Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation: UN Chief slams Israel
Says protecting civilians doesn't mean bombing one million people after asking them to evacuate
New York: In a strong plea before the 15-member UN Security Council on Tuesday, October 24, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, condemning the violations of international law occurring in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian armed group, Hamas.
The conflict escalated dramatically after Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7. In response, Israel has relentlessly bombarded the besieged Gaza Strip, resulting in significant casualties. Israeli authorities have reported at least 1,400 people killed, while authorities in Gaza, governed by Hamas, claim the death toll to be at least 5,791. Additionally, more than one million people have been displaced due to the violence.
Guterres expressed concern about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where Israel cut off supplies of essential resources, including water, food, fuel, and electricity, to the enclave's 2.3 million residents. The UN has characterized this act as a form of collective punishment, emphasizing the severe impact on civilians.
Addressing the Security Council, Guterres underscored the need to protect civilians and warned that the ongoing fighting could escalate into a broader regional conflict. He acknowledged the complex historical context, stating, "The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation." However, he condemned the attacks by Hamas as "appalling" and emphasized that these actions could not justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
“It is important to also recognise the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum. The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation,” Guterres said.
Guterres also criticized Israel's actions without explicitly naming the country. He condemned the practice of ordering over one million people to evacuate to the south, where there is a lack of essential resources, only to continue bombing the area. The UN chief called Hamas' attack "horrifying and unprecedented" and demanded the immediate release of approximately 200 people captured and held captive by the group.
“Protecting civilians does not mean ordering more than one million people to evacuate to the south, where there is no shelter, no food, no water, no medicine and no fuel, and then continuing to bomb the south itself,” he added.
Despite limited humanitarian aid entering Gaza from the Egyptian side, Guterres emphasized that the assistance provided was insufficient compared to the overwhelming need. He described the current aid efforts as "a drop of aid in an ocean of need."
Israel's UN Ambassador, Gilad Erdan, strongly criticized Guterres' speech, particularly taking issue with the statement that "the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum." Erdan accused Guterres of sympathizing with terrorism and murder, expressing disappointment in the UN chief's perspective.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
— In Context (@incontextmedia) October 24, 2023
"The attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum. The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation." pic.twitter.com/OmaNgfC6kH
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
