From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
UN chief warns Israel must ‘abide by its obligations’ under international law
Luke Tress is a JTA reporter and a former editor and reporter in New York for The Times of Israel.
The office of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voices “deep concern” over the violence between Israel and Gaza terror groups, and warns Israel it must adhere to international law during the latest round of conflict.
“Israel must abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law, including the proportional use of force and taking all feasible precautions to spare civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of military operations,” a spokesperson for Guterres says in a statement.
“The secretary-general condemns the civilian loss of life, including that of children and women, which he views as unacceptable and must stop immediately,” the statement says. Several women and children were killed when Israel assassinated Islamic Jihad terror leaders yesterday.
Guterres also “condemns the indiscriminate launching of rockets from Gaza into Israel, which violates international humanitarian law and puts at risk both Palestinian and Israeli civilians,” his office’s statement says.
A UN spokesperson says the UN has confirmed 15 Palestinian casualties, including 10 civilians. Four of the civilian casualties were children, the spokesperson says.
The UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Tor Wennesland, is in touch with all parties involved in an effort to rein in the fighting.
