Gaza situation can only be changed by ceasefire: Russian envoy to UN

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 Nov 2023 20:46

The Russian diplomat urged for the UN Security Council resolution on Gaza, calling for immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages, to be promptly implemented.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia addresses members during the U.N. Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters. Monday, Oct. 30, 2023 (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

During a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said that the only way to change the unacceptable humanitarian situation in Gaza is through the implementation of an immediate ceasefire instead of temporary pauses in fighting.

"There's no doubt that no humanitarian pause can change this unacceptable situation,” Nebenzia said.

"An immediate ceasefire in the conflict zone is necessary. Only this will make it possible to avoid new casualties and to ensure that necessary humanitarian assistance is provided to those in need, particularly children," he added.

He also urged for the UN Security Council resolution on Gaza, calling for immediate and extended humanitarian pauses and the release of hostages, to be promptly implemented.

"Under no circumstances we can allow Resolution 2712 to remain on paper only," Nebenzia said, adding that upon the adoption of the resolution, it is crucial for the UN Secretary-General to offer proposals to the council, particularly concerning the monitoring mechanism.

Russia concerned about mass killings in Gaza

Elsewhere in his statement, Nebenzia said that Russia is alarmed by the level of violence perpetrated by the Israeli military on the population of Gaza, noting bombings of mosques, churches, refugee camps, and UN facilities sheltering women and children constitute a blatant violation of the international humanitarian law.

"The mass killings and maiming of children committed by the Israeli army in the course of its operations as well as attacks on schools and hospitals, that claim innocent lives, are of utmost concern," Nebenzia said.

He added that Russia has still not encountered convincing evidence supporting allegations that Hamas' command posts and bunkers were situated in facilities such as hospitals, mosques, and UN school shelters.

UNSC resolution on Gaza

On November 15, the UN Security Council adopted a Malta-drafted resolution urging "urgent and extended humanitarian pauses" in Gaza amid "Israel's" ongoing genocide of the population.

While "Israel" immediately rejected the resolution, the vote was 12-0, with the US, UK, and Russia abstaining.

The US and UK objected due to the resolution not condemning the resistance's operation, while Russia opposed it for not demanding a humanitarian cease-fire, which "Israel" and the US reject.

Russia attempted to amend the resolution by introducing a call for a humanitarian truce, but these efforts were obstructed by the US.

It is worth noting that the difference between a truce and a humanitarian pause, which is being propagated by Western media, is that a humanitarian pause, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), is defined as a "temporary cessation of hostilities purely for humanitarian purposes" and requires "the agreement of all relevant parties," stressing that typically it is implemented for "a defined period and specific geographic area."

Thousands of Israelis are returning to Ukraine

In a statement published yesterday on the website of the permanent mission of the Russian Federation to the UN, Nebenzia said that there were thousands of Israeli settlers deciding to repatriate to Ukraine because they deem it 'safer there'.

"I should like to draw the attention of all those who today repeated their worn-out "mantra" about Russia allegedly hitting Ukraine's civilian infrastructure [...], making life in that country unbearable, to a recent report that was published the other day by the Israeli media and reprinted by AFP. It states that 4,000 refugees from Israel, holders of Ukrainian passports, have decided to return to Ukraine because, in their own words, it is safe there," the letter reads.

He questions the double standards of the West, pointing out the lack of attention to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and accuses Western counterparts of promoting falsehoods about Russian attacks on civilians. At the same time, Israeli settlers seek to return to Ukraine, highlighting the perceived inconsistency and misinformation in their stance.

"Colleagues, think about this: they prefer to go home from Israel, which, as you well understand, is dozens (if not hundreds) of times safer than the Gaza Strip, which is being razed to the ground before our eyes. But our Western colleagues prefer not to notice this situation because of their double standards," the letter reads.

"I repeat my question from the previous meeting on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine: how many meetings on the humanitarian situation in Gaza have you convened? I will answer for you: not a single one. Instead, it is more convenient for you to promote lies and fabrications about alleged Russian attacks on civilians in a country where, I repeat, refugees from Israel seek to return," it further says.

"Do you realize how false, pathetic and flawed you look? I hope you do."