United Nations, May 28, 2025(Kamran Raja): Pakistan has stated that the cries from Gaza cannot continue to be met with silence. The world cannot afford another day of inaction, as history will not absolve us of our responsibility. In a powerful statement at the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, asked the Security Council as to how many more atrocities must be committed before the Council does what is right — morally, legally, and under the UN Charter? “Words of concern are no longer enough. The time to act, time to prevent genocide, is now, he said while adding that we must not allow the Israeli atrocities to be normalized – for that would be an affront to international law and human dignity. Arguing that while was clarity about the urgent tasks in hand such as ceasefire, unhindered access of humanitarian aid and the protection of the civilians etc., he said that the Security Council cannot remain a bystander, stating that it must act in accordance with its mandate — to protect civilians under siege, to uphold international law, and to speak and be on the side of the oppressed.
“We call on all Council members to come together, to act, through a resolution, to promote the objective – in the immediate term, and to help create an environment conducive for the June Conference, and towards a just and lasting settlement for the Palestinian question,” Ambassador Asim emphasized. The Pakistan UN Ambassador stated emphatically that the time for equivocation is over and there is no justification whatsoever for the human suffering of the Palestinian people. ‘Yes, enough is enough’, he exclaimed. Ambassador Ahmed opened his remarks by thanking Special Coordinator Sigrid Kaag and Dr. Feroze Sidhwa for their harrowing briefings, describing them as “objective, truthful, and responsible.” He reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support for senior UN officials, including USG Tom Fletcher, and emphasized that undue criticism of their impartial work must not be tolerated. Speaking on the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Ambassador Asim stated: “We meet yet again under the shadow of a deepening yet preventable tragedy in Gaza — one that tests not only our conscience, but the very credibility of this Council.” He underscored that the unfolding crisis is a man-made catastrophe driven by Israel’s prolonged blockade, indiscriminate bombardment, and attacks on civilians. Citing staggering figures, he noted that over 54,000 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed, and more than 122,000 injured. He described the trauma inflicted on Gaza’s population as “beyond measure, beyond imagination.”
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad outlined four critical dimensions of the suffering:
1. Over 800 medical facilities have been attacked, with hospitals operating without essential supplies. Ambulances and medical workers have been targeted.
2. With at least 57 children already dead from hunger, the Ambassador said starvation is no longer a threat but a grim reality. Humanitarian convoys are blocked or attacked.
3. Over 80 percent of homes destroyed, with widespread damage to water, electricity, and communication networks. “This is deliberate,” he said.
4. More than 28,000 women and girls have been killed, and 50,000 women are pregnant, with thousands expected to give birth in unsanitary and unsafe conditions.
He also highlighted the deteriorating situation in the West Bank, with increasing violence, home demolitions, and restrictions on movement. Additionally, he condemned Israeli officials’ provocative visits to Al-Aqsa Mosque, warning of potential regional escalation.
Ambassador Ahmed urged the Security Council to take four immediate and decisive steps:
1. Full implementation of Resolution 2735 and cessation of all attacks on civilians.
2. Unhindered access for humanitarian teams and the immediate removal of all restrictions on aid delivery.
3. Condemnation of any attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land.
4. The international community must work towards a just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of a sovereign Palestinian state.
Pakistan welcomed the upcoming conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia as a significant opportunity to advance a political resolution.