NEW YORK/LONDON — Britain’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, James Kariuki, has called on Israel to fulfil its obligations under international law and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East, Mr Kariuki said Resolution 2803, adopted in November, endorsed the US comprehensive plan to end the conflict in Gaza, describing it as a “historic opportunity” for lasting peace.
He noted that while some progress had been made on the humanitarian front since then, the plan had not been fully implemented and the humanitarian situation in Gaza remained catastrophic, according to a UK government statement.
Mr Kariuki stated that reports indicated continued violations of the ceasefire, which had resulted in the killing of more than 1,000 Palestinians since October. He added that repeated displacement, unsanitary conditions, and limited access to healthcare had left children and families increasingly vulnerable to disease and severe malnutrition.
Despite the resolution’s call for the full and immediate resumption of humanitarian aid—including the rehabilitation of civilian infrastructure—Israel continued to impose restrictions on the entry of essential supplies, Mr Kariuki said.
He urged Israel to immediately lift unjustified restrictions on humanitarian access, calling for the United Nations, including UNRWA, and international NGOs to be allowed to operate safely and at scale in line with international humanitarian law.
The British envoy stressed that humanitarian access should not be conditional on the disarmament of Hamas, adding that aid must never be used as a political bargaining tool.
Turning to the wider region, Mr Kariuki stated that stability in the West Bank was essential for any lasting peace, condemning what he described as escalating settler violence against civilians at unprecedented levels.
He called on the Israeli government to hold perpetrators accountable, reiterating Britain’s commitment to working with partners toward a two-state solution and peaceful coexistence.
