Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly on September 26, 2025, delivering a defiant speech amid widespread diplomatic isolation and mass walkouts by international delegates. The speech, lasting over 40 minutes, saw Netanyahu defend Israel’s conduct in Gaza while making several controversial claims about the conflict that began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.
As Netanyahu took the podium, dozens of delegates from various nations exited the assembly hall in a coordinated protest. The stark contrast was evident when compared to the applause Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas received when addressing the assembly virtually the previous day. The U.S. delegation remained present during Netanyahu’s remarks, though other major allies sent lower-ranking officials rather than their top diplomats.
Disputed Claims About Civilian Casualties and War Conduct
Netanyahu made several assertions about Israel’s conduct in Gaza that contradict available data and expert assessments. He claimed Israel had achieved an “astoundingly low ratio” of civilian to combatant casualties, stating it was “less than 2:1” and lower than NATO operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
However, multiple independent analyses dispute these figures. A leaked Israeli military intelligence database obtained by +972 Magazine suggests that approximately 83 percent of Palestinians killed in Gaza were civilians, contradicting Netanyahu’s claims by a significant margin. The database, which tracks Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighter deaths, indicated Israel had killed around 8,900 operatives by May 2024, while the total Gaza death toll stood at 53,000 at that time.
Expert analysis further challenges Netanyahu’s assertions. Professor Michael Spagat of the University of London has debunked the commonly cited statistic that 80-90% of casualties in modern warfare are civilians, noting that data from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program shows 42-55% of casualties are typically civilians in modern warfare, and 40-70% in urban warfare specifically. Independent analysis by Action on Armed Violence concluded that at least 74% of Gaza casualties were civilians.
Controversial Claims About Palestinian Public Opinion
Netanyahu asserted that “nearly 90% of the Palestinian population” supported the October 7 Hamas attack, citing both Gaza and the West Bank[attachment]. This claim significantly overstates actual polling data and ignores recent trends in Palestinian public opinion.
Recent polling by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) shows a more complex picture. A September 2024 poll found support for the October 7 attack had declined significantly, with 57% of Gazans saying the decision to launch the attack was incorrect, while 39% said it was correct. This marked the first time since October 7 that a majority of Gazans judged the decision as incorrect.
The polling also revealed that support for Hamas in Gaza dropped from 38% to 35%, while the organization remained more popular than the Palestinian Authority’s Fatah party. Notably, the poll found that “nearly 90% of the public believes Hamas fighters did not commit the atrocities shown in videos recorded that day”, suggesting widespread denial rather than celebration of specific acts.
The Reality of AI-Assisted Targeting Operations
While Netanyahu did not explicitly discuss targeting methods, investigative reporting has revealed Israel’s extensive use of AI systems in Gaza operations. The “Lavender” AI targeting system reportedly marked approximately 37,000 Palestinians as suspected militants for potential elimination. According to intelligence sources, the system operated with about 90% accuracy but was used with minimal human oversight, with officers spending only about “20 seconds” reviewing each target.
A companion system called “Where’s Daddy” was designed to track targets to their family homes, accepting significant civilian casualties—reportedly 15-20 civilians for each junior operative and over 100 for senior commanders. These revelations contradict claims of precise targeting and minimal civilian harm.
International Legal Challenges and Genocide Allegations
Netanyahu’s speech came amid mounting international legal pressure. A UN Commission of Inquiry concluded in September 2025 that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, directly implicating Netanyahu and other top officials for inciting these acts. The commission cited statements from Israeli officials as evidence of genocidal intent, including Netanyahu’s reference to the Gaza operation as a “holy war of total annihilation”.
Israel has rejected these findings as “fabricated” and claimed the authors were “proxies for Hamas”. The country continues to contest genocide charges at the International Court of Justice, citing its right to self-defense following the October 7 attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages.
Claims About Iranian Nuclear Program Strike Results
Netanyahu referenced Israel’s military operations against Iran’s nuclear facilities, claiming they “devastated Iran’s atomic weapons and ballistic missiles programs”[attachment]. However, U.S. intelligence assessments suggest the impact was more limited than Netanyahu claimed.
According to reporting by Arms Control Association, while Israel and the U.S. conducted strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan in June 2025, the Defense Intelligence Agency assessed that the strikes only set back Iran’s nuclear program by “maybe a few months”. U.S. officials noted that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was not destroyed and that most centrifuges remained intact.
Palestinian State Recognition and International Response
Netanyahu strongly condemned recent recognition of Palestinian statehood by several countries, calling it “disgraceful” and claiming it sends the message that “murdering Jews pays off“. He asserted that over 90% of Israeli parliamentarians oppose a Palestinian state, citing a Knesset vote where 99 out of 120 members voted against such recognition.
The speech occurred as several nations, including France, Britain, Australia, and Canada, have moved toward recognizing Palestinian statehood, particularly in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza[attachment]. Netanyahu’s rejection of a two-state solution places Israel increasingly at odds with its traditional allies and the broader international community.
Netanyahu’s Speech Marked by Isolation and Disputed Facts
Netanyahu’s address to the UN General Assembly reflected Israel’s growing diplomatic isolation while containing numerous claims that contradict available evidence and expert analysis. From civilian casualty ratios to Palestinian public opinion polling, many of his assertions appear designed more for domestic political consumption than accurate representation of complex realities.
The mass diplomatic walkout, combined with mounting international legal challenges and contradictory evidence on key claims, illustrated the significant gap between Netanyahu’s narrative and international perceptions of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. As the conflict continues, these disputed claims and the growing diplomatic isolation they reflect present significant challenges for Israel’s international standing and future policy options.
