Sky News has issued an apology after presenter Belle Donati compared the situation in Gaza to the Holocaust.

During a live interview with Israeli Knesset member Danny Danon after the ICJ’s initial ruling on Friday afternoon, Donati pressed Danon on his previous statements about the voluntary immigration of Palestinians from Gaza, which she compared to “the sort of voluntary relocation of many Jewish people during the Holocaust.”

In a televised apology several hours later, Sky News acknowledged “the complete inappropriateness of this comparison” and apologised “unreservedly” for any offense caused by the comment by Donati.

Donati, who has previously written for Al Jazeera, has been a news anchor for Sky News since 2021.

Jonathan Levy, Managing Director and Executive Editor of Sky News UK, said in an email to staff: “This afternoon, Belle Donati made an inappropriate, unnecessary and offensive on-air comparison to the Holocaust when interviewing Danny Danon, a former Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations.

“Sky News has apologised on air for the comparison made during Belle’s interview and will be apologising personally and directly to Mr.Danon for the comments.

“It does not need to be restated that this is a significant and sensitive story. I’d like to take this opportunity to remind you that it is essential that our coverage is impartial, balanced, and fact based.”

Danon responded to Donati’s comment by calling the comparison “shameful” and “antisemitic”, and later posted on Twitter: “This insolent interviewer from @SkyNews disgracefully drew comparisons between the situation in Gaza and the Holocaust. Shame on her.”

Others also took to X to express shock and indignation at the offhandedly delivered comment by Donati. Official Israeli spokesperson Eylon Levy also reacted to the comment on X, writing in response to a clip of the interview: “This is a million times worse than that shameful Kay Burley question. Impressed by @dannydanon’s ability to remain relatively calm. Even I would have lost it.”

Daniel Sugarman, Director of Public Affairs for the Board of Deputies, wrote on X: “This is the new normal,apparently. The industrialised mass murder of 6 million Jews can now be compared by a @SkyNews representative to the awful situation in Gaza, where Israel is trying to root out the terrorist organisation that murdered 1,200 of its citizens on October 7th.”

In a statement, Karen Pollock, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust said:  “Sky News’ presenter made a crass, offensive and unacceptable comparison between Israel, Gaza and the Holocaust. It was a purposeful twisting of the history of the Holocaust and Sky News have rightly now apologised. I just hope the presenter in question understands why her comments were so hurtful and wrong.”