The Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Roey Galid, at a press conference in Accra on Friday, rejected accusations that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, insisting that the conflict was “more complex than portrayed” and that Hamas bears responsibility for the humanitarian crisis.
Galid argued that Hamas fighters had been pushed out of border towns such as Rafah and Khan Younis and had since taken shelter “among one million civilians” in Gaza City.
He said Israel was working to evacuate residents to safer areas and that “60 per cent of them — 600,000 people" have already been evacuated.
he said the remaining 40 per cent were being used as human shields.
“We do not deny that what is happening in Gaza is a tragedy. But we only ask ourselves who is responsible. The biggest enemy of the Palestinian people is Hamas,” he said.
Galid’s remark came a day after President John Dramani Mahama in his address at the the UN General Assembly in New York described the situation in Gaza as “crimes” against civilians and urged urgent international action to end the war.
President Mahama also criticised the United States for denying visas to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation, calling the move a “deeply troubling precedent.”
He reaffirmed Ghana’s recognition of Palestine since 1988 and reiterated support for a two-state solution, stressing it “will not be a reward for Hamas.”
Israel defends military campaign
In Accra, Galid sought to put Israel’s campaign in perspective, pointing to the country’s small geographic size and lack of what he called “strategic depth.”
“Israel is ten times smaller than Ghana,” he said. “If we make one mistake, it might be our last mistake. That is why we are so sensitive about our security.”
He outlined Israel’s military progress since Hamas’s October 7 2023 assault, in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 taken hostage. Galid said Israeli forces had “brought down Hamas in most areas of Gaza” and were now battling militants in their “last stronghold, Gaza City.”
He insisted the length of the war — now entering its second year — showed Israel was taking precautions to avoid civilian casualties. “Had we not cared about the hostages and the civilian population, this campaign could have ended in two months instead of 24,” he said.
Hostages and humanitarian crisis
The ambassador said 48 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, some alive but in “dire conditions.”
He accused Hamas of diverting humanitarian aid meant for civilians and called for the group’s disarmament. “We are demanding two things — for Hamas to disarm and for those miserable 48 people to be released,” he said.
Galid also drew comparisons between Hamas and Nigeria’s Boko Haram insurgents, arguing that while Boko Haram no longer controls territory, Hamas continues to operate from densely populated areas.
Background
The latest phase of the Israel–Palestinian conflict started in October 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel. Israel responded with a military offensive in Gaza aimed at dismantling the group.
The war has since killed tens of thousands of people and displaced most of the territory’s 2.2 million people.
