UN chief says 'shocked' by misinterpretations of his statement to Security Council

WASHINGTON

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday he was "shocked by the misinterpretations" of his statements during a Security Council meeting.

He told reporters at UN headquarters in New York this his statements were interpreted “as if I was justifying acts of terror by Hamas."

"This is false. It was the opposite," he stressed.

Requoting his remarks where he "condemned unequivocally the horrifying and unprecedented 7 October acts of terror by Hamas in Israel," he said: "Nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians, or the launching of rockets against civilian targets.”

"Indeed, I spoke of the grievances of the Palestinian people and in doing so. I also clearly stated, and I quote: "But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas," he said.

Noting he later went on with his intervention, referring to his positions on all aspects of the Middle East crisis, he added: "I believe it was necessary to set the record straight, especially out of respect to the victims and to their families."

His comments came after he received criticism from Israel, with the Israeli foreign minister canceling a meeting with the UN chief, after Guterres told the Security Council that Palestinians had been "subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.”

"It is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum," he added.