ARABIAN TIMES NEWS NETWORK
The Permanent Mission of Kuwait to the United Nations in Geneva organized a high-level event titled “Humanitarian access and the protection of humanitarian workers” as part of the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council. The forum gathered diplomats, UN officials, experts, and humanitarian organizations to address threats facing aid workers in conflict zones.
Kuwait’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Nasser Al-Hayyen, stressed that Kuwait remains committed to humanitarian diplomacy, enhancing cooperation between rights and relief organizations. He underscored the urgent need to protect humanitarian workers, especially in Gaza, where ongoing violations obstruct relief efforts and threaten civilian safety.
UN Special Rapporteur Michael Fakhri condemned the use of starvation as a weapon of war, particularly in Gaza, and criticized the UN Security Council’s failure to enforce Resolution 2417, which classifies starvation as a war crime. Patrick Dublat (OCHA) warned of the militarization of humanitarian aid, which undermines neutrality and hampers relief efforts in Gaza. He called for ethical funding consistent with humanitarian principles.
Francesco Motta (OHCHR) revealed shocking data: since October 7, 467 relief workers have been killed, including 323 UN staff and 1,581 health workers in Gaza. He highlighted the ongoing famine, with over 1 million Gazans nearing extreme food insecurity and no fully functional hospitals remaining. Altaf Musani (WHO) reported over 8,630 attacks on health facilities since 2018, with 2025 marking a record high.
Gaza and the West Bank saw 1,528 attacks this year alone. Sudan and Iran also faced health sector strikes amid conflict. Marco Sassoli, Professor of International Law, emphasized that starvation and aid denial violate international humanitarian law and can amount to discriminatory targeting of civilians. Ambassador Al-Hayyen concluded that Kuwait’s consistent support for humanitarian action reflects its firm belief in multilateral diplomacy, human rights, and international accountability.
