Security Council's European members praise Qatar's efforts to end Gaza war

New York: The five European countries serving as members of the United Nations Security Council praised the efforts of Qatar, Egypt, the United States...

New York: The five European countries serving as members of the United Nations Security Council praised the efforts of Qatar, Egypt, the United States, and Turkiye to achieve a ceasefire and advance the 20-point plan aimed at ending the war in the Gaza Strip.

This was stated in a joint press release read by Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations, James Kariuki, on behalf of the UK, Denmark, France, Greece, and Slovenia, prior to the Security Council session on Tuesday.

The statement called on all parties to fully implement Security Council Resolution 2803 in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law, which entails respecting the ceasefire and ensuring rapid, wide-ranging, and unrestricted access to humanitarian aid for civilians throughout Gaza through the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and partner NGOs.

The European countries welcomed the significant progress made in recent months toward ending the bloodshed in Gaza, securing the release of hostages, and turning the page on two tragic years of conflict.

The statement reaffirmed the European countries' steadfast commitment to a two-state solution, stressing the importance of unifying Gaza with the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, under the Palestinian Authority, and underlining the necessity of a time-bound process to conclude and implement a just and comprehensive peace agreement.