By the London Correspondent
Friday, 4 April 2025
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has come under fierce criticism from the Israeli Embassy after referencing Palestinian casualty figures in a video message to mark Eid al-Fitr. The embassy accused the mayor of repeating “Hamas propaganda” by citing numbers published by the Gaza Ministry of Health, which is overseen by the Hamas-run administration in Gaza.
In the video, released on social media, Mr Khan addressed London’s Muslim community as they celebrated the end of Ramadan. He acknowledged the joy of Eid would be “tempered by the appalling suffering and killing that continues in Sudan and Palestine,” adding that “more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as a result of Israel’s ongoing military campaign, including more than 15,000 children.”
The embassy responded sharply, saying the war was a consequence of Hamas’s “brutal and horrific” attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, and expressing alarm that Mr Khan had made no reference to Hamas, nor any condemnation of terrorism or demand for the release of Israeli hostages.
“It is alarming that throughout the message, there is no mention of Hamas or any condemnation of terrorism and a call for the release of 59 hostages that are being held in horrific and inhumane conditions,” a spokesperson for the embassy said.
They added that the figures cited by Mr Khan were “not based on facts,” and accused the Gaza Ministry of Health of manipulating casualty numbers, stating, “The group had again tampered with the death toll this week.”
The embassy also warned against irresponsible messaging, citing an “alarming increase in antisemitic incidents in London and across the UK” and the atmosphere created by “intimidating protests” outside synagogues and Jewish community spaces.
However, Mr Khan’s office stood firm, rejecting accusations that the figures were misleading or exaggerated. A spokesperson for the mayor highlighted that the numbers he used are consistent with widely reported figures used by international agencies including the United Nations. They also pointed to a study published in The Lancet – one of the UK’s most prestigious medical journals – which estimated that more than 64,000 deaths had occurred in Gaza due to traumatic injuries between October 2023 and June 2024.
The Gaza Ministry of Health’s own count, released last month, put the number of deaths at 50,021, including over 15,000 children. While the ministry is run under Hamas control, the figures it provides have historically been regarded by international organisations as broadly reliable, especially in the absence of independent verification.
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International media outlets are still unable to freely enter Gaza to confirm casualty numbers, due to Israeli restrictions on access to the enclave since the war began.
A spokesperson for City Hall said: “The mayor has repeatedly conveyed his outrage at attacks by Hamas on Israel and has strongly condemned these acts of terrorism. He is deeply saddened by the loss of all lives and continues to support calls for a permanent ceasefire.”
Mr Khan also used the video to praise the solidarity shown by Londoners in response to the crisis: “These betrayals of humanity should weigh heavily on our collective conscience. But I’m proud that while the international community has chosen to avert its gaze, Londoners have not.”
The row reflects ongoing tensions between Israel’s government and some Western politicians who have publicly questioned the scale and humanitarian cost of the country’s military operations in Gaza. It also highlights the increasingly charged political landscape in the UK, where public figures face scrutiny from both supporters of Israel and those advocating for Palestinian rights.
With the war in Gaza continuing and the death toll rising, calls for a lasting ceasefire remain central to the demands of human rights groups, religious leaders, and growing segments of the British public.
