Israel condemns UN's Antonio Guterres for remarks on Palestinian plight

Israel attacks Secretary General for highlighting plight of civilians in Gaza

Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

Tension flared at the UN Security Council on Tuesday over Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

Arab countries expressed outrage over the mounting civilian death toll, while Israel attacked Secretary General Antonio Guterres for highlighting the plight of Palestinians.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also told the world body that Washington does not seek a war with Iran but warned that it will respond “decisively” should Tehran's proxies attack American personnel anywhere.

Gaza's Health Ministry says at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli bombardments, including 2,360 children.

Israel is waging a war against Hamas after it attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,400 people and taking another 200 or more hostage.

Outside the Security Council, ministers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine and Egypt expressed their anger at what is happening in Gaza.

“We need the whole international community to be outraged at the absence of justice,” Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said.

“We must be outraged at our failure as an international community for having failed to solve a conflict that we all knew is going to get worse.”

The latest from the Israel-Gaza war - in pictures

Palestinians look for survivors of Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip at Nusseirat refugee camp. AP

A survivor is found in the rubble in Nusseirat. AP

A man is given oxygen and pulled from the rubble in Nusseirat. AP

This desperate search for survivors is being replicated across the Gaza Strip. AP

Yocheved Lifshitz speaks to the media outside a Tel Aviv hospital after being released by Hamas. EPA

Israeli women who were held hostage by Palestinian Hamas militants, Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper (also known as Nurit Yitzhak), are released by the militants. Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron before their talks in Jerusalem. AP

Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli air strike on a house in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters

Palestinians inspect the damage of a destroyed house that was hit by an Israeli air strike in Khan Younis. AP

Ms Cooper and Ms Lifshitz arrive at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre after being released by Hamas on Monday. AFP

A woman cries next to the rubble of a building after Israeli strikes on Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip. AFP

Wateen, a 14-month-old Palestinian baby, who was wounded in an Israeli strike that killed her mother and injured her twin brother Ahmed, recovers at Nasser hospital, in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip. Reuters

A Palestinian girl clutches salvaged books as people look for survivors in the rubble of a destroyed building hit in an Israeli strike in Khan Younis. AFP

People mourn during the funeral of members of the Abu Morad family who died following Israeli strikes, in Khan Younis. AFP

A wounded Palestinian man arrives at Nasser Medical Complex, following Israeli air strikes on the town of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. AP

Red Crescent Society employees sort humanitarian aid bound for Palestinians in Gaza, at a warehouse in Arish, Egypt. EPA

Ayman Abou Chamalah stands next to his daughter Mecca as she receives care inside an incubator at a hospital in Rafah. AFP

Israeli soldiers carry the coffin of Erik Kraunik, chief of security in the kibbutz of Be'eri, during his funeral at a cemetery in Yehud, Israel. AP

A man sits among the rubble of a building destroyed in Israel's bombardment of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP

A Red Crescent worker sorts aid for Palestinians in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the blockaded enclave. Reuters

Israeli soldiers take part in a drill near the border with Gaza ahead of an expected ground invasion. EPA

Men fill fuel containers with drinking water in Rafah. AFP

Smoke billows over Gaza after an air strike, as seen from southern Israel. AP

A person holds a child as Palestinians gather in Khan Younis at the site of a house destroyed during an Israeli bombardment. Reuters

Israeli soldiers sit on top of a tank near the border with Gaza. Getty Images

Buildings destroyed by Israeli air strikes in Khan Younis. Reuters

Palestinians are evacuated from a building in Rafah that was hit during Israel's bombardment. AP

Shahar Idan, 9, mourns during the funeral of his brother Maayan, 18, who was killed by Hamas gunmen in the kibbutz of Nahal Oz. His father Tzahi is being held hostage in Gaza. Reuters

Palestinian doctors treat a premature baby at Al Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al Balah, Gaza. AP

Rescue crews search for bodies after Hamas militants attacked the kibbutz of Be'eri in Israel. Getty Images

Lorries carrying humanitarian aid head to Deir Al Balah after crossing from Egypt through Rafah. Bloomberg

