UN Security Council Holds First Meeting Focused on Hostages Taken by Hamas

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In an unprecedented move, the United Nations Security Council convened a meeting solely focused on the hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack in Israel. This informal gathering, initiated by the United States, aimed to address the grave issue of mass hostage-taking by Hamas, condemning it as a psychological tool of terrorism. The session included testimonies from former hostages and bereaved family members, highlighting the severe human impact of these actions. In three previously announced resolutions, the UN Security Council has called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

 

 

Testimonies of Hostage Survivors

Shoshan Haran, who was taken hostage along with her daughter and two grandchildren, shared harrowing details of their 50-day captivity. Haran recounted the trauma experienced by her three-year-old granddaughter, Yahel, who now whispers, hides, wets the bed, and suffers from nightmares. "Three weeks after we were released, Yahel only whispers, too afraid to make a noise. She hid from everyone, too afraid to go outside. She wet the bed and had nightmares, too afraid she may be captured again," Haran revealed.

Other poignant testimonies came from Ayelet Samerano, whose son was killed and his body taken by Hamas, and Gili Roman, whose sister was taken hostage and released in a truce deal. These stories underscored the severe psychological and emotional toll of the hostages' ordeal.

 

 

International Condemnation and Demands

The meeting, which focused on condemning the mass hostage-taking as an unprecedented form of terrorism, saw strong statements from various international representatives. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield emphasized the United States' unwavering stance: "Taking hostages is cowardly – a cowardly tactic designed to instill fear, manipulate governments, and advance nefarious agendas. It violates basic principles of humanity."

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield also highlighted the international community's call for the immediate release of the hostages, stressing that President Joe Biden is deeply committed to this cause. "This is a responsibility that President Biden feels, to his core, and he’s committed to seeing through," she stated.

 

Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield

Bring home every single hostage from more than 20 countries, who have been held against their will in Gaza since October 7, when Hamas murdered over 1,200 people, raped and maimed hundreds more, including the bodies of the dead, and abducted over 240 people, including women, children, and the elderly. This includes six U.S. citizens who are still being held hostage: Edan Alexander; Itai Chen; Sagui Dekel-Chen; Omer Neutra; Keith Siegal; and Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

 

So today, let us again demand Hamas release all remaining hostages. Doing so would also open the door to ending this conflict. It would bring about an immediate and prolonged ceasefire, which would facilitate a surge of desperately needed humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and lead to the durable end of hostilities. Civilians in Gaza would be able to return to their homes and their lands with preparations beforehand to ensure shelter and humanitarian provisions. To put it simply: It would save lives on all sides. The only – the only thing standing in the way of all of this is Hamas. Hamas could stop fighting today by releasing the first hostage. Today. And so, we must demand Hamas take the deal on the table. Every single Member State has an obligation to speak out.

 

Statement by UK Ambassador James Kariuki

After 222 days in captivity, 134 hostages remain in Gaza, including British nationals and others with strong UK links. We are extremely concerned about the reports that many of them are believed to be very ill or deceased. The UK is clear: we call for the immediate, unconditional release of all hostages in Gaza held by Hamas and other groups.

Hostage-taking is unlawful and poses a clear threat to international peace and security.

 

Reactions and Criticisms

While there was unanimous condemnation of hostage-taking, the meeting also saw criticisms of Israel's military actions in Gaza. Representatives from Russia, China, Algeria, and other countries voiced concerns over Israel's offensive, which, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, has resulted in over 35,000 Palestinian deaths. These figures, however, are unverified and do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Algerian diplomat Ahmed Sahraoui condemned Israel's actions, describing them as a "barbaric killing machine" wreaking havoc in Gaza under the guise of rescuing hostages. Russian diplomat Georgiy Barsukov echoed these sentiments, accusing the US of ignoring the broader context of alleged genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

 

Calls for Action

Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan highlighted the urgent need for the Security Council to prioritize the hostage crisis. "The hostages are the most urgent and critical humanitarian issue that the council must focus on," Erdan asserted. He criticized the UN for its inaction, asking, "Has the council condemned Hamas and demanded they permit the Red Cross to check on the hostages? Have you imposed sanctions on Hamas leadership until they release the hostages? What action has been taken?"

Erdan emphasized the brutal conditions faced by the hostages, including beatings, torture, and rape, urging the international community to take decisive steps to secure their release.

 

The UN Security Council's meeting marked a significant step in addressing the severe humanitarian issue of hostages taken by Hamas. The testimonies and international condemnations underscored the urgency of the situation, calling for immediate and decisive action to ensure the release of the hostages and to prevent the normalization of such acts of terrorism. 

 

Full Video of meeting:

https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1m/k1mwh7bdq3

 

Credit: Times of Israel 2024-05-18

 

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[Jingthing]

What took them so long?!? Typical UN anti Israel bias.

[Skipalongcassidy]

So the "woke" are finally waking up...

[Bkk Brian]

3 hours ago, Social Media said:

Ayelet Samerano, whose son was killed and his body taken by Hamas

Her son was the one whose body was taken by a UN worker:

 

 

An independent investigation by the Washington Post also confirmed it was the UN worker Faisal Ali Musalam Naami who took the dead body of her son and put it in the UN truck back to Gaza where it remains a body hostage to this day.

 

Video is said to show U.N. relief worker taking Israeli shot on Oct. 7

A U.N. relief worker alleged by Israel to have participated in the Oct. 7 attacks was captured on video that day removing the limp body of an Israeli man who had been shot at Kibbutz Beeri and driving off with it, according to information released Friday by Israeli authorities.
Israel told the United Nations Relief and Works Agency last month that Faisal Ali Musalam Naami, 45, and 11 other UNRWA employees participated in or lent support to the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel that precipitated Israel’s war in the besieged Palestinian territory. Israeli authorities have said Hamas and allied gunmen killed 1,200 Israelis and took some 253 people hostage back in Gaza.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2024/02/16/unrwa-video-oct-7-israel/

https://archive.ph/aBXaW

[Neeranam]

5 hours ago, Jingthing said:

What took them so long?!? Typical UN anti Israel bias.

Do you think the 'the Times of Israel' is unbiased?

[Bkk Brian]

3 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Do you think the 'the Times of Israel' is unbiased?

Higher credibility than most.

 

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/times-of-israel/

[Hanaguma]

Jeezus. What kind of ghouls kidnap the dead as well as the living?  Godspeed to the IDF in removing these monsters from the earth.