After calling an emergency meeting the UN Security Council, US Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood called for the council to condemn the Hamas attack on Israel, but the group retired before issuing a formal statement, Politico reports. Various delegations on the council restated comments their nations had issued, with Russia and China saying the attacks on civilians must stop immediately and all parties should return to the negotiating table.
Wood called for the council to condemn “this unprovoked invasion and the terrorist attacks,” and demanded that Hamas must end its “violent terrorist activity against the Israeli people.” Asked if there was an opportunity to restart talks on a two-state solution after Hamas has taken such violent action, Wood responded, “There’ll be time for that. The time right now is we’ve got to deal with the hostage taking, the violence that is going on that’s being perpetrated by Hamas. and we’ve got to deal with first things first.”