UN Security Council convenes meeting on October 8 over Hamas attacks on Israel

The UNSC is scheduled to gather at 3:00 pm local time (1900 GMT) to deliberate on “the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question,” as stated in a release.

The United Nations Security Council has announced that it will hold an emergency meeting on October 8 to address the violence in the Middle East. This decision comes in the wake of deadly attacks carried out by Hamas militants against Israel.

The UNSC is scheduled to gather at 3:00 pm local time (1900 GMT) to deliberate on “the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question,” as stated in a release.

Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an infiltration operation into Israel via air, sea, and land from the blockaded Gaza Strip earlier in the day. The group is suspected of firing thousands of rockets from Gaza and deploying fighters with the intent to harm or abduct civilians.

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a “state of war” and promised a robust retaliatory response. He authorized a significant mobilization of reserve troops, and Israel’s military initiated ground operations against Palestinian militants near the Gaza Strip.

As the conflict escalated, hundreds of Gaza residents fled their homes in search of safety away from the Israeli border.

Reports indicated that at least 70 people were killed in Israel, while Gaza authorities reported a death toll of 198, leaving hundreds more wounded on both sides.

These events unfolded while the United States was working to broker a historic agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia to establish diplomatic relations.

Today’s developments mark the most significant escalation since the 10-day conflict between Israel and Hamas in 2021. This escalation follows months of increased violence, particularly in the occupied West Bank, and tensions along Gaza’s border. Israel and Hamas have engaged in multiple wars in the past, with the last major military exchange in May resulting in the deaths of 34 Palestinians and one Israeli.

Western nations condemned Hamas’s attacks. and, Hamas received support from other adversaries of Israel, including Iran’s supreme leader, who expressed pride in Hamas’s actions.

(With inputs from Agencies)