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New York Governor Kathy Hochul<\/strong> apologized<\/a> Friday for comments she made suggesting that Israel is justified in destroying Gaza in retaliation for Hamas\u2019 October 7 attack.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Canada someday ever attacked Buffalo, I\u2019m sorry, my friends, there would be no Canada the next day,\u201d Hochul said in remarks that circulated widely on social media. \u201cThat is a natural reaction. You have a right to defend yourself and to make sure that it never happens again. And that is Israel\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n The governor regretted her \u201cpoor choice of words\u201d and the \u201cinappropriate analogy\u201d in a statement to the New York Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile I have been clear in my support of Israel\u2019s right to self-defense,\u201d Hochul added, \u201cI have also repeatedly said and continue to believe that Palestinian civilian casualties should be avoided and that more humanitarian aid must go to the people of Gaza.\u201d<\/p>\n Since Hamas\u2019 attack, which resulted in the death of 1,200 Israelis, most of whom were civilians, Israeli\u2019s retaliatory assault has killed<\/a> over 28,000 Palestinians in Gaza and generated a spiraling humanitarian crisis.<\/p>\n Hochul\u2019s comment came at a Thursday event hosted by the United Jewish Appeal-Federation of New York, a nonprofit and chapter of the Jewish Federations of North America. The group frequently sends American politicians to Israel and recently sponsored<\/a> a trip for New York City Mayor Eric Adams<\/strong> in August.<\/p>\n The nonprofit reportedly offered to pay for Hochul\u2019s two-day \u201csolidarity trip\u201d to Israel in mid-October, which coincided with President Joe Biden<\/strong>\u2019s first trip to the country following the Hamas attack. But Hochul\u2019s office, citing a delay in an ethics review of the funding, said later<\/a> that New York taxpayers would instead foot the $12,000 bill.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know about being attacked by terrorist organizations here in New York City,\u201d Hochul said<\/a> after the trip. \u201cI felt this overwhelming need to go there and say, you know, on behalf of New Yorkers \u2014 particularly the very large Jewish community we have in New York \u2014 that I wanted to go there to show our support, meet with people who have endured the unspeakable.\u201d<\/p>\n Hochul\u2019s comments come as the war continues to rage in Gaza, with Israel gearing up for a potential ground invasion of Rafah, a city near the Egyptian border that currently houses 1.4 million displaced Palestinians<\/a> who have fled from other parts of the territory.<\/p>\n Martin Griffiths<\/strong>, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, wrote<\/a> last week that Israeli military operations in Rafah \u201ccould lead to a slaughter in Gaza. They could also leave an already fragile humanitarian operation at death\u2019s door.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n