Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, Israel declared United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "persona non grata", barring him from entering Israel, in response to Guterres' "failure to condemn an Iranian missile attack on Israel."

Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz stated, "Anyone who cannot denounce the heinous Iranian attack on Israel does not deserve to set foot on Israeli soil. This is a UN Secretary-General who is hostile to Israel, supporting terrorists, rapists, and murderers."

Tensions between Guterres and Israel had escalated earlier in September when the UN chief referred to Israel's actions in Gaza as "collective punishment," remarking, "Nothing justifies the collective punishment of Gaza's residents, who are suffering unimaginable hardship."

Guterres also criticized Israel's handling of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, stating, "The level of suffering in Gaza, the number of deaths, and the destruction is unparalleled since I became Secretary-General in 2017."

He further called for accountability for civilian casualties and highlighted the "widespread violations" committed by both Israel and Hamas.