UK Calls Urgent UN Meeting to Discuss Gaza's Humanitarian Situation

A Palestinian boy looks on at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, October 1, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
A Palestinian boy looks on at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, October 1, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
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UK Calls Urgent UN Meeting to Discuss Gaza's Humanitarian Situation

A Palestinian boy looks on at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, October 1, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
A Palestinian boy looks on at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, October 1, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed

Britain's foreign secretary said on Wednesday that his country, along with France and Algeria, had called an urgent meeting at the United Nations Security Council to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Reuters reported.

David Lammy said in a statement Israel must ensure civilians were protected and routes were open to allow life-saving aid through, and that the United Nations meeting would address these issues.

"The humanitarian situation in Northern Gaza is dire, with access to basic services worsening and the United Nations reporting that barely any food has entered in the last two weeks," Lammy added.



UN Mission in Lebanon Needs Different Rules of Engagement, Says Italy

12 October 2024, Lebanon, Qliyaa: United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) peace keeping troops from the Spanish contingent conduct an early morning patrol in the southern Lebanese village of Qliyaa. Israeli forces attacked UNIFIL bases in south Lebanon wounding two soldiers. Photo: Stringer/dpa
12 October 2024, Lebanon, Qliyaa: United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) peace keeping troops from the Spanish contingent conduct an early morning patrol in the southern Lebanese village of Qliyaa. Israeli forces attacked UNIFIL bases in south Lebanon wounding two soldiers. Photo: Stringer/dpa
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UN Mission in Lebanon Needs Different Rules of Engagement, Says Italy

12 October 2024, Lebanon, Qliyaa: United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) peace keeping troops from the Spanish contingent conduct an early morning patrol in the southern Lebanese village of Qliyaa. Israeli forces attacked UNIFIL bases in south Lebanon wounding two soldiers. Photo: Stringer/dpa
12 October 2024, Lebanon, Qliyaa: United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) peace keeping troops from the Spanish contingent conduct an early morning patrol in the southern Lebanese village of Qliyaa. Israeli forces attacked UNIFIL bases in south Lebanon wounding two soldiers. Photo: Stringer/dpa

The 16 EU countries contributing to the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, believe its rules of engagement need to be more effective, an Italian defense ministry statement said on Wednesday.

The European Union allies also think pressure must be applied to prevent any more attacks by Israeli forces on UNIFIL positions, the statement said.

According to Reuters, the Italian readout followed a call between the defense ministers of the 16 countries, taking place days after Israeli attacks on UN bases in Lebanon, and ahead of a Friday visit to the country by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The statement said a "key point that emerged from the meeting was a shared willingness to exert maximum political and diplomatic pressure on Israel so that no further incidents occur."

It also said "that Hezbollah cannot use UNIFIL personnel as shields in the context of the conflict".