Madam Chair,
I thank the Director of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for her briefing to the Committee, and also for the report on the work of UNRWA for 2022.
Bangladesh aligns itself with the Statement delivered by the Republic of Azerbaijan on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
Madam Chair,
It is our collective failure that when we are discussing about importance of UNRWA’s work, its urgency, its contribution for the Palestinians; 72 UNRWA personnel have been killed and 47 UNRWA installations have been damaged in the last 29 days by indiscriminate and unjustifiable attack by a member States of the United Nations. This is the highest number of UN aid workers killed in a conflict in such a short time and the United Nations particularly Security Council has failed stop the killing of its humanitarian aid workers. We pay our sincere tribute to the UNRWA personnel who has lost their lives and also express our deepest condolences to families of the bereaved.
Madam Chair,
In the last 75 years, Israel has been continuing its illegal policies and practices violating the norms and principles of international human rights and humanitarian law. Israel has been committing war crime and genocide for decades including killing of civilians including women and children, torture, forced displacement, and so on. However, this time, the dreadful atrocities have crossed all limits. Indiscriminate and disproportionate bombardment on Gaza even on hospitals, refugee camps, UNRWA shelters and schools by Israel has already killed more than 9000 people since 7 October, of whom 73 per cent are women, children and older persons. Over 22,240 people have been injured. This is in addition to the 2,000 reported missing, presumably under the rubble of destroyed buildings, including 1,100 children. More than 1.5 million Palestinians have been displaced internally in an area of just 140 square miles and they do not have necessary life-saving assistance. They are running out of food, water, electricity, shelter and medical assistance.
At this moment, immediate ceasefire is a must to stop further killing of innocent civilians. We refer to the resolution ES 10/ 21 adopted on 27 October 2023 with two third majority calling for an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities and urge the implementation of the resolution immediately.
Madam Chair,
We commend UNRWA’s critical services to millions of Palestine refugees in 2022 with its primary health care, cash and food assistance, education, emergency support, protection, social services, psychological support, microfinance, as well as infrastructure and camp improvement support. We are encouraged to see, despite complex operational environment and financial challenges, the Agency made progress in its modernization efforts and overall digital transformation, improving the quality and accessibility of its services, broadening opportunities for Palestine refugees and reinforcing its status as a highly cost-efficient organization. We also welcome the strategic plan of UNRWA for the period 2023–2028.
Madam Chair,
At this moment, immediate ceasefire and ensuring life-saving, safe, unimpeded, sufficient humanitarian assistance is first and foremost. During this dire humanitarian situation in Gaza Blocking of humanitarian assistance is totally unacceptable and cannot be justified in anyway. Immediate humanitarian access to Gaza with adequate life-saving assistance needs to be ensured. We welcome the humanitarian aid through Rafah crossing but we all know the meagerness of the supplies going into Gaza which is characterized by the Secretary-General as a drop in the ocean. We call once again to ensure immediate, continuous, sufficient and unhindered provision of essential supplies and services to civilians throughout the Gaza Strip. Currently, around 700,000 IDPs are in 149 UNRWA installations. In this regard, we add our voice to urge the international community to respond to the UNRWA flash appeal of 104 Million US Dollar for its humanitarian response over the coming 90 days.
Madam Chair,
Though, at this moment, I wanted to focus only on immediate ceasefire stop and ensuring humanitarian assistance, but as we get chance once in a year in the 4th Committee to have dedicated discussions on UNRWA, I would like to mention two points:
First, even before 07 October 2023, we have seen increasing level of threats and attacks against UNRWA staff and detention and kidnapping of UNRWA staff and finally we saw killing of the Staffs. We urge to bring perpetrators of these crimes into justice to ensure full and effective mandate delivery of UNRWA. We are also concerned on the restriction of the freedom of movement of UNRWA personnel in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and continuous incident of breaches of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, by Israel.
Second, UNRWA is the Agency which has been recognized as the life line for the Palestinians and mandated to support 5.9 million Palestinian Refugees. In this regard, we highlight the urgency of addressing the funding gap in UNRWA’s operations. We need to ensure sufficient, predictable and multi-year funding for UNRWA in addition to the flash appeal. I would like to mention that Bangladesh has pledged 50000 USD for UNRWA in 2023.
Madam Chair,
Finally, I want to say again, today’s situation has been created due to decades of oppression, killing and illegal occupation by Israel. Without ensuring a life with safety and dignity along with economic prosperity and well-being for the Palestinian people in their own land, we cannot think about peace in the entire region. The only solution to this crisis is the two-State solution based on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.
I thank you all.