Israel is very upset about what the UN secretary general said about the Gaza war during the Security Council meeting.
António Guterres stated that he strongly condemned the violent attacks carried out by Hamas gunmen in Israel a couple of weeks ago. However, he emphasized the importance of understanding that these attacks did not occur without any reason or cause.
The Israeli ambassador, Gilad Erdan, said that the person is supporting terrorism and asked them to resign right away.
He later said Israel will not give visas to UN officials.
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen rejected pleas for a ceasefire and fair response in his country’s actions towards the Hamas attacks, which resulted in the deaths of at least 1,400 people and the capturing of 222 individuals.
The health department in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, has reported that over 6,500 individuals have died in the area. This happened after Israel responded with airstrikes and artillery attacks, while also preparing to send troops for a possible ground invasion.
Mr Guterres spoke at a meeting in New York with the UN Security Council on Tuesday. He said that the situation in the Middle East is getting worse quickly and asked everyone involved to treat and keep civilians safe.
“I strongly and clearly disapprove of the shocking and never-before-seen acts of terror committed by Hamas in Israel on October 7th. ” There is no excuse for purposely killing, hurting, or taking civilians as hostages. It is also wrong to shoot rockets at innocent people.
He later spoke to the council and said that it was important to understand that the attacks by Hamas did not happen for no reason. He added that the Palestinian people have been living under a very oppressive occupation for 56 years.
He explained how Palestinians had their land taken away by settlements and affected by violence. Their economy was suppressed, their people were forced to leave, and their homes were destroyed.
Mr Guterres is also worried about the clear breaking of the rules that protect people in times of war that is happening in Gaza.
He was worried about the ongoing bombings in Gaza by Israel, and also upset about the high number of innocent people being killed and the complete destruction of neighborhoods.
He mentioned that it is wrong to use civilians as human shields, even though he did not specifically mention Hamas.
He said that protecting people doesn’t mean telling a lot of them to leave without giving them a safe place to go or things they need like food, water, medicine, and fuel. And then still bombing that place.
The leader of the United Nations also asked for a temporary break from fighting so that help can be given to Gaza and the hostages can be freed.
He said that only 62 trucks carrying food, water, and medicine have crossed the border from Egypt since Saturday. He compared this small amount of aid to a tiny drop in a vast ocean of people in need. He also mentioned that if they don’t include fuel, it couldlead to a very bad situation or even a catastrophe.
The UN agency called Unrwa, which helps Palestinian refugees, said that if it doesn’t get fuel, it won’t be able to help the 600,000 people staying in its buildings after Wednesday.
If there is no fuel, hospitals won’t have electricity and drinking water won’t be cleaned or moved.
The foreign minister of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, Riyad al-Maliki, asked for the Israeli government to stop what he described as intentional and organized killings of the two million people living in Gaza.
The foreign minister of Israel criticized Mr. Guterres during his own speech to the Security Council. He asked Mr. Guterres,”What kind of world do you live in. “
Mr Cohen said that the killing of 1,400 men, women, and children by 1,500 Hamas gunmen who entered Israel was a horrible event that will be remembered as an even more cruel act than those done by the Islamic State (IS) group.
“Hamas is like the modern-day Nazis,” Mr. Just like when everyone came together to defeat the Nazis and [IS], we now need to stand together to support Israel in defeating Hamas.
He said that when the UN asks for fairness and stopping fighting, he wants to know how can were spond fairly when babies are killed, women are raped and burned, and a child is beheaded. He also asks how we can agree to stop fighting with someone who has promised to kill and destroy us.
Mr Cohen later posted on X, which used to be called Twitter,saying: “I won’t have a meeting with the UN secretary general. ” After the terrible event on October 7th, it is not appropriate to have a fair and equal way of thinking or dealing with the situation.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN said that Mr. Guterres showed he was “completely out of touch with what is really happening in our area”.
He said that the attacks by Hamas did not happen for no reason. This shows that he understands and supports terrorism and murder. It’s really difficult to understand. It’s really unfortunate that the leader of a group formed after the Holocaust has such terrible opinions. Gilad Erdan expressed his sadness and shock by saying it was a tragedy.
On Tuesday, Mr Erdan told Israeli news website Ynet that he had informed Martin Griffiths, a top UN official, that his request for an Israeli visa was denied.
He can’t come to this area. Their companies always need to hire new people, especially at a time like this. They won’t be allowed.
Robert Jenrick, a government minister from the UK, said that the United Nations chief is incorrect and should take back his statements.
“No one should suggest that there are reasons for Hamas’s attacks, whether intentional or not,” he told ITV. He also mentioned that the UK does not think that Israeli actions in Gaza have violated international law.