Delivering the UK’s statement to the Security Council in New York on 16 December, Ambassador James Kariuki urged Israel to remove all barriers to aid in Gaza and to allow international NGOs to operate freely. He called on all parties to uphold the ceasefire and to implement Security Council Resolution 2803 without delay.
Adopted on 17 November 2025 by 13 votes to none with two abstentions (China and Russia), Resolution 2803 endorses the United States‑backed Comprehensive Plan, welcomes a Board of Peace as a transitional administration for Gaza, and authorises a temporary International Stabilization Force under that Board’s oversight. The text also underscores the full resumption of humanitarian aid in line with international law.
The UK linked its call to immediate humanitarian risks, noting reports of at least 14 deaths from winter storms and flooding, and urged the rapid entry of medical supplies and shelter materials. UN and media reporting document widespread flooding in tented sites and deaths from exposure amid restricted access for key shelter items. London added that UK‑funded tents have entered Gaza, providing urgent shelter for families and support for approximately 12,000 people.
On governance, the UK said Palestinians must remain central to transitional arrangements. Resolution 2803 establishes the Board of Peace to oversee reconstruction and enables Member States working with it to form an International Stabilization Force under transitional authority.
The statement urged the return of the remains of the final deceased hostage, Ran Gvili, as part of implementing the ceasefire framework, and reiterated that Hamas must disarm and unequivocally renounce violence. Reporting indicates Gvili’s body has not yet been recovered, leaving one case outstanding under the truce arrangements.
Turning to the West Bank, the UK highlighted record levels of settler violence and said commitments by President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to act now need to translate into protection for Palestinian civilians and accountability for offenders. UN‑tracked incidents reached 264 in October, the highest monthly total since such records began.
The UK also cited the 8 December unauthorised entry by Israeli authorities into UNRWA’s East Jerusalem compound, reiterating that United Nations premises are inviolable under international law. The UN Secretary‑General condemned the raid and urged Israel to restore and uphold the UN’s privileges and immunities.
On settlements, London restated its opposition to policies that violate international law and to any form of forcible annexation. Recent developments include Israeli cabinet approval giving legal status to 19 West Bank settlements, continued court‑ordered evictions of Palestinian families in Silwan, and plans to expropriate the Sebastia acropolis and surrounding lands - steps which, the UK warned, take the region further from peace.
Economic stability featured prominently. The UK urged Israel to release withheld Palestinian clearance revenues and to raise limits on shekel transfers from Palestinian to Israeli banks, warning that current bottlenecks risk a financial breakdown. UNCTAD and the UN Special Coordinator describe a severe fiscal crisis driven by revenue suspensions and a shrinking tax base, while Israeli bank limits on shekel cash have produced liquidity congestion in Palestinian banks. London also pressed for a longer‑term extension of indemnities that underpin correspondent banking. The U.S. Treasury welcomed a one‑year extension in December 2024; in June 2025 Israel’s finance ministry moved to cancel the waiver pending cabinet approval, drawing warnings from Palestinian and international officials that termination could paralyse payments for food and fuel.
The UK closed by pledging to work with partners to implement Resolution 2803, promote stability in the West Bank and develop an irreversible pathway to a two‑state solution. Delivery will be judged by practical progress on aid access, protection of civilians and financial stabilisation over the coming weeks.