UN Secretary-General Guterres: I am shocked that my remarks about Hamas were misinterpreted

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held a press briefing today following the backlash from Israel over his speech at the UN Security Council meeting yesterday.

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UN Secretary-General Guterres: I am shocked that my remarks about Hamas were misinterpreted

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that he was "misinterpreted" following Israel's reaction to his remarks at the UN Security Council yesterday.

Guterres said, "I was shocked by the misrepresentations by some of my statement yesterday in the Security Council – as if I was justifying acts of terror by Hamas."

EMPHASIS ON 'CIVILIANS'

Emphasizing that he clearly condemned the attacks launched by Hamas against Israel on October 7, Guterres said, "Nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians – or the launching of rockets against civilian targets."

Stating that he was actually addressing the grievances of the Palestinian people in his speech yesterday, Guterres recalled that he had used the phrase, "But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas."

Noting that he continued his speech by addressing the crisis in the Middle East in all its aspects, Guterres said, "I believe it is necessary to set the record straight – especially out of respect for the victims and their families."

ISRAEL WILL NOT ISSUE VISAS TO UN OFFICIALS

Israel's Permanent Representative to the UN, Gilad Erdan, stated in a press conference today that Israel would not issue visas to UN officials due to Guterres' remarks, saying, "We have refused a visa for Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths. The time has come to teach them a lesson." Erdan had called for Guterres' resignation yesterday.

WHAT GUTERRES HAD SAID

In his speech yesterday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that it was important to recognize that the attacks by Hamas against Israel did not happen in a vacuum, adding, "The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation. They have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced and their homes demolished. Their hopes of a political solution to their plight have been vanishing."

News Source: İHA