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Palestine censures ‘premeditated, unprovoked’ verbal attack by Israel against UN chief over Gaza comments

Wednesday, 25 October 2023 4:03 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 25 October 2023 5:08 PM ]

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres speaks to delegates during a United Nations Security Council meeting called to address the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in New York, the United States, on October 24, 2023. (Photo by European Pressphoto Agency (EPA))

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has condemned “in the strongest terms” the vicious verbal assaults by Israel against the secretary general of the United Nations, describing them as “unjustified, premeditated” and representative of the Israeli regime’s lack of respect and commitment to the world body, its Charter and resolutions regarding Palestine.

The ministry said in a statement released on Wednesday that Israel is seeking to nullify the role of the United Nations in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, particularly as the UN chief, his team and representatives are making efforts to put an end to the destructive war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, stop the forced displacement of people, and urgently open up corridors to constantly bring humanitarian relief aid to locals in the besieged coastal territory.

Speaking on Tuesday at a meeting of the UN Security Council, Antonio Guterres reiterated his call for a humanitarian pause of Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip, which has been completely sealed off of fuel, food, water and electricity supplies.

Saudi FM: UN Security Council ‘complacent’ about loss of Palestinian lives

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister says the UN Security Council is “complacent” about the loss of Palestinian lives, calling for measures to stop the Israeli “bloodshed” in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Guterres said “it is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas [resistance movement] did not happen in a vacuum,” pointing to “56 years of suffocating occupation” suffered by Palestinian people.

In a press briefing following the Security Council meeting, Gilad Erdan, Israel’s representative to the UN, demanded Guterres’ resignation for his comments.

“I think that the secretary-general must resign,” Erdan told reporters.

Israel waged the devastating onslaught against Gaza on October 7 after Hamas resistance fighters launched a surprise attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.

The death toll in Gaza since the start of the Israeli aggression now stands at 6,546 Palestinians, including 2,704 children. Nearly 18,000 others have been wounded as well.

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