UN chief Guterres shocked as Israel accuses him of justifying Hamas terrorism

"nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians, or the launching of rockets against civilian targets." Guterres further clarified that he had acknowledged the grievances of the Palestinian people but made it clear that these grievances cannot justify the "appalling attacks by Hamas."

On Wednesday, UN chief António Guterres clarified his statements made the day before, which had drawn criticism from Israel. Guterres stated that he needed to “set the record straight” about remarks that were perceived as justifying acts of terror by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group.

During his address at the UN’s headquarters in New York, Guterres emphasized that he was shocked by the misrepresentations of his statements. He affirmed that he condemned the Hamas attack on Israel and explicitly stated, “nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians, or the launching of rockets against civilian targets.” Guterres further clarified that he had acknowledged the grievances of the Palestinian people but made it clear that these grievances cannot justify the “appalling attacks by Hamas.”

The tensions arose on Tuesday when Guterres criticized Israel’s relentless bombardment and siege of the Gaza Strip following the Hamas attacks. He described these actions as “clear violations of international humanitarian law” and condemned them as “collective punishment” of Palestinians.

While condemning the Hamas attacks on Israel, Guterres also highlighted the longstanding issue of Palestinians living under what he referred to as a “suffocating occupation” for decades. This drew swift criticism from Israel’s ambassador to the UN, who accused Guterres of justifying terrorism and called for his resignation.

In seeking to clarify his position, Guterres expressed his commitment to setting the record straight, particularly out of respect for the victims and their families. The incident underscores the complex and sensitive nature of international discussions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within the UN.