UN warns Netanyahu’s Gaza plan risks new disaster after 18,000 children killed

The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Sunday, August 10, to address the escalating crisis in Gaza and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposed plan to assume full control of the territory.

During the session, Ramesh Rajasingham, head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva, delivered a stark assessment of the situation. He reported that over 61,000 people have been killed since the conflict began, including approximately 18,000 children. Around 50 Israeli hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas. Rajasingham also noted that more than 500 humanitarian workers have lost their lives and described the aid situation in Gaza as “horrific.” He warned that Netanyahu’s proposed takeover could spark “another calamity” in the region.

UN Officials Voice Deep Concerns

Miroslav Jenča, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, cautioned that implementing Israel’s plan would likely trigger further displacement, mass casualties, and destruction, amplifying the already severe suffering of Gaza’s population.

The United Kingdom’s representative expressed fears that the proposal would worsen conditions for Palestinians and place hostages in even greater danger. “This Israel plan will bring nothing to rescue the hostages; rather, it will create more risk for the hostages,” the delegate stated.

Denmark’s representative went further, “fully rejecting” the initiative and calling it a direct violation of international law. She stressed that famine-like conditions are already gripping the region and demanded a formal investigation into the humanitarian situation. Additionally, she urged the reinstatement of UN-led humanitarian aid operations in Gaza.