Israeli and Palestinian representatives at the United Nations traded accusations of “genocide”, with both sides demanding an international response over the situation in Gaza, AFP reports.

“The attacks by Hamas on October 7 were motivated by a genocidal ideology,” Yeela Cytrin, a legal adviser at the Israeli mission in Geneva, told the diplomats gathered at the UN’s European headquarters.

Palestinian representative Dima Asfour, meanwhile, insisted to the council that the “man-made catastrophe” resulting from Israel’s massive bombing campaign and ground offensive was “a textbook case of genocide”.