The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations have joined together in a firm and unwavering condemnation of the violence unfolding in the Gaza Strip, which is being carried out by Israeli occupation forces. They are resolutely calling for an immediate halt to hostilities, the establishment of a lasting humanitarian truce, the lifting of the Israeli blockade, and the unimpeded delivery of essential goods and services to the beleaguered civilians in Gaza.
During the session of the United Nations General Assembly, a draft resolution was presented by Jordan on behalf of the Arab Group. This resolution sought an immediate, durable, and sustainable humanitarian ceasefire to bring an end to hostilities and ensure the swift and unobstructed provision of essential necessities to the people of Gaza. Notably, this resolution garnered overwhelming support from 120 members of the Assembly.
The nations within the Gulf Cooperation Council have expressed their vehement condemnation of the violence engulfing the Gaza Strip and the suffering endured by innocent civilians at the hands of Israeli occupation forces. These actions blatantly disregard international law, international humanitarian law, and the principles enshrined in the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. This convention unequivocally obliges Israel, as the occupying power, to protect the well-being of civilians during times of conflict.
This unequivocal condemnation was presented by First Secretary Khalid bin Saleh Al Rabkhi, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman's delegation to the United Nations in New York, on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The statement was made during the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly, titled "Illegal Israeli actions in East Jerusalem," which extends to the occupied Palestinian territory.
The statement highlights the Security Council's inability to reach a unanimous stance regarding the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza. The relentless aggression by Israeli occupation forces against innocent and peaceful residents is a matter of profound concern, demanding unequivocal international condemnation. This includes the imposition of a blockade, the withholding of essential resources, collective punishment, the disruption of access to water and electricity, and the obstruction of access to basic necessities for survival.
According to the United Nations, over 6,500 Palestinian citizens in the Gaza Strip have tragically lost their lives, including 2,300 children, 1,200 women, and several international employees working for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Additionally, the number of wounded and injured individuals has surged to approximately 17,000.
The statement firmly emphasizes that the ongoing events in Gaza are utterly unacceptable. Nonetheless, these adversities will not deter the Palestinian people from asserting their legitimate and inalienable rights, particularly their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Similar to other oppressed populations, the Palestinian people ardently seek the end of the occupation. The statement reaffirms that the undeniable truth remains apparent to all, and no interpretation can alter it. In the eyes of the international community and in accordance with Security Council resolutions, Palestine is an occupied territory.
Therefore, it is disconcerting and unacceptable when some attempt to describe the occupation as an act of self-defense. Self-defense does not take place in occupied and usurped lands.
The statement underscores the unwavering support of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries for international law, international humanitarian law, and resolutions of international legitimacy, as represented by the Security Council, the United Nations General Assembly, and the International Court of Justice.
These nations also endorse the Arab Peace Initiative, which aims to achieve a just and comprehensive peace that paves the way for a new era of peaceful coexistence and collective security for all peoples in the Middle East. Such a peace agreement would put an end to decades of bloodshed, violence, persecution, and systemic violations.
In conclusion, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries passionately call on all member states to vote in favor of the resolution submitted by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. They earnestly urge immediate cease-fire initiatives, the unobstructed delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza—including food, water, fuel, and medicine—and the lifting of the Israeli blockade. The GCC countries insist on the restoration of electricity and water supplies and unequivocally demand an end to any plans aimed at forcibly displacing the civilian population.