United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is facing intense criticism for his muted response to the recent murders of six hostages by the Hamas terrorist group, including one Israeli-American. The victims were discovered by Israel Defense Forces in Gaza’s Rafah city, having been killed by Hamas between Thursday and Friday morning, according to Israel’s Ministry of Health. Despite the severity of the situation, Guterres’ statement on social media has been condemned for lacking a direct condemnation of Hamas.
Guterres expressed sorrow in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I will never forget my meeting last October with the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin and other hostage families. Today’s tragic news is a devastating reminder of the need for the unconditional release of all hostages and an end to the nightmare of war in Gaza.” The Secretary-General’s use of the term “tragic news” and his failure to explicitly denounce Hamas for the killings have sparked outrage, particularly from Israeli officials and observers.
Former Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, who recently concluded his tenure, accused Guterres of downplaying the murders and failing in his duty to hold Hamas accountable. Erdan criticized Guterres, saying, “The Secretary-General not only has Israeli blood on his hands, but he has American blood on his hands too… He could have condemned Hamas and held them to account, but instead, he spent his time criticizing the law-abiding democracy of Israel instead of the ISIS-like terrorists.”
Erdan’s comments reflect a broader frustration within Israel regarding the UN’s perceived bias against the country. This sentiment has been echoed by various human rights advocates, including Anne Bayefsky, director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust. Bayefsky lambasted Guterres for what she described as a failure to properly identify and condemn the perpetrators of the murders, arguing that the Secretary-General’s response essentially emboldens Hamas by refusing to directly name and condemn them.
The controversy surrounding Guterres is not new. In October, he faced calls to resign after suggesting that Israel bore some responsibility for Hamas’ October 7 massacre, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 1,200 people, including over 30 Americans. Guterres has denied these allegations, but the UN’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has long been a point of contention, with critics accusing the organization of harboring an anti-Israel bias.
Further complicating matters, the United Nations has repeatedly been criticized for its reluctance to classify Hamas as a terrorist organization, despite the group’s long history of violence against civilians. This has led to accusations that the UN, under Guterres’ leadership, has failed to uphold its mandate to promote peace and security.
In light of these criticisms, many are questioning the UN’s role in addressing the ongoing conflict and its ability to act as an impartial mediator. The recent murders have only intensified these concerns, with calls for more decisive action and clear condemnation of terrorist acts.
