BIRCS leaders welcome efforts by Egypt, Qatar to ceasefire in Gaza

CAIRO - 23 October 2024: The BRICS leaders affirmed on Wednesday their support for the admission of the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations in the context of the firm commitment to the two-state solution based on international law.

 

They also welcomed the ongoing efforts of Egypt, Qatar and other regional and international efforts aimed at reaching an immediate ceasefire, accelerating the supply of humanitarian aid and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.

 

This came in the BRICS summit statement (Kazan Declaration) published on the official website of the Kremlin, as reported by the Russian news agency (Sputnik).

 

The statement indicated support for the admission of the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations in the context of the firm commitment to the two-state solution based on international law, including: the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly and the Arab Peace Initiative, which stipulates the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine, in accordance with the internationally recognized June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side in peace and security with Israel.

 

The BRICS leaders condemned the attacks on UN staff and threats to their security, calling on the Israeli occupation to immediately cease such acts. They also expressed grave concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation and crisis in the occupied Palestinian territories as a result of the Israeli military operation, which has resulted in the killing and wounding of large numbers of civilians, forced displacement and widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure.

 

They stressed the urgent need for the immediate implementation of a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the immediate release, without preconditions, of all hostages and detainees from both sides who are illegally held in captivity.

 

The BRICS leaders also condemned the Israeli attacks targeting humanitarian operations, infrastructure, personnel and distribution points of humanitarian aid. They called for the full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions 2712 (2023), 2720 (2023), 2728 (2024) and 2735 (2024).

 

The BRICS leaders further stressed the importance of efforts to accelerate the implementation of resolutions on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.