WATCH: Pandor calls out Israel and Hamas for alleged violations of international law

International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor has expressed condolences to the people of Palestine and Israel for the lives lost during the past two weeks.

The minister called out both Israel and Hamaz for alleged violations of international law and urged for an immediate ceasefire.

Members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held an open debate on the Israel/Palestine conflict in New York on Tuesday, with the crisis deeply dividing the security council.

Watch Minister Naledi Pandor’s speech

Israel’s  heavy air and artillery strikes have killed 5,791 in Gaza, according to the enclave’s health ministry, and plunged the Palestinian territory into a dire humanitarian crisis with millions more displaced.

Israel was retaliating to an October 7 attack by Hamas.

Israel has also cut off water, food, fuel and energy supplies to Gaza, and only a trickle of aid has been allowed in from Egypt in recent days under a US-brokered deal.

Civilian targets

Pandor expressed sadness at the loss of life.

“We are horrified at the blatant targeting of civilians, a clear violation of International  Humanitarian Law, the Geneva Convention, and its Protocols. Both Hamas and the  State of Israel have committed these violations.”

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However, Pandor said there are concerns about Israel’s bombing of Gaza.

“The killing of civilians and destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza by Israeli forces  goes against the tenets of international law, which prohibits the targeting of non-combatants, especially women, the aged and children.

“There is an added obligation  on an occupying power over the people and territory it occupies in terms of the Geneva Conventions including a prohibition against collective punishment. This does not  detract from South Africa’s concern at the actions of Hamas which also targeted non-combatants,” Pandor said

#SAatUNSC | Under the Presidency of Brazil, the UNSC has convened a high-level open debate on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Question of Palestine. pic.twitter.com/EtFPypkvvZ

— DIRCO South Africa (@DIRCO_ZA) October 24, 2023

UN Inadequacy

Pandor said the conflict has “again illustrated the inadequacy” of the United  Nations, in particular the UN Security Council, which has the mandate of maintaining  international peace and security.

“It has clearly not been able over time to prevent  conflicts from spiralling into intense violence and harm to ordinary civilians. All of us  need to work harder at reforming our organisation so that it is more capable of  responding to the protection of civilians.”

Pandor said South Africa agreed with the speakers at the UNSC debate that the ultimate solution to the conflict is finalising the question of the two-state solution.

“We must work hard through  the UN to create two states, Palestine, and Israel, living side by side in peace and  security. And this must be in accord with the established UN resolutions on the two state solution. The Palestinian State should be created along the 1967 borders with  East Jerusalem as its capital.

Ceasefire

South Africa also joins the urgent calls for an immediate comprehensive ceasefire and  that humanitarian corridors should be opened so that aid and other basic services  reach all those in need,” Pandor said.

Meanwhile, twenty trucks were unable to transport aid to Palestinian civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the United Nations said.

“We hope the materials can enter Gaza tomorrow,” said UN aid spokesperson Eri Kaneko. She did not say why the trucks had not been able to cross into Gaza from Egypt on Tuesday.

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