HAMILTON, Canada

The Arab Group at the UN on Friday "categorically rejected" Israel's and the US-backed humanitarian aid distribution mechanism in Gaza, calling it a violation of international law.

"The Arab group calls on the Security Council to take immediate action to bring an end to this horrific war and Israel's inhumane blockade of the Gaza Strip, most urgently. We demand the lifting of all restrictions on humanitarian aid and its distribution based on humanitarian principles," United Arab Emirates (UAE) envoy to UN Mohamed Abushahab said at a news conference.

Abushahab, who leads the Arab Group, stressed that "the Security Council cannot stand by while starvation is used as a weapon of war," demanding an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire, as well as the release of all hostages and detainees.

Noting the importance of statehood recognition, the Emirati envoy said: "We salute those countries that have recognized the State of Palestine, and strongly encourage others to follow their example. Recognition is not just a symbolic gesture, it is a concrete step towards a just and lasting peace."

He emphasized that the "Security Council must fulfill its responsibility" to maintain international peace and security, as well as to protect civilians.

Majed Bamya, Palestine's deputy UN envoy, echoed the calls and warned of a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

Citing ongoing bombardment, displacement, and starvation, he said: "It's enough to say Gaza for everybody to understand the human tragedy unfolding before our eyes."

"There is international outrage, but our outrage is not good enough. It's not good enough for the people of Gaza to know that the world condemns Israel's actions, condemns these crimes, and stands against them. We need actions," he said, highlighting the Security Council's responsibility.

Bamya condemned what he described as a campaign to "liquidate the Palestinian question by force" and warned that Israel is using starvation and control of aid to force displacement.

"Israel, after having used all the weapons of war, now weaponizes the distribution of aid to fulfill its objectives of stealing Palestinian land," he said.

When asked about Israel's recent approval of 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, Bamya said it demonstrated "the rift between the Israeli government and the entire world," and described the move as part of a larger assault on Palestinian existence.

"The entire world has an international consensus on the two-state solution," he said, adding that "Israel is not willing even to come close to them (fundamental principles of peace). That doesn't mean the world needs to change and adapt to Israeli crimes."

Israel's Defense Ministry has confirmed that the government approved the construction of 22 new settlements in the West Bank, which it occupied in 1967.

The international community, including the UN, considers the Israeli settlements illegal under international law. The UN has repeatedly warned that continued settlement expansion threatens the viability of a two-state solution, a framework seen as key to resolving the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land illegal and demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.