UN Security Council to Meet Sunday over Attacks on Israel

 Smoke billows after Israeli forces struck a high-rise tower in Gaza City, October 7, 2023. (Reuters)
Smoke billows after Israeli forces struck a high-rise tower in Gaza City, October 7, 2023. (Reuters)
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UN Security Council to Meet Sunday over Attacks on Israel

 Smoke billows after Israeli forces struck a high-rise tower in Gaza City, October 7, 2023. (Reuters)
Smoke billows after Israeli forces struck a high-rise tower in Gaza City, October 7, 2023. (Reuters)

The United Nations Security Council is due to meet on Sunday after Palestinian group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday, diplomats said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack by Hamas and urged "all diplomatic efforts to avoid a wider conflagration, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

"The Secretary-General is deeply concerned for the civilian population and urges maximum restraint. Civilians must be respected and protected in accordance with international humanitarian law at all times," Dujarric said.  

Brazil's Foreign Ministry said earlier on Saturday it would convene an emergency meeting of the Security Council following the attack.  

Brazil, which assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this month, condemned the attacks in a public statement and expressed solidarity with the people of Israel.  

It also reaffirmed a commitment to a "two-state solution," with Palestine and Israel coexisting within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders.  

"The Brazilian government reiterates that there is no justification for resorting to violence, especially against civilians, and urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint to prevent an escalation of the situation," the Foreign Ministry said.  

It added that "the mere management of the conflict is not a viable alternative for addressing the Israeli-Palestinian issue, and the resumption of peace negotiations is urgent."



8 Turkish Soldiers Killed by Gas Exposure During Cave Search in Northern Iraq

A Turkish soldier waves a flag on Mount Barsaya, northeast of Afrin, Syria January 28 ,2018. REUTERS/ Khalil Ashawi/File Photo
A Turkish soldier waves a flag on Mount Barsaya, northeast of Afrin, Syria January 28 ,2018. REUTERS/ Khalil Ashawi/File Photo
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8 Turkish Soldiers Killed by Gas Exposure During Cave Search in Northern Iraq

A Turkish soldier waves a flag on Mount Barsaya, northeast of Afrin, Syria January 28 ,2018. REUTERS/ Khalil Ashawi/File Photo
A Turkish soldier waves a flag on Mount Barsaya, northeast of Afrin, Syria January 28 ,2018. REUTERS/ Khalil Ashawi/File Photo

Eight Turkish soldiers died after being exposed to methane gas during a search operation in a cave in northern Iraq, the defense ministry said on Monday.

In a statement, the ministry said the incident took place on Sunday during a mission to locate the remains of a Turkish soldier killed during a military operation against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Eleven other soldiers who are also exposed to the gas in the cave have been taken to the hospital for treatment, the ministry said.

The cave was at an altitude of 852 meters (2,795 foot) and was known to have been used as a hospital by the PKK in the past, although it had since been cleared by Turkish soldiers.

Türkiye and the PKK have waged a 40-year conflict which has often spilled over into Iraq and Syria. Türkiye has set up a series of bases in northern Iraq, where the PKK has been established for decades.