Ahead of its first official session on the condition of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, the United Nations Security Council set a contentious requirement: Israel's delegation had requested that Dr. Efrat Baron Har-Lev, a physician from Schneider Children's Medical Center, brief the council on the plight of children who had been in Hamas captivity. While the council agreed, it stipulated that for the sake of "balance," Yuli Novak, the director of Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem, also brief the session via Zoom on the situation of Palestinians.
This marks the first formal discussion at the Security Council regarding the Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The session follows an urgent request from Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon after reports emerged of the execution of six Israeli hostages by Hamas terrorists. The request received backing from the United States, the United Kingdom and France, helping move the process forward.
In addition to Danon, the discussion will feature UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo and a representative from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Dr. Baron Har-Lev, head of the pediatric unit at Schneider Medical Center in Petah Tikva, where recently released child hostages were treated, will also provide a briefing.
In his speech, Danon is expected to present harrowing testimony on the abuse endured by hostages in captivity. He will emphasize that the kidnapping of civilians constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law and UN Security Council Resolution 2474, and that Hamas has breached the council’s last three resolutions calling for the release of all hostages.
Danon will underscore that for 11 months, the hostages were denied access to the Red Cross. He will also criticize Algeria and the Arab Group at the UN for having held 60 discussions concerning Israel without convening a single session about the hostages. Danon will call on the Security Council to adopt a resolution condemning Hamas for the murder and mistreatment of hostages and demanding their immediate release.