UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥 鈥淪top the bombs and save lives!鈥 the Palestinian ambassador pleaded at an emotional U.N. meeting Thursday on the war in Gaza. But Israel鈥檚 envoy was adamant, declaring again, 鈥淲e will not rest until Hamas is obliterated.鈥
The war sparked by Gaza鈥檚 Hamas rulers鈥 surprise attacks on Israel on Oct. 7 played out in the vast hall of the 193-nation General Assembly, where Arab nations expected to adopt a resolution Friday calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza after to agree on any action.
At the assembly鈥檚 resumed emergency special session on Israeli actions in the Palestinian territories Thursday, speaker after speaker backed the Arab resolution鈥檚 cease-fire call 鈥 except for Israel鈥檚 U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan, who told the 193-member world body, 鈥淎 cease-fire means giving Hamas time to rearm itself, so they can massacre us again.鈥
After quoting several Hamas statements vowing to destroy Israel and the Jews, he said, 鈥淎ny call for a cease-fire is not an attempt at peace. It is , preventing us from eliminating a huge threat to our citizens.鈥
But the , the protection of Palestinian civilians facing constant Israeli bombardments in Gaza and the delivery of desperately needed food, water, medicine and fuel were often passionate and intense from nearly a dozen countries that spoke Thursday. While the Hamas attacks killed some 1,400 Israelis, more than 7,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel鈥檚 retaliatory airstrikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
On another key issue 鈥 the more than 220 hostages taken from Israel 鈥 Iran鈥檚 foreign minister said Hamas is ready to release civilian prisoners, and he said the international community must take responsibility for releasing 6,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
Iran 鈥渟tands ready to play its part in this very important humanitarian endeavor, along with Qatar and Turkey,鈥 Hossein Amirabdollahian told the assembly.
and Qatar has already played a key role in the release of four Israeli civilians.
Israel鈥檚 Erdan said the country鈥檚 action has nothing to do with the Arab-Israeli conflict or the Palestinian question. 鈥淭his is not a war with the Palestinians. Israel is at war with the genocidal Jihadist Hamas terror organization,鈥 he said.
But Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, said 70% of those killed in Gaza were children and women. 鈥淚s this the war some of you are defending? Can this war be defended? These are crimes. This is barbarism,鈥 he said.
鈥淚f you do not stop it for all those who were killed, stop it for all those whose lives we can still save,鈥 he said.
The anguish over the deaths on both sides was palpable.
Mansour鈥檚 voice cracked when he spoke of a Palestinian girl killed before the birthday her father had planned and a man hugging the body of his dead mother and saying: 鈥淐ome back, and I will take you wherever you want.鈥
Erdan鈥檚 voice rose when he told the assembly of Hamas fighters firing blindly at hundreds of young people at a concert in southern Israel, parading naked girls that they had raped, and crushing the skulls of babies. He showed a brief video of a badly injured agricultural worker from Thailand being decapitated 鈥渨ith a blunt gardening tool.鈥
Jordan鈥檚 Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, speaking on behalf of the 22-nation Arab Group, spoke emotionally of children dying under the rubble of homes destroyed by Israeli precision bombs, and some still alive and trapped with no equipment to pull them out. 鈥淭he parents can still hear them. They talk to them helplessly, knowing that they are running out of air and are slowly dying,鈥 he said.
In a sharp rebuke to the Israeli ambassador, he told the assembly, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have videos to show you. We respect the dead too much. We respect the pain of their families too much to show videos.鈥
Safadi also criticized Erdan for not saying a word 鈥渁bout Palestinian lives shattered in this war.鈥
鈥淒on鈥檛 let them tell you this is a war between Muslims and Jews,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e value life, Muslim life, Christian life, Jewish life.鈥 He was interrupted with applause when he then said, 鈥淲e care about all lives. 鈥 Don鈥檛 let them tell you otherwise.鈥
The Jordanian minister also told Israel that it cannot remain above international law requiring protection of civilians, hospitals, schools, homes and other infrastructure.
鈥淭he right to self-defense is not a license to kill with impunity,鈥 he stressed.
Safadi also criticized the United States and its allies without naming them.
鈥淢any among us believe that they are helping Israel by supporting its war,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey are not. Instead of sending weapons to Israel, send delegations to open an immediate and viable path to peace. This is how they can help Israel.鈥
Iran's Amirabdollahian accused the United States of directly participating in the war and what he called a 鈥済enocide鈥 against the Palestinians. 鈥淭he genocide in Gaza must stop immediately,鈥 he said.
He warned against 鈥渢he uncontrollable consequences of the unlimited financial, arms and operational support by the White House to the Tel Aviv regime鈥 which has added to the severe bombardments and killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
The emergency General Assembly meeting resumes Friday morning, with about 100 speakers remaining.
The resolution that Mansour said will be put to a vote on Friday afternoon calls for an immediate cease-fire and demands that all parties respect international law and protect civilians. It says that essential goods including food, water and medicine should be provided in the Gaza Strip. It also calls for Israel to rescind its order for Gazans to move from the north to the south, for maximum restraint and for the release of all civilians.
Unlike the Security Council, there are no vetoes in the General Assembly and its resolutions are not legally binding. But they do reflect world opinion and the size of the vote in favor will be closely watched.
The Palestinians have wide support, but Israel鈥檚 Erdan called the resolution 鈥渁 disgrace鈥 for not even mentioning Hamas and urged countries to oppose it.
