UN Human Rights Council calls for immediate Gaza cease-fire

The United Nations Human Rights Council on Friday passed resolutions calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and an end to Israel’s alleged occupation of territories held since 1967. The resolutions also asked for member countries to cease providing weapons to Israel. Finally, it provided for UN aid workers to investigate alleged human rights abuses in the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

What else have UN officials said about the conflict? Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday marked the six-month anniversary of the war in Gaza, which will arrive on Sunday. Shortly afterward, he issued another statement calling for the unconditional release of all Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

What does Israel have to say about what’s going on in the region? Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan spoke during a UN Security Council meeting that took place Friday. He told officials the council had not done enough to condemn the actions of Gaza-based Hamas terrorists and their Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Did Erdan say anything about the deaths of World Central Kitchen workers in Gaza? Israel removed two senior military officers from their posts over the incident. Erdan said that an independent panel of experts had investigated the strike and made public their findings. Israel’s errant strike resulted from a nighttime misidentification under complex wartime conditions, Erdan said.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report in The Sift about Israel’s response to the deaths of the World Central Kitchen workers.