Amnesty International accuses the West of double standards over Israel

The human rights group Amnesty International has accused Western governments that support Israel's invasion of Gaza of double standards.

The group's Secretary General said that Western countries rightly support Ukraine because it's been invaded by Russia but don't support Gaza when it's been invaded by Israel.

“It is reflected right now in the double standard that we are witnessing: the Western bloc demanding that we all rush to the defence of Ukraine as we should, because Ukraine has been aggressed by Russia and they are unbelievably suffering in Ukraine; and at the same time telling us not to act on the multiple bombing and absolute suffering of the people of Gaza. The double standard of those governments, you know, to me are the bigger threat to human rights right now," Agnès Callamard said on Friday.

The Paris Peace Forum, an annual event involving governments, nongovernmental groups and others seeking dialogue around global problems such as climate change, children’s exposure to online violence, and threats to human rights.

Amnesty has been calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, as have many countries around the world.

The war began with an attack on Oct. 7 by Hamas militants who targeted towns, farming communities and a music festival near the Gaza border, killing at least 1,200 people. 

Israel has responded with weeks of attacks in Gaza, which have killed more than 11,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry — most of them Palestinian civilians.