Sir Sadiq Khan has come under fire after being accused of citing "Hamas propaganda" in his recent Eid speech.
The Israeli Embassy led the charge against the London Mayor, also claiming Khan failed to "condemn" terrorism.
The fury came after Khan spoke about the conflict in Gaza, where Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have expanded military operations.
The Labour Mayor said: "This year, for many, the usual happiness we feel during Eid will be tempered by the appalling suffering and killing that continues in Sudan and Palestine.
Sadiq Khan has called for a ceasefire in the heavily bombarded enclave
Getty/X
"More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as a result of Israel’s ongoing military campaign, including more than 15,000 children…these betrayals of humanity should weigh heavily on our collective conscience."
Responding to Khan's comments, a spokesman for the Israeli Embassy said: "The war is a result of the brutal and horrific attack by Hamas, a proscribed terror organisation in the UK, which was imposed on Israel on October 7, 2023.
"It is alarming that throughout the message, there is no mention of Hamas or any condemnation of terrorism and a call for the release of 59 hostages that are being held in horrific and inhumane conditions. Hamas terrorists murdered people of all faiths and none, with impunity."
The embassy also highlighted Gazans who protested against the rule of Hamas, including Uday al-Rabbay, who was abducted and killed after demonstrating against the group, adding: "the values that Mr Khan speaks of must not be applied selectively."
A spokesman for the Mayor of London told GB News: "The Mayor has repeatedly conveyed his outrage at attacks by Hamas on Israel and has strongly condemned these acts of terrorism. He is deeply saddened by the loss of all lives and continues to support calls for a permanent ceasefire."
LATEST ON THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Uday al-Rabbay
X
The family of Uday al-Rabbay say he was killed after he stood up inside a coffee shop in Gaza City and loudly denounced Hamas.
His family told The Free Press around 30 armed men from Hamas’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades, abducted him and tortured him for hours until he was dead.
They also said that his body was dropped off outside his house with broken fingers, multiple stab wounds and a severe head injury after they "smashed it with the butt of a rifle." They also claim his body was dropped off a rooftop.
A note was reportedly pinned to his clothes, warning: "This is the price for all who criticise Hamas."
A Palestinian man walks near a bakery that has stopped operating due to a lack of flour and fuel, in Gaza City
Reuters
It comes as Hamas decided not to respond or engage with Israel's counter-proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, affirming it is committed to the mediators' plan instead.
The Israeli Government said on March 29 it conveyed to the mediators a counter-proposal in full coordination with the US, after Hamas agreed to a proposal it received from mediators Egypt and Qatar.
The proposal included the release of New Jersey native Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old soldier in the Israeli army, on the first day after the ceasefire is announced.
Hamas would also release four Israeli hostages, with one hostage released every 10 days in exchange for releasing 250 Palestinians held in Israeli jails and releasing 2,000 from those who were detained after Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel.
Palestinians inspect the area after Israeli attack over Khan Yunis, Gaza
Getty
Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, in Gaza City
Reuters
The proposal also entailed the cessation of Israeli military operations, opening the crossings to allow the entry of humanitarian aid and re-opening the Netzarim Corridor to allow the entry of cars from the south to the north and vice versa.
The Israeli military said on March 19 that its forces re-extended their control to the centre of the Netzarim Corridor, which bisects the Gaza Strip.
The first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into force on January 19 after 15 months of war and involved a halt to fighting, the release of some of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, and the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners.
However, Israel said that its forces resumed ground operations in the central and southern Gaza Strip.
It also announced a major expansion of military operations in Gaza, saying large areas of the heavily bombarded enclave would be seized and added to its security zones, accompanied by large-scale evacuations of the population.
