A Tory minister was involved in a bizarre clash with Kay Burley over Israeli air strikes in Gaza.
Richard Holden appeared to suggest that Sky News was lucky to broadcast in a “free and fair” UK after he was asked whether Israel had broken the Geneva Convention.
Burley was quizzing the transport minister over claims that explosions were happening near the Al Quds Hospital, where 14,000 are reportedly sheltering from the conflict.
“Is that something that the British government condones?” Burley asked.
Holden replied: “I think the truth is Israel needs to be able to defend itself.”
Burley replied: “Is that a yes?”
The minister then said: “You can’t expect the government to comment on every single individual ... ”
Interrupting, Burley said: “I’m asking you about 14,000 people sheltering in a hospital. Do you condone that when it’s not targeted, just several metres away?”
Holden replied: “I can’t comment on every single individual strike that the Israelis make.”
Burley said: “Even if it’s against the Geneva Convention?”
Holden then responded: “Let’s just see whether or not that it is.”
When Burley asked if it was “something you’ll be looking into”, the minister said: “Let me finish, Kay. What we know is that Hamas deliberately hides among the civilian populations. It digs tunnels right through residential areas, where it hides its fighters, arms and munitions.”
The minister then referred to the blast two weeks ago at the Al-Ahli hospital, which killed hundreds of people and was initially blamed on an Israeli airstrike, but which UK intelligence believes was “highly likely” to have been caused by a misfired Hamas rocket.
When Holden pointed out that Burley had said it was “likely” to have been caused by a misfired Hamas rocket, the presenter replied: “I don’t say it, you’re prime minister says it.”
In bizarre comments, Holden hit back: “Our prime minister I think Kay, and the prime minister which runs the government in which Sky News operates under in a free and fair way in the UK.”
Burley replied: “Not sure where we’re going with that.”