Turkey’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sedat Önal, called on Friday for the declaration of an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to prevent further violence and suffering.
This came in a speech during an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Palestine, which was held at the request of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab Group.
Önal warned that “the situation in Gaza greatly increases the risk of expanding the conflict in the region.”
He stressed that Gaza has been witnessing an unprecedented disaster for about 10 weeks.
“It is clear that an immediate ceasefire is the only way to prevent further violence and suffering,” Önal said.
He added, “There is an urgent need for adequate and unhindered humanitarian aid through additional border crossings throughout Gaza.”
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The Turkish delegate stated that “the most basic requirements of human dignity are completely ignored in Gaza.”
He pointed out that “collective punishment and forced displacement practices constitute war crimes.”
Önal stressed that “crimes against humanity cannot be accepted.”
He continued, “Reprisals targeting the entire population cannot be justified in any way.”
He added, “The longer the international community delays stopping this massacre and bringing its perpetrators to justice, the more it will lose its credibility in finding solutions to global issues.”
Since last October 7, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war on Gaza that, as of Friday, has left 18,800 dead and 51,000 injured, most of them children and women, massive destruction of infrastructure and an “unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe,” according to Palestinian and UN sources.
