400 and 40,000 people in the gaza strip are now displaced. Almost 24 of the population. Hosted whileeing others are seeking refuge buildings,ey can in hospital grounds, or families and friends. These areas are becoming harder to find. Long and5 kilometers six and 14 kilometers wide. With the blockade in place, most people are not able to leave gaza even to get Urgent Medical attention. They come to the United Nations facilities for protection when their homes and neighborhoods come under fire. People, but0,000 over 103 u. N. Facilities have come under attack including a school hosting 3300 displaced yesterday. 19 people were killed and over 100 injured. Lostnited nations has several and other humanitarian workers have been killed since the outbreak of hostilities. No place is safe. The other attacks in the strongest possible terms. With direct or indiscriminate attacks. Nations must remain in viable. A parties to the conflict should protect humanitarian workers. Justificationo for failing to do so. The widespread destruction of homes, public services, and the infrastructure throughout the gaza strip. 9000 homes have been destroyed according to preliminary reports. They have also sustained damage. Compounds havee also been damaged. 24 medical facilities have been damaged or destroyed, some hit multiple times. This includes the hospital that julyit on the 21st of causing significant damage to the top two floors of the hospital and killing four people. July, theh of hospital sheltering thousands of displaced people was also damaged. In addition to schools, hospitals, and other infrastructures, the only power plant was struck on tuesday, destroying the fuel tanks. Parts of gaza will remain without any electricity while others will only receive electricity two hours of da day. Repairs are expected to take months to complete under the best of circumstances. The immediate, medium, and longerterm impact on the functioning of water, sanitation, and Health Care Facilities as well as Food Production cannot be overstated. Water and sewer systems are also severely damaged and i am deeply concerned about possible contamination water systems. Hundreds of thousands of people are without access to regular water . The ongoing violence is preventing urgent repairs. If the Current Situation persists, the number of people without water will significantly increase. Theyre working to meet increasing humanitarian needs. With other shelters as well as patients of hospital staff. It is cord knitting requests. Unicef is delivering pediatric drugs. It is providing psychological support. It is hampering our ability to move around and has made sustained delivery of systems for people in need. Until a longterm ceasefire is will prevent us from reaching those in need. Until they are injured, recover the fed, and allow civilians some reprieve so that they can restock and resupply their homes. We need the government of israel, hamas, and other militant groups to comply with legal obligations including International Humanitarian and human rights laws. Each party must be held accountable. We all watched in horror the desperation of children and civilians as they have come under attack. There is no safe place to go. Under International Humanitarian law, the government of israel must distinguish between the military objectives and civilian objects. And protect them from the effects of military operations. With the different circumstances , even more has rules. There are appeals for additional funds to respond quickly and generously to these appeals. We cant provide assistance without urgent injection of funds. The people of israel want the same thing. We now give the floor over. We want to deliver everything from gaza city. We have assessed the situation on the ground. They admit terrible conditions resulting from the conflict that iraq did on the eighth of july that erupted on the eighth of july. Staff to thank the providing a humanitarian lifeline for the people of gaza and under the truly outstanding leadership of the director of operations bob turner. Many lost their lives since hostilities began and they are knowledge and the sacrifice acknowledging their sacrifice. Ant to thank the families. Hey have borne witness i have, in particular this morning, seen the catastrophic human cost of this war as a pediatric ward in gaza with in Armed Conflict waged with excessive and disproportionate force. They had very barely and not yet like many of you around the table, i have children of my own. And what i saw today, it devastated me. I have always refused anonymity in death and injury. Zonesten reports in war the palestinian children i saw today are not statistics. Behind every death and injury there is a story and a destiny to be respected. Elementary girls school, serving as the ignated Emergency Shelter including a notification that the school was sheltering displaced persons. Instructed by the Israeli Military to seek shelter in places such as ours. I reiterate my condemnation in the strongest terms, reiterate also that it was in serious filing should of international , including the immediate launching of a transparent investigation to share its findings. We are engaged in continuous dialogue with israel on the matter. I have heard the messages time and time again. Safe at school, we are not safe anywhere in gaza. The world has failed to protect. Is protection of civilians not something we want to hear anymore. Also call upon all