In a scathing statement released on Friday, September 26, 2025, the Gaza Media Office accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of promoting “eight major lies” during his address to the United Nations General Assembly. The office described the speech as a deliberate attempt to mislead the international community, distort facts, and evade accountability for what it characterized as war crimes and genocide in the Gaza Strip. The statement highlighted contradictions in Netanyahu’s remarks, criticized his portrayal of the conflict, and called for urgent international action to halt the ongoing war, open Gaza’s border crossings, and recognize Palestinian statehood.
The Gaza Media Office’s response came as Netanyahu’s speech triggered widespread controversy, including a walkout by numerous delegates at the UN General Assembly, who protested Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which has claimed over 65,500 lives since October 2023. The office’s statement framed Netanyahu’s address as a calculated effort to whitewash Israel’s actions, downplay the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and misrepresent the global response to the Palestinian struggle.
A Speech Riddled with Contradictions
According to the Gaza Media Office, Netanyahu’s speech was a carefully crafted narrative filled with falsehoods and inconsistencies designed to obscure the reality of Israel’s military operations. The office identified what it called “eight major lies,” though it did not list them explicitly in its statement, instead focusing on key examples of misrepresentation. One such claim was Netanyahu’s assertion that Israel is fighting a war on “seven fronts” to combat terrorism. The Gaza Media Office rejected this framing, arguing that Israel’s campaign has overwhelmingly targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, rather than terrorist groups.
International reports cited by the office paint a grim picture of the destruction in Gaza. According to these sources, 94% of the Palestinians killed in the conflict were civilians, including more than 30,000 women and children. The bombardment has also devastated the enclave’s infrastructure, with over 90% of hospitals, schools, and other critical facilities either destroyed or severely damaged. The Gaza Media Office emphasized that these figures contradict Netanyahu’s portrayal of a precise, anti-terrorism operation, instead pointing to a systematic campaign against the Palestinian population.
Another contradiction highlighted by the office was Netanyahu’s conflicting statements about the displacement of Gaza’s residents. The Israeli prime minister claimed that Palestinian resistance factions prevented civilians from leaving Gaza, thereby putting them in harm’s way. At the same time, he stated that 700,000 people had been displaced from the enclave. The Gaza Media Office called this a blatant inconsistency, accusing Netanyahu of manipulating facts to deflect responsibility for the mass displacement caused by Israel’s relentless airstrikes and ground operations.
Accusations of Genocide and Starvation
The Gaza Media Office’s statement accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, citing the staggering scale of destruction and loss of life. According to the office, Israel has dropped more than 200,000 tons of explosives on residential areas, resulting in the deaths of over 64,000 civilians, including 20,000 children and 10,500 women. Entire families have been wiped out, with neighborhoods reduced to rubble. The office argued that these actions meet the legal definition of genocide under international law, a charge that aligns with an ongoing case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
In his UN speech, Netanyahu vehemently denied accusations of genocide and starvation in Gaza, claiming that Israel has facilitated the delivery of humanitarian aid to the enclave. The Gaza Media Office dismissed these claims as baseless, accusing the Israeli military of deliberately targeting aid convoys and creating “death traps” that have killed or wounded thousands of civilians attempting to access food and supplies. The office reported that hundreds of Palestinians, including 147 children, have died from hunger due to Israel’s restrictions on aid deliveries. Far from providing food, the office argued, Israel has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis by imposing a blockade that has left Gaza’s population on the brink of famine.
Misrepresenting Global Support and Palestinian Rights
The Gaza Media Office also took issue with Netanyahu’s portrayal of international support for Israel and his characterization of global recognition of Palestinian rights. In his speech, Netanyahu claimed that Israel enjoys widespread backing from the international community following the events of October 7, 2023, when Palestinian resistance groups launched a surprise attack on Israeli territory. The Gaza Media Office called this an exaggeration, pointing to the growing number of countries and international bodies that have condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and expressed solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
Netanyahu’s criticism of countries that have recognized Palestine as a sovereign state was another point of contention. He described such recognition as “pressure from extremists,” a claim the Gaza Media Office rejected as false and misleading. The office argued that recognizing Palestine is a legal and moral right, reflecting the international community’s acknowledgment of the Palestinian people’s decades-long struggle for self-determination. Since the 1948 Nakba, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced during the establishment of Israel, the quest for statehood has been a central pillar of the Palestinian cause. The office emphasized that recent moves by several nations to recognize Palestine are a step toward justice, not an act of extremism.
A History of Displacement and Violence
To fully understand the Gaza Media Office’s accusations, it is essential to place Netanyahu’s speech and Israel’s actions in the broader context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The conflict’s roots trace back to the early 20th century, when Zionist immigration to Palestine, then under British control, led to tensions with the Arab population. The 1948 Arab-Israeli War, known to Palestinians as the Nakba or “catastrophe,” resulted in the displacement of approximately 700,000 Palestinians, many of whom became refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, and neighboring countries.
The Gaza Strip, a narrow coastal enclave, has been under Israeli blockade since 2007, when Hamas, a Palestinian resistance group, took control of the territory. The blockade has restricted the movement of goods and people, leading to chronic shortages of food, medicine, and other essentials. Periodic escalations of violence, including major Israeli military operations in 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2021, have caused thousands of deaths and widespread destruction in Gaza. The current conflict, which began in October 2023, is the deadliest in the enclave’s history, with unprecedented levels of civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.
