Pakistan Calls on UN to Enforce Ceasefire and Open Gaza Aid Crossings

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, addressed an emergency UN Security Council meeting, urging immediate implementation of a permanent cease‑fire in Gaza and unrestricted humanitarian access. He highlighted that nearly two million Palestinians are facing severe hardship, with over 90 % displaced, half of the hospitals only partially functional, and hundreds of thousands suffering acute hunger. Ahmed demanded that all border points, especially Rafah, remain fully open for the delivery of food, medical supplies and commercial goods, and called for the lifting of the blockade that he said exacerbates the crisis. He pressed for full execution of UN Security Council resolution 2803, including continuous aid flow, reconstruction efforts and a credible political process toward a sovereign Palestinian state based on pre‑1967 borders. The envoy also noted that the UN’s 2026 emergency appeal has received only about 12 % of required funding, despite $17 billion pledged for reconstruction, underscoring the urgent need for additional resources.