Netanyahu replies to Trudeau's criticism about "babies being killed" in Gaza

TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday rebutted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement calling on Israel to end the “killing of women, of children, of babies” and said that Hamas should be held accountable, not Israel.

"It is Hamas, not Israel that should be held accountable for committing a double war crime - targeting civilians while hiding behind civilians. The forces of civilization must back Israel in defeating Hamas barbarism," he said.

Affirming his stand that Hamas is killing civilians in the ongoing conflict, he said that Israel is doing everything to keep civilians out of harm.

Taking to X, the Israeli PM replied to the Canadian PM and said, "It is not Israel that is deliberately targeting civilians but Hamas that beheaded, burned and massacred civilians in the worst horrors perpetrated on Jews since the Holocaust. While Israel is doing everything to keep civilians out of harm's way, Hamas is doing everything to keep them in harm's way. Israel provides civilians in Gaza humanitarian corridors and safe zones, Hamas prevents them from leaving at gunpoint."

Trudeau said on Tuesday that the "killing of women, of children, of babies" in the besieged Gaza Strip must end.

Netanyahu pushed back, insisting that Hamas is responsible for civilian deaths as Israeli forces continue to batter the enclave, Al Jazeera reported.

"I urge the government of Israel to exercise maximum restraint," Trudeau said in his sharpest criticism of Israel since the war on Gaza broke out more than five weeks ago.

"The world is watching--on TV, on social media--we're hearing the testimonies of doctors, family members, survivors, kids who have lost their parents."

"The world is witnessing this killing of women, of children, of babies. This has to stop," he told a news conference in the western province of British Columbia, Al Jazeera reported.

Meanwhile, the Israeli PM also spoke with US President Joe Biden who enquired about the latest development in the ongoing war in the middle east and also discussed the ongoing efforts to ensure the release of hostages held by Hamas.

The White House informed about the conversation between two leaders saying, "President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke this afternoon with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel regarding the latest developments in Israel and Gaza. The President and the Prime Minister discussed at length ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, including many children and a number of Americans."