Brief

Netanyahu’s UN speech sparks walkouts as he compares Gaza casualties to 9/11

The speech, which thanked former U.S. President Donald Trump and cited a war‑crime warrant, led to a mass walkout and international criticism.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 28 Sep 2026 05:30:21 GMT

On 24 September 2026, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York, thanking former U.S. President Donald Trump for his support and comparing the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack to 16 instances of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The remarks, which highlighted proportional loss of life, triggered a walkout by dozens of delegates and drew sharp criticism from international leaders and media outlets.

Speech content and context

Netanyahu thanked Trump for his “no greater partner” stance in what he called a “battle against the barbarians.” He also referenced the International Criminal Court’s warrant for his arrest on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, a point that underscored the tension surrounding his presence in the United States. The speech included a statement that Israel had killed 73,914 people in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

Walkout and international reaction

As Netanyahu spoke, delegates from several countries walked out, a move that was captured in a BBC video and a YouTube clip. The walkout was a direct response to the comparison of Gaza casualties to 16 9/11 attacks, which many viewed as a distortion of facts. New York City Mayor Eric Adams condemned the remarks as “false and harmful,” while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Israel’s actions genocidal. French President Emmanuel Macron, who had recently criticised Hamas’ presence in the West Bank, was also mentioned by Netanyahu in a separate UN speech, further inflaming tensions between Israel and France.

Background and related coverage

Earlier in September, President Donald Trump had banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House press pool, a move that sparked a lawsuit and a boycott by remaining TV networks. The ban highlighted the growing friction between the U.S. administration and international media. Netanyahu’s UN address followed a series of fact‑checking reports by Snopes that examined 16 claims about the prime minister, including the accuracy of his proportional analysis of Gaza casualties.

Implications

The speech and subsequent walkout underscore the sensitivity of diplomatic language at the UN and the potential for high‑profile statements to trigger immediate international backlash. The incident also reflects the broader geopolitical tensions surrounding Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the international community’s response.

Key facts

Netanyahu thanked former U.S. President Donald Trump for support during his UN speech (snopes.com)
Netanyahu compared Gaza casualties to 16 instances of the 9/11 attacks (snopes.com)
Dozens of UN delegates walked out during the speech (snopes.com)
The speech was captured in a BBC video and a YouTube clip (snopes.com)
New York City Mayor Eric Adams condemned the remarks as false and harmful (snopes.com)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Israel’s actions genocidal (snopes.com)

Background

The UN General Assembly session on 24 September 2026 followed a series of diplomatic tensions, including President Trump’s ban of major news outlets from the White House press pool on 18 September 2026. Netanyahu’s speech also came after a Snopes fact‑check that examined 16 claims about the prime minister, some of which related to his UN remarks.

Timeline

2026-09-18 — President Trump banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House press pool
2026-09-21 — Snopes fact‑check on Netanyahu’s 16 claims released
2026-09-24 — Netanyahu delivered UN speech and delegates walked out

Why it matters

The walkout highlighted the international community’s sensitivity to diplomatic language and the potential for high‑profile statements to provoke immediate backlash.