Allies, UN pile pressure on Israel over bombings

GAZA STRIP — Israel came under pressure on Wednesday from its allies and the international community over its offensive in Gaza, with key backer, the United States criticizing its bombing as "indiscriminate".

The United Nations General Assembly also overwhelmingly backed a nonbinding resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the territory.

The conflict began after Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel on Oct 7 that killed around 1,200 people and saw around 240 hostages taken, according to Israeli authorities.

Vowing to destroy Hamas and to bring the hostages home, Israel launched an offensive on Gaza, which is ruled by the militant group.

According to the Hamas-run health ministry, Israeli raids have killed more than 18,400 people, mostly women and children.

It reported on Wednesday that at least another 50 people were killed in the latest wave of Israeli airstrikes across the enclave.

US President Joe Biden told a campaign event in Washington that Israel had "most of the world supporting it" after the Hamas attack. "But they're starting to lose that support by the indiscriminate bombing that is taking place," he said.

Washington has been calling for weeks for Israel to take more care to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza, saying that too many Palestinians have been killed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said there was "disagreement" with Biden over how a post-conflict Gaza would be governed, reflecting a rare rift between the two allies.

And the leaders of Australia, Canada and New Zealand — other Israel allies — called for a cease-fire, issuing a rare joint statement to say they were "alarmed at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza".

Their statement came after the UN General Assembly passed a resolution Tuesday demanding a cease-fire, with an overwhelming 153 member nations out of 193 voting in favor.

While the US and Israel voted against the resolution, Australia, Canada and New Zealand all voted in favor.

'Hell on earth'

The vote came as the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees Philippe Lazzarini described the situation in Gaza as "hell on earth".

"Back in #Gaza, endless deepening tragedy. People are everywhere, live in the street, need everything. They plead for safety & for an end to this hell on earth," Lazzarini posted on X, formerly Twitter, at the end of a visit to the territory.

The UN estimates 1.9 million of Gaza's 2.4 million people have been displaced by the conflict, half of them children.

In a new analysis published on Tuesday, the World Bank said the conflict in Gaza is having a severe impact on the Palestinian economy, estimating that, as of mid-November, around 60 percent of information and communication infrastructure as well as health and education facilities had been damaged or destroyed.

And 70 percent of commerce-related infrastructure had been crippled or ruined, it added.

Aid groups have warned the territory will soon be overwhelmed by starvation and disease, and are pleading with Israel to boost efforts to protect civilians.

"The spread of diseases in Gaza has reportedly intensified, especially due to overcrowded living conditions, which adds to the strain on an increasingly overwhelmed health system and an increased risk of people dying," the UN's humanitarian office, known as OCHA, said in its latest update.

It also said many people were missing under the rubble of destroyed buildings, waiting for rescue or recovery.

In Khan Younis, southern Gaza's largest city, a family gathered to mourn the death in a strike of Fayez al-Taramsi, father of seven.

"How are we going to live after him? He brought us to life," one of his daughters said, crying and clutching his bloodied shirt as the sole reminder of her father.

Fears of a wider conflict continued to grow, with Iran-backed groups targeting US and allied forces in Iraq and Syria, and daily exchanges of fire along Israel's border with Lebanon.

The Israeli army said projectiles had been fired from Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday and it had retaliated by striking launch sites.

Agencies Via Xinhua