'Will it ever act to stop this genocide'— Palestine, Pakistan, Algeria urge UNSC to rein in Israel

The majority of UN Security Council members have denounced Israel for breaking truce and unexpectedly launching deadly air strikes on civilians in Gaza, while the US blamed Hamas resistance group "solely" for the resumption of attacks.

Algerian envoy to the UN, Amar Bendjama, on Tuesday accused Israel of using starvation as a "tool of war" via its aid blockade on Gaza.

"The time has come for accountability. No one is above the law," he said.

"The world can no longer ignore the grim reality of the Israeli occupation."

Bendjama said, "Palestinian blood is being used as a tool for the political calculations of the Israeli politicians."

He condemned Israeli attacks on civilians, describing them as "a violation of the ceasefire agreement reached two months ago."

The Algerian envoy reminded the guarantors of the ceasefire — the US, Egypt and Qatar — of their responsibility to ensure "compliance with the ceasefire agreement."

Describing Israel's blockade on Gaza as a "systematic degradation of human dignity, the deliberate stripping away of the right to life," Bendjama said: "In Gaza, we are witnessing the demise of the values and principles that should be the foundation of international order: equality, humanity, justice."

Criticising the Council for silence in the face of Israel's atrocities, he asked, "Will it (Security Council) ever dare to take responsibility? Will it ever act to stop this genocide and preserve what remains if any of its credibility?"

During the meeting, Riyad Mansour, Palestine's UN ambassador, said that Palestinians are once again being "killed indiscriminately" after Israeli strikes restarted overnight.

After the majority of the permanent members of the council condemned Israel, Mansour called on the UN's highest body to act on their condemnations.

"This can never be justified and must stop immediately. I agree with you, madame president, when you said that you have a responsibility to act," Mansour said to Christina Markus Lassen, the Danish ambassador who is leading the council this month. "You are the Security Council. Act. Stop this criminal action. Stop them from denying our people food in the month of Ramadan, You have resolutions. Act. You have power. Act."

He added, "Or as my friend, the ambassador of Slovenia said, you will become irrelevant."

Russia says Israel trying to ethnically cleanse Palestinians

Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia's deputy envoy, said Israel's deadly shelling has caused another "uncertainty," not only for Palestinians, but for the hostages.

Polyanskiy said Israel's resumption of attacks has "the logic of edging the Gaza people out of their land."

He urged the Council to "do everything possible to make sure that there is a resumption of ceasefire as quickly as possible," and that previous mistakes should not be repeated.

"The number of Gazans who died over the recent time is so high because the Security Council was unable to make an earlier decision on a ceasefire," he argued.

UK deputy envoy James the deadly air strikes "appalling," and stressed that a "turn to fighting will only result in the death of more Palestinian civilians."

"It is well known that Hamas continues to use civilian infrastructure as launching pads, and the United States condemns this practice, as should others," said US Charge d’Affaires ad interim, Dorothy Shea, arguing that the Israeli army is "striking Hamas positions" despite that fact that Israel killed 150 children in latest strikes.

Shea claimed that "the blame for the resumption of hostilities lies solely with Hamas," and accused the Palestinian resistance group of "steadfastly" refusing "every proposal."

Both Israel and the US blame the renewed hostilities on Hamas’ refusal to release more hostages before negotiations on ending the war proceed — which was not part of the ceasefire agreement.

Hamas — which has yet to respond militarily to the Israeli strikes — has spent weeks calling for serious talks on the ceasefire agreement’s second phase, which calls for the release of the remaining living captives in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a lasting ceasefire.

Those talks were supposed to begin in early February. Now they may never happen after Israeli PM reneged on the deal.

Agreeing to a permanent ceasefire would almost certainly plunge Netanyahu into a political crisis that could end his nearly uninterrupted 15-year rule.

China tells Israel to end 'collective punishment'

"This conflict cannot be resolved through military means. We want to see a ceasefire re-established as soon as possible," said Chinese envoy Fu Cong Fu denounced the end of the ceasefire, saying his country "is gravely concerned about Israel's resumption of hostilities in Gaza. We strongly condemn this."

"We strongly urge the abandonment of the force logic of supremacy of force, military means is not the way to solve the Palestine-Israel question," he said.

Fu reflected on the benefits of a ceasefire, and urged Israel to "renounce its obsession with the use of force immediately."

Pakistan's envoy Munir Akram recalled the Arab states' reconstruction and peace plan for Gaza, and said, "It offered a road to peace."

"But obviously, this glimmer of hope and hope for peace was not to the liking of the extremist leaders who rule Israel today. They see their survival in the continuation of the war," he said, and asked, "Is this in the interest of the hostages?"

Slovenia's envoy Samuel Zbogar denounced Israel's killing and destruction in Gaza and stressed that aid "should not be weaponised."

"This vile war should not continue being fought on the shoulders of civilians. This is not only tragic for Palestinians and hostages in Gaza, but also for the credibility and relevance of the Security Council as the body responsible for maintenance of international peace and security," he said.

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Source: TRT