Security Council: Bloodshed could have been avoided

Ma'an - The UN Security Council called for an end to Israel's blockade after after hearing a briefing from UN Assistant Secretary-General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, saying the killing of activists on aid ships could have been avoided if Israel had heeded calls to end its siege on Gaza.

Following the meeting, a statement from the UNSC demanded "the immediate release of the ships as well as the civilians held by Israel," urged Israel to permit consular access and allow nations to retrieve their dead and wounded immediately, and to "ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance from the convoy to its destination."

The UNSC also said that it "stresses the need for sustained and regular flow of goods and people to Gaza," and called for the implementation of UN resolutions over the regulation of the Gaza crossings.

Events, as described by the UNSC

The briefing focused on the lead-up to Monday's killings, noting first that the "stated purpose of the convoy was to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza," and enumerating the goods onboard the ships, including educational, medical and construction materials, some 700 anti-siege activists and members of parliament from several nations.

Fernandez-Taranco noted that both Israel and the ships indicated that they intended to stick to their courses of action; for Israel that was "Not to allow the convoy to reach Gaza," while the Flotilla " indicated their intention to proceed with their convoy and to attempt to deliver their full consignment of cargo to Gaza and to break the blockade."

The UN official also noted that " Several governments with nationals on board the vessels urged restraint from all sides and indicated to the Israeli authorities their utmost concern that their nationals be protected."

What happened during the Israeli attack on the vessels remained unclear for the UN Security Council, as Fernandez-Taranco noted that "that those who were on board the ships are now in Israeli custody, including reporters who were traveling with the convoy and had their transmission equipment confiscated by the boarding Israeli forces."

He verified that neither the UN nor the international media have any "independent information on what transpired," and noted that despite Israel's statements that nine activists were killed, "no finally confirmed casualty figures at this stage"

Reiterating UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's call for a "full investigation to determine exactly how the bloodshed took place," and demand that "Israel must urgently provide a full explanation," Fernandez-Taranco said the UN had to "underscore the importance of a full investigation into this incident as called for by the Secretary-General."

Siege caused bloodshed

"Finally, we wish to point out that today’s bloodshed would have been avoided if repeated calls on Israel to end the counterproductive and unacceptable blockade of Gaza had been heeded. We stress the scale of unmet needs of Gaza’s civilian population and reiterate that the blockade is unacceptable and counterproductive and must end," Fernandez-Taranco said.