The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting over the growing conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups.

Current Deaths/Injuries:
Gaza: 44 people have died (including 15 children) and over 350 injured from Israeli airstrikes and failed munition launches from militant groups.
Israel: Three people have been severely injured from rockets fired from Gaza, and 31 others were injured.

At the start of the meeting, multiple ambassadors highlighted that the current ceasefire (brokered by the Egyptians) between Israel and the Islamic Jihad (a Palestinian militant group) is delicate and could fall apart, resulting in more carnage.

Tor Wennesland, a UN representative for the Middle East, said “The ceasefire is fragile. Any resumption of hostilities will only have devastating consequences for Palestinians and Israelis and make any political progress on key issues elusive.”

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Russia “is deeply concerned by this turn of events, which could lead to the resumption of a fully-fledged military confrontation and a further worsening of the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.”

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said “Israel has a right to defend its people against terrorist threats. This council should be able to come together and unconditionally repudiate the terrorism of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, whose reckless actions have put the lives of civilians, on both sides, at risk.”

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield

According to the United Nations, roughly 20% of the 1,100 rockets fired by the Islamic Jihad (and other militant groups operating in Gaza) have fallen within the city resulting in significant losses of life. In addition, Israeli airstrikes targeting leaders of these organizations have resulted in high levels of collateral damage, with some Arab nations calling it “reckless.”