Speaking at an event hosted by the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) in eastern Poland on Wednesday, Khalifa emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian aid, particularly in Gaza, and the importance of a diplomatic resolution to the decades-long conflict, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
"We want to keep hope alive among Palestinians; we do not lose hope that we can live in our sovereign state," Khalifa said during a discussion with students and academics.
The two-state solution envisions the coexistence of independent Israeli and Palestinian states.
Khalifa stressed the need for intervention from international organizations such as the United Nations and the broader global community to revive this vision.
He referenced the 1993 Oslo Accords, agreements meant to lay the foundation for peace by establishing mutual recognition between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization.
However, he criticized the lack of progress in fulfilling the terms of the accords, which remain the legal basis for the Palestinian Authority's existence.
He highlighted the deteriorating conditions in the Palestinian territories, particularly on the West Bank, where Israeli settlements have tripled over the past 30 years.
These settlements, often protected by the Israeli military, have contributed to increasing tensions, Khalifa said.
He also described severe restrictions on movement for Palestinians, including the need for special permits to travel to or from Gaza.
Such restrictions disrupt daily life and even prevent family gatherings during religious holidays, affecting both Muslim and Christian Palestinians, he told the gathering.
Mahmoud Khalifa. Photo: PAP/Wojtek Jargiło
"Our duty is to seek ways to protect our citizens and civilians and to build our state," Khalifa stated. "We want to show the world that this nation deserves peace and the ability to develop its institutions. We are not seeking escalation but are doing everything we can to resolve this conflict."
The ambassador’s remarks underscored the humanitarian and political challenges faced by Palestinians, the PAP news agency reported.
He called for international solidarity and efforts to end the ongoing conflict.
The event, entitled "How to Help Palestinians?" and held under the auspices of the Regional Center for International Debate in Lublin, aimed to foster discussions on cultural and religious diversity, according to the university's rector, Rev. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski.
"A university is a place for dialogue between cultures and religions," Kalinowski said. "I am pleased that diplomats from many different nations, sometimes with conflicting perspectives, recognize the value of engaging in such discussions."
In November last year, Khalifa accused Israel of committing "genocide" in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian Islamist group launched a large-scale attack from the Gaza Strip, killing around 1,400 people and kidnapping over 200 as hostages, according to the Israeli government.
In response, Israel has been conducting extensive airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza, resulting in over 44,000 reported deaths and triggering a massive humanitarian crisis, according to Palestinian health officials.
'This is war and we will win this war': Israeli ambassador
The Israeli ambassador to Warsaw, Yacov Livne, said in October last year that Hamas' surprise attack from Gaza on his country was "an act of barbarism."
In an interview with public broadcaster Polish Radio, Livne said that Israel was determined to defend itself.
"This is war and we will win this war," Livne told Polish Radio at the time.
Israel's ambassador to Poland, Yacov Livne. Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak
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Source: PAP