UNITED NATIONS, September 26, 2025 — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the UN General Assembly on Friday that “Israel didn’t commit genocide, Israel prevented genocide,” defending his country’s military campaign in Gaza before a hall that emptied around him. Dozens of diplomats walked out as he spoke, with delegations from several countries exiting in protest. Supporters of Israel and family members of hostages remained in the chamber.
The address came nearly two years after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. That attack triggered the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu used the platform to reject allegations of genocide — claims advanced by South Africa in a case filed at the International Court of Justice in December 2023, and by UN experts and human rights organizations — and to frame Israel’s operations as a necessary response to Hamas. The record shows the court has not issued a final ruling in that case. It has ordered provisional measures requiring Israel to prevent acts that could fall under the Genocide Convention and to allow humanitarian access.
Separately, the International Criminal Court in November 2024 issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, alongside a Hamas commander, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel rejects the court’s jurisdiction and denies the allegations.
Outside the hall, and inside the debate
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside UN headquarters. Israeli hostage families and their supporters held counter-rallies calling for a deal to free the remaining captives. The General Assembly’s annual high-level general debate opened on September 23 and has been dominated by the Gaza war, the humanitarian crisis, and debates over Palestinian statehood.
Several countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, have recently announced recognition of a Palestinian state. Netanyahu’s remarks also touched on Iran’s nuclear program and Israel’s regional security posture, reiterating that Israel would act to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
His speech followed a week of intense diplomacy, including a UN Security Council session on Gaza, and came amid stalled ceasefire negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. The White House did not issue an immediate formal response. US officials have repeatedly stated that Israel has a right to defend itself while urging protection of civilians and expanded humanitarian aid.
The toll, and what comes next
The Gaza war has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, whose figures are used by UN agencies. Israel says it has killed thousands of militants. The conflict has displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s roughly 2.1 million residents and left much of the territory’s infrastructure in ruins, according to UN assessments.
Netanyahu’s UN appearance was his first since the 2024 General Assembly, and it underscored the deep international divisions over the war as the conflict approaches its second anniversary. Watch for whether the stalled ceasefire talks in Doha and Cairo produce a framework, and for any movement in the ICJ case, which remains without a final ruling.
