Guyana has called on the United Nations to urge Israel to reverse a security cabinet decision to take control of Gaza City by October 7, 2025 — a move that the South American nation says would displace thousands of Palestinians and effectively end prospects for a two-state solution.
Speaking during a UN Security Council broadcast on Sunday, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, warned that the planned occupation could destabilize both regional and global peace.
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“We, the Security Council, must respond to the fact that over 61,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7, and this number increases every single day,” she said. While reiterating Guyana’s condemnation of the October 7 Hamas attacks against Israel, Rodrigues-Birkett stressed that “no attack can ever be a justifiable reason to subject Gaza’s civilian population to collective punishment.”
Guyana outlined several demands, including that Israel:
- Reverse the planned Gaza City occupation.
- Agree to an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire.
- Withdraw to pre-1967 borders in line with UN resolutions and the International Court of Justice advisory opinion.
- Allow unrestricted humanitarian access to enable rapid, safe delivery of aid to civilians.
The ambassador also cautioned that current aid delivery plans were inadequate and could endanger both civilians and humanitarian workers. She highlighted concerns for the safety of UN personnel and other aid workers in Gaza and reiterated the call for the immediate release of all hostages.
