Israel’s U.N. envoy urges Hamas disarmament, criticizes ICJ, signals support for international force in Gaza

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations told reporters at a U.N. press briefing that all living hostages are home, the remains of 15 fallen had been returned for burial, and that Hamas “must disarm now.”

The ambassador said disarmament is a precondition for reconstruction in Gaza and criticized the International Court of Justice ruling, calling it “a shameful decision” and “a political document, not a legal document.” He also accused the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) of having been infiltrated by Hamas and said the court “chose to ignore those facts.”

"Disarmament is not a slogan," the ambassador said. "Weapons must be surrendered, tunnels must be sealed, and rocket factories must be shut down. Before Gaza can be rebuilt, terror must be removed. Before peace can begin, Hamas must lay down its arms. The time for excuses is over." He added that 13 people remained in Hamas captivity, as he described the situation.

During a question-and-answer period, a reporter asked about opening border crossings and about reports that the United States was considering an Israeli Defense Forces presence during reconstruction. The ambassador said Israel has ongoing dialogue with partners on the ground and that checkpoints could be opened if needed, but added that delivering aid also requires drivers and secure routes. He said, "We have no intention to stay in Gaza permanently, and we welcome the involvement of international forces that will allow for law and order to be there."

On regional security, the ambassador warned against continued attacks by the Houthi movement and said Israel has the capability to strike leaders and sites in Yemen if attacks persist. "We have the capability to get to any site in Yemen, and we proved it," he said, adding that such attacks also harm regional commerce through the Suez Canal and increase global commodity costs.

He said any international force should include "moderate countries from the region" together with other international partners and that such forces would need to participate in disarmament and inspections. He cautioned that the process would be long but said Israel hoped to see international forces participate soon.

No formal vote or Security Council action was taken during the briefing; the event consisted of the ambassador’s statement and a brief question-and-answer session with reporters.