Algeria Calls for Urgent UN Security Council Intervention to Combat Famine and Violence in Gaza

New York (United Nations) – On Wednesday, Algeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amar Bendjam, emphasized the urgent need for the Security Council to take immediate action to address the widespread famine officially declared in the Gaza Strip, which is currently under brutal Israeli aggression and a suffocating blockade.

During his speech at a Security Council meeting dedicated to the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue, Mr. Bendjama stated that the Security Council is “obliged to act to enforce a ceasefire to protect and save innocent lives.” He also stressed the necessity of ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches Gaza without any obstacles to provide food for those suffering from hunger and to put an end to the famine.

He remarked, “No one fears famine anymore because it has become a reality,” and warned that it “will spread further in September if the international community and the Security Council do not take action.” Mr. Bendjama added that “failure to stop famine is tantamount to complicity, and waiting is an acceptance of shame,” asserting that “halting the genocide is not an option but a duty.”

The Algerian diplomat pointed out that the famine officially declared by the United Nations in Gaza can no longer be concealed by manipulated statistics or misleading statements. He argued that the solution cannot merely consist of dropping food supplies “to avoid a guilty conscience,” emphasizing that the situation would not have reached this point if the Israeli entity had respected the ceasefire agreement.

Mr. Bendjama stated, “We have called, we are calling, and we will continue to call for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire,” reiterating Algeria’s position. He confirmed that the “anguish” currently afflicting Gaza is a direct result of the Israeli policy of “killing, destruction, and genocide.”

Additionally, Mr. Bendjama presented images to Security Council members of victims of the widespread famine in Gaza, such as Yahya Al-Najjar, a three-month-old infant who recently died, and Yazan Abu Ful, a two-year-old who is still alive but suffers from severe malnutrition. He established a direct link between the genocide and the famine faced by the residents of Gaza, as well as the targeted killings of journalists aimed at preventing the truth from coming to light.

He explained, “This is why journalists are prevented from entering Gaza, and Palestinian journalists are targeted and assassinated.” He noted that on August 10, the Israeli entity deliberately assassinated six journalists, yet the world did not respond to this crime. He added that the occupying power repeated its actions by assassinating five more journalists at Al-Nasser Hospital this past Monday, including Mariam Abu Daqa, who was armed with a press vest and a camera.

Mr. Bendjama directly criticized the Security Council’s silence in the face of genocide and famine in Gaza. He asked, “Will this council remain a stage for lamentation and wailing, echoing the endless speeches of the speakers while Gaza burns due to inaction? This council must act for moral and legal reasons; it must take steps to enforce a ceasefire to protect and save innocent lives.”