Labelling Hamas as a terror organisation like ‘no other,’ Israel’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, has said that the attack carried out was “barbaric and a widescale terror attack in decades, even bigger than 9/11.”
He slammed the Security Council for not designating Hamas as a terrorist group for political reasons during today’s session.
“…The most barbaric and widescale terror attack in decades, bigger than 9/11, was perpetrated 11 days ago and it seems like this Council has already forgotten. The pictures and footage from the October 7 pogrom are seared into my brain, in every Israeli’s brain, forever…Thousands of barbaric Hamas Nazis invaded Israel and brutally murdered 1,400 innocent Israelis… Some were raped, others beheaded, and some were burned alive,” the Israeli envoy said.
“Many were children…Mothers watched as their babies were slaughtered…This was planned and carried out deliberately by the terrorists that rule Gaza. Not by accident, not by mistake, but deliberately…There are some here that choose not to designate Hamas as a terror organisation for political reasons, it still doesn’t change the facts,” he stressed.
Gilad Erdan stated that Hamas has deliberately targeted civilians, and “this makes Hamas a terror organisation no different than ISIS…”
“Up until today, you have not even done the most basic thing. You have not condemned as a council Hamas’s brutal terror attack. It is really unfathomable. You cannot unite even on that basic thing. You are not focused on what needs to be done to free Gaza from Hamas and ensure that the oppression of the Gazan people by their tyrants ends. Instead, the Council is fixated only on humanitarian corridors and aid. These are important and noble causes, but they are certainly not a solution to prevent Hamas’next atrocious massacre,” the envoy said, as he lambasted the Council.
“Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza 18 years ago. Hamas was then elected. Elected by the people of Gaza. I hear a lot that they do not represent them. Elected. And after murdering the Palestinian Authority officials by throwing them off rooftops, Hamas proceeded to convert every inch of the Gaza Strip to a war machine,” he said.
Painting a scene of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the envoy said that Sirens are blaring all across Israel, and civilians are running for their lives.
He said, “Millions in Israel are running to find shelters. Hamas does this so that once Israel strikes back, they can parade the bodies of the civilians in Gaza that they hid behind. Their strategy is to exploit their civilian casualties as propaganda, to leverage the international community to tie Israel’s hands,” he said.
“Their goal is to increase civilian casualties in Gaza. This is part of their script. They know that they cannot beat Israel on the battlefield. Of course, they know it. So they want to terrorise our citizens deliberately, only citizens, and then weaponise the UN to prevent Israel from obliterating them so they can rebuild, rearm, and continue terrorising Israelis. They have a lot of patience while working towards annihilating Israel. A lot of patience. This is Hamas’script. This is their playbook. And shockingly, even after the recent slaughter, it’s still working for them,” he added, noting that every piece of information that comes out of Gaza cannot be trusted.
“Hamas runs Gaza. Hamas runs all of Gaza’s institutions. So whatever comes out of the Strip is not the truth. It is what Hamas wants you to hear,” he underlined.
US President Joe Biden, who was on a solidarity visit to Israel at the invitation of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on October 18, too compared the Hamas attack to “fifteen 9/11s” for a nation the size of Israel while retreating that America stood with Israelis and their demand for justice.
“My message to any State or any other hostile actor thinking about attacking Israel remains the same as it was a week ago – Don’t. Don’t. Don’t. Since this terrorist attack, we have seen it described as Israel’s 9/11. But for the nations the size of Israel, it was like fifteen 9/11s,” the US President said at a press conference in Tel Aviv.
He said Israel was born to be a safe place for the Jewish people of the world. That’s why it was born. “Long said, if Israel didn’t exist we would have to invent it. While it may not feel that way today, Israel must again be a safe place for the Jewish people. I promise you, we will do everything in our power to make sure that it will be,” Joe Biden said.
He said scores of innocents from infants to elderly grandparents, Israelis and Americans have been taken hostage.
“Children slaughtered, babies slaughtered, entire families massacred, raped, beheaded, bodies burned alive. Mass committed atrocities, that recall the worst ravages of ISIS unleashing pure unadulterated evil upon the world. There’s no rationalising it. No excusing it…”
The US President further said, “Terrorists believe they could bring you down, bend your will, break your resolve but they never did and they never will. Instead, we saw incredible stories of heroism, courage, Israelis taking care of one another…”
Joe Biden, on October 18, reassured Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the United States’ unwavering support for Israel. He emphasised the commitment to stand by Israel as it defends its citizens, particularly in the face of recent terrorist attacks by Hamas.
“In the wake of Hamas appalling terror assaults, brutal, inhuman…I want you to know you are not alone,” Joe Biden emphasised.
“We will continue to have Israel’s back as you work to defend your people,” he added.
Upon his arrival, Joe Biden was received by PM Benjamin Netanyahu and President Issac Herzog on the tarmac. The usual formalities for such a visit, such as a greeting by the full Israeli cabinet and religious leaders, etc were not observed.
(with inputs from ANI)
