Israel's UN ambassador plays air raid siren for Security Council

"Fifteen seconds. That's how much time you have to run for your life," said Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Ron Prosor, an air raid siren playing in the background as he spoke Thursday at a Security Council emergency meeting about the growing hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

"There is only one responsible course of action for this council -- condemn Hamas," Prosor said. "It is time for you to finally recognize Hamas for what it is -- a terrorist organization that should be denounced, dismantled and delegitimized."

Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour blamed Israel for the escalation of the conflict, saying, "Israeli attacks on Palestinian civilians in Gaza" must stop. He also read some of the names of the children killed in the ongoing violence.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the rocket fire from Gaza, but also admonished Israel for an "excessive use of force."

"Once again, Palestinian civilians are caught between Hamas' irresponsibility and Israel's tough response," Ban said. He called on both sides to work toward a cease-fire, warning that an escalation of violence would be detrimental to the region.

The Security Council went into closed consultations on the matter following the briefing.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman wrote a letter to the foreign ministers of all the countries with which Israel has diplomatic relations. He called on the international community to "demonstrate understanding for Israel to exercise its legitimate right to self-defense."

Economy and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett said in an interview with the Al Jazeera news outlet that "Hamas is killing its own civilians; when you have missile launchers hidden inside schools, inside homes ... then you're in effect killing your own children."

טעינו? נתקן! אם מצאתם טעות בכתבה, נשמח שתשתפו אותנו