Denying Bias Allegations About Gaza Conflict, UN Secretary General Guterres: I Have Condemned 102 Times Hamas

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. (Source UN/Eskinder Debebe)

JAKARTA - United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday accused Israel of spreading misinformation about him regarding the conflict in the Gaza Strip that has lasted more than eight months between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas.

"I have heard the same sources repeatedly saying, I have never attacked Hamas, I have never condemned Hamas, I am a supporter of Hamas," Secretary General Guterres told a news conference on information integrity, without naming Israel. June 25.

"I have condemned Hamas 102 times, 51 times in official speeches, others on various social platforms," he continued.

"The truth, in the end, always wins," said Secretary General Guterres.

Meanwhile, Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan said the criticism by Secretary General Guterres was "an empty word when compared to his actions."

"The main goal is to help Hamas survive this war. We feel very despicable, the secretary general refuses to comply with UN standards and illustrates a deviant picture of events on the ground," said Ambassador Erdan.

"Antonio Guterres is an accomplice to terror and must resign today," he continued.

It is known that relations between the United Nations and Israel have long been strained and worsened during the Israel-Hamas war.

Israel accuses the United Nations of bias against it and accuses UN staff of cooperating with Hamas and other militants. The United Nations is investigating some of these allegations, but says in many cases the UN has not yet received evidence from Israel.

Yesterday, Gaza's health authorities announced that the death toll of Palestinian civilians as a result of Israeli attacks since the conflict in the region broke out on October 7, 2023, had reached 37,626 people and 86,098 people were injured, the majority of the victims were women and children, quoted from WAFA.