Israel summons Belarus envoy over Lukashenko 'Holocaust' remarks

Israeli Foreign Ministry officials on Wednesday summoned Belarusian Ambassador Yuri Yarusevich to protest President Alexander Lukashenko's remarks accusing Israel of carrying out a "holocaust" in the Gaza Strip, according to local media reports. Director General Eitan Bar-Tal issued the formal reprimand over the televised comments.

The daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Israeli officials denounced the statements as "outrageous, anti-Semitic, and unacceptable." The summons came after Lukashenko condemned Israel's two-year war on the enclave and its humanitarian impact in broadcast remarks.

Lukashenko's remarks

"The scale of destruction witnessed in Gaza has led many to reconsider the historical narrative of the Holocaust," Lukashenko said. "Many people are beginning to look at history and ask: What Holocaust? How can we talk about a Holocaust when the Israelis have killed so many people in Gaza, especially women and children? Everything has been wiped off the face of the earth," he added.

Casualties since ceasefire

The Israeli army has killed more than 73,000 people and injured over 173,000 others since October 2023, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Despite a ceasefire taking effect on Oct. 10, 2025, daily attacks have killed at least 1,005 Palestinians and injured 3,157 others since the truce began.