As the onslaught continues in Gaza, Guyana has reiterated its strong condemnation of Israel’s actions following last weekend’s airstrikes that killed over 40 Palestinians who were seeking refuge in a camp in Rafah.
On Sunday, airstrikes from the Israeli Defence Forces struck Tal al-Sultan in western Rafah, setting fire to a displacement camp where some 45 Palestinians seeking refuge were killed and over 200 were injured. This incident has sparked widespread condemnation globally.
Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett addressing the UNSC meeting on Wednesday
At a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Meeting on Wednesday, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, joined in denouncing the actions of the Israeli Government. Noting that the war crisis is in the occupied Palestinian territory, she also sounded calls for an international probe into the incident.
“It had seemed that the Gaza crisis could not get any worse, until we learned of last Sunday’s events in Tal al-Sultan in Rafah, where displaced Palestinians sheltering in tents were set on fire after Israeli airstrikes. People were injured and burned alive. And all of this (occurred) in a designated safe zone – a chilling reminder that there is no safe place in Gaza,” she asserted.
“Guyana calls for a swift, independent and international investigation to establish the facts surrounding this incident, including to identify the perpetrators. This Council must not continue to accept the all-too-familiar explanations of these incidents being mistakes or miscalculations,” the Guyanese UN Representative posited.
According to Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett, there is no justification for the killing of innocent civilians, and she pointed to Israel’s continued disregard for the international rule of law.
“The ICJ (International Court of Justice) has issued three sets of provisional measures, but there is no compliance. Indeed, two days had not yet passed following the last order by the Court for Israel to halt military operations in Rafah when the attack in Tal al-Sultan took place. This Council must seriously consider how to address this blatant disregard for the rule of law,” she asserted.
In fact, Guyana’s UN Representative further noted that all parties in this conflict must strictly adhere to international law, including international humanitarian law. To this end, she called for the immediate and unconditional release of the more than 100 persons who were taken hostage by Hamas from Israel on October 7, 2023 and are still being held in Gaza.
Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett has reiterated Guyana’s longstanding call for a ceasefire in Gaza and for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza.
“Unless the violence ends, the humanitarian situation will not improve, and the suffering will continue. A ceasefire is also one critical element for improving the security situation for humanitarian personnel to operate unimpeded… The needs in Gaza are massive, and the non-operation of several crossings has rendered the humanitarian response ineffective,” she added.
The Guyanese UN Representative further renewed calls for a two-state solution to end the decades-old war between Palestine and Israel. She noted that the Palestinian people must exercise their inalienable right to self-determination, and it is the UN that must guarantee the exercise of that right.
In addition to its calls for a ceasefire, the Guyana Government had, back in February, pledged US$150,000 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), in support of Palestinians displaced and affected by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Another US$80 million in donations was raised by local stakeholders during the month of Ramadan in April.
During Wednesday’s UNSC meeting, Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett underscored the importance of UNRWA, and pledged Guyana’s unwavering support for the relief agency. She also expressed deep concerns about, and rejected, moves to designate UNRWA as a terrorist organisation.
The UN Representative has said Guyana is prepared to work with the Security Council to accomplish peace for Palestinians and Israelis. However, even as international outcry continues against Israel’s onslaught in Gaza, it has been reported that another airstrike on Thursday morning killed 12 more Palestinians.
Since the October 7 attacks, more than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed, and over 80,000 injured – many of these victims being women and children. (G-8)
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