UN Security Council expresses 'deep concern' about Israeli aggression in Gaza

The UN Security Council (UNSC) expressed "deep concern” about the situation in the Gaza Strip during an emergency meeting to discuss the Israeli regime's latest aggression in the besieged enclave, the Russian envoy to the world body said Tuesday.

Vasily Nebenzia stated that the Council is "deeply concerned by the turn of events which could lead to the resumption of a full-fledged military confrontation and a further worsening of the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza."

On Friday, the Israeli regime carried out a new massacre in Gaza, killing dozens of people, including Taysir al-Jabari, a senior commander of the Palestinian resistance movement Islamic Jihad, and six children.

The Israeli airstrikes prompted the al-Quds Brigades, the Islamic Jihad’s military wing, to respond by firing hundreds of rockets toward the occupied territories, pushing the regime forces on the back foot. 

The strong retaliation, as was pledged by the resistance group, forced Tel Aviv to demand a ceasefire in order to prevent maximum damage. The Egyptian-mediated truce took effect late Sunday.

Speaking via video at the start of the UNSC meeting on Monday, UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland warned that "the ceasefire is fragile."

He noted that the resumption of fighting will have "devastating" consequences.

Ceasefire reached because Israel ‘only understands language of force’: Iran FM

Israel only understands the language of force, says Iran’s foreign minister after Israel agreed to a ceasefire with Gaza-based Palestinian resistance forces.

During the meeting, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour slammed Israel's "unjustified aggression", urging the Council to take action to stop the killing of Palestinian children.                         

“Are you ready to say enough is enough? As the highest authority responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security?" he asserted. "How many more children do we have to bury until someone says enough is enough?"

Palestinian kid dies of wounds

It came as another Palestinian child succumbed to injuries sustained during the unprovoked and indiscriminate Israeli aerial aggression on Friday   

The 10-year-old Hanin Abu Qaida lost her life on Monday afternoon. She was injured during an Israeli air raid on Gaza City that also left her mother dead.

The Israeli strikes also damaged hundreds of houses belonging to Palestinians. 

Over 1,700 Palestinian houses damaged, destroyed

The Ministry of Public Works and Housing of Gaza on Monday said a total of 1,746 housing units were partially or fully damaged in the latest Israeli strikes.

According to the report, the Israeli forces destroyed 18 units in full and partially destroyed 71 other units that have become uninhabitable.

The strikes also left 1,675 housing units damaged, but still inhabitable, the ministry said.

The demolitions add to the plight of Gazans who are grappling with low standards of living due to the Israeli blockade that has been in place since 2007.

‘Israel failed to break Palestinians’ will’

Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad's secretary-general Ziad al-Nakhala, say the Palestinian resistance groups are united against the Israeli occupation and aggression. 

During a phone call on Monday, the duo discussed the latest developments in the occupied territories, the Israeli aggression as well as ways to bolster resistance and coordination in the resistance camp.

They also stressed that the Israeli enemy’s scheme to “break the will of our fighter nation” has resulted in failure.

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