UN official says Netanyahu’s Gaza occupation plan to bring another catastrophe
Plan would cause further forced displacement, killings, and destruction, UN Assistant Secretary Miroslav Jenca told UNSC
NEW YORK, United States (MNTV) – United Nations Assistant Secretary General Miroslav Jenca warned the UN Security Council that Israel’s plans to control Gaza City risked another calamity with far-reaching consequences.
The UN Security Council held a rare emergency weekend meeting after Israel said its military would “take control” of Gaza City approved by Netanyahu’s security cabinet that sparked a wave of global criticism.
“If these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza, reverberating across the region and causing further forced displacement, killings, and destruction,” UN Assistant Secretary Miroslav Jenca told the UNSC.
Slovenia’s ambassador to the UN Samuel Zbogar, speaking on behalf of the five European members of the Security Council ahead of the meeting, said “this decision by the Israeli government will do nothing to secure the return of the hostages and risk further endangering their lives.”
“It will also worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and risk further death and mass displacement of Palestinian civilians.”
Netanyahu on August 10 defended a new military offensive in Gaza that’s more sweeping than previously announced, declaring in the face of growing condemnation at home and abroad that Israel “has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas.”
A source familiar with the operation, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media, confirmed that Israel plans it in both areas [Gaza City and “central camps” of Muwas].
The crowded camps had not been part of Israel’s announcement Friday of the offensive. It was not clear why, though Netanyahu has faced criticism within his ruling coalition that targeting Gaza City was not enough. Netanyahu said there would be “safe zones,” but such designated areas have been bombed in the past.
The UN’s humanitarian office OCHA said 98 children had died from acute malnutrition since the start of the conflict in October 2023, with 37 of those deaths since July, according to Gaza’s authorities.
“This is no longer a looming hunger crisis. This is starvation, pure and simple,” said OCHA’s coordination director Ramesh Rajasingham.
Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour said Sunday “over two million victims are enduring unbearable agony,” calling Israel’s plans for Gaza City “illegal and immoral,” and for foreign journalists to be allowed into Gaza.
Outside the meeting at UN headquarters in New York, a small but noisy protest calling for an end to the conflict was met by a large police presence.
Algeria’s ambassador Amar Bendjama called for sanctions on Israel in response to its Gaza City plan.
“The hour has come to impose sanctions on the enemy of humanity,” he said.
“If it was another country, you would have been imposing sanctions a long time ago,” the Palestinian envoy Mansour said.
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