Israel’s ambassador to the UN yesterday implored the General Assembly not to forget the young women held hostage by Hamas by upholding the Daily Mail’s reporting.
Gilad Erdan showed this newspaper’s terrifying images of four bloodied and bruised teenagers to deputies in New York hours after their abduction.
The Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, admitted he was ‘concerned’ that Israel may have acted in breach of international law in its attack on Gaza.
In moving scenes, Erdan told the UN: “This photo, I hope you have seen it.” He explained to members that the photos of the 18 and 19 year olds had been published in Monday’s Mail.
He said, ‘Look at these girls, look at them. These are the before and after photos of Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa and Agam Berger.
Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan showed this newspaper’s terrifying images of four bloodied and bruised teenagers to delegates in New York hours after they were kidnapped
It came as Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron admitted he was ‘concerned’ that Israel may have acted in breach of international law in its attack on Gaza.
“See how the hope in their eyes has evaporated into horror and how their smiling faces have been beaten and abused. Look at their faces – why are you silent? What did you do here to bring them home? Nothing.’ The article has gone viral in Israel and revived calls for hostages to be brought home as they approach 100 days of captivity.
The parents made the difficult decision this week to ask the Mail to share the heartbreaking images for the first time as they desperately fight for the release of their children.
Karina’s sister Sasha said last night: ‘Although it is emotionally difficult for us, the family, to see the photo of Karina with those helpless, pleading eyes and a bloody face, we had to distribute it.
“The world needs to see this shocked look in my little sister’s eyes. The world must take immediate action to get my sister out of there.”
Liri’s mother Shira, 51, added: ‘It is very important that on October 7 the whole world knows what we have been through and can begin to imagine what we are going through now.
“We hope the UN understands the urgency and humanity in helping to bring back all women immediately.
A tank maneuvers in central Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas
Intensive Israeli Army activity in Gaza seen from Kibbutz Be’eri as Israeli attacks continue in Be’eri, Israel on January 4, 2024
“There’s no more time to wait.” The families are particularly angry that the UN and women’s rights organizations have done little to condemn the violence against their families and thousands of other Israelis.
In London, Lord Cameron said at a lengthy committee hearing with MPs yesterday – his first since returning to government – that he “of course” had concerns about Israel’s role in the crisis, but that it was not his job to ” to make a legal ruling.
He told the Foreign Affairs Committee: “If you ask me, am I concerned that Israel has taken action that may be in violation of international law, because this particular building has been bombed or whatever?
“Yes, of course I am concerned about that, which is why I am consulting with State Department lawyers in providing this advice on arms exports.” He urged Israel to restore water supplies to Gaza, but declined to question whether depriving the civilian population of them amounts to violating laws on armed conflict. He told the committee that two British nationals continue to be held hostage by Hamas as heavy bombing and fighting continues to rock the region.
When asked if it was known whether the two were still alive, he said: ‘I just don’t want to say anything more about it. We have no information to share with you.”
Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn has revealed he will join a South African government delegation at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague later this week for the country’s genocide case against Israel.
Clouds of smoke over Palestinian territory during the Israeli bombardment on January 4, 2024
A Palestinian boy sits on the rubble of a destroyed building after an Israeli attack in Rafah
Mourners react next to the bodies of Palestinians killed in an Israeli attack, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, at the Abu Yousef Al Najjar Hospital in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, January 5
The former Labor leader will be among the delegation’s “senior political figures from progressive political parties and movements around the world,” Pretoria said.
The case is linked to South Africa’s ruling ANC party’s long-standing support for Palestine. It came as the BBC apologized for reporting an uncorroborated claim by Hamas that the Israeli army had carried out “summary executions” in Gaza.
The company admitted that “sufficient effort had not been made to seek corroborating evidence” to justify reporting the allegation on radio news bulletins on Christmas Eve.
It said that while it attributed the accusations to Hamas and recorded a response from the Israeli military, it should have done more to verify the claims.
The BBC has previously admitted mistakes in reporting on the conflict, saying it was “wrong” for a reporter to speculate about who caused an explosion at a hospital in Gaza in October.
In November, the company apologized after a presenter falsely said the Israeli army targeted medical staff and Arabic speakers at Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital during a military operation.
This followed a major controversy over the company’s refusal to call Hamas fighters terrorists.