From the Liveblog of
Friday, October 13, 2023
Israeli envoy blasts UN over response to IDF warning Gazans to evacuate
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan tears into the United Nations over the latter’s response to Israel warning all 1.1 million Palestinians living north of Wadi Gaza to evacuate by midnight on Saturday to the southern Strip.
“The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences,” a UN spokesperson said earlier. “The United Nations strongly appeals for any such order, if confirmed, to be rescinded, avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation.”
Hitting back, Erdan says, “The UN’s response to Israel’s early warning to the residents of Gaza is a disgrace! For many years, the UN turned a blind eye to the arming of Hamas and its use of civilian populations and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip for murder and for stockpiling its weapons.”
“Now, instead of standing with Israel whose citizens were slaughtered by Hamas terrorists and which still tries to minimize harm to non-combatants, it preaches specifically to Israel,” Erdan says.
“It would be better for the UN to focus now on returning the captives, condemning Hamas and supporting Israel’s right to defend itself,” he adds.
The Times of Israel Community.