ISTANBUL
Aid must flow into Gaza and the violence must stop, New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters told the 80th session of the UN General Assembly on Friday.
"We have, ever since the October 7 attacks, repeatedly demanded a ceasefire, the release of the remaining hostages, and for Israel to allow vital aid to flow into Gaza. That is where our focus remains," Peters said.
The government announces an additional major financial contribution to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, he also noted.
While stating that Wellington is not yet ready to recognize the state of Palestine, Peters added: "The New Zealand Government believes that it has one opportunity to recognise Palestinian statehood and it would make better sense to do so when conditions offer greater prospects for peace and negotiation than at present.
The Israeli army has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. Months of air and ground assaults have left Gaza largely uninhabitable, pushing its population into displacement, famine, and diseases.