals, including -- to be evacuated. there is nowhere safer these patients to go. for those on life support and babies in incubators, moving would almost be a debt sentence. the provision of humanitarian release is extreme and complex and challenging due to the bombardment, the destruction of infrastructure, and as we have said repeatedly, the lack of fuel. we mourn the loss of 64 colleagues, another humanitarian staff who had been tragically killed. we extend our deepest condolences to the families and colleagues. we have the utmost admiration for the bravery, selflessness and commitment of humanitarian workers who are delivering aid to those in need in this perilous environment. mr. president, we welcome the agreement that has allowed us to get some relief into gaza at the border crossing, but these deliveries are a drop in the ocean compared to the vast scale of needs. it's imperative we are able to get humanitarian supplies and relief into gaza safely, reliably without impediment and as the scale required. it's urgent for us to replenish fuel supplies, which are vital for giving essential services including hospitals and water desalination plants and to transport relief inside gaza. in more than one entry point into gaza is indispensable if we are to make a difference. between israel and gaza there is only one crossing equipped to rapidly process a sufficiently large number of trucks. meanwhile in the west bank, scores of civilians have been killed in incidents and violence has increased, causing hundreds of civilians to be displaced. likewise, the violence and closer check points has impeded access to essential services and food distribution. departments of some 150,000 to 175,000 palestinians from the west bank working in israel and settlements are now suspended. this situation is causing significant damage to the west bank economy and palestinian institutions. we have very real fears about what lies ahead. the current situation may peel -- may pale in comparison with what's to come. there is a genuine risk that this war could escalate further and spill into wider region. we must take urgent collective action to prevent this. mr. president, in light of all those that have been described today, what we are calling for his further parties to pause the fighting on humanitarian grounds and provide a required, safety for hostages to be released and for the u.n. to replenish supplies, relieve exhausted personnel and resume assistance throughout gaza wherever civilians are in need. it would also provide much-needed risk to civilians who are living under unimaginably dramatic conditions. with or without a pause in the fighting i reiterate that all parties on all sides must respect international humanitarian law. this means allowing to release them and taking constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects, including amanda terrien and medical workers, facilities and assets. this applies to whether civilian moves or they stay. we are relying on the responsibility of every member state here and across the u.n. to use all of their influence to ensure that the rules of war are respected and that as far as is possible, civilians are spared further suffering. >> i think her for her briefing and i shall now make a statement in my capacity as the minister of foreign affairs of brazil. distinguished representatives, i think them for their extensive information on the humanitarian situation on the ground and commend the work of their teams elsewhere. they honor the work of this organization and everything it stands for. following instructions of the president, i come back before you again today with a profound stance of urgency and dismay. we must always bear in mind the human status on both sides of the conflict. therefore, i extend the deepest condolences to the families and friends of all civilians, including the brave and dedicated united nations per
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