‘Disgusting’: Israel spokesperson outraged by Sky News suggestion it ‘value lives of Palestinians less’

An Israeli government spokesperson has been left speechless following a distasteful question of moral equivalence between the importance of the lives of Hamas hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

Sky News presenter Kay Burley asked Eylon Levy whether Israel releasing 150 Palestinian prisoners in return for 50 hostages meant “that Israel thinks the lives of Palestinians are valued less than Israelis?”

Levy’s eyes widen and he is visibly stunned, in an image that has been captured and shared widely. He calls Burley’s question ‘an astonishing accusation’, adding:

“If we could release one prisoner for every one hostage, we would obviously do that. We are operating in horrific circumstances. We are not choosing to release these prisoners who have blood on their hands. We are talking about people who have been convicted of shooting and stabbing attacks.

“Notice the question of proportionality doesn’t interest Palestinian supporters when they’re able to get more of their prisoners out. But really, it is outrageous to suggest that the fact that we are willing to release prisoners who are convicted of terrorism offences, more of them than we are getting our own innocent children back, somehow suggests that we don’t care about Palestinian lives? Really? That’s a disgusting accusation.”

Many commentators, including TV personality Rachel Riley have taken to social media platform Twitter/X, where the issue is currently trending with 3,932 posts, to express their disgust.

Others are responding to Burley with the fact that in 2011, more than 1,000 Palestinian and Arab Israeli prisoners were swapped for one Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, rendering her line of questioning both obsolete and repugnant.

To see the full interview clip, click here.