A diplomatic spat between Israel and the United Nations has broken out, with Israeli officials calling for the resignation of Secretary General Antonio Guterres after he said Hamas' October 7 attacks on the country 'did not happen in a vacuum'.
At a Security Council meeting Tuesday, Mr. Guterres called for a humanitarian ceasefire amid the deepening crisis in Gaza, and told the Security Council that clear violations of international humanitarian law are being witnessed.
He called Hamas' murder and kidnap rampage appalling, and said nothing can justify the deliberate killing, wounding and kidnapping of civilians, or the launching of rockets against civilian targets.
Mr. Guterres also said the Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.
But he said the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas.
Mr. Guterres' comments have angered Israel which announced today that it will block visas for United Nations officials.
It has already rejected an application by the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths.
Mr. Guterres has said he is shocked by the reaction to his statements.