UN Secretary-General Defends Hamas Attacks Citing "Suffocating Occupation", Israel Demands Resignation

After UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday (24 October), citing violations of international law, Israel expressed frustration at the appeal during a high-level meeting of the Security Council.

The crisis, which has led to Israel launching attacks on the Palestinian territory in response to Hamas attacks, has deeply divided the Security Council as the Palestinian foreign minister criticised the lack of action in the ongoing conflict.

In his opening statement, Guterres condemned the "appalling" violence carried out by Hamas militants on 7 October. However, he also cautioned against imposing "collective punishment" on the Palestinians, NDTV reported.

Expressing his deep concern, Guterres emphasised the "clear violations of international humanitarian law" taking place in Gaza. He made it unequivocally clear that no party involved in an armed conflict can disregard international humanitarian law, although he did not explicitly mention Israel.

According to Guterres, the Hamas attacks "did not happen in a vacuum", as the Palestinians have endured 56 years of "suffocating occupation".

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen was infuriated by his remarks. He pointed his finger at Guterres and raised his voice as he recounted graphic accounts of civilians, including young children, who were killed in the deadliest single attack in Israeli history.

Cohen questioned the Secretary-General, asking, "What world do you live in?" He dismissed the idea of linking the violence to the occupation, emphasizing that Israel fully relinquished control of Gaza in 2005, giving it back to the Palestinians without retaining any territory.

Israel imposed a blockade on the impoverished territory shortly after Hamas took power, which has been in place ever since. Additionally, Israel continues to occupy the West Bank.

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, publicly urged UN Secretary-General António Guterres to step down, stating on the social media platform X that Guterres has shown sympathy towards terrorism and murder.

Guterres traveled to the Egypt-Gaza crossing to facilitate the entry of aid. He expressed satisfaction with the arrival of three aid convoys through the Rafah crossing.

Guterres acknowledged that the aid provided was minimal compared to the immense need, especially as the UN agency for Palestinian refugees expressed concerns about suspending its operations on Wednesday due to a shortage of fuel.

"To ease epic suffering, make the delivery of aid easier and safer, and facilitate the release of hostages, I reiterate my appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire," he said.

Israel, with support from the United States, has refused to stop the offensive, arguing that doing so would give Hamas the opportunity to regroup.

There is a new draft that has been introduced, which has also brought new opposition. Last week, the United States vetoed a draft resolution on the crisis, stating that it did not adequately uphold Israel's right to retaliate against Hamas.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has requested the Security Council's support for a fresh resolution led by the United States. The resolution aims to include significant input and feedback from all parties involved.

During his speech, Blinken emphasized that no member of the council, nor any nation present, would accept or allow the mass killing of its own people.

Russia, known for its use of veto power in the Security Council and previously criticised for its invasion of Ukraine, promptly declared its opposition to the US draft resolution. Additionally, the draft faced criticism from Egypt, a regional ally of the United States.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry expressed surprise at the recent efforts to pass a resolution that does not address the need for a ceasefire. He emphasised the importance of preventing further deterioration of the situation, as it could potentially lead the region into a dangerous juncture.

The Palestinian Authority's foreign minister, Riyad al-Maliki, criticised the Security Council's inaction as "inexcusable," a sentiment echoed by Jordan, a US partner.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi emphasised the importance of the Security Council taking a firm position to provide reassurance to the two billion Arabs and Muslims regarding the application of international law.

Jordan and Russia, along with other nations, have called for a meeting of the UN General Assembly on Thursday. The resolutions passed by the General Assembly are not legally binding, but this move comes as a result of the deadlock in the Security Council.