Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, has strongly criticized the recent statements made by the Human Rights Council (HRC) and its commissioner, accusing them of being “false” and "immoral." Ambassador Zaman Mehdi from Pakistan delivered a seemingly anti-Israel statement on behalf of the member states of the HRC, expressing concern over the loss of innocent lives in the occupied Palestinian territory and elsewhere. Mehdi referred to the "illegal foreign occupation, aggression, and disrespect for international law" by Israel, including UNESCO resolutions. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, called for both the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hamas to respect international humanitarian law and criticized Israel's "full siege" of Gaza.

In response to Turk's statement, Erdan accused the HRC of losing its moral compass and emphasized that Israel had just experienced the gravest human rights atrocity since the Holocaust. Erdan questioned how many murdered Jews it would take for the HRC to support Israel's right to self-defense against Hamas, which has publicly declared its goal to be the annihilation of Israel. He condemned the HRC for making false and immoral comparisons and asserted that Israel would continue to protect itself and obliterate Hamas' terror infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Human Rights Council held a moment of silence on Monday to honor the innocent lives lost in the occupied Palestinian territory and elsewhere. However, the council failed to acknowledge those who died in Israel during attacks by Palestinian troops. Ambassador Zaman Mehdi criticized the 16-year blockade of Gaza, questioning the applicability of international law and the impact on the civilian population. He expressed concern about the human cost of the escalating situation and decried the attacks on civilians and their properties.

A video of the moment of silence showed all members of the Human Rights Council standing, despite omitting the innocent lives lost in Israel. U.S. Permanent Representative to the Human Rights Council, Mich??le Taylor, also requested a moment of silence to commemorate the lives lost in the Hamas attack on Israel. Taylor condemned the acts of terrorism and extended condolences to the affected families, expressing solidarity with the people and government of Israel.

The news of Erdan's rebuke of the HRC, Mehdi's statement, and the moment of silence at the UN Human Rights Council has sparked international debate and further highlighted the ongoing tension in the region. The contrasting viewpoints and calls for respecting international humanitarian law and promoting peace, justice, and human rights have emphasized the complexity of the situation and the need for constructive dialogue and efforts towards a peaceful resolution.