Palestinian envoy to the UN Majed Bamya has warned that life in Gaza has become "Russian roulette with a bullet in almost every chamber," describing the daily fear and uncertainty endured by more than 2 million Palestinians.
"More than 2 million Palestinians, half of them children, and for more than 650 days now wake up without knowing if they will make it through the day and go to sleep without knowing if they will wake up in the morning," Bamya said during an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Wednesday.
"In Gaza, all paths lead to death," he added.
"Israel forces Palestinians to choose between death and displacement. That path, Israel wants it to be leaving Gaza. That was the whole plan from day one."
Bamya said the world is becoming desensitised to the suffering, noting that 90 to 130 Palestinians are killed daily, "simply for being Palestinian."
He criticised Israel’s narrative that blames Palestinians for their own oppression, saying, "They want to say we chose to leave, we chose to be occupied, we chose to be oppressed. It’s always our fault."
Calling for urgent humanitarian access, he stressed that aid must reach all of Gaza at scale.
"This is non-negotiable. It is not a political matter."
Bamya also condemned what he called the collapse of accountability in international law.
"What world is this where those defending international law are considered guilty and the perpetrators can never be held to account?"
"Save Gaza," he urged the Council, "or we are all doomed. Save Gaza, so we can all be saved by Gaza."
