Speaking via video at the start of the meeting, UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland warned, “The ceasefire is fragile. Any resumption of hostilities will only have devastating consequences for Palestinians and Israelis and make any political progress on key issues elusive.”
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia stressed the council was “deeply concerned by this turn of events, which could lead to the resumption of a fully-fledged military confrontation and a further worsening of the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza”.
Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour condemned Israel’s “unjustified aggression”.
“Are you ready to say enough is enough? As the highest authority responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security?” he demanded. “How many more children do we have to bury until someone says enough is enough?”
The Security Council’s consultations took place at the UN headquarters in New York.
No statement is expected after the closed-door meeting, which will follow the open debate, several diplomatic sources told the AFP news agency.
Tensions have skyrocketed across the coastal sliver and the occupied territories since Friday when Israel carried out airstrikes against Gaza City. Over 40 people, more than a dozen children included, have been killed.
Two commanders of the Islamic Jihad movement have also been killed.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said more than 300 people have been wounded.
The Islamic Jihad has responded by firing hundreds of rockets towards the occupied territories.
An Egypt-brokered truce took effect on Sunday at 11:30 p.m. local time (20:30 GMT). Islamic Jihad confirmed the timing of the ceasefire, but said it "reserves the right to respond to any Zionist aggression."
The escalation was the worst to involve the two sides since the regime’s last war on the enclave that took place in May 2021.
ZZ/PR
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