Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian urged the United Nations to swiftly act to stop Israel’s relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip which has so far killed over 2,300 Palestinians and wounded more than 9,000 others, asking the UN to investigate the Zionist regime’s deploy of restricted weapons in its war against the besieged enclave.
Publish dateMonday 16 October 2023 - 16:24
Story Code : 278513
Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Monitoring: The Iranian diplomat made the remarks in a meeting with the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Tor Wennesland, in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Saturday, stressing that the world body must put an immediate end to Israel’s aggression against the Palestinians “before it is too late”.
“The opportunity for a political approach is just for today and tomorrow is too late,” Amir Abdollahian said.
He added the UN should take a swift action at the current juncture as the Zionist regime plans to relocate Palestinian citizens in Gaza.
The minister stated that Operation Al-Aqsa Storm was the outcome of the policies of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Pointing to the United States’ contradictory behavior, Amir Abdollahian said the US called on all countries to exercise self-restraint while it is now supporting the regime in its brutal attacks.
The senior diplomat added the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) must act immediately to send humanitarian aid to Gaza.
He also stressed the UN and the ICRC must push for the opening of a humanitarian corridor into Gaza.
Pointing to reports that the regime has used white phosphorus munitions against desperate people in the tightly-besieged Strip, Amir-Abdollahian urged the UN to set up an investigative team to examine the issue.
He voiced Iran’s readiness to support the UN’s political initiatives in this regard.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported having verified videos of Israel deploying controversial white phosphorus munitions, including over Gaza City. The substance produces an incendiary effect and when discharged over densely populated areas risks indiscriminate harm to civilians.
The Israeli military fired 155mm airburst artillery shells over Gaza’s port on Wednesday and over two rural locations in the border area of Lebanon on Tuesday, the international organization reported on Thursday. It analyzed video footage of the incidents and interviewed witnesses to confirm the nature of the weapons used. The deployment of white phosphorus in Gaza is of particular concern, since it puts civilians in the area at risk, the watchdog noted.
“Any time that white phosphorus is used in crowded civilian areas, it poses a high risk of excruciating burns and lifelong suffering,” said Lama Fakih, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
“White phosphorus is unlawfully indiscriminate when airburst in populated urban areas, where it can burn down houses and cause egregious harm to civilians,” she added.
Israel is known to have repeatedly used white phosphorus munitions in the past. In 2006, the Israeli regime admitted to using these weapons during its months-long war with Hezbollah.
In 2009, Israel acknowledged using “munitions containing white phosphorus” during an offensive in Gaza between December 2008 and January 2009.
Last Saturday, Hamas initiated a multi-pronged surprise military operation via land, sea and air. The group announced it was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians. The attacks have so far killed more than 1,300 and injured over 3,800, according to Israeli officials.
Following the multi-front attack by Hamas, Israel carried out heavy bombardment across the Gaza Strip, killing more than 2,300 Palestinians, including hundreds of children and women, and wounding over 9,700 others. Tel Aviv has also ordered a "complete siege" of Gaza, saying he would halt its supply of electricity, food, water and fuel.
The Israeli Army has also announced in a statement on Thursday it has dropped more than 6,000 bombs weighing 4,000 tonnes on the besieged enclave since last Saturday. It added that Israel’s air force has hit over 3,600 targets in Gaza.
More than 1,300 buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed in the Israeli bombardment, according to the United Nations. The world body’s humanitarian agency OCHA reported “5,540 housing units” in those buildings were destroyed and nearly 3,750 more homes were so badly damaged they were uninhabitable.
Human rights groups have stressed that depriving an occupied population of basic necessities is a war crime. A humanitarian crisis is rapidly spiraling in the coastal enclave.
Israel’s military has also ordered 1.1 million people living in Northern Gaza to evacuate their homes, amid signs it is set to ramp up its offensive. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have fled south following the order. The UN has warned it is “impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences".
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has confirmed that nearly 1 million people have been displaced in one week alone.
Gaza is one of the most densely populated places on Earth, where some 2 million people live in an area of 140 square miles. It has been almost completely cut off from the rest of the world for nearly 17 years. More than half of its population lives in poverty and is food insecure, with nearly 80% of its population relying on humanitarian assistance.
