Guterres: "Hamas's Attack does not Justify Collective Punishment"

Causing a stir again: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today (Sunday) strongly criticized the IDF attacks in Gaza. In an interview he gave to the CNN network, he said that "the barbaric attacks by Hamas do not justify collective punishment." This was reported by the Reuters and YNET networks.

Guterres: "101 employees were killed in the ranks of the organization"

Guterres also noted that since the IDF's attack in the Gaza Strip, approximately 101 workers have been killed in the ranks of the organization. "We have lost 101 workers in Gaza so far, and the numbers are increasing every day," he said. He also added that "you cannot imagine what it is like to run an organization where so many people were killed who acted only to take care of humanitarian needs."

Claims of collective punishment, destruction in Gaza (Photo: Atia Mohammed / Flash90)

Last week, the UN Secretary General repeated his call for an immediate ceasefire and the release of the hostages from Gaza - but at the same time condemned Hamas for firing rockets and terrorist attacks against Israel.

According to him: "The nightmare in Gaza is turning into a global humanitarian crisis. The escalating war is shaking the Middle East and destroying the lives of innocents. Israeli army forces are harming civilians, hospitals, refugee camps, mosques, and even UN institutions," Guterres claimed.

He also added that, "At the same time, Hamas uses civilians as human shields, and continues to fire rockets indiscriminately at Israel. I condemn the shocking terrorist attacks by Hamas that occurred on October 7th, and repeat my call for the immediate release of the abductees from Gaza without compensation. Nothing justifies kidnapping, attacking and injuring civilians."