Israel is 'not bombing civilians' in Gaza, says ambassador to UK

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) – Amid ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, Tel Aviv's ambassador to the UK defended Thursday that Israel is "not bombing children" and Hamas "should be blamed for anything" that happens in Gaza.

In an interview with Sky News, Tzipi Hotovely once again refrained from admitting that there is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and rejected Israeli attacks on civilians.

"If I would say there is a humanitarian crisis (in Gaza), I blame Hamas for it ... if you have questions about the humanitarian crisis, please ask Hamas," said the ambassador, claiming that Israel allows medicine, food, water into the Gaza Strip.

Asked about the Oxfam statement that "Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war," Hotovely denied it as "absolutely ridiculous," as she said that they are bringing food to the Gaza Strip.

Hotovely also said that they "have no interest in hurting innocent people."

When the interviewer told her, "You are bombing them," the ambassador shot back that the British Royal Air Force in 1945 killed innocent children while it was trying to bomb a Gestapo headquarters. "Was the Royal Air Force in charge of killing innocent civilians?"

Then Hotovely was asked once again: "So, you accept, you are bombing innocent people?

"We are not bombing civilians. We are bombing military targets according to Geneva Convention, we have absolutely right to do that," said the Israeli ambassador.

Again, mentioning killing of innocent children by the British Royal Air Force while it was trying to bomb Gestapo, she said that it wasn't the aim to kill children but "this is part of war."

"We need to remember, Hamas was targeting our children, but we're not targeting any civilians, we are targeting only military targets," added Hotovely.

In an interview with Sky News last week, the Israeli ambassador claimed that there is "no humanitarian crisis" in Gaza at a time when Israeli attacks on the strip continue.

The conflict in Gaza began when the Palestinian group Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood – a multi-pronged surprise attack on Oct. 7 that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea, and air.

Hamas said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched a relentless bombardment of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

More than 8,400 people have been killed in the conflict, including at least 7,028 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis.

Gaza's 2.3 million residents have been running out of food, water, medicine, and fuel, and aid convoys allowed into Gaza have carried only a fraction of what is needed.