Palestinians plead ‘stop the bombs’ at UN meeting but Israel insists Hamas must be ‘obliterated’

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — “Stop the bombs and save lives!” the Palestinian ambassador pleaded at an emotional U.N. meeting on the war in Gaza. But Israel’s envoy was adamant, declaring again, “We will not rest until Hamas is obliterated.” The war sparked by Gaza’s Hamas rulers’ surprise attacks on Israel on Oct. 7 played out Thursday in the vast hall of the 193-nation General Assembly, where Arab nations are expecting to adopt a resolution Friday calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. They went to the assembly after the Security Council’s four failed attempts to agree on a resolution. At the emergency special session, speaker after speaker backed the Arab resolution’s cease-fire call — except for Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan.