NEWS STORY : UK Joins Joint Statement on Gaza at UN Human Rights Council
STORY
The United Kingdom, alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, delivered a joint statement at the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council during the interactive dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem and Israel. The statement, delivered on 17 June 2025 by the UK’s Ambassador for Human Rights, Eleanor Sanders, expressed concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. It highlighted the deaths of over 55,000 people, including many women and children, and emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
The five countries rejected any intention by Israel to reoccupy the Gaza Strip and called for increased humanitarian access, stressing the importance of food and assistance reaching civilians safely and at scale. The statement condemned attacks on humanitarian workers and underscored the necessity for aid operations to be protected. The group also raised concerns about increasing settler violence in the West Bank and confirmed that measures had been introduced to sanction individuals involved in promoting violence against Palestinian communities. The statement reiterated support for a two-state solution and called for renewed efforts toward lasting peace. The countries also expressed regret that the Commission of Inquiry was established with an open-ended mandate and noted that this diverges from standard practice.
