UN envoy angers Israel: “We must stop describing Hamas as murderers”

SANAA, Aug. 17 (YPA) – Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories, said in a video on social media: “We must stop describing Hamas as killers. They were elected as the governing authority through democratic elections.”

Albanese added that “Hamas is not just an armed organization, but a political entity that won the 2005 elections and established civil institutions and public services such as schools and hospitals.” She called for it to be treated as a political organization with a military wing, not as a “terrorist group.”

Albanese’s statements sparked anger in Israel and from Western countries that support it, led by the United States, which called for her dismissal due to what they described as her “blatant bias in favor of the Palestinians” and her ignoring what Israel calls the “October 7 massacre.”

In Israeli media, Albanese was described as a “spokesperson for Hamas,” amid repeated demands for her dismissal due to her positions rejecting Israeli policies in Gaza and the West Bank.