Israel UN envoy decries ‘war crimes,’ U.N. Security Council meets.

The U.N. Security Council gathered to address the crisis. Israel’s envoy accused the Palestinian Islamist Hamas of war crimes and said it was time to “obliterate Hamas terror infrastructure.”

The worst day for Israel since the 1973 war occurred on Saturday when Hamas terrorists surged into Israeli communities from the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, murdering more than 600 people and fleeing with dozens of captives.

Before the 15-member Security Council meeting, Israeli U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan declared, “These are war crimes, blatantly documented war crimes.”

He told reporters, “The time of reason with these savages is past. “Now is the time to obliterate Hamas terror infrastructure, to completely erase it, so that such horrors are never committed again.”

In reprisal, Israel attacked Gaza on Sunday, killing hundreds of civilians. Erdan urged the international community to back Israel wholeheartedly and denounce Hamas’ activities.

The Gaza Strip, home to almost 2 million people, has been governed by Hamas since 2007. With Egypt’s assistance, Israel has long enforced a siege on it, which has weakened its economy.

Before the Security Council meeting, Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour told reporters, “Israel keeps saying the blockade and repeated assaults on Gaza are to destroy Hamas military capabilities and ensure security. Its blockade and assaults accomplished neither.”

“When Israel now tries to justify yet another assault by the same faulty premise, no one should say or do anything to encourage it down this path,” he stated.

During their roughly 90-minute meeting, the council got a report from Tor Wennesland, the U.N. envoy for Middle East peace.

Diplomats predicted that the Security Council, which issues statements by consensus, would not do so. It is not now a priority for Washington, according to Robert Wood, deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N.

“At this time, it’s crucial that the world demonstrate its support for Israel. After the meeting, Wood assured reporters, “We have Israel’s back completely. “The condemnation of Hamas needs to continue until they end this violent terrorist activity against the Israeli people.”

The council also considered the applicability of international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians, according to the United Arab Emirates’ U.N. ambassador, Lana Nusseibeh.

“The point about proportionate response was also discussed, but clearly, right now, the focus for Israel is its own security needs and the fact that it has hostages being held in the Gaza Strip that should be released,” she told reporters.

The Hamas attack comes as the United States urges Saudi Arabia to improve relations with Israel in exchange for a defense agreement with Riyadh.

“We don’t see any reason that should be off the table,” Erdan stated. “We still desire it to occur. We’ll make every effort to coexist peacefully with our neighbors.