New York Governor Apologizes After Statement Justifying Israel's Destruction of Gaza

New York Governor Kathy Hochul apologized on Friday for remarks she made at a Jewish charity event in New York City, where she stated that "Israel has justification for destroying Gaza following the attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7." Hochul noted in part of her speech that "if Canada attacked Buffalo one day, I'm sorry my friends, there would be no Canada the next day." She added, "This is a natural reaction. You have the right to defend yourself and ensure that it does not happen again. This is Israel's right." On Friday, in a statement reported by The New York Times, she expressed regret over the "inappropriate analogy" and apologized for her "poor choice of words." She stated, "While I was clear in my support for Israel's right to defend itself, I have repeatedly said and still believe that civilian casualties among Palestinians should be avoided and that more humanitarian aid should be sent to the residents of Gaza."