New York: Europe and the Arabs
The independent United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Francesca Albanese, said that what is currently happening in the Middle East is “a political and humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions.” According to what was stated in the United Nations daily news bulletin, a copy of which we received on Thursday morning.
While stressing that the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the “brutal and heinous” attacks launched by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups against Israeli civilians, she stressed that the context of current events is extremely important.
She added that the occupation practiced by Israel is "an instrument of colonialism, brutality, arbitrary arrest and detention, and summary executions against the Palestinian people."
While in New York to present her latest report to the General Assembly, Ms. Albanese was interviewed by UN News in which she said the international community's response was "irresponsible" because it missed the opportunity to "act wisely and fairly" in a way that could lead to peace.
The Special Rapporteur, an independent expert appointed by the Human Rights Council to a ceremonial position, expressed her fear for the future of the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, as well as the entire region if the war continues, which she said will not be limited to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, especially if “Western countries continue to act "biasedly."
In the interview, she spoke about describing the events taking place in the region since October 7. Francesca Albanese said: Perhaps the best description I can provide is that what is unfolding under our eyes is a political and humanitarian catastrophe of legendary proportions. I believe this is the only description that fairly depicts the events on the ground. It is impossible to describe the pain and suffering of thousands of Israelis, including those who were killed or taken hostage, but also the entire population who were completely traumatized.
It is also impossible to describe what the people of Gaza are suffering now, who continue to face reckless bombing, averaging six thousand bombs per week.
The situation is catastrophic. There are already more than 5,700 people killed, 40 percent of whom are children, and more than half the population in Gaza is displaced.
Schools and hospitals have been targeted, and in addition to all of that, the siege has been tightened because Israeli leaders, in one way or another, hold all Palestinians in Gaza responsible and punish them all for what Hamas and other armed groups are doing.
The humanitarian situation is beyond catastrophic, and was already difficult before this crisis. I believe that the United Nations must increase its ability to intervene now.
In the same context, the UN Security Council was unable to agree on two draft resolutions submitted by the United States of America and Russia regarding the escalation of the situation in Gaza and Israel and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Members voted first on the American draft resolution. Russia and China used their veto power against the draft resolution, after it received the support of 10 members, 3 opposed (Russia, China, and the United Arab Emirates), and two members abstained from voting.

As for the Russian draft resolution, which was co-sponsored by Sudan and Venezuela, it received the support of only 4 members, while two members, the United States and the United Kingdom, opposed it, and 9 abstained from voting. The draft resolution was not adopted because it did not receive a sufficient number of votes.