‘UN insists on preserving Hamas’s supply pipeline’: Israel’s UN envoy Danon slams rejection of US-Israeli aid plan

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, sharply criticized the UN for its refusal to cooperate with the United States and Israel regarding a new humanitarian aid plan that aims to deprive Hamas of the opportunity to steal aid.

“Aid will no longer reach Hamas,” Danon asserted on Tuesday during a UN Security Council (UNSC) debate about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, according to Ynet News.

Most UNSC members rejected the American and Israeli aid plan that envisions establishing delivery zones and using private contractors for aid distribution.

Only the U.S. expressed its support, with interim representative Dorothy Shea stating that the new mechanism would “provide a secure mechanism capable of delivering aid directly to those in need, without Hamas stealing, looting or leveraging this assistance for its own ends.”

“Instead of admitting that the system has failed, the UN insists on preserving Hamas’s supply pipeline. This is not neutrality – but support for terrorism,” Danon charged.

“Israel will not cooperate with a mechanism that strengthens those who kidnapped, murdered, raped and tortured our citizens.”

Danon pointed to the cases of released hostages Edan Alexander and Eli Sharabi as examples.

“Edan underwent severe torture. He was imprisoned in a cage, shackled and starved. This is the reality of captivity with Hamas – and we will not allow it to repeat itself,” the ambassador said.

“Eli saw with his own eyes UN aid packages entering Hamas tunnels. He saw the terrorists eating like kings, while he and the hostages starved. This is not aid – this is the feeding of terror. Whoever insists on preserving the old mechanism is not defending human rights – he is abandoning them,” Danon added.

.@UNReliefChief Tom Fletcher briefed the UN Security Council on the humanitarian situation and the protection of aid workers in #Gaza. pic.twitter.com/kWz36kWbIB

— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) May 13, 2025

The meeting had been convened by the United Kingdom. British Ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward said in a statement, “The UK called this meeting alongside Denmark, France, Greece and Slovenia in response to the alarming warnings that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is worse than it has ever been.”

Woodward cited warnings from the World Food Programme and data provided by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) showing “that the whole of Gaza is at the risk of famine.”

During the meeting, UNSC members were also briefed by UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher, who called the international community to consider how its actions in response to the "ongoing atrocities" in Gaza will be judged by future generations.

“We can save hundreds of thousands of survivors. We have rigorous mechanisms to ensure our aid gets to civilians, and not to Hamas,” he claimed, adding, “But Israel denies us access, placing the objective of depopulating Gaza before the lives of civilians.”

Fletcher said the U.S.-Israeli distribution mechanism is a “cynical sideshow. A deliberate distraction. A fig leaf for further violence and displacement.”