**As delivered**

Mr President,

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia^*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, the potential candidate country Georgia, as well as Andorra, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

Thank you for giving me the floor and for convening this Emergency Special Session, as the situation is deeply alarming and risks spiralling out of control throughout the region. And I want to take the opportunity to thank the UN and all its personnel for their relentless work on the ground, often at the risk of their lives, as well as the tireless efforts of the Secretary-General to deescalate the conflict. 

We regret that the use of vetoes has prevented the Security Council's efforts from addressing the situation and from fulfilling its mandate and responsibility. This dramatic conflict and humanitarian situation would have required a united, timely and strong message by the Council, which the latter failed to deliver. This is deeply regrettable. We know that efforts are still underway to have a product at the Council, and we encourage Council members to find a common position.

The EU’s position is well known. The European Union reiterates its condemnation in the strongest possible terms of Hamas for its brutal and indiscriminate terrorist attacks across Israel. The use of civilians as human shields by Hamas is a particularly deplorable atrocity.

The EU strongly emphasises Israel’s right to defend itself in line with international law and international humanitarian law. It reiterates its call on Hamas to immediately release all hostages without any precondition.

The EU reiterates the importance of ensuring the protection of all civilians at all times in line with international humanitarian law. It deplores all loss of civilian life.

The EU expresses its gravest concern for the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and calls for continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and aid to reach those in need through all necessary measures including humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs. The European Union will work closely with partners in the region to protect civilians, provide assistance and facilitate access to food, water, medical care, fuel and shelter, ensuring that such assistance is not abused by terrorist organisations.

The EU recalls the need to avoid regional escalation and to engage with partners in this respect including with the Palestinian Authority.

The EU is ready to contribute to reviving a political process on the basis of the two-state solution, including through the Peace Day Effort, and welcomes diplomatic peace and security initiatives and supports the holding of an international peace conference soon.

The EU stresses the need to fight dissemination of disinformation and illegal content, and highlights the legal responsibility of platforms in this context.

We understand the rationale to have a resolution at the UNGA, in the absence of one at the Security Council. We engaged constructively and have proposed amendments.

The above priorities in addition to the points we made over the last weeks will guide our approach to the draft resolution put forward.

The purpose of the UN is to overcome divisions.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.