ISTANBUL

Pakistan and China reiterated their support for Palestinians, while South Korea emphasized the need for a two-state solution during a UN Security Council session on Tuesday.

"Taking all considerations into account, (South) Korea is committed to recognizing Palestinian statehood at a time when it would be genuinely conducive to realizing the two-state solution," Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said at the session on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

"As we deliberate today, let us not lose sight of our common goal: a Middle East where peoples of all walks of life can coexist in peace, security and prosperity," Cho said.

South Korea is the current chair of the UN Security Council.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged action on Gaza.

"The time for words has passed. The time for action is now," he said.

"The people of Palestine are facing a crisis of historic proportion. The suffering is a stain on our collective conscious," he said.

Dar also commended the countries that recently decided to recognize Palestinian statehood.

"This positive momentum must be sustained with resolute determination, seriousness of purpose, and an unwavering commitment to achieving a just and lasting solution," he said.

Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, outlined four points for resolving the conflict: ending the tragedy in Gaza "without delay," de-escalating tensions in the West Bank, addressing “the historical injustices suffered by the Palestinian people,” and safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East in light of the ongoing Gaza crisis.

"Both Gaza and the West Bank are inalienable parts of the Palestinian territory," said Geng, urging the sides to "resolutely oppose unilateral actions that undermine the foundations of the two-state solution."

"The conflicts of the past two years have devastated Gaza, with scenes of misery and destruction everywhere. Yet Israel is stepping up its military offensive, causing even greater civilian casualties and displacements," he said, adding that military means are not the solution to the problem.

The Israeli army has killed more than 65,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and led to starvation and the spread of diseases.