Statement by Charg\u00e9 d’Affaires a.i. of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy at a UNSC Briefing on the situation in the Gaza Strip (New York, August 10, 2025)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0Dmitry Polyanskiy: The other day, the world found out the shocking news that Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet had decided to deploy troops in Gaza and bring the Strip under total control of Israeli security forces so as to \u2013 as the Israeli cabinet said \u2013 defeat Hamas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These actions by the Israeli leadership constitute a gross violation of international law, and demonstrate a blatant disregard for both the appeals of the international community and the decisions of the UNSC, inflicting a major setback on the prospects for the two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0We firmly condemn the Netanyahu government’s intention to seize Gaza. <…><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The implementation of the Israeli leadership’s plans to fully cleanse the enclave will do nothing but further worsen the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Essentially, they announce new mass forced displacements, which is fraught with more suffering for the civilian population, new casualties, and increased bloodshed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Given the way the conflict in Gaza is unfolding, we have no reason to believe what the Israeli authorities publicly claim about their alleged intent to provide the civilians outside the combat zones with everything they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0The methods Israel uses to distribute food are notoriously known \u2013 they are inhumane, they contradict the norms of IHL, and lead only to the death of civilians. <…><\/p>\n\n\n\n
We have consistently and unwaveringly advocated a diplomatic solution to the Palestinian question on the basis of \u201ctwo States for two peoples\u201d formula, which, if implemented, would address both Israel’s legitimate security concerns and the Palestinian people’s legitimate aspirations to have their own State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What we\u2019ll have otherwise is nothing but deaths of another tens of thousands of innocent people, including Israeli hostages who have been held captive for almost two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0The UNSC simply must not allow such a scenario to develop, and I hope that Washington will soon realize this as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For now, as far as we understand, despite the assurances by the US Department of State about their continued \u201creal and serious diplomatic efforts to end the suffering in Gaza, secure the release of the hostages, and achieve lasting peace,\u201d the United States is simply \u201cwashing its hands\u201d and giving West Jerusalem a free hand in Gaza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read in full<\/p>\n\n\n\n