The United States was the only holdout.
“We express our profound alarm and distress at the IPC data on Gaza published last Friday – it clearly and unequivocally confirms famine in Gaza,” the Guyanese ambassador, speaking on behalf of the group, told reporters at UN headquarters in New York City on Wednesday.
“We stand in front of you, especially disturbed by the levels of acute malnutrition among children in Gaza. We note that at least 41,000 children are at heightened risk of death from malnutrition between now and June 2026. This is a man made crisis. The use of starvation as a weapon of war is clearly prohibited under international humanitarian law. Famine in Gaza must be stopped immediately. International humanitarian law must be respected,” ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett said.
“We call for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire. We call for the immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups. We call for a substantive surge of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza,” she stressed.
“Israel must immediately and unconditionally lift all restrictions on aid delivery. This includes opening all land routes and allowing the UN and humanitarian partners to operate safely and at scale. Humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence must be central to humanitarian action,” Rodrigues-Birkett continued.
“We call on Israel to immediately reverse its decision to further expand its military operation in Gaza with the aim of taking over Gaza City. This decision, which we reject, will inevitably worsen the already horrific humanitarian situation and endanger the lives of all civilians, including the hostages”.
Israel has killed nearly 63,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
