NEW YORK, Wednesday, May 8, 2024 (WAFA) - Palestine's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Riyad Mansour, sent three identical letters today to the UN Secretary-General, the President of the Security Council for this month (Mozambique), and the President of the UN General Assembly, regarding the escalating Israeli aggression against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.

Mansour highlighted the dire situation unfolding in Rafah, where 1.5 million Palestinians reside, most in temporary tents after fleeing northern Gaza in search of safety, based on Israel's hollow promises. He noted the orders issued by Israeli occupation forces to evacuate more than 100,000 civilians in eastern Rafah.

Mansour urged the international community to immediately act to halt the planned Israeli attack on Rafah, citing warnings from the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and UNICEF officials.

He emphasized the Security Council's duty to demand an end to this Israeli aggression, which poses a serious threat to international peace and security and the protection of Palestinian civilians, in line with international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, including Resolutions 2712, 2720, and 2728.

Mansour emphasized the urgent need for immediate action to support international legal obligations, including commitments under humanitarian law and human rights law, and in accordance with the binding provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice in January and March 2024.

He urgently drew attention to the plight of women, children, and other vulnerable civilians, who are enduring indescribable suffering and misery, noting the killing of over 15,000 Palestinian children and 10,000 women at the hands of Israel in the past seven months. 

He stressed that there can be no justification for these inhumane acts, which are reflected in thousands of heartbreaking stories.

M.N