GCC countries strongly condemn violence in Gaza, call for immediate truce

Muscat, The Gulf Observer: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries stand united in their resolute condemnation of the violence unfolding in the Gaza Strip, perpetrated by Israeli occupation forces. They unwaveringly demand an immediate cessation of hostilities, the establishment of a lasting humanitarian truce, the lifting of the Israeli blockade, and the unimpeded delivery of vital goods and services to the besieged civilians in Gaza.

During the United Nations General Assembly session, a draft resolution, presented by Jordan on behalf of the Arab Group, called for an immediate, durable, and sustainable humanitarian truce that would bring hostilities to a halt and ensure the swift and unhindered provision of essential necessities to the people of Gaza. Remarkably, this resolution garnered overwhelming support from 120 members of the Assembly.

The nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council 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. Such actions flagrantly disregard international law, international humanitarian law, and the tenets enshrined in the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. This convention unequivocally obligates Israel, in its capacity as an occupying power, to protect the well-being of civilians during times of conflict.

This unequivocal condemnation was submitted 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 delivered 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 underscores 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 siege, 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 resolutely emphasises that the ongoing events in Gaza are utterly unacceptable. Nevertheless, 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-defence. Self-defence does not transpire 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, an initiative aimed at achieving 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 bring 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 cast their votes in favour 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—comprising 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.