H.E. DR. MICHEAL IMRAN KANU
AMBASSADOR AND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
Mr. President,
I thank the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Slovenia, and Greece, for requesting this timely meeting, which is also supported by Algeria and Guyana.
I also thank Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Tom Fletcher, for his important and sobering briefing.
[I further thank the representative of the FAO for the very useful update.]
Sierra Leone expresses its deep appreciation to all humanitarian personnel who continue to deliver life-saving assistance under the most trying and dangerous conditions in the Gaza Strip.
We pay tribute to the humanitarian personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of humanity, and to those who continue to serve in the face of grave risks. We honour your courage and resilience.
Sierra Leone remains gravely concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. This Council’s attention is once again drawn to the continuing crisis in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and to the risks that humanitarian workers face daily in their efforts to provide essential services for civilian survival.
According to the most recent reports, over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed, the majority of whom are women and children. At least 1.7 million people have been forcibly displaced. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble, critical infrastructure destroyed, and nearly all hospitals rendered inoperable.
The risk of famine, particularly in northern Gaza, is now imminent. The most recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) special snapshot estimates that approximately 2.1 million people face a critical risk of famine, with over half a million confronting starvation, following 19 months of conflict, mass displacement, severe restrictions on humanitarian access, and the collapse of the food system.
The absence of food, medicine, and clean water is contributing to the spread of disease and rising mortality, especially in overcrowded and unsanitary IDP camps. Children and the most vulnerable remain disproportionately affected, malnourished, traumatized, and exposed. The postponement of the fourth round of polio vaccinations is deeply concerning and increases the risk of outbreak. Beyond this, the continued blockade severely limits the delivery of medical supplies and care.
The scale of human loss, displacement, and destruction is unprecedented. As the Secretary-General of the United Nations has stated, “Gaza is becoming a graveyard for children,” describing the situation as “a moral outrage and a humanitarian catastrophe,” and warning that “we are facing a severe risk of collapse of the humanitarian system.” These words, grounded in fact, must compel urgent and unified global action.
As a Council and as an international community, we must not allow this immense suffering to become normalized. We must act with urgency, clarity, and compassion. The cost of inaction, or selective engagement, is measured not only in the rising death toll, but in the erosion of global trust in the multilateral system.
Mr. President,
The ongoing hostilities, coupled with the blockade of humanitarian and commercial goods, and the widespread displacement of civilians, continue to obstruct humanitarian operations and deepen the suffering of the population.
Sierra Leone affirms that the parties must strictly adhere to international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, the State of Israel, as the occupying power, bears the primary responsibility for the safety and well-being of the civilian population under its effective control. This includes the obligation to facilitate humanitarian relief, safeguard civilian infrastructure, and uphold the principle of non-discrimination in aid provision.
We stress that all humanitarian activities within the Gaza Strip and the West Bank must be conducted in accordance with the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence, with the protection and welfare of civilians as the central focus. This includes the work of UNRWA, mandated by the General Assembly to assist Palestinian refugees pending a just and lasting political solution.
Further, we must note that the right to self-defence must not be interpreted in ways that nullify the core principles of international law. As the Secretary-General has reminded this Council, “While [the State of ] Israel has legitimate security concerns, the manner in which it is pursuing its military operations is causing massive civilian casualties and destruction.” The principle of proportionality must be upheld. Civilians and civilian objects are not lawful targets.
We also reiterate that non-State actors, including Hamas and other armed groups, have obligations under international humanitarian law. Attacks targeting civilians, the taking of hostages, and the use of civilian areas for military operations are unlawful and must cease.
Mr. President,
More generally, Sierra Leone is increasingly alarmed by the erosion of respect for international legal norms in the context of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The provision of military assistance without adequate regard for humanitarian law may amount to the facilitation of violations. The law must be applied consistently and impartially; otherwise, impunity will prevail.
In this regard, Sierra Leone notes the Orders of Provisional Measures issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case brought by South Africa against the State of Israel under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The Court ordered Israel to “take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of acts” prohibited under Article II of the Convention, including “deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about [the] physical destruction” of the Palestinian people.
The Court also ordered that Israel must “ensure with immediate effect that its military forces do not commit any of the above-described acts,” and to “take effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.”
These are binding legal obligations. Sierra Leone urges full compliance with these measures and stresses that continued obstruction of humanitarian access, or the imposition of life-threatening conditions may give rise to international legal responsibility.
Mr. President,
The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is inseparable from its broader political and historical context. The protracted occupation of Palestinian territory, now in its 76th year, combined with the absence of a credible political process and the continued denial of the Palestinian right to self-determination, lies at the root of the repeated cycles of violence, including the tragedy on and since 7 October 2023.
Sierra Leone believes that unless the root causes, occupation, settlement expansion, and political exclusion, are addressed, the prospects for durable peace will remain out of reach.
Therefore, the persistent resort to measures amounting to collective punishment is contrary to international humanitarian law and a key driver of instability. Impunity and exclusion only perpetuate the cycle of violence. Sustainable peace must be anchored in law, justice, and political will.
We therefore join others in calling for: an immediate and sustained ceasefire; unimpeded humanitarian access through all available channels; the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure; and the release of all hostages.
Sustained diplomatic engagement is essential to consolidate any ceasefire and address outstanding political and humanitarian concerns. We welcome the release of one of the remaining 59 hostages and reiterate our demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held since 7 October 2023.
Sierra Leone reaffirms its unwavering support for a negotiated, just, and lasting solution, based on relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, resulting in two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security within internationally recognized borders.
I thank you.