The Gaza Media Office’s statement framed Israel’s actions as part of a decades-long pattern of violence, forced displacement, and systematic oppression. By invoking the term “genocide,” the office sought to draw attention to the scale and intent of Israel’s military campaign, which it argued goes beyond self-defense and constitutes a deliberate effort to destroy the Palestinian population and their way of life. The office pointed to the destruction of cultural and historical sites, including mosques, churches, and schools, as evidence of an attempt to erase Palestinian identity.
The Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels, according to the Gaza Media Office and international aid organizations. The relentless Israeli bombardment has rendered much of the enclave uninhabitable, with entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble. The destruction of hospitals and medical facilities has left Gaza’s healthcare system on the verge of collapse, unable to cope with the influx of injured civilians. The office reported that more than 90% of Gaza’s hospitals have been destroyed or rendered inoperable, forcing doctors to perform surgeries without anesthesia or adequate supplies.
The blockade and restrictions on aid have also led to widespread starvation and the spread of diseases. The Gaza Media Office’s claim that 147 children have died from hunger underscores the severity of the crisis. International aid agencies have warned that Gaza is facing a “man-made famine,” with millions of people at risk of starvation. The office accused Israel of weaponizing food and aid, using starvation as a tool of war to pressure the Palestinian population.
The destruction of schools and educational institutions has further compounded the crisis, depriving an entire generation of children of their right to education. The Gaza Media Office reported that more than 90% of schools in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, leaving hundreds of thousands of students without access to learning. This, the office argued, is part of a broader strategy to undermine the future of the Palestinian people by denying them basic rights and opportunities.
The International Response
The Gaza Media Office’s statement called on the international community to take immediate action to address the crisis in Gaza. Specifically, it urged world leaders to pressure Israel to end the war, withdraw its forces from the enclave, open border crossings to allow the free flow of humanitarian aid, and support the recognition of a Palestinian state. The office emphasized that these steps are essential to alleviating the suffering of Gaza’s population and achieving a just resolution to the conflict.
The walkout by UN delegates during Netanyahu’s speech was a visible sign of growing international discontent with Israel’s actions. Countries across the Global South, as well as some Western nations, have increasingly voiced support for Palestinian rights, with several announcing their intention to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state. The Gaza Media Office framed these developments as evidence of a shifting global consensus, one that acknowledges the legitimacy of the Palestinian struggle and rejects Israel’s narrative of victimhood.
The ongoing genocide case against Israel at the ICJ has further intensified scrutiny of the country’s actions. The case, brought by South Africa in December 2023, accuses Israel of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention through its military campaign in Gaza. Preliminary rulings by the ICJ have called on Israel to take measures to prevent genocide and allow humanitarian aid into the enclave, but the Gaza Media Office argued that Israel has failed to comply with these orders.
Netanyahu’s Speech in Context
Netanyahu’s address to the UN General Assembly was his first since the escalation of the conflict in October 2023, and it came at a time of heightened domestic and international pressure. In Israel, Netanyahu faces criticism from both the left and the right, with protests demanding a ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Palestinian groups in Gaza. His coalition government, which includes far-right parties, has pushed for an aggressive military strategy, further polarizing Israeli society.
Internationally, Netanyahu’s speech was an attempt to rally support for Israel’s position and counter the growing criticism of its actions. By framing the conflict as a fight against terrorism and denying accusations of genocide, he sought to shift the narrative away from Israel’s responsibility for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. However, the Gaza Media Office’s statement and the walkout by UN delegates suggest that his efforts were met with skepticism and condemnation.
The Path Forward
The Gaza Media Office’s statement concluded with a call for accountability and justice. It accused Netanyahu of using his UN platform to “distort facts and evade legal responsibility” for Israel’s actions, which it described as crimes under international law. The office urged the international community to hold Israel accountable, not only for the current war but for decades of occupation, displacement, and violence against the Palestinian people.
The path to peace, according to the office, requires immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and lay the groundwork for a lasting resolution to the conflict. This includes opening Gaza’s border crossings, allowing unrestricted access to food, medicine, and other essential supplies, and supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The office also called for an end to Israel’s blockade and occupation, which it described as the root causes of the conflict.
Conclusion
The Gaza Media Office’s condemnation of Netanyahu’s UN speech reflects the deep divisions and competing narratives at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By accusing the Israeli prime minister of promoting lies and contradictions, the office sought to challenge his portrayal of the war in Gaza and draw attention to the catastrophic human toll. With over 65,500 Palestinians killed, millions displaced, and an enclave on the brink of collapse, the urgency of the situation cannot be overstated.
As the international community grapples with how to respond, the Gaza Media Office’s call for action underscores the need for a concerted effort to address the root causes of the conflict and provide justice for the Palestinian people. Whether through diplomatic pressure, legal accountability, or recognition of Palestinian statehood, the path forward requires a commitment to truth, humanity, and the principles of international law. For now, the voices of Gaza’s residents, amplified by the Gaza Media Office, continue to demand an end to the violence and a future free from oppression.
