Western countries have not called for holding those responsible for killing children in Gaza accountable, and many have continued supplying weapons to Israel. This reveals the West's actual stance on human rights, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, stated on Thursday.
"It is striking that Europeans, who like to portray themselves as champions of human rights, do not call for accountability for those killing children in Gaza. Furthermore, many of them have not even halted arms supplies to Israel. The war in Gaza has truly been a litmus test, exposing the West's real approach to human rights," Nebenzya said during a UN Security Council meeting convened by Russia to address the situation of children in Gaza.
The Russian envoy highlighted that the total number of Palestinian children killed since the conflict began exceeds 14,500. "Many children have been maimed. In 2024, an average of 475 children per month—or 15 children per day—became permanently disabled in Gaza due to the use of explosive weapons, suffering severe limb injuries and hearing loss," he noted. He added that even if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ended now, the risk of death and injury for Gaza’s boys and girls would persist for at least 14 years. That is how long it would take to clear the enclave of unexploded ordnance.
"The war in Gaza has not only shattered individual lives but torn apart the very fabric of society, indefinitely postponing the prospect of true peaceful coexistence between the two peoples. Even for the children of Gaza who were fortunate enough to survive and avoid disability, it will take years to recover mentally and to learn to live as their peers do in conflict-free regions," Nebenzya concluded.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS