ISRAEL HOLDS PALESTINIANS CAPTIVE IN OPEN GAZA PRISON: UN ENVOY

New York (The UN), 25 Ramadan 1435/23 July 2014 (MINA) – Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour says Palestinians are held captive by Israel occupation regime in an “open prison” called the Gaza Strip.

Addressing the UN Security Council’s monthly meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Mideast on Tuesday, Mansour condemned Israel occupation regime for attacking densely populated areas in the Palestinian territory with missiles, bombs and artillery shelling.

He added that Palestinians want an end to the Israeli occupation regime aggression and their collective punishment, Press TV quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting Wednesday.

The senior Palestinian diplomat also criticized the international community and the Security Council for failing to stop Israeli occupation regime atrocities.

Mansour argued that Israel occupation regime should not be allowed to carry out its crimes with impunity.

Over the past 15 days, Israeli occupation regime warplanes have been hitting numerous sites in the Gaza Strip, demolishing homes and burying families in the rubble. Israeli occupation regime tanks also began a ground offensive against the impoverished Palestinian land on July 17.

More than 600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in the Tel Aviv’s offensive.

Palestinian resistance fighters have also retaliated against the deadly Israeli attacks by firing a barrage of rockets deep into the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. They have also killed some 30 Israelis in their retaliatory operations.

Top Hamas leader in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh has vowed that the besieged Palestinian territory will turn into “a graveyard for Israeli soldiers.” (T/E01/IR)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)