Gaza's Hardships "Seem To Have No Limits", Says UN Special Coordinator

The United Nations Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, said Gaza’s hardships “seem to have no limits” as Palestinian prospects are being “blocked by Hamas’ military build-up, by Israel security measures and closures, by the lack of Palestinian unity, and the insufficient fulfilment of aid pledges by donors.”

Mladenov said that “unless radically more is done to address the chronic realities in Gaza, it is not a question of if, but rather of when another escalation will take place.”

The Special Coordinator expressed concern about “an extremely worrying most recent development,” the announcement of Hamas’ intention to implement a number of death sentences.

He said he had “serious doubt” as to whether capital trials in Gaza would meet international law standards for capital punishment, as well as concern over “disturbing media reports indicating that the sentences could be carried out in public.”

Mladenov said the beginning of May “saw the biggest escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas since the 2014 conflict.”

He told the Council that after two tunnels were discovered, “Israel carried out 14 incursions into Gaza in order to destroy them and seek out others.”

In the violent exchanges that followed, he said “militants fired 40 mortars and eight rockets at Israel, and the IDF conducted 13 airstrikes on targets in the Strip. Tragically, a Palestinian woman was killed by shrapnel and several others were wounded.”

Turning to the West Bank, “it is important to strengthen the capacity, the capability and the authority of the Palestinian security forces in the areas of their responsibility” as “continued security coordination between both sides has played and continues to play a key part in reducing violence.”

He welcomed the announcement by the Israeli authorities “to facilitate access through a number of West Bank checkpoints” and encourage them “to make further efforts to ease movement between communities within the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.”
STORY: UN / MIDDLE EAST
SOURCE: UNIFEED-UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 25 MAY 2016, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
SHOTLIST
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior UN building

25 MAY 2016, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Med shot, Nickolay Mladenov on screen
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Nickolay Mladenov, United Nations Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process:
“Gaza’s hardships, Mr. President, seem to have no limits. Palestinians in Gaza are growing ever more desperate, seeing their prospects for living a normal life and recovering their economy blocked by Hamas’ military build-up, by Israel security measures and closures, by the lack of Palestinian unity, and the insufficient fulfilment of aid pledges by donors. Recent events clearly demonstrate that the spectre of violence looms ominously over the territory. Unless radically more is done to address the chronic realities in Gaza, it is not a question of if, but rather of when another escalation will take place.”
5. Med shot delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Nickolay Mladenov, United Nations Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process:
“I want to briefly turn to an extremely worrying most recent development, and that is Hamas’ announcement of their intention to implement a number of death sentences. International law limits the application of the death penalty to the most serious crimes and pursuant to a trial and appeals process that scrupulously follows fair trial standards. I have serious doubt as to whether capital trials in Gaza meet these standards. There are also disturbing media reports indicating that the sentences could be carried out in public. This raises even more alarms as public executions are prohibited under international humanitarian law. What is also concerning is that these executions will be implemented without the approval of the Palestinian President, which is required under Palestinian law.”
7. Med shot delegates
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Nickolay Mladenov, United Nations Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process:
“The beginning of May, Mr. President, saw the biggest escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas since the 2014 conflict. Two tunnels were discovered and Israel carried out 14 incursions into Gaza in order to destroy them and seek out others. In the violent exchanges that followed, militants fired 40 mortars and eight rockets at Israel, and the IDF conducted 13 airstrikes on targets in the Strip. Tragically, a Palestinian woman was killed by shrapnel and several others were wounded.”
9. Med shot delegates
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Nickolay Mladenov, United Nations Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process:
“It is important to strengthen the capacity, the capability and the authority of the Palestinian security forces in the areas of their responsibility. Continued security coordination between both sides has played and continues to play a key part in reducing violence. In this context, I welcome the announcement by the Israeli authorities to facilitate access through a number of West Bank checkpoints. And encourage them to make further efforts to ease movement between communities within the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.”
11. Wide shot, Council

DURATION: 02:53