NEW YORK – July 17, 2025:
Pakistan has called on the international community to break its silence and urgently respond to what it described as “escalating Israeli atrocities” in Gaza, where humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate.
Chairing a high-level meeting at the United Nations on the Middle East crisis, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, voiced grave concern over the worsening situation in the besieged Palestinian territory.
In his address, Ambassador Iftikhar condemned Israel for its ongoing strikes against UN aid distribution agencies in Gaza, adding that Palestinians are now facing death not only from violence but also from starvation. “The situation is rapidly spiraling into a full-blown humanitarian catastrophe,” he warned.
He noted that the blockade on the delivery of essential supplies — including food and fuel — had pushed Gaza’s population to the brink, and called for immediate international action to restore the flow of aid. “Access to food and medicine must be ensured without delay,” he said, stressing that a just and lasting peace remains impossible without ending the decades-long Israeli occupation.
Ambassador Iftikhar also demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire, urging world powers and institutions to step in before the situation becomes entirely irreversible. “The world cannot afford to look away while Gaza is slowly starved into submission,” he said.
Highlighting recent diplomatic developments, he described the France-Saudi Arabia-led conference on the Palestinian issue as a “beacon of hope” for the long-overdue recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Concluding his remarks, Ambassador Iftikhar reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people and pledged to continue advancing their cause in his capacity as President of the UN Security Council.
