REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi says she is surprised that the United Nations Security Council (UN DK) is silent about the ongoing humanitarian crisis It took place in Gaza. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza was one of the topics discussed during Retno's meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot in Jakarta on Tuesday.

“Indonesia's position is very clear. Humanitarian issues should be the focus of all of us right now,” Retno told a news conference after the meeting. “And Indonesia will not back down in defending the justice and humanity of the Palestinian people,” she said.

Since the October 7, 2023 attacks, the United Nations Security Council has failed to produce a resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. There were four draft resolutions submitted, but failed to be adopted due to the vetoes of a number of the permanent members of the council, which consisted of the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia.

The US-proposed draft resolution on a “humanitarian pause” failed to pass because it was vetoed by China and Russia, while the Russian draft on a “humanitarian ceasefire” could not be adopted because it lacked the number of votes in favour. Britain and the US vetoed this draft Russian proposal.

The UN Security Council convened again in New York on Monday afternoon (30/10) local time to hear reports from UN agencies on the situation in the Middle East, including the conflict in Palestine.

During the meeting, the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), and the United Nations Agency for Children (UNICEF) reported that the situation in Gaza was deteriorating. According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, more than 8,000 Palestinians have been killed so far, while tens of thousands more have been injured.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell revealed more than 420 children are killed and injured every day. “I appeal to the Security Council to immediately adopt a resolution reminding all parties of their obligations under international law, calling for a ceasefire, demanding that all parties allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access,” Russell said on the UN website. Meanwhile, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said the level of destruction and humanitarian tragedy across Gaza was “unbearable”.

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