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21 October 2023, Cairo

Secretary-General's remarks to Cairo Summit for Peace

Your Excellency President el-Sisi,
Your Majesties,
Your Highnesses,
Excellencies,

We meet in the heart of a region that is reeling in pain and one step from the precipice.

A region where it is impossible not to be rocked to the core by heart-wrenching, soul-searing images of suffering.

Yesterday I went to the Rafah border crossing.

There I saw a paradox -- a humanitarian catastrophe playing out in real time.

On the one hand, I saw hundreds of trucks teeming with food and other essential supplies.

On the other hand, we know that just across the border, there are two million people -- without water, food, fuel, electricity and medicine.

Children, mothers, the elderly, the sick.

Full trucks on one side, empty stomachs on the other.

Those trucks need to move as quickly as possible in a massive, sustained and safe way from Egypt into Gaza.

A 20-truck convoy of the Egyptian Red Crescent is moving today.

And I want to express my deep gratitude to Egypt in this regard.

But the people of Gaza need a commitment for much, much more – a continuous delivery of aid to Gaza at the scale that is needed.

We are working nonstop with all parties that are relevant to make it happen.

Excellencies,

Let’s be clear.

The grievances of the Palestinian people are legitimate and long.

We cannot and must not ignore the wider context for these tragic events: the long-standing conflict and 56 years of occupation with no end in sight.

But nothing can justify the reprehensible assault by Hamas that terrorized Israeli civilians.

And those abhorrent attacks can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

International humanitarian law – including the Geneva Conventions – must be upheld.

That includes protecting civilians and not attacking hospitals, schools and UN premises that are currently sheltering half a million people.

Excellencies,

Our near-term goals must be clear:

Immediate, unrestricted and sustained humanitarian aid for besieged civilians in Gaza.

Immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

And immediate and dedicated efforts to prevent the spread of violence which is increasing the risk of spillover.

To advance all these efforts, I appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire now.

Excellencies,

Our sustained collective efforts and resources have never been needed more.

As we focus on ending the bloodshed, we cannot lose sight of the only realistic foundation for a true peace and stability: a two-State solution.

Israelis must see their legitimate needs for security materialized, and Palestinians must see their legitimate aspirations for an independent State realized, in line with United Nations resolutions, international law and previous agreements.

The time has come for action.

Action to end this godawful nightmare.

Action to build a future worthy of the dreams of the children of Palestine, Israel, the region and our world.

Thank you.

Secretary-General's remarks to Cairo Summit for Peace | United Nations Secretary-General

Statement by UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process,
Tor Wennesland, on the Situation in the Middle East

Cairo, 21 October 2023

“I welcome the efforts of the Arab Republic of Egypt for convening today’s Cairo Summit for Peace to address the ongoing hostilities in Gaza and Israel.

Alongside the Secretary-General, today we continued the United Nations’ political engagements with relevant parties in the region and beyond to bring an end to the bloodshed and prevent further loss of civilian lives.

I took note of the shared concerns about the risk of a spillover of the conflict to the wider region and welcome the many calls for a political solution as the way forward.

I wish to thank the Egyptian authorities for facilitating today’s entry of the first truckloads of aid into the Gaza Strip through Rafah. This is an important step that must not be the last. Aid needs to flow safely and continuously going forward.

It is a war zone in Gaza and the needs are immense. All of us can and must do more to save lives now.

I reiterate the Secretary-General’s urgent appeal for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.”

21 October 2023, Cairo

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General - on the situation in the Middle East

The Secretary-General is grateful for the assistance of the Emir of Qatar for his efforts to secure the release of two Americans who had been held hostage in Gaza.

The Secretary-General renews his call for an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

He calls once again for unhindered and sustained humanitarian access in Gaza; full respect for international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians; as well as for a concerted effort by the international community to avoid a wider regional spill-over of the conflict.

Stephane Dujarric
Spokesman for the Secretary-General

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General - on the situation in the Middle East | United Nations Secretary-General

20 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt

Secretary-General's press encounter in front of the Rafah Border Crossing in Egypt

Dear Volunteers, ladies and gentlemen of the press,

It is impossible to be here and not to feel a broken heart.

