The UAE has called for a complete ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for humanitarian reasons. During a Security Council session on the situation in Gaza on Wednesday, the UAE's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, stated, "The UAE fully supports the Security Council in taking action today and continues to support measures regarding this situation in Gaza." She added, "We support a complete ceasefire for humanitarian reasons, and we do not demand it at the expense of Israel's security, but so that people can care for the injured, bury the dead with dignity, and resume their lives."
She noted that for over 140 years, the Baptist Hospital has provided medical services and refuge to generations of Gazans, and yesterday, more than 500 Palestinians were killed in an airstrike on this hospital. She stated, "Every hour of this war mocks international humanitarian law, and Gaza is abandoned, with no one feeling safe there. We call for a full and independent investigation into this incident and accountability for the perpetrators."
She continued, "There is one clear and indisputable fact: more Palestinians have died in this violence than in any other violence in the history of this conflict; in less than two weeks, more than 3,500 have been killed and 14,000 injured." She further remarked, "Hamas is indeed responsible for the gunfire that today floods the streets in Arab capitals. We condemned these attacks on October 7, but the spark was already present due to decades of deprivation and violent despair."
She emphasized that "the recent escalation pushes all of us, including Israelis and Palestinians, to work towards ensuring a two-state solution, as the only alternative is the violence we are witnessing today."
On Wednesday, the United States used its veto power in the United Nations Security Council against a resolution calling for a humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas. The draft resolution, presented by Brazil, aimed to allow humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip. Twelve members voted in favor of the draft text, while two abstained. The countries that supported the resolution included the UAE, Albania, Brazil, China, Ecuador, France, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerland, while both Russia and the United Kingdom abstained, and the US exercised its veto.
