Dozens of UN delegates walked out of the General Assembly hall before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech. Netanyahu criticised those who left as “moral cowards”, while Israel’s delegation applauded him; the walkout reflected international opposition to Israel’s conduct in Gaza and Lebanon.

The conflict began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 73,920 people, according to the territory’s health ministry, while a UN inquiry has accused Israel of genocide—an allegation Israel strongly rejects.