Diplomatic friction erupts at the U.N. as the crisis in Gaza deepens

Israeli leaders fumed over United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ comments at an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting to address the Mideast conflict — a diplomatic exchange that played out against the backdrop of deepening misery in Gaza.

At the Tuesday meeting in New York, Guterres said the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that launched the current conflict “did not happen in a vacuum.”

In response, Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, called for Guterres’ resignation, saying he is “not fit to lead the U.N.”

Erdan and Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen also said their country must “reassess” its relations with the United Nations.

In a post on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, Israel Defense Forces also poked at the U.N. agency that oversees humanitarian support in the Palestinian territories, which warned its fuel stocks would run out Wednesday night, leaving it incapable of providing aid.

In Guterres’ speech Tuesday, he pleaded with other countries to step up humanitarian aid and to help ensure the conflict doesn’t spread to other countries.

His pleas came as staggering numbers from the conflict emerged for another day: thousands dead, even more injured. Roughly 1.4 million people — 60% of Gaza’s population — had left their homes, but remained trapped in the territory. Relief sites overflowed; at one, 400 people shared a single toilet. Hospitals designed for hundreds of patients found themselves treating thousands.

The World Health Organization said Tuesday that doctors have been performing surgeries without anesthesia or other basic surgical supplies.

“We are on our knees asking for sustained, scaled up, protected humanitarian operations,” said Dr. Rick Brennan, emergencies director for the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Israeli officials say there are still 220 hostages being held in Gaza.

On Tuesday, the Israeli military dropped leaflets on Gaza urging Palestinians to contact them with information about the hostages, and promising a financial reward along with “maximum effort in providing security for you and your home.”

World leaders and humanitarian groups have called on Hamas to release the remaining hostages unconditionally. The U.S. has reportedly advised Israel to delay its much-expected ground invasion of Gaza in order to facilitate the release of the remaining hostages.

It’s still unclear when Israel will launch its ground invasion in Gaza, but the Israeli military is “ready and determined” for action, military spokesperson Daniel Hagari told Reuters on Tuesday.