Palestinians evacuate survivors in Deir Al Balah after an Israeli bombardment. AP

Smoke rises after Israeli air strikes on Gaza. EPA

Israeli soldiers at a position along the border with Lebanon. EPA

A woman leans against the window of an ambulance outside Kuwait Hospital after an Israeli strike in Rafah. AFP

A Palestinian cries as the body of his daughter is recovered from beneath the rubble of a building destroyed during an Israeli air strike on Rafah. AFP

A convoy carrying humanitarian aid arrives in Rafah after crossing into the Gaza Strip from Egypt. Bloomberg

The pictures of more than 1,000 people abducted or killed during the attack by Hamas militants are displayed on empty seats at Tel Aviv University. Getty

Palestinians are evacuated from buildings in Rafah after the bombardment of the Gaza Strip. AP

Israeli soldiers gather at an undisclosed location near the border with Gaza. EPA

Palestinians mourn outside a house in Gaza struck by Israel. Reuters

A bullet-riddled fridge in a house in the kibbutz of Kissufim in southern Israel, where 14 people were killed and four were abducted by Hamas militants on October 7. AP

Football fans inside Anfield stadium hold up Palestine flags during the Liverpool-Everton derby on Saturday. Reuters

Palestinians wounded in the bombardment of Gaza are taken to Al Asa Hospital in Deir Al Balah. AP

Rescuers search for victims and survivors in buildings destroyed by air strikes in Khan Younis, Gaza. Getty

Residents of Tel Aviv show support for the families of hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas. Reuters

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said that Arab countries “are willing to have normal relations with Israel in return for one thing: end the illegal occupation of the Palestinian land … withdraw from occupied Arab lands”.

Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE's Minister of State for International Co-operation, said humanity is facing a critical test.

“We must succeed in the test by advancing the choice of peace and reviving the two-state solution which is needed now more than ever,” Ms Al Hashimy said.

Arab leaders urged the Security Council to fulfil its UN Charter mandate by striving to halt hostilities and ensure the safety of all civilians.

Frustrations are high at the Council as it has failed to act on the Gaza crisis after vetoes of resolutions by permanent members including the US.

The US vetoed a resolution drafted by Brazil because it made no explicit mention of Israel's right to defend itself.

Washington has drafted a new resolution that “sets out practical steps” and “incorporates substantive feedback that we received from fellow Council members over recent days”, according to Mr Blinken.

"No member of this council, no nation in this entire body, could or would tolerate the slaughter of its people," Mr Blinken said.

Mr Guterres urged world leaders to protect civilians in the Israel-Gaza war, expressing concern over “the clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza".

The UN chief said it was important to recognise the Hamas attacks "did not happen in a vacuum" as the Palestinian people have been ”subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation."

“They have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced; and their homes demolished.”

Mr Guterres' remarks angered Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen who lashed out at the Secretary-General.

“Mr Secretary General, in what world do you live?” Mr Cohen asked as he recounted graphic details of Hamas attacks on civilians.

“Definitely, this is not our world."

“Over 1,500 terrorists of Hamas and Islamic Jihad infiltrated Israel from the south with the viciousness exceeded even ISIS, killing over 1,400 babies, children, women and men“ said the Israeli minister.

Mr Blinken said that Washington does not want the war to widen, but warned “if Iran or its proxies attack US personnel anywhere, make no mistake: we will defend our people, we will defend our security swiftly and decisively".

“Don’t throw fuel on the fire,” he said.

The US Secretary of State accused Iran’s proxies of repeatedly attacking American forces based in Iraq as part of a coalition against ISIS.

He also urged world leaders to send a firm and united message to stop others from opening fronts in the Israeli-Hamas conflict, or who may take aim at “Israel's partners, including the United States".

After the Security Council session, Mr Cohen said he had cancelled his meeting with Mr Guterres as there are “not two sides … there is only one side to support in front of the aggression” Israel faces.

Israel’s UN ambassador Gilad Erdan, who was with Mr Cohen, called on the UN chief to resign from his position unless he apologises for his remarks at the Security Council that the Hamas attacks “did not happen in a vacuum”.