Palestinian Envoy on Situatuion in Gaza: UNSC Fails to Shoulder Responsibility

The UN Security Council has failed to carry out its responsibility to address the escalating situation in Gaza, Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour said in a press briefing after an emergency meeting.

"We want the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility with regard to this situation threatening international peace and security," Mansour told reporters. "Unfortunately the Security Council is paralyzed, it did not shoulder its responsibility."

The Kuwait Ambassador to the UN Mansour Ayyad al Otaibi said in the press conference that the UN Security Council was not able to find a solution during the emergency meeting to address the situation in Gaza.

The latest violence in Gaza erupted on Monday after a Hamas commander was killed in a covert Israeli operation. Since then, Gaza militants have fired at least 460 rockets at Israel, and Israeli forces have carried out airstrikes on 160 targets in Gaza. One militant rocket attack killed a Palestinian labourer in the West Bank, while Israel's strikes have killed at least seven Palestinians.