We are witnessing a paradox.

Behind these walls, we have two million people that is suffering enormously - that has no water, no food, no medicine, no fuel, that is under fire, that needs everything to survive.

On this side, we have seen so many trucks loaded with water, with fuel, with medicines, with food. Exactly the same things that are needed on this side of the wall. So these trucks are not just trucks. They are a lifeline. They are the difference between life and death for so many people in Gaza. And to see them stuck here makes me be very clear. What we need is to make them move, to make them move to the other side of this wall, to make them move as quickly as possible and as many as possible.

Now, recently it was announced by Israel and by the United States that humanitarian aid will be allowed to enter Gaza. And I know that there is also an agreement between Egypt and Israel to make it possible.

But these announcements were made with some conditions and some restrictions. And so we are now actively engaging with all the parties, actively engaging with Egypt, with Israel, with the US, in order to make sure that we are able to clarify those conditions, that we are able to limit those restrictions in order to have as soon as possible these trucks moving to where they are needed.

We need, we absolutely need to have these trucks moving as quickly as possible and as many as necessary. But for that, this must be a sustained effort.

We are not looking for one convoy to come; we are looking for convoys to be authorized, with meaningful numbers of trucks to go everywhere into Gaza to provide enough support to the Gaza people.

On the other hand, there are requirements of verification. But those verifications need to be effective, but at the same time, those verifications need to be done in a way that is practical and in a way that is expedited.

On the other hand, we are not in a no-man’s land. We are in the land of a sovereign country – Egypt. And it is essential to recognize the role of the Egyptian institutions and namely of the Egyptian Red Crescent.

And finally, for UNRWA, to be able to distribute aid on that side, it is necessary that UNRWA has fuel and so we need to have the guarantee that we have enough fuel on the other side to distribute aid to the people in need.

So, it is very clear that it is absolutely essential to solve these problems quickly and I am hopeful they will be solved quickly to make sure there is massive support, humanitarian support, to the people of Gaza.

Unfortunately, this is not a normal humanitarian operation. It is an operation in a war zone and that is the reason why I have appealed for a humanitarian ceasefire, not that I consider that a humanitarian ceasefire is a precondition for humanitarian delivery. We don’t want to punish the Gaza people twice. First because of the war and second because of the lack of humanitarian aid. But it is clear that a humanitarian ceasefire will make things much easier and much safer for everybody.

And I want to end by expressing my deep gratitude to the people and the Government of Egypt. Egypt is today the fundamental pillar that allows hope to exist on that side of the border. Hope that these trucks will move to support them. Hope that the food, aid and the medicines I have seen in a plane that has landed will also go to the people that needs it. Hope that there will be a future and hope that one day there will be peace with a two-State solution, with Palestinians and Israelis living in peace in two States, one side by the other.

Thank you very much.

20 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt

Secretary-General's Press Encounter at the Al-Arish Airport in Egypt

I just came from the gate to Gaza (Rafah Crossing) with a deep emotion and a broken heart.

On one hand, to see the generosity of drivers of so many more than 100 trucks.

Some have been there for a few days waiting to be able to cross and they are a lifeline to the people in Gaza.

The difference between death and life, with water, with food, with medicines, with everything the people of Gaza need.

And at the same time when we have the trucks stuck at the border, we have the people in Gaza in a dramatic situation.

Children, mothers, elderly people, all without water, without electricity, without food, without medicine.

And so, we must stop this dramatic impasse.

We absolutely need to move the trucks as quickly as possible, and as many as possible, from Egypt into Gaza.

Now, there was an announcement by the US and by Israel, that humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza.

There are agreements in principle between Egypt and Israel in this regard, but we need to overcome the conditionalities and the obstacles that still exist.

We are engaging very actively with Israelis, with Egyptians and with the Americans, to see if as soon as possible we are able to move the trucks.

But it's important that we have not a one-shot operation.

It's important that we have continued support, with a meaningful number of trucks approved every day to cross.

