Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper Calls for Urgent Increase in Gaza Aid Access
In a powerful address to the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper demanded that Israeli authorities "change course" and immediately facilitate greater humanitarian aid access to Gaza. She highlighted the dire situation where Palestinian children have reportedly "frozen to death" while awaiting medical evacuations.
Catastrophic Humanitarian Situation in Gaza
Chairing the Security Council meeting, Cooper described a "catastrophic humanitarian situation" in Gaza, with families displaced and living in rubble without electricity, water, or healthcare. "Children have frozen to death and died while waiting for medical evacuations. This is unconscionable, and crucially, it is preventable," she stated, emphasising that delays and restrictions on aid directly cost lives.
While acknowledging Israel's partial opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in early February, Cooper stressed that Gaza's needs cannot be met without lifting more restrictions, particularly on medical equipment and basic shelter items. She warned that the current measures are insufficient to address the escalating crisis.
Criticism of Israel's Actions Against Aid Organisations
Cooper specifically criticised Israel's moves to shut down the operations of international aid organisations in Gaza, including Save the Children. She argued that this "risked choking off essential access to people in desperate need" and called for an urgent reversal to allow experienced organisations to continue their work.
"We need an urgent change in course. So I urge the authorities to urgently ensure that experienced and long-standing organisations can continue to operate," she told the Security Council.
Concerns Over West Bank Destabilisation
The Foreign Secretary also addressed Israel's tightening control over the West Bank, where measures approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet have expanded Israeli enforcement authority over land use and planning. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defence Minister Israel Katz have indicated plans to lift restrictions on land sales to Israeli Jews in the territory.
Cooper warned against the "destabilisation" of the West Bank, arguing that "Palestine must be run by Palestinians." She pointed to increased settler violence and the "strangulation" of the Palestinian economy, stating that these actions are "deeply, deeply wrong" and contravene Security Council resolutions, ultimately making both Israeli and Palestinian people less secure.
UK's Commitment to Two-State Solution
In her concluding remarks, Cooper reaffirmed the United Kingdom's commitment to a two-state solution and Israeli security. She described a two-state solution as a gateway to regional transformation through normalisation, integration, and peaceful coexistence.
"But security cannot be achieved by an indefinite or humiliating occupation that denies security and sovereignty to the Palestinian people," she asserted, balancing support for Israeli security with criticism of occupation policies.
Security Council Session Details
The meeting, held as the UK assumed the Security Council presidency, was attended by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Palestinian representative Riyad Mansour. Notably, it included testimony from members of Palestinian and Israeli civil society groups for the first time since Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023.
Cooper's address marked a significant diplomatic intervention, combining humanitarian appeals with political warnings about the broader implications of Israeli policies in both Gaza and the West Bank.
