Israel has said it has denied a visa to top UN official Martin Griffiths, after comments from the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Guterres on Tuesday said the Hamas attacks on Israel did not happen “in a vacuum”, saying there had been “56 years of suffocating occupation”.
He also said “the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas”.
In response, Israel’s ambassador to the UN says Griffiths will not be allowed into Israel, and other UN staff “will be refused”.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, hospitals are stopping all but emergency services as fuel runs out.
Israel is stopping new fuel supplies reaching Gaza but accuses Hamas of stockpiling hundreds of thousands of litres.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says almost 6,500 people had been killed since 7 October
More than 1,400 were killed in the initial attacks on Israel by Hamas, and more than 200 people are still being held hostage..
UN SECRETARY GENERAL REACTS
In the last few hours, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said he is “shocked” at the reaction to a statement he made on Tuesday about the war between Israel and Hamas.
He says he clearly condemned the “acts of terror” inflicted on Israel in a speech in which he also said the attacks did not happen “in a vacuum”.
Mr. Guterres said he believes it is necessary to set the record straight.
“Especially out of respect for the victims and their families,” he says before ending his short address.
