On 28th January 2026, Manuela Perteghella MP delivered the below speech at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. See the debate transcript here and watch the recording here.
Thank you, Chair,
Dear colleagues,
The agreement of a ceasefire in Gaza in October should have been a first step forward, creating the conditions for long-term peace, and relief for both the families of the hostages still held by the Hamas terror group, and for the millions of Gazans whose lives, homes and communities were devastated by the Israeli Government’s military campaign.
And yet, Gaza effectively remains under siege, under occupation, with aid restricted. Starvation continues. Disease spreads. The Israeli Government continues to block essential food, fuel, shelter and medical supplies despite repeated rulings by the International Court of Justice, and has banned many humanitarian organisations from entering the Gaza Strip.
Only the full flow of aid into Gaza can begin to ease the suffering of the Palestinian people.
Most distressingly, Israel’s ongoing ceasefire violations include attacks on civilians, culminating in the October air strikes which killed at least 104 people. Hundreds more have died since, and thousands are injured.
In the West Bank, settler violence against Palestinian communities is escalating. Land is seized and fragmented, further destroying any hope of a two state-solution.
The United Nations Security Council Resolution fails to address some of the obstacles to securing a long-term peace: the lack of a plan on how to disarm Hamas, the timeline for the IDF’s withdrawal from Gaza, an unwillingness to address the need to roll back the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and a clear road map to a two-state solution is also lacking. And this is the only way to provide the security and dignity which Israelis and Palestinians deserve.
Finally, peace without accountability is meaningless. And accountability includes allowing journalists and organisations access to Gaza to collect evidence of war crimes and genocide.
Why does accountability matter? Because of children like Ms Hind RAJAB.
Hind was a 5 year old girl left stranded for hours with the dead bodies of her relatives, after their car was shelled by an Israeli tank in January last year. The ambulance which was sent to get her was also bombed, killing the medics within. Hind was later found dead.
It is important to remember the names of the dead. Those responsible should be held to account.
Only then can peace and reconciliation fully happen.