On the other hand, there must be a verification.

That verification needs to be serious, but it needs to be also expedited and practical.

We have seen how many trucks are there that are led by the Egyptian Red Crescent.

It's important to recognize the role of the Egyptian Red Crescent and of other Egyptian institutions that are there also to support the people in Gaza. It’s not only the United Nations.

And it is essential to have fuel on the other side from UNRWA to be able to distribute humanitarian aid for the population in Gaza.

At the same time, this is a war zone, and that is the reason why I've asked for a humanitarian ceasefire.

We don't consider it to be a condition sine qua non because we don't want the Gaza people to be punished twice.

First, with water, second, with the absence of humanitarian aid.

But let's be clear, a humanitarian ceasefire would enormously facilitate and make much safer the distribution of humanitarian aid.

I have repeatedly said that the barbaric attack by Hamas needs to be condemned.

But I've also said they can not be a pretext for a collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

It's absolutely essential to respect international humanitarian law.

It's absolutely essential to protect civilians.

And it's absolutely essential to make humanitarian aid come to the Palestinians in need.

Question: When you saw the anger of those protestors, most of it levelled at Israel and the US but also at the international community for failing to stop the situation, what is your response to these protestors?

Answer: Many of them as I said were drivers that have been waiting, and can you imagine what it is to have to be stuck with a truck for two weeks waiting, leaving the family? And so there is considerable amount of anger.

Question: But many of them were just ordinary people as well.

Answer: But most of them were volunteers that are waiting to be able to act and the drivers. I think what's important to say is that we are doing everything we can, engaging with all the parties to make sure that sooner rather than later, we are able to have not only a first convoy, but continued aid to the population.

Question: But no timeline?

Answer: I think, it should be as quickly as possible, and with as many as possible trucks to cross in the first few days.

Question: There have been extraordinary diplomatic efforts involving you, the President of United States and the president of Egypt and still not a single bottle of water, not a single bale of grain or flour has made it into Gaza, why?

Answer: As I mentioned, there were, when these announcements were made some conditions and some limitations. And it's necessary to have the conditions clarified, and that's exactly what we are doing and some of the limitations removed, and others reduced to a minimum, because this is a very complex operation, and we need to make sure that it is a success. To cut a long story short, we need to have as quickly as possible the first convoy and we need to create all the guarantees for that first convoy not to be the last.

Question: Time is running out for people in Gaza.

Answer: Of course time is running out because without electricity, without fuel, without water, without food, I mean, life is not possible.

Question: How much is the delivery of aid tied to people coming out evacuations?

Answer: From our perspective, we should never create bargaining chips with humanitarian issues. We need to have conditions for hostages to be released. We need to have conditions for humanitarian aid to be delivered and we need to have conditions for those foreigners that are in Gaza and want to come out to be able to come out.

As I said, I do not accept the idea that we make this a kind of business. Everything has a value in itself and water has value in itself. It needs to be done because it's the right thing to do.

Question: So, what is the main thing holding this process up?

Answer: There are lots of complexities in the management of a border like that, and we are doing everything we can with all the parties to [address] those complexities.

Well, thank you very much. Thank you.

Secretary-General's Press Encounter at the Al-Arish Airport in Egypt | United Nations Secretary-General

18 October 2023, Beijing

Excerpts from Secretary-General’s remarks at the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation

…

With your permission and facing this august assembly, I feel, as Secretary-General of the United Nations, the obligation to say a few words about the catastrophe unfolding in the Middle East.

The region is on the precipice.

Immediately before departing for Beijing, I made two urgent humanitarian appeals:

To Hamas, for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages.

To Israel, to immediately allow unrestricted access of humanitarian aid to respond to the most basic needs of the people of Gaza - the overwhelming majority of whom are women and children.

I am fully aware of the deep grievances of the Palestinian people after 56 years of occupation. But, as serious as these grievances are, they cannot justify the acts of terror against civilians committed by Hamas on October 7 that I immediately condemned.

But those attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

Each of my two humanitarian appeals have a value in themselves.

