UNSC to hold emergency meeting over Israel's plan to expand operations in Gaza
Panama's permanent mission to the United Nations said on Friday that the meeting was requested by countries including Britain and France and supported by all Security Council members except the United States. Panama currently holds the presidency of the council.
The meeting will discuss responses after the Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced that the country's security cabinet approved the plan to expand military operations in Gaza City, which is located in the northern part of the enclave.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern in a statement issued through a spokesperson on Friday. The statement said that "this further escalation will result in additional forced displacement, killings and massive destruction, compounding the unimaginable suffering of the Palestinian population in Gaza."
Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour said that it is the duty of the international community to act. He went on to say that "enough is enough," and that there is no need for more killing and agonies.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon reacted sharply to the planned meeting, saying that Israel will not stop fighting for the release of all the hostages. He also said that "ensuring the safety and security of our citizens is our duty."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Times
8 hours ago
- Japan Times
Thousands rally in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu's new Gaza plan
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night to oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to escalate the nearly two-year Gaza war, demanding an immediate end to the campaign and for the release of the hostages. A day earlier, the prime minister's office said the security Cabinet, a small group of senior ministers, had decided to seize Gaza City, expanding military operations in the devastated Palestinian territory despite widespread public opposition and warnings from the military the move could endanger the hostages. "This isn't just a military decision. It could be a death sentence for the people we love most," Lishay Miran Lavi, the wife of hostage Omri Miran told the rally, pleading to U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene to immediately end the war. Public opinion polls show an overwhelming majority of Israelis favor an immediate end to the war to secure the release of the remaining 50 hostages held by militants in Gaza. Israeli officials believe about 20 hostages are still alive. The Israeli government has faced sharp criticism at home and abroad, including from some of its closest European allies, over the announcement that the military would expand the war. The full Cabinet is expected to give its approval as soon as Sunday. Most of the hostages who have been freed so far emerged as a result of diplomatic negotiations. Talks toward a ceasefire that could have seen more hostages released collapsed in July. "They (the government) are fanatic. They are doing things against the interests of the country," said Rami Dar, 69-year-old retiree, who traveled from a nearby suburb outside of Tel Aviv, echoing calls for Trump to force a deal for the hostages. A protester confronts a mounted Israeli policeman during a demonstration in Tel Aviv on Saturday. | AFP-JIJI Tel Aviv has seen frequent rallies urging the government to reach a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas, who ignited the war with their October 2023 attack. Saturday's demonstration attracted over 100,000 protesters, according to organizers. "Frankly, I'm not an expert or anything, but I feel that after two years of fighting there has been no success," said Yana, 45, who attended the rally with her husband and two children. "I wonder whether additional lives for both sides, not just the Israelis but also Gazans, will make any difference." Around 1,200, mostly Israelis, were killed and 251 were taken into Gaza during Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. More than 400 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since then. Protesters waved Israeli flags and carried placards bearing the images of hostages. Others held signs directing anger at the government or urging Trump to take action to stop Netanyahu from moving forward with plans to escalate the war. A small number of protesters held images of Gazan children killed by the military. Israel's military has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians in the war, according to the Gazan health ministry, which said on Saturday that at least 39 had been killed in the past day. Some of the prime minister's far-right coalition allies have been pushing for a total takeover of Gaza. The military has warned this could endanger the lives of the hostages in Gaza. Far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich, a proponent of continuing the war, issued a statement on Saturday criticizing Netanyahu and called for the annexation of large parts of Gaza. Netanyahu told Fox News in an interview that aired on Thursday that the military intended to take control of all of Gaza but that Israel did not want to keep the territory. The announcement from the prime minister's office early on Friday said the military would take Gaza City, but did not explicitly say if Israeli forces would take all of the enclave. Tal, a 55-year-old high school teacher, said at the rally in Tel Aviv that expanding the war was "terrible,' warning it would result in the deaths of both soldiers and hostages and insisting that the war should end with the military withdrawing. "We don't have anything to do there. It's not ours."
NHK
8 hours ago
- NHK
Mass rally in Tel Aviv against expansion of Israeli military operations
A massive rally has been held in Tel Aviv, Israel, against the Israeli government's moves to expand military operations in the Gaza Strip. Many demonstrators say more fighting would put hostages held in the strip in even greater danger. The demonstration took place on Saturday in Israel's biggest commercial city with families of hostages taken by the Islamic group Hamas in attendance. It followed the announcement on Friday that the Israeli government approved the expansion of the military operation in Gaza City at a Cabinet meeting. Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have stalled. Gaza City is the largest city in the enclave with a population of nearly 1 million. Israeli media say tens of thousands of people took part in Saturday's protest. Some of them held up photos of hostages and chanted "Bring them home now." A woman who says her partner is one of the 50 hostages still held in Gaza called for the release of all captives by an agreement as well as for an end to the armed conflict. In Israel, increasing numbers of people are voicing opposition to expansion of military operations. Polls conducted by Maariv, a local newspaper, right before the Cabinet approval showed 57 percent of Israelis believe that their country should pursue a comprehensive deal for the hostage release.
NHK
11 hours ago
- NHK
Ukrainian and European officials meet Vance ahead of Trump-Putin summit
Ukrainian and European officials have met US Vice President JD Vance in Britain, apparently to convey their position on a ceasefire in Ukraine. This comes ahead of a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15. The meeting on Saturday was hosted by Vance and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Officials from Ukraine, Europe and NATO took part. The Wall Street Journal said European officials told Vance that a ceasefire is needed before any other steps can be taken. They reportedly said territorial concessions must be reciprocal -- meaning that if Ukraine pulls out of some regions, Russia must give up others. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that he had a series of phone calls with leaders of Britain, France and other countries. Zelenskyy said Europe's voice must be taken into account in negotiations to reach a ceasefire. Putin is reportedly demanding that Ukraine give up the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk that Russian troops have invaded, as well as Crimea that Moscow has unilaterally annexed. A diplomatic tug-of-war appears to be underway ahead of the Trump-Putin summit.
