The United Nations General Assembly held a special session on Thursday as part of its resumed tenth emergency session discussing the Palestinian issue following the Israeli aggression on Gaza. The speech by the Palestinian representative to the UN, Riyad Mansour, received applause and sympathy as he stated that "3,000 children and 1,700 women were killed by Israel among the 7,000 fatalities resulting from the continuous Israeli bombardment on the Gaza Strip." Mansour, tearfully addressing the UN, noted that entire neighborhoods were destroyed and families obliterated in Gaza, urging, "Stop the bombardment on Gaza and save the lives of children and civilians." He warned of the escalation of the conflict in the region if the bombardment of Gaza did not cease, pointing out that over 1,600 children were trapped under the rubble in Gaza. He added that places of worship and UNRWA schools in Gaza were not spared from Israeli shelling, noting that Palestinians had no homes left to return to after they were destroyed. He questioned, "Why do some feel great pain for Israel and little for Palestine... Where lies the problem... skin color, religion, or origin?" He indicated that Israel acts as if international laws apply to everyone but itself, explaining that Israel has displaced more than 1.4 million people in Gaza.
In response, the Israeli representative to the UN, Gilad Erdan, stated that Hamas does not care for the Palestinian people, asserting that it "must be eradicated from existence." On behalf of the Arab group at the UN, Jordan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi expressed, "We oppose using hunger as a weapon against the Palestinian people in Gaza," stressing the necessity "not to betray the besieged Palestinian people."
Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian indicated that "for the past three weeks, we have witnessed war crimes and genocide perpetrated by the Israeli occupier in Gaza and the West Bank." He continued, "We do not welcome the expanding war in the region, but if the war in Gaza continues, we cannot guarantee a ceasefire." He affirmed that "Israel is an aggressor and occupier, and the Palestinian people have the right to resist it and establish their state. The comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue can only come through granting the Palestinian people their right to establish their state," emphasizing that "if the genocide in Gaza continues, America will not be spared from the fire." He revealed that "Hamas is ready to release civilian prisoners, and the world should support the liberation of 6,000 Palestinian prisoners. Those who wish for the war not to expand must pressure Israel to stop its war on Gaza,” adding that "Washington's measures and its direct involvement in the war on Gaza are a clear violation of the UN Charter."