They are not bargaining chips. They are simply the right thing to do.

And I am horrified by the hundreds of people killed at Al Ahli hospital this same day, in Gaza, by a strike that I strongly condemned earlier today.

I call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to provide sufficient time and space to help realize my two appeals and to ease the epic human suffering we are witnessing.

Too many lives - and the fate of the entire region - hang in the balance.

May the spirit of this meeting help those that need to find peace.

Thank you.

…

Secretary-General’s remarks at the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation | United Nations Secretary-General

TOR WENNESLAND

UN SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS

EMERGENCY BRIEFING TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL

18 October 2023

(As delivered)

Mr. President, members of the Council,

The Secretary-General and I have briefed this Council extensively in private over the last days on details of the horrific and unprecedented events that have been unfolding, relaying our utter condemnation, shock and regret. I will not repeat my briefings here today, noting that I will report on the situation next week during my regular monthly briefing. My colleague Martin [Griffiths] will brief you on the humanitarian situation.

Today I want to update you on where we are and on my efforts over the last days to find a way to bring to an end the hostilities and spare lives of civilians.

I have to be very honest here now and say that this is one of the most difficult moments facing the Israeli and Palestinian people in the past 75 years. The massacre and despicable acts of violence and terror perpetrated by Hamas against Israelis on 7 October are seared into our collective memories, whole families killed, women and children, abducted to the Strip and held up until this day. There is no justification or excuse for such acts and I condemn them unequivocally.

We are facing a devastating and clearly difficult challenge for the region and for the international community. It comes at a moment when the global institutions we need to respond to such a crisis are already overstretched.

We are in a war and wars are filled with horrific scenes of violence and tragedy.

Last night, I watched in horror and in real time, as I am sure all of you did, as reports of mass casualties emerged from what should be a protected site, shielded from danger, a place of healing. Hundreds of Palestinians were killed – patients and those seeking shelter – when the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City was struck by lethal fire. The circumstances of this catastrophe and responsibility still needs to be clarified and we will need a fact=based, full and broad investigation, but the result of all this is very clear Mr. President. It is a terrible tragedy for all those who were involved.

Mr. President,

I fear that we are at the brink of a deep and dangerous abyss that could change the trajectory of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, if not of the Middle East as a whole.

After more than a century of conflict and over half-a-century of occupation, we, the international community, have failed, collectively, to bring the parties to a just, sustainable political resolution. The longstanding fissures run deep and extend well beyond the confines of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The events of the past 11 days have served to re-ignite grievances and re-animate alliances across the region.

Based on my meetings and the dynamics I have observed on the ground, I will say the following: The risk of an expansion of this conflict is real, very very real, and extremely dangerous.

Mr. President,

Since the outbreak of the current hostilities, it has been my absolute priority to work to diminish this existential threat. With the Secretary-General, I have been in constant communication with the broadest range of interlocutors – with the parties, with regional and international actors who have agency or influence. I continue to do so.

Today, I speak with you from Doha, where the authorities have assured me of their continued commitment to the Palestinian people and their humanitarian needs and the urgency to prevent any further loss of civilian lives.

Meetings and ongoing discussions with leaders in Egypt have focused not only on the question of facilitating access through Rafah Crossing of humanitarian assistance, but also on our shared concerns and efforts to rein in further regional hostilities. I will return to Cairo tomorrow to join the Secretary-General to continue these political discussions. In this regard, we welcome President el-Sisi’s swift call for a Summit of world leaders to continue these discussions.

I also had similar discussions with leaders in Lebanon and in Jordan, as well as on repeated phone calls with the P5 and other key regional and international partners who are seized of and actively engaged on addressing this conflict We are all seeking a common understanding and approach at this critical time.

I welcome the visits of world leaders, such as German Chancellor Scholz, UK Foreign Minister Cleverly and, today, the visit by U.S. President Biden.

With the parties on the ground in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Ramallah, my message has remained steadfast, that we must not let the dynamic of the current conflict take our eyes off what I will call, the day after. The day after we need to start working on now, immediately.

