ISTANBUL

Iceland's Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir warned of a "systematic ethnic cleansing" taking place in Gaza while addressing the UN General Assembly on Saturday, calling Israel's acts "cruel," "inhumane," and "illegal."

"We are witnessing now crimes against humanity and war crimes in broad daylight; what appears before us is systematic ethnic cleansing. This needs to end. We need an immediate ceasefire, full humanitarian access, and the unconditional release of all hostages," Gunnarsdottir said.

She noted that "nothing" justifies the collective punishment, starvation, and forced displacement of Palestinians, calling Israel's acts "cruel," "inhumane," and "illegal."

Gunnarsdottir also reiterated the need for a two-state solution, underlining that mutual recognition remains the "only viable path to peace."

"When Israeli officials call for annexation or the expulsion of Palestinians, they are not defending Israel's security. They are calling for violations of international law, and we call it what it is: hateful, illegal, and a direct obstacle to peace," she added.

Gunnarsdottir further underscored that Russia's "aggression" in Ukraine, Israeli military operations in Gaza, and the "horrific" war in Sudan are the starkest demonstrations of deeply troubling global trends and growing disregard for international law and multilateral commitments.

"Fundamental principles of self-determination and equal rights for all nations are increasingly being undermined and even deliberately abandoned. We see paralysis in the Security Council's contempt for international law and a disturbing rise in isolationism and big power politics," she noted.