Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a strong rebuttal on Saturday to remarks made by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who had condemned the humanitarian situation in Gaza and urged accountability for alleged violations of international law.
In a post on X, Israel reiterated that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) do not target civilians, calling any claims to the contrary “blatant lies.” The ministry accused the UN of aligning itself with Hamas by opposing humanitarian efforts led by the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF).
“Blaming Israel for the UN’s failures and for Hamas’s deeds is a deliberate tactic,” the statement read. “The IDF never targets civilians, and anyone claiming otherwise is blatantly lying.”
The ministry also highlighted that the GHF has delivered more than 46 million meals directly to Palestinian civilians, insisting that aid has not been diverted to Hamas. It alleged that Hamas is responsible for targeting and killing aid workers and civilians collecting aid, a crime the UN “has never condemned.”
“The UN must now decide: Does it prefer to preserve its monopoly and a system that benefits Hamas—thereby prolonging the war—or is it interested in delivering humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza?” the statement concluded.
The Israeli response came after Guterres, in a speech urging an immediate ceasefire, described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as having reached “horrific proportions.” He condemned attacks on people seeking aid, saying, “The search for food must never be a death sentence.”
He also emphasized the inadequacy of aid flows, stating, “A trickle of aid is not enough. What is needed now is a surge. The trickle must become an ocean.”
Responding to reports alleging that IDF soldiers fired at civilians, Guterres noted, “We don’t need a report of that nature to acknowledge that there have been messy violations of international law… and there must be accountability.”
He called on all parties to uphold international law and urged global powers to push for a two-state solution as the only sustainable path to peace.
Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz reiterated that the IDF operates under strict rules of engagement aimed at protecting civilians. In a joint statement, they rejected media reports alleging that IDF troops had been ordered to fire on unarmed Gazans, calling such claims “contemptible blood libels.”
The war in Gaza began following a Hamas-led attack on Israel in 2023 that left around 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage. In response, Israel launched a large-scale military operation to dismantle the militant group.
