'Demonically evil': US actor Wallace Shaun compares Israel's actions in Gaza to Nazi Germany

Longtime American actor and playwright Wallace Shawn has compared Israel's treatment of Gaza to Nazi Germany, calling its actions "demonically evil."

Israel is "doing evil that is just as great as what the Nazis did," Shawn, 81, known for roles in The Princess Bride and Toy Story, told a podcast released Monday.

In its Gaza offensive, which has killed over 47,000 people and injured over 111,000, Israel “invaded somebody else's territory, they took people's homes, and they did many of the things that the Nazis did to the Jews,” said Shawn.

He added: “In some ways, it's worse because they kind of boast about it. Hitler had the decency to try to keep it secret … The Israelis are almost proud of it, and it's demonically evil. You can't be more evil.”

“The whole world knows that they are starving people, preventing children from getting medicine on purpose, and bombing hospitals,” said Shaun, referring to Israel's widely condemned blocking of humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies, and multiple incidents of attacking hospitals.

Shawn, who is Jewish, has been a vocal critic of Israeli policies and written on the subject. His remarks drew criticism from the Jewish community and beyond, but he is hardly the first to make such comparisons.

Shawn also suggested that some Israelis who support current military actions might one day reconsider their stance. "I suspect that some Israelis who today support what their country is doing in Gaza or the West Bank will stand up in 10 years and ask themselves, 'How did I justify this? '"