Iran says killing of civilians in Gaza cannot continue until Hamas’ destruction

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Tuesday that Israel "does not observe any red line in the genocide" against Palestine.

"We have all gathered today in the (UN) Security Council in a situation where the occupying and apartheid regime of Israel does not observe any red line in the genocide against Palestine in Gaza and the West Bank," Amir-Abdollahian told a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

The US, as the "practical supporter" of Israel, has prevented the Council from establishing a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

Despite the US repeatedly expressing its "grave concern" over this spillover of tension in the region, he said, it continues its full support for Israel and even violates the sovereignty of Yemen and expands the scope of the conflict.

"The United States must bear the responsibility for its consequences,” he said.

"Instead of calling on others to exercise restraint, the US must compel the Israeli regime to stop the war and pull itself out of the trap that the Israeli regime has set to drag the US into direct conflict.”

Stressing that the future of Palestine belongs to all Palestinians, he said the killing of innocent civilians, especially women and children, "must be stopped immediately."

Underscoring that war is not the solution, Amir-Abdollahian said "security cannot be achieved by resorting to the use of force and committing the crime of genocide in Gaza."

"The killing of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank cannot continue until the so-called total destruction of Hamas, because that time will never come," he added.

Turning to the recent US-UK strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, Amir-Abdollahian said that both countries made a "strategic mistake" with a military attack on Yemen, "which will result in the risk of further expanding the scope of the war in the region."

"We all consider maritime safety and security to be vital for global trade and energy security. However, security is an interconnected concept," he added.

Israel has pounded Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7, killing at least 25,490 Palestinians and injuring 63,354. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.