We all know the way forward.

These days, I can tell you, diplomacy is very hard, but here is what we need to do. We need the time and space to achieve two urgent objectives: Hamas’ immediate, unconditional release of all hostages; secondly, and fast, unrestricted access of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.

The third thing must be collective efforts to end the hostilities and prevent any further expansion of the conflict in the region. Regarding the West Bank and Lebanon there should be no miscalculation, no provocation and no step that closes the door to our current efforts.

The step beyond must be down the path towards a political solution.

Ultimately, the only way to bring an end to the bloodletting and prevent any recurrence is to pave a way towards a long-term political solution, in line with UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements.

As I have stated many times in this Council, a patchwork of ad hoc and temporary fixes, and perpetual management of conflict without addressing underlying issues is not sustainable. That has been proven over the last 11 days. What we are seeing on the ground now, all too tragically proves this to be true.

What we must do now is to work together as one to achieve these objectives.

19 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt

Secretary-General's press encounter after meeting with the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Hassan Shoukry Selim

Assalam alaikum.

Your Excellency Minister Shoukry and dear friends, thank you for your warm welcome and for your vital work.

Through you, allow me to recognize and salute President el-Sisi for his critical leadership.

I am in the Middle East on a humanitarian mission at a moment of profound crisis – a crisis unlike any the region has seen in decades.

That crisis was triggered by the atrocious 7 October Hamas attacks that killed, injured and kidnapped a large number of civilians – from Israel and, indeed, around the world.

This led Israel to a total siege on Gaza and a relentless bombing campaign, with an ever-mounting toll on civilians – the vast majority of whom are women and children, but also journalists, health workers and many others including our own UN staff.

Let me be very clear in reaffirming that international humanitarian law must be respected; that the protection of civilians is also a must and any attack on a hospital or a school or UN premises are forbidden under international law.

In the face of this humanitarian catastrophe, I am calling for two immediate humanitarian actions.

To Hamas, for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages.

To Israel, for immediate unrestricted access of humanitarian aid to respond to the most basic needs of the people of Gaza.

Let me be clear. The Palestinian people have legitimate and deep grievances after 56 years of occupation.

But, as serious as those grievances are, they cannot justify terror attacks.

And as appalling as those attacks have been, they cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

Both of my humanitarian appeals are essential in and of themselves.

To help realize these two appeals, I am calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

For nearly two weeks, the people of Gaza have gone without any shipments of fuel, food, water, medicine and other essentials.

Disease is spreading. Supplies are dwindling. People are dying. And I was horrified by the images of deaths and destruction in the Al-Ahli hospital.

Civilians in Gaza desperately need core services and supplies – and for that we need rapid, unimpeded humanitarian access.

We need food, water, medicine and fuel now – we need it at scale - and we need it to be sustained.

It is not one small operation that is required. It is a sustained effort to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

In plain terms, that means humanitarians need to be able to get the aid in -- and they need to be able to distribute it safely.

I am in Egypt to witness UN preparations to be able to deliver massive support to the people of Gaza.

In this lifesaving effort, the El Arish airport and the Rafah crossing are not only critical, they are our only hope.

They are the lifelines to the people of Gaza.

Through its actions and through its openness, Egypt is showing how it is a pillar of multilateral cooperation – and a linchpin in helping to defuse tensions and to ease colossal human pain and suffering.

We know the longer this goes on, the greater the risk of the violence spilling over.

And we must work to avoid this at all costs. And Egypt has been in the forefront of these efforts. A humanitarian ceasefire is also an essential part of that effort.

I look forward to supporting this and other initiatives through intense diplomatic engagement in Egypt – starting here and now.

And never forget that in the end, we need a permanent solution, as it was referred [by Foreign Minister Shoukry.] No solution is possible without the creation of an independent Palestinian state, side by side with Israel with mutual security guaranteed and in line with the international resolutions and in line with the agreements that were established between the two parties.

Thank you once again.

Shukran.

Secretary-General's press encounter after meeting with the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Hassan Shoukry Selim | United Nations Secretary-General