Israeli Ambassador Blames Hamas For Gaza ‘Humanitarian Crisis’
Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely evoked World War Two in defence of her country’s current campaign against Hamas during a tense interview with Sky News’ Kay Burley in which she agreed there was a “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza but that it was caused by Hamas.
Hotovely told Sky News: “We have no interest in hurting innocent people. Our only target is Hamas facilities.”
Burley interjected, “You are bombing them though.”
Hotovely replied: “Oh really? Let me tell you something. The Royal Air Force in 1945 was trying to bomb a Gestapo HQ and they ended up bombing 86 innocent children. Was the Royal Air Force in charge of killing innocent children? The facts are yes, but their aim was the Gestapo.”
Burley continued: “So you accept you are bombing innocent people?”
“No – we’re not bombing civilians,” Hotovely said. “We are bombing military targets, according to the Geneva Convention, we absolutely have the right to do that. When terrorists invaded, they are turning civilians into military targets.”
The Israeli campaign on Gaza began after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7th, in which over 1,400 Israeli civilians were killed. Gaza officials report that since then over 6,500 civilians have been killed by the Israeli bombardment. A complete siege enacted by Israel cut off food, water and fuel from the territory.
“As [Deputy Prime Minister] Oliver Dowden said, there is a serious condition in Gaza,” Hotovely said, adopting Dowden’s wordplay when asked about whether there was a humanitarian crisis.
Burley asked again: “Does that amount to a humanitarian crisis?”
Hotovely revising her comment, and referencing the aid convoy allowed into Gaza, said: “I would say there is a humanitarian crisis and Hamas is to blame for it because Israel allows medicine, food, water into the Gaza Strip.” She also alleged Hamas was mishandling resources, particularly fuel, and using Gazans as “human shields”.
Burley said: “Whoever is to blame, doesn’t mean that it isn’t a humanitarian crisis.”