parties to respect the sanctity of u. N. Premises and exercise the highest precaution in the conduct of military operations. Daysttack came only six after the Emergency Shelter caused multiple injuries and fatalities. Cause all the worse. There is something to ochoa to draw attention. On three occasions, we found rockets belonging to groups in gaza we alerted relevant. Arties improve procedures in a manner that does not compromise the safety or staff of civilians. Said thatalso be these discoveries do not in any on justify attacks facilities. A muslim closely monitor competence and other parties. Here members of the council, allow me to turn to the most difficult challenge facing gaza today. Have 220,000 displaced people. It is four times higher than the peak number of displaced people during the conflict in 2008 and 2009. I am not here referring to the tens of thousands that have found temporary shelter only to registered. We are doing Everything Possible to provide them with food, mattresses, and blankets. We are now into the fourth week of mass displacement and facility unequipped to shelter large numbers for such a duration. Diretions are increasingly in the shelters. Latrines are totally inadequate. Withutbreak is beginning skin infection, scabies, and others. There are thousands of pregnant women. We are sheltering newborn infants in these appalling conditions. Our ability to mitigate is heavily restricted by ongoing facilities. We are gravely concerned about this situation and we are gravely concerned about any possible displacement. With as many as 2500 displaced people residing in schools, an average of 80 people per classroom, we have exceeded the tolerable limit that we can accommodate. It is with alarm i have seized accounts of new instructions to evacuate the area of gaza city. Cools on six occasions, i think the population is facing a precipice. Should further largescale be the occupying power of International Humanitarian law that will have direct results for the people. Reality of israel is not sustainable under any circumstances. The continuing destruction of infrastructure. As i have stated on previous visits to gaza, the rockets we all aspire a middle east in which people share common interests, a stake in each others wellbeing, and the commitment that the said forgeneral st justice and security in the region. And those caused by the conflict now unfolding. Allow me to add my voice to those calling for the underlying in full view of the world. Is not enough. Returnot conceivable to to the situation existing before this conflict. The blockade of gaza must be they face the prospect that it would be unlivable in a toter of only a few years enable the development of gaza and the ensuring security for all in the region. It they to his mandate, will remain steadfast in their commitment to operations. Required to ensure lasting peace to instability in the region. I thank you, mr. President. I thank him for his briefing and now we invite Council Members to continue the discussion on the good afternoon. Good afternoon and welcome. Im fred camp, president and ceo of the Atlantic Council. By the look of the size of this audience and the buzz in the audience you know two things are happening here today. One of them is we are dealing with an issue of great urgency, and were about to hear someone of great wisdom and significance talk about this issue and beyond. Were honored to welcome dr. Salam fayad, former Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority to the Atlantic Council and beyond that, were delighted to welcome him to the Atlantic Councils fred Scowcroft Center as really our first and distinguished statesman at the Atlantic Council. We have the chairman of the Scowcroft Center general jones here who will be introducing. Ill just take a couple remarks before passing to the Scowcroft Center chair. Doctor fayyad adds a muched meed voice to the conversation on the future of the israelipalestinian relations and what this means for the broader middle east. Over the past three weeks, renewed conflict between israel and hamas and other palestinian groups has resulted in over 1,000 casualties. More than 5,000 excuse me, more than 4,500 wounded and displacement of tens of thousands. Efforts by secretary of state john kerry to forge a ceasefire have been insufficient thus far. As the u. S. And International Leaders seem unable to bring the conflict to a halt. Now more than ever, we need fresh thinking, fresh approaches and strong leadership to a solution to one of the worlds most intractable conflicts. I think youll hear a lot of that sort of thinking today. Dr. Fayyad has a written statement a little bit like congressional testimony which will be outside at 5 00. Hell be speaking from that statement, but in an abridged form in his opening comments before i moderate q a with the audience. He joins us today to build upon the important work the Scowcroft Centers middle east peace and Security Initiative is doing to develop Innovative Strategies and analysis for a change in middle east. I salute barry pavell and his team for the work they are doing. This complements the fantastic work of the center on the middle east and i salute the acting director dannia greenfield for the work that that center has been doing on the related set of issues. He also, dr. Fayyad wils also contribute to the critical work the council has been doing on longterm regional trends, including the growth of nonstate