Tehran says the history of the apartheid regime is full of assassinations, massacre, torture and killing of Palestinian kids, and described Tel Aviv regime's atrocities and massacre of Palestinian women and children as indicative of the destitute of Zionists. Iranian officials say the Tel Aviv regime has been struggling for more than 70 years to exit its identity crisis which has been mixed with genocide, plunder, forced displacement and scores of other inhumane moves./Fars news
“The opportunity for a political approach is just for today and tomorrow is too late,” Amir Abdollahian said.
He added the UN should take a swift action at the current juncture as the Zionist regime plans to relocate Palestinian citizens in Gaza.
The minister stated that Operation Al-Aqsa Storm was the outcome of the policies of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Pointing to the United States’ contradictory behavior, Amir Abdollahian said the US called on all countries to exercise self-restraint while it is now supporting the regime in its brutal attacks.
The senior diplomat added the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) must act immediately to send humanitarian aid to Gaza.
He also stressed the UN and the ICRC must push for the opening of a humanitarian corridor into Gaza.
Pointing to reports that the regime has used white phosphorus munitions against desperate people in the tightly-besieged Strip, Amir-Abdollahian urged the UN to set up an investigative team to examine the issue.
He voiced Iran’s readiness to support the UN’s political initiatives in this regard.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported having verified videos of Israel deploying controversial white phosphorus munitions, including over Gaza City. The substance produces an incendiary effect and when discharged over densely populated areas risks indiscriminate harm to civilians.
The Israeli military fired 155mm airburst artillery shells over Gaza’s port on Wednesday and over two rural locations in the border area of Lebanon on Tuesday, the international organization reported on Thursday. It analyzed video footage of the incidents and interviewed witnesses to confirm the nature of the weapons used. The deployment of white phosphorus in Gaza is of particular concern, since it puts civilians in the area at risk, the watchdog noted.
“Any time that white phosphorus is used in crowded civilian areas, it poses a high risk of excruciating burns and lifelong suffering,” said Lama Fakih, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
“White phosphorus is unlawfully indiscriminate when airburst in populated urban areas, where it can burn down houses and cause egregious harm to civilians,” she added.
Israel is known to have repeatedly used white phosphorus munitions in the past. In 2006, the Israeli regime admitted to using these weapons during its months-long war with Hezbollah.
In 2009, Israel acknowledged using “munitions containing white phosphorus” during an offensive in Gaza between December 2008 and January 2009.
Last Saturday, Hamas initiated a multi-pronged surprise military operation via land, sea and air. The group announced it was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians. The attacks have so far killed more than 1,300 and injured over 3,800, according to Israeli officials.
Following the multi-front attack by Hamas, Israel carried out heavy bombardment across the Gaza Strip, killing more than 2,300 Palestinians, including hundreds of children and women, and wounding over 9,700 others. Tel Aviv has also ordered a "complete siege" of Gaza, saying he would halt its supply of electricity, food, water and fuel.
The Israeli Army has also announced in a statement on Thursday it has dropped more than 6,000 bombs weighing 4,000 tonnes on the besieged enclave since last Saturday. It added that Israel’s air force has hit over 3,600 targets in Gaza.
More than 1,300 buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed in the Israeli bombardment, according to the United Nations. The world body’s humanitarian agency OCHA reported “5,540 housing units” in those buildings were destroyed and nearly 3,750 more homes were so badly damaged they were uninhabitable.
Human rights groups have stressed that depriving an occupied population of basic necessities is a war crime. A humanitarian crisis is rapidly spiraling in the coastal enclave.
Israel’s military has also ordered 1.1 million people living in Northern Gaza to evacuate their homes, amid signs it is set to ramp up its offensive. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have fled south following the order. The UN has warned it is “impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences".
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has confirmed that nearly 1 million people have been displaced in one week alone.
Gaza is one of the most densely populated places on Earth, where some 2 million people live in an area of 140 square miles. It has been almost completely cut off from the rest of the world for nearly 17 years. More than half of its population lives in poverty and is food insecure, with nearly 80% of its population relying on humanitarian assistance.
Tehran says the history of the apartheid regime is full of assassinations, massacre, torture and killing of Palestinian kids, and described Tel Aviv regime's atrocities and massacre of Palestinian women and children as indicative of the destitute of Zionists. Iranian officials say the Tel Aviv regime has been struggling for more than 70 years to exit its identity crisis which has been mixed with genocide, plunder, forced displacement and scores of other inhumane moves./Fars news
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