55 Palestinians killed in Gaza: UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting over 'atrocity' by Israeli forces
The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting to address the violent clashes between Palestinian protestors and Israeli forces along the Gaza Strip's border with Israel
United Nations: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold an emergency meeting to address the violent clashes between Palestinian protestors and Israeli forces along the Gaza Strip's border with Israel, a Palestinian envoy said on Monday.
Speaking to reporters at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, said the meeting will take place "possibly within the next 24 hours."
"We condemn in the strongest term this atrocity by the Israeli occupying forces using this massive fire power against civilians who have the right to demonstrate peacefully," Xinhua quoted Mansour as saying.
Palestinian protesters near Gaza's border with Israel, as Israel prepared for the festive inauguration of a new US Embassy in contested Jerusalem. AP
Related Articles
Fifty five Palestinians were killed, including eight under the age of 16, and more than 2,000 were injured in violent clashes with Israeli forces on Monday when the US moved its embassy to Jerusalem, which triggered the escalation of conflict at the Gaza border.
The escalation has brought the number of casualties since 30 March, when the Palestinians first held the "Great Return March" protests, to almost 100 dead and more than 11,000 injured.
He further demanded international protection for the civilian population and called on the security council to condemn "this massacre" and to provide security to the Palestinians.
When asked about forming an independent investigation that he had earlier urged, Mansour said 14 members of the security council were receptive to the idea but one member "was obstructing the council from doing so."
He added the UNHCR in Geneva, the world body's human rights organ, may undertake the task of establishing such an investigation commission.
Mansour said he expects the Palestinian leadership later Monday to decide on whether to refer to the recent events as war crimes, as recommended by the Palestinian National Council.
also read
A Watery Hell: Thousands flee floods after Kakhovka dam blast in Ukraine
The destruction of the dam at Nova Kakhovka in southern Ukraine has led to flooding in villages, endangering crops and threatening drinking supplies. Thousands are evacuated as water is surging down the Dnipro river
Israel discovers new natural gas field off its coast, names it 'Katlan'
A recognition from Israel's National Infrastructure, Energy, and Water Minister means that Energean, a British-Greek energy company can draw up plans to develop the reserve. The natural gas field has been named 'Katlan' and is entirely inside Israeli territorial waters
'Israeli aggression' strikes Damascus overnight, says Syrian defence ministry
According to the government, it was aimed at 'certain positions in the vicinity of Damascus', but anti-aircraft defences intervened and shot down several missiles