In an interview with FRANCE 24, the wife of Israeli President Isaac Herzog reacted to the ongoing war in Gaza and Hamas's October 7 atrocities. While describing the Gaza conflict as "a very just war", First Lady Michal Herzog insisted that "the people of Israel do not want war; they do not want civilians to be hurt." Herzog went on to say that "the people who are hurting the people in Gaza are the terrorist regime that uses them." She added that Israelis "would be very happy for the innocent people of Gaza to have a better life and not under the terror of Hamas".
"The Hamas terrorists (...) have a jihadist ideology. And this is not about resistance or freedom fighting. This is about pure hate," Herzog said.
Asked about the sexual crimes allegedly committed by Hamas members against Israeli women on October 7, Israel's first lady said they are "one of the most filmed and photographed crimes in the world".
"And yet, people turn around and ask: 'so what is the evidence?'"
Watch moreEvidence mounts of sexual crimes perpetrated by Hamas during Oct. 7 attack on Israel
On January 8, two UN experts demanded that those who committed sexual violence during the October 7 Hamas attacks be held accountable, saying that mounting evidence of rape and genital mutilation could amount to crimes against humanity.
"It does come late," Herzog admitted, noting that it took UN Women eight weeks to condemn Hamas's sexual crimes. However, she welcomed "this change in the UN view".
