NEW YORK – hundreds of diplomats walked out of the hall as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu entered to deliver his speech. The rare protest drew worldwide attention, highlighting escalating international condemnation of Israel’s recent actions in Gaza.
Supporters of Netanyahu responded with loud applause and remained standing for several minutes, attempting to divert focus from the mass departure of delegates.
The walkout comes amid a UN inquiry accusing Israel of committing multiple acts of genocide, including killings, creating conditions aimed at the partial or total destruction of Palestinians, and imposing measures designed to prevent births.
The global backlash has intensified, with several countries, including Slovenia, imposing travel restrictions on Netanyahu in response to the crisis. The walkout at the UN symbolizes the growing international scrutiny and diplomatic pressure on Israel over its policies in Gaza.
In last one day, 175 people in Gaza were injured amid ongoing Israeli attacks, bringing total injuries to 167,160. Five Palestinians were killed and 20 wounded while seeking humanitarian aid, raising aid-related deaths to 2,531.
Since March 18, Israeli operations have killed 12,823 and wounded 54,944, violating a January ceasefire. Israeli leaders face ICC arrest warrants for war crimes, and Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
