Israel's ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan spoke today (Tuesday) on the platform of the UN General Assembly, as part of the special discussion on the war in Gaza. In his words, Erdan emphasized the suffering and the harsh conditions in which the abductees held by Hamas are being held, and said that "about 100 days have passed and the General Assembly, like all UN bodies, did not even condemn the massacre."
Erdan also mentioned in his speech the birthday of Kfir Bibas, who in the coming days will be one year old while in the captivity of Hamas. "Many of you are here, parents or grandparents. Every milestone in your children's lives is a celebration. Their first step, their first word, their first smile and laugh. Babies are a source of light and hope - a symbol of life," he said. "And indeed Kfir, the baby Kfir has become a symbol of the most degrading cruelty known to humanity - the cruelty of Hamas. And in such a tragic way, Kfir is about to celebrate his first birthday while kidnapped by Hamas.
According to him, "a quarter of Kfir's life was spent in captivity. He was kidnapped before he even learned to say the word 'Mommy'. Does he get the food and vitamins he needs to grow and develop? Does he crawl? How can a baby be a target for fighting? What monsters are able to deliberately take a baby captive and treat him as an enemy? Instead of receiving love and warmth, Kfir is surrounded by pure evil.
"But above all it is heartbreaking, that for the UN the pain of a small and innocent baby is simply forgotten as non-existent" he attacked the ambassadors in the council. "For God's sake, a baby is about to celebrate his first birthday in captivity! Why are you silent? Disgrace."
At this point, the Israeli ambassador presented a birthday cake with Kfir's face on the platform of the assembly plenum, and told Kfir that "this birthday cake is for you. You are the reason Israel fights day and night. I wish you, on your first birthday, that next year you can celebrate a birthday surrounded by your loving family."
He also addressed the president of the assembly and said that he "requests that Kfir's birthday cake remain here on the podium as a painful memory, so that everyone who comes up to speak here today will remember Kfir and our duty to return him home. I will continue to remind you of your moral duty to fight for Kfir and the right of Kfir to celebrate his birthday."