Tensions between Israel and the United Nations escalated Friday after UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher urged the UN Security Council to act decisively to “prevent genocide” in Gaza, where aid remains blocked and famine looms.
Fletcher, during a Security Council briefing, questioned whether the body would intervene to halt a potential genocide and uphold international humanitarian law. His remarks triggered a sharp rebuke from Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon, who accused Fletcher of politicizing the term “genocide” and overstepping his mandate.
“You delivered a political sermon and irresponsibly invoked genocide without evidence,” Danon wrote in a letter to Fletcher, denouncing it as a “deeply inappropriate” breach of neutrality.
Under international law, genocide involves intentional acts to destroy a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group — through killings, serious harm, or deliberately imposed conditions.
In response, Fletcher defended his stance, reaffirming the UN’s duty to act with “honesty, independence, and neutrality,” and to report what they observe. He emphasized the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, noting that over 9,000 aid trucks — half loaded with food — are awaiting Israeli clearance. He appealed to Israel to allow aid to reach civilians, promising strict oversight to prevent theft by Hamas.
“Please let us do our work,” Fletcher urged.
The Gaza conflict erupted after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks that left 1,200 Israelis dead and about 250 taken hostage. Since then, Israel’s military campaign has reportedly killed over 53,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. Israel blames Hamas for diverting aid and has blocked deliveries since March 2, demanding the release of all hostages.
A global hunger watchdog warned this week that roughly 500,000 Gazans face starvation — nearly a quarter of the enclave’s population. Even former U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged the crisis, stating that “a lot of people are starving in Gaza.”