Comedian Dawn French has apologised after posting a video online about the Israel-Hamas conflict, saying she "clumsily used a mocking tone" and it "appeared one-sided".
The Vicar of Dibley star posted a video on social media this week in which she switched between her normal voice and a higher-pitched voice.
In the video about the conflict, she said: "Complicated, no, but nuanced", adding: "Bottom line is, no."
Then at one point, she said in a higher-pitched voice: "Yeah, but you know they did a bad thing to us."
French has now posted a statement on X saying she has taken down the video and apologised, saying her intention was never "to mock, or dismiss, or diminish the horror of what happened" during Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack on Israel.
The statement, posted on Saturday, said: "Ok, it's important to address this.
"I posted a video in the style I've been using for social media in an effort to convey an important point. I clumsily used a mocking tone.
"My intention was NEVER to mock, or dismiss, or diminish the horror of what happened on 7 October 2023 and what continues to unfold from that brutal unthinkable, unforgivable, savage attack.
"My heart broke for the many innocent people and their families that were killed, tortured, r@ped (sic) and kidnapped. The fact that hostages are still held is utