NEW YORK: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Asim Iftikhar Ahmed has said that Gaza continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis, with civilians enduring extreme hardships, and urged the Security Council to take immediate action.
Speaking at an emergency session of the UN Security Council in New York, he said repeated violations of ceasefire agreements have further worsened the suffering of civilians, while the humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains deeply severe.
He stated that hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza are facing hunger and food insecurity, while more than one million children are deprived of adequate nutrition, healthcare, and education.
The Pakistani envoy said the only viable solution to the Palestinian issue and the ongoing humanitarian crisis is the end of Israeli occupation and the establishment of a sovereign, independent, and geographically contiguous Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with its capital in Jerusalem.
He added that there is broad international consensus on this vision and that global efforts should be directed towards achieving this objective.
He further emphasized that UN Security Council Resolution 2803 must be fully implemented, leading to a permanent ceasefire, uninterrupted humanitarian aid delivery, immediate reconstruction without conditions, and a credible, time-bound political process for the right of self-determination of the Palestinian people.
He warned that the West Bank cannot be ignored, where increasing settler violence, forced displacement, and expansion of illegal settlements are worsening the situation.
Asim Iftikhar urged the international community to take collective action to ensure immediate, unrestricted, and independent humanitarian access, and called for lifting all restrictions on aid delivery in line with international humanitarian law and UN resolutions 2720 and 2803. He said all border crossings, including Rafah, must remain open and fully operational for aid, commercial goods, and medical evacuations.
He said the blockade on Gaza has long been used as a tool of occupation and collective punishment, worsening the suffering of 2.1 million Palestinians, and stressed that humanitarian aid must never be used as a weapon and the blockade must be lifted immediately.
He further called on the Security Council to ensure unconditional humanitarian assistance, stressing that aid must not be tied to political conditions or negotiation phases, and that UN agencies should be allowed to operate freely across Gaza under a comprehensive plan.
He also highlighted severe funding shortages, noting that the UN’s 2026 emergency appeal has received only around 12 percent of required funding. He welcomed reconstruction commitments, including the Gaza Reconstruction and Development Fund (GRAD) and pledged support of $17 billion, but said urgent financial resources are needed to fill the funding gap.
