'Hamas acting like ISIS': Israel lodges fiery defence at UN; flays Turkey's anti-semitism

Launching a staunch attack against Hamas' indiscriminate rocket-firing at civilian populations, Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan decried the Palestine-based militant organization at the General Assembly debate on Thursday over the raging violent clashes in the Middle East. The Israeli envoy brought the United Nations' attention to what he said was Hamas' bid to launch an attack on Jewish worshippers at the site which is holy to both religions. To do so, he showed the house a picture from inside the Al-Aqsa mosque which is seen filled with stones meant for pelting. 

Erdan claimed that Israeli Police were 'forced to enter' the Temple Mount only after Hamas forced Palestinian extremists to store weapons at the holy site and to 'desecrate its sanctity by turning it into a launching pad for an attack on Jewish worshippers and on the police.' Pertinently, it was the scuffle between Palestinians and Israeli Police at the Al-Aqsa mosque during Ramadan that escalated to the fiery exchange of thousands of rockets between Israel and Hamas-controlled Gaza. 

'Hamas is acting like ISIS': Israel

At the United Nations General Assembly Debate, Ambassador Gilad Erdan asserted that Hamas is acting like radical Islamic terror outfit ISIS, adding that the Palestine-based militant organization is using women and children as a shield to carry out 'terrorism'. Making a strong comment, the Israeli envoy said that debates in UNGA are always characterized by 'deceptive lies' and said that the truth is Israel uses 'missile to protect civilians while Hamas uses civilians to protect missiles'. Erdan also highlighted that Hamas' rockets have killed Indian, Thailand and Israeli citizens. 

"Israel did everything to de-escalate the situation but our efforts were met with rocket attacks on Jerusalem. You cannot fire on our capital and then pretend to ceasefire. Israel wants a ceasefire but only after degrading Hamas terror machine," Ambassador Gilad Erdan said on Thursday. 

"The demonization of Israel in the international arena, spurred on by members of this assembly such as Turkey that use antisemitic tropes, is encouraging sickening antisemitic attacks. Never has there been a clearer example of the fact that anti-Zionism is antisemitism. The State of Israel will always do whatever is necessary to defend our people and we will do so while continuing to protect human lives and aspiring to peace with all of our neighbours," he added. 

Israel-Hamas: Unending barrage of rockets continue 

In yet another attack, Hamas fired a rocket that landed by the main road near the southern Israeli city of Beer Sheva on Thursday. No one was injured. Gaza's militants continued firing barrages of rockets and Israel's army struck targets in the territory amid increasing international pressure to cease the hostilities.

The fighting, the worst Israeli-Palestinian violence since 2014, has killed at least 230 people, including 65 children and 39 women, with 1,710 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not break the numbers down into fighters and civilians. Hamas claims at least 20 of their fighters have been killed, while Israel says the number is at least 130. Some 58,000 Palestinians have fled their homes. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl and a soldier, have been killed.