Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, has called for Secretary-General António Guterres to resign following his plea for a cease-fire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Erdan accused Guterres of showing understanding towards the "mass murder of children, women, and the elderly," stating that he is unfit to lead the UN. In response, Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen announced the cancellation of upcoming meetings with the U.N. chief.

On Tuesday, Guterres delivered a speech at the United Nations denouncing both Israel and Hamas for their actions that endangered civilians. The Secretary-General expressed deep concern over the clear violations of international humanitarian law committed by both parties. He urged the protection of civilians and stressed that using them as human shields was unacceptable, specifically referring to Hamas.

Guterres criticized the Israeli military for ordering the evacuation of over a million people to an area lacking basic necessities such as shelter, food, water, medicine, and fuel, only to continue bombing that same area. In his speech, he reiterated his appeal for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire to alleviate the suffering, facilitate aid delivery, and secure the release of hostages.

In response, Ambassador Erdan condemned Guterres' speech, asserting that it proved the Secretary-General's disconnect from the reality in the region and his immoral interpretation of the situation involving "Nazi Hamas terrorists." Erdan accused Guterres of disregarding the suffering of Israeli citizens amidst ongoing rocket attacks.

Secretary-General Guterres has been a prominent advocate for humanitarian aid in Gaza, where supplies of food, water, medical resources, and fuel are rapidly depleting. He warned that the United Nations' reserve is running low and urged Israel to reverse its ban on fuel imports to ensure the continuation of aid convoys.

The conflict, which started earlier this month, has reportedly resulted in over 5,000 Palestinian fatalities, including more than 2,000 children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry controlled by Hamas. Additionally, more than 1,400 Israelis have been killed, largely due to a surprise attack by Hamas at the conflict's outset.

In another response to Guterres' speech, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen announced that he would not meet with the Secretary-General in the future. Cohen declared that there is no room for a balanced approach and called for the eradication of Hamas.

As tensions escalate, Israel has intensified its aerial strikes on Gaza in preparation for a potential ground invasion of the territory.

The controversy surrounding Guterres' call for a cease-fire and the subsequent calls for his resignation highlight the deep divides and heated rhetoric surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.