Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Thank you, President.
New Zealand welcomes the announcement of the first phase of a peace deal between Israel and Hamas.
We commend the leadership of all those who have contributed to making this possible including the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye.
There cannot be a return to fighting. We urge the parties to abide by the ceasefire and fully implement what has been agreed.
This includes the return to Israel of all remaining deceased hostages, and full, unhindered humanitarian access into Gaza.
While the fighting has stopped, the humanitarian catastrophe has not. Malnutrition levels remain alarmingly high, particularly among children. People continue to face acute shortages of clean water, and basic healthcare.
Humanitarian organisations must be allowed access throughout Gaza to reach those most in need. We urge Israel to amend the recent registration systems to ensure NGOs can continue their essential work.
President,
While we welcome this critical first step, we recognise there is much work ahead.
We call on the parties to continue to negotiate in good faith and demonstrate the courage and leadership that led to agreement on phase one.
Hamas must demilitarise and accept that it cannot have a role in the future governance of Gaza. Israel must continue its phased withdrawal.
The international community must stand ready to support the realisation of peace. New Zealand welcomes the emerging discussions on international support to stability and reconstruction.
President,
As the world’s attention turns to post-conflict stabilisation and reconstruction in Gaza, we remain deeply concerned however that developments in the West Bank take us further from a two-state solution.
Violence in the West Bank threatens to drag Israel and Palestine into another cycle of violence. Any such acts must be condemned.
We call on Israel to halt the settlements and to allow the unimpeded flow of tax revenue to the Palestinian Authority.
New Zealand respects the recent findings of the ICJ and expects Israel to comply fully with the findings and with international law.
President,
As we look to the future, we recognise the commitments made by President Abbas to strengthen governance, transparency and the rule of law, including the commitment to hold elections within twelve months of a ceasefire in Gaza, and to continue to undertake comprehensive governance reforms. We urge everyone to work to assist the Palestinian Authority to turn these commitments into a practical reality. New Zealand will continue to support the Palestinian Authority in these efforts.
It is our hope that these commitments and recent achievements can lay the foundation for a return to political negotiations toward a two-state solution. We urge all parties to show leadership and seize this opportunity so that all Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace, security, and dignity.