actors in the middle east. As a respected and accomplished leader in the region, hell be an invaluable voice along with ambassador michael warren, the councils ambassador in residence as the Council Works to better understand the strategic implications of continued conflict between israelis and palestinians. Im delighted that general jones is here who, along with steve hadley, won National Security adviser to democrat, and one National Security adviser to a president , will play the central work in the ongoing strategy of the center and the Scowcroft Center but i also thank them both for helping to bring dr. Fayyad as a distinguished statesman at the council. General jones is the chairman, as i said, of the Scowcroft Center, former National Security adviser, supreme allied Commander Europe and marine commandant. Hes been a great partner to the Atlantic Council, integral to the work of the Scowcroft Center over the past few years but really the work across the Atlantic Council on a wide set of issues. General jones, the podium is yours. Thank you, fred. And ladies and gentlemen, welcome. This is a high moment for the Atlantic Council, and we are honored to be here today. And its especially exciting for me to be able to introduce dr. Salam fayyad who i came to know and admire as a leader and statesman and colleague while working with him on the Peace Process now six years ago when i served as special envoy for the middle east Regional Security during 2007 and 2008. And my friend steve hadley was the National Security adviser. I think jane harman was still in office and the world was a different place. I think of all the two years that i spent working on this issue that one of the things i enjoyed the most during my time in the middle east was my visits my regular visits with dr. Fayyad. Without any fear of exaggeration, hes a man of courage. Hes a man of commitment. And hes a man of peace. And i think hes, above all, a very wise man and someone that we should continue to listen to as we struggle to find a longlasting solution in this very, very critical part of the world. At the current violence unfolding in the region underscores the importance of the middle east Peace Process. The regional stability. And also i would suggest global stability. And of leaders such as salam fayyad who devoted their lives to building a Better Future for all stakeholders in the region. His reputation precedes him. Hence the turnout today. Hes a leader and a visionary, one who understands that Human Development and prosperity are impossible without Good Governance and Good Governance is not possible without transparency and accountability. During his tenure at Prime Minister, dr. Fayyad championed law and in order the west bank, worked to build institutions that would meet the needs of the Palestinian People and taught us all a lesson that the solution set is much broader than simply military activities. He was appointed as minister of finance over the Palestinian Authority under Yasser Arafat from 2002 to 2005 and won praise, high praise from the International Community for introducing extensive economic and financial reforms and cracking down on corruption. And late 2005 he resigned from the cabinet to found and run the third white block an independent party that would run and win in two seats in the palestinian parliamentary elections of january 2006. In march 2007, dr. Fayyad was appointed again as minister of finance, International Unity government and in june 2007 appointed Prime Minister, a position he held until he stepped down in june 2013. Dr. Fayyad will be a fantastic a addition to the Atlantic Council team. I look forward to working closely with him as the Scowcroft Center continues to expand its work on middle east security, especially on israelipalestinian negotiations in the middle east Peace Process itself. Im sure the Scowcroft Center will become a leading voice an this critical issue. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming dr. Salam fayyad to the podium. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you very much, george jones. Thank you for the very kind introduction. Thank you. And i thank you ladies and gentlemen for the interest you have taken attending this event which i had hoped or wished would happen against different backdrop. Relative to what we all are looking at. Completely tragic situation in terms of the horror that has been going on for long 25 days, past 25 days. The destruction were talking about since the event was prepared for, more than 1400 people, including many, many children. More than 8,000 wounded. Many today are in lifethreatening situation. Made even more life threatening given the very poor conditions in the gaza strip and Health Care Facilities. In addition to damage to infrastructure, housing, 300,000 people displaced. This is the extent of the damage and tragedy thats been unfolding for the past 25 days and counting. With unfortunately not there being the prospect in the immediate future of a ceasefire. Of course, i hope im wrong on this. And weve been all following this with great deal of hope that the efforts under way, efforts that have been made toward reaching some kind of arrangement that would secure a ceasefire would be successful. Still hope and pray that it would be. Thats the most important thing given the extent to which the situation has been the horror it has been. Of course, what is really important beyond the obvious, which is to s