Gaza crisis "deliberate catastrophe" caused by Israel: Palestinian envoy

Palestinian Permanent Observer to the United Nations (U.N.) Riyad Mansour on Wednesday strongly criticized Israel's actions in Gaza, describing the humanitarian crisis as intentional while calling for urgent international intervention.

During Wednesday's Security Council meeting on Palestine, Palestinian and Israeli representatives exchanged contrasting positions on the situation in Gaza, while several member states, including the United Kingdom, urged Israel to halt its military actions and ensure aid access.

"People are dying of hunger and thirst by design or while desperately trying to get food or water by design. People are collapsing in the streets while being forcibly displaced yet again, again by design. We call for a coalition of the willing to take every action necessary now to end the genocide, to uphold international law and save what is left of our humanity under the rubble in Gaza, and end the occupation and conflict," said Mansour.

Israel's Permanent Representative to the U.N., Danny Danon, responded by placing the blame squarely on Hamas and asserting that Israel's military operations are aimed at stabilizing the wider region.

"Israel is making the Middle East safer for everyone who values peace and calm. In other words, we are doing the work of the United Nations," said Danon.

However, representatives from other member states, including the United Kingdom, urged Israel to end its attacks that have caused severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, while showing support for U.N. agencies' operations in the enclave.

"We call on Israel to end these attacks, hold those responsible to account and to work with the U.N. to implement effective aid distribution in line with humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law," said Barbara Woodward, the UK's permanent representative to the United Nations.

Oil prices fell on Thursday.

The West Texas Intermediate for February delivery dropped 2.83 U.S. dollars, or 4.56 percent, to settle at 59.19 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for March delivery lost 2.76 dollars, or 4.15 percent, to settle at 63.76 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.