In a passionate plea to member states, the Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, called on the international community to vote to end the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Addressing the UN General Assembly on Thursday, Mansour also urged for increased humanitarian aid to be delivered to the 2.3 million Palestinians living in the besieged territory.

Appealing for an immediate ceasefire, Mansour accused certain unnamed nations of applying a double standard in the conflict. He questioned why there was outrage over the deaths of 1,000 Israelis but not the same level of urgency to stop the killing of 1,000 Palestinians daily. His emotional speech came during an emergency session of the General Assembly, as aid agencies and human rights groups expressed grave concerns about the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza after more than two weeks of relentless Israeli assault.

According to Israeli officials, the Israeli bombardment was launched in response to attacks on southern Israel by Hamas, the ruling authority in Gaza, which led to the deaths of at least 1,400 people. However, Gaza authorities have reported that over 7,000 people have been killed in the ongoing conflict. Israel has also cut off supplies of food, water, electricity, and fuel to the territory.

Reacting to Mansour's speech, Israeli envoy Gilad Erdan referred to the Hamas attack as a "pogrom" and emphasized that the rockets fired were a cover for the ensuing violence. Erdan claimed that Hamas terrorists had invaded Israel with the sole purpose of savagely murdering every living thing they encountered.

The General Assembly is set to vote on a resolution drafted by Arab states on Friday, calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, speaking on behalf of Arab states, accused Israel of creating a perpetual hell on earth in Gaza, with a trauma that will haunt generations to come. The impact on Palestinian civilians, he added, has been immense.

The Israeli siege and assault on Gaza have triggered widespread condemnation, as the death toll continues to rise and aid officials warn of an imminent humanitarian catastrophe. Medical services in Gaza have been stretched to their limits, with fuel supplies strained due to Israel's ongoing siege.

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) issued a warning on Thursday, stating that its fuel stocks were nearly depleted, forcing them to suspend life-saving services. International leaders have expressed concern that an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza could lead to further escalation in the region.

Meanwhile, Hamas leaders arrived in Russia on Thursday for talks, coinciding with a visit by Iran's deputy foreign minister. Israel condemned Russia for hosting Hamas members, describing the group as "worse than ISIS."

The need for a ceasefire has been stressed by human rights groups such as Amnesty International, who are eager to bring an end to the bloodshed and prevent regional spill-over of the conflict.

As the international community grapples with finding a way to halt the violence, it is clear that immediate action is required to prevent further loss of life and worsening of the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.