US, UK, France request emergency UN Security Council meeting on Hamas sexual violence

At the request of Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France submitted on Friday morning an official request to conduct a UN Security Council emergency meeting.

The meeting being requested is to examine the crimes that emerged from the UN report on Hamas's sexual violence on October 7 and the hostage situation in Gaza.

In a statement, Katz thanked supporting nations for their calls to convene an emergency meeting to discuss the findings of the UN report on sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas.

Katz also accused UN Secretary-General António Guterres of continually turning a blind eye to the atrocities of October 7, including the sexual violence. 

"With every passing moment, the hostages continue to be injured, and the UN Secretary-General continues to close his eyes and cover his ears as if nothing happened. Precisely on International Women's Day, his continued silence is a disgrace and casts a stain on his head that will not be erased."

Heeding the call

Earlier this week, FM Katz called on female leaders worldwide to respond to the United Nations report and take action while also launching a public diplomacy campaign among embassies within Israel to recognize the sexual violence.

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, requested that the US, UK, France, Malta, Ecuador, Japan, Slovenia, and Switzerland make the request, according to Israeli media reports.

The US, UK, and France back my call for a UN Security Council session on Hamas's sexual violence. On International Women's Day, the @UN and the secretary general @antonioguterres must act, not be silent. Time to declare Hamas a terror group and call for the release of all…

— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) March 8, 2024