Fu Cong, Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations, made an extremely strong statement on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza June 18, focusing on the “other Middle East” crisis, now that tentative real progress has been made in proposing the means to address real fundamental issues to end the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict. Fu was speaking at the UN Security Council’s major public briefing and debate on the humanitarian situation in Gaza on June 18-19.
Fu [asserted,]( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0cnoGCUSFU) “Gaza is trapped… where ceasefire, and low intensity attacks coexist and innocent lives are being robbed daily. Since the conclusion of the ceasefire deal, Israeli military operations have claimed nearly 1,000 lives. We are deeply concerned by Israel’s continued expansion of military occupation, extension of the yellow line zone, and worse, its threats to control 70% of Gaza’s territory…. It is essential to fully expand humanitarian access to Gaza to ease the humanitarian crisis there. Israel’s draconian restrictions are keeping over two million people in Gaza trapped in what amounts to an open air prison. Minimum conditions for survival, such as sufficient food, clean drinking water, and stable shelter, remain luxuries out of reach for the Gazans.”
“The health care conditions in Gaza,” he continued, “are deteriorating further with shortages of medicine and fuel pushing the medical system to the brink of collapse while sewage and overcrowding are breeding and spreading infectious diseases. Humanitarian access must not be weaponized and the arbitrary and reflexive closure of crossings only intensifies the collective punishment.”
Fu emphasized, “Gaza is the homeland of the Palestinian people. Any arrangements for the creation of new mechanisms must be guided by the principle of Palestinians governing Palestine, respect the will of the Palestinians, and promote rather than undermine the two-state solution. Gaza, now a picture of utter and extensive devastation, has yet to rise from the ruins across all fronts. Postwar recovery and reconstruction should commence as soon as possible.”
