Diyar Guldogan
19 June 2026•Update: 19 June 2026
Palestinian envoy to the UN Riyad Mansour called Thursday for an "immediate and unconditional" end to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Addressing UN Security Council members, Mansour accused Israel of repeatedly violating international law and failing to comply with humanitarian obligations.
"We also know Israel has no intention of abiding by these rules. It has now been listed for its grave breaches against Palestinian children, for the sexual violence perpetrated against Palestinians.
"It has a horrific and unmatched record in the number of children killed, UN personnel killed, humanitarian workers killed, medical personnel killed, journalists killed," he told a Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.
He accused Israel of destroying hospitals and schools and restricting access to essential services including electricity, water and sanitation.
"It destroyed the hospitals and the schools and denied electricity, water and waste management and starved an entire civilian population, and facing criticism from its unlawful actions, it prefers to attack the critics rather than end its grave breaches.
"They take note of what you say and your position and they continue breaching international law and making the lives of the Palestinians the hell that we are living," he added.
A ceasefire agreement was reached in Gaza after more than two years of war that began in October 2023, leaving tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and wounded, according to local authorities.
Despite the agreement, Mansour said Israel killed over 1,000 Palestinians since the ceasefire entered into force.
"Do we have a permanent ceasefire or we have a continuous fragile ceasefire?" he said.
Mansour said Palestinians in Gaza continue to face shortages of health care, education, clean water and sanitation services.
"There is no excuse for this manufactured human catastrophe. Ending it should be unconditional.
"Palestinians in Gaza have waited long enough, suffered far too much, and cannot be asked to wait any longer," he added.
