Statement by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad,
Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN,
At the UNSC Briefing on the Middle East (Palestine)
(21st of May 2026)
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We thank Deputy Special Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov and Mr. Nikolay Mladinov, High Representative for Gaza, for their briefings, including on the report of the Board of Peace. I also thank Rami Hijjo for his testimony.
2. As we have heard, the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory remains fragile. Two years of devastating conflict have exacted an unbearable toll, and fragile gains since the October 2025 ceasefire now hang in balance. A delicate regional situation consumes our focus, but attention to the West Bank and Gaza must not get off the radar.
3. Pakistan welcomes the ongoing work of the Board of Peace. We commend the sustained efforts of the guarantors and mediators – Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, and the United States – in preserving dialogue and preventing further deterioration. Pakistan remains actively engaged as part of the Group of 8 Arab and Islamic countries, in full alignment with the State of Palestine and the broader Arab consensus. In this regard, faithful implementation of Security Council resolution 2803 (2025) in all its aspects remains critical.
4. As noted in the Board’s report, the establishment of the Office of the High Representative, the formation of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), progress in training civil servants, appointment of commissioners for key governance portfolios, advancements in establishing civilian police forces, and the creation of a liaison office with the Palestinian Authority are all important and welcome developments. We hope that the NCAG would assume responsibility as the transitional governance authority at the earliest in coordination with the Palestinian Authority.
5. One could have expected that such appreciable steps would be accompanied by an improvement of the situation on ground. However, that is not the case. Continued ceasefire violations by Israeli forces, and illegal impediments to humanitarian access persist. In Gaza, over 880 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the ceasefire took effect. The Board’s report rightly warns that violations risk unraveling painstaking gains. All ceasefire violations must therefore end immediately. The verification and reciprocity of actions, a point highlighted by Mr. Mladenov, must ensure full compliance with the ceasefire.
6. On humanitarian situation, the report notes that basic food needs have stabilized, aid volumes have increased by over 70%, and most bakeries have resumed operations. Yet, the overall situation remains deeply precarious. People are surviving in makeshift tents with poor hygiene and limited access to clean water. Only half of Gaza’s hospitals are partially functional. Food prices remain roughly 300% above pre-war levels, and available food is often nutritionally insufficient. Waterborne diseases are rampant due to collapsed sanitation, and outbreak risks remain high.
7. Noting the USD 17 billion pledged for reconstruction, the Board has rightly underscored the urgent need to bridge commitments and disbursements. In this regard, the establishment of the Gaza Reconstruction and Development Fund (GRAD) is a positive step, as is growing UN cooperation with the Board on financial and reconstruction matters. Importantly, humanitarian access must be completely unhindered and facilitated as per the Comprehensive Plan.
President,
8. We must not forget – behind this dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, was also the inhumane blockade to which the people of Gaza had been subjected for years. The international community has been rightly concerned about that situation and has been mobilizing humanitarian assistance for the besieged people of Gaza. Pakistan strongly condemns the unlawful interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla by the Israeli forces in international waters, as well as arbitrary detention and reported mistreatment of humanitarian workers on-board. Those detained also reportedly include Pakistani humanitarian worker, Mr. Saad Edhi. We demand the immediate release of all illegally detained activists and also call on the international community to ensure their safety, dignity and fundamental rights.
9. Turning now to the West Bank where annexation, settler violence, and settlement expansion continue – all aimed at extinguishing the two-state solution. During April 2026 alone, settlers attempted to establish 21 new outposts. Since October 2023, over 1,100 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, and settler violence has displaced more than 40,000 people – the largest and longest displacement since 1967. We strongly condemn the recent provocative storming of the Al Aqsa Mosque compound by hundreds of settlers, led by senior Israeli officials, under heavy police protection. Likewise, the Israeli government’s plan to build a defense complex on the site of the former UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem is illegal under international law and unconscionable. These actions are undermining ongoing peace efforts and must be unequivocally condemned.
President,
10. The Comprehensive Plan and Resolution 2803 – which Mr. Alakbarov rightly termed as a crucial window of opportunity – and Mr. Mladenov described as the choice between conflict and status quo, and a new beginning – must be fully implemented.
11. As we have heard, there is a host of complex issues awaiting resolution. Pakistan strongly supports the ongoing negotiations led by guarantors and hopes there will be tangible results. For that, all parties must cooperate in good faith. Lopsided commitments or attempts to force outcomes will not yield sustainable progress. Critical elements of recovery and reconstruction that overlap with humanitarian imperatives, must not be conditional on other factors. Moreover, any viable framework must offer meaningful incentives for all parties, including a credible, time-bound pathway to statehood and self-determination, that was also the promise of the Peace Plan.
12. That is our shared, ultimate goal – establishment of an independent, sovereign, contiguous State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds and Al-Sharif as its capital, in line with UN Security Council resolutions and international legitimacy.
I thank you