UN: Security Council Must Act to Stop Famine in Gaza (Bendjama)
The Security Council must take immediate action to end the famine that has officially struck the Gaza Strip, which is suffering under brutal Zionist aggression and a suffocating blockade, asserted Amar Bendjama, Algeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, during a statement made in New York on Wednesday.
The Security Council “must act to enforce a ceasefire to protect and save innocent lives. It must ensure unimpeded access for humanitarian aid to Gaza, feeding those who are hungry and putting an end to the famine,” M. Bendjama stated at a Security Council meeting focused on “The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.”
“Famine is no longer merely a fear; it has become a harsh reality. And it is expected to escalate by September if the international community, particularly the Security Council, takes no action,” he warned.
“Failing to stop the famine equates to complicity, and inaction amounts to acceptance of shame. Stopping genocide is not merely an option; it is an obligation,” he emphasized.
The diplomat argued that the famine officially declared by the UN in Gaza can no longer be obscured by manipulated statistics or misleading statements. He also suggested that the solution cannot simply involve dropping food supplies to “ease one’s conscience,” pointing out that had the Zionist authorities adhered to the ceasefire agreement, the situation would not have deteriorated to its current state.
“We have called, we are calling, and we will continue to call for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire,” he reiterated while highlighting Algeria’s position.
He noted that the “agony” currently experienced by the Gaza Strip is a direct result of a Zionist policy rooted in “assassination, destruction, and annihilation.”
Furthermore, M. Bendjama presented photographs of victims of the ongoing famine in Gaza: Yahia al-Najjar, a three-month-old child who recently died, and Yazan Abu Ful, a two-year-old still alive but severely weakened.
The Algerian diplomat drew a direct connection between the genocide and famine affecting the people of Gaza and the targeted assassinations of journalists aimed at preventing the truth from emerging.
“This is why journalists are denied access to Gaza and why Palestinian journalists are targeted and killed,” he denounced.
On August 10, the Zionist authorities “deliberately killed six journalists. The world did nothing after this crime. Thus, the occupying power repeated the same scenario. This Monday, five more journalists were killed at Nasser Hospital. Among them was Maryam Abu Daqqa; her armor was her press vest, and her weapon was a camera,” lamented M. Bendjama. He showed attendees a portrait of the journalist before reading a poignant letter that her mother wrote to her 13-year-old daughter shortly before she became a martyr.
The representative of Algeria criticized the Security Council’s inertia in the face of genocide and famine in Gaza.
“Will this council continue to be a theater of lamentations?” he questioned, noting that its walls echo with endless speeches while Gaza burns due to inaction. “This council must act out of moral and legal duty. It must impose a ceasefire to protect and save innocent lives.”
