Israel on Tuesday sharply criticized United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, after he condemned Israel’s airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza overnight Monday.
“We are outraged that you are the secretary-general of the United Nations,” tweeted Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein.
“Not a word about Hamas rejecting two ceasefire extensions [that] Israel accepted. Not a word about Hamas exploiting humanitarian aid or UNRWA employing terrorists. Indeed, we are outraged by your moral bankruptcy,” he said, referring to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Guterres had some two hours earlier stated he was “outraged by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza,” calling for a renewed ceasefire, uninterrupted aid and the unconditional release of hostages.
We are outraged that you @antonioguterres are the Secretary-General of the UN.
— Oren Marmorstein (@OrenMarmorstein) March 18, 2025
Not a word about the fact that Hamas rejected two American proposals to extend the ceasefire and release more hostages—two proposals that Israel accepted.
Not a word about the fact that Hamas… pic.twitter.com/Y2i1K6fzFN
The latest clash follows a series of tensions between Israel and Guterres, who previously angered Israeli officials by stating Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack “did not happen in a vacuum.” Israel has accused him of bias, pointing to his decision to exclude Hamas from a U.N. list of entities accused of sexual violence, while later blacklisting Israel alongside Russia and terrorist organizations.
Following Iran’s October attack on Israel, then-foreign minister Israel Katz barred Guterres from entering the country, calling him a “disgrace in U.N. history” for failing to condemn Iran unequivocally.
