The tone was set on Tuesday at the United Nations headquarters in New York City as Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Guterres condemned both Israel's attacks in Gaza and Hamas' capture of Israeli hostages, emphasizing that nothing justifies acts of terror or collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
During the General Assembly session, Guterres received applause for his remarks on the suffering in Gaza, prompting criticism from Israel's ambassador for what he called hypocrisy in the assembly's response.
Guterres highlighted the unprecedented scale of destruction in Gaza and warned about the unsustainable state of the world, urging for a change in the current trajectory.
Following Guterres' speech, various world leaders, including the President of Brazil and the Turkish President, criticized Israel's actions in Gaza. They accused Israel of flouting international law and called for immediate action to prevent further casualties.
The Israeli ambassador described the overall tone of the debate as shameful and hostile, expressing concern over the lack of progress in addressing the conflict.
Leaders from Jordan and Qatar echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the need for concrete steps towards a ceasefire and an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
The discussions at the General Assembly underscored the deep divisions and urgent calls for intervention in the conflict in Gaza, with leaders urging the international community to take decisive action to prevent further escalation.
