25 Oct 2023
UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday (Oct 24) alleged violations of international law in Gaza and urged an immediate ceasefire as Israel pounds the Palestinian territory in response to Hamas attacks, with the crisis deeply dividing the Security Council.
Israel voiced anger over the UN chief’s plea before a high-level session of the Security Council, where the Palestinian foreign minister in turn denounced what he described as inaction in the conflict that has killed thousands on both sides, mostly civilians.
Opening the session, Guterres said there was no excuse for the “appalling” violence by Hamas militants on Oct 7 but also warned against “collective punishment” of the Palestinians.
“I am deeply concerned about the clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza. Let me be clear: No party to an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law,” Guterres said, without explicitly naming Israel.
Guterres said that the Palestinians had been “subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation,” telling the Security Council: “It is important to also recognise the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.”
His remarks infuriated Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen who, pointing his finger at Guterres and raising his voice, recounted graphic accounts of civilians including young children killed on Oct 7 in the deadliest single attack in Israeli history.
“Mr Secretary-General, in what world do you live?” Cohen said.
Israel shortly afterward imposed a blockade of the impoverished territory, in place ever since, after Hamas took power, and it still occupies the West Bank.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, called on Guterres to resign – writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the UN chief has “expressed an understanding for terrorism and murder”.
“EPIC IS SUFFERING”
Hamas militants stormed into Israel on Oct 7 and attacked largely civilian targets including families and a music festival, killing at least 1,400 people and taking more than 220 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
More than 5,700 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, have been killed across the Gaza Strip in retaliatory Israeli bombardments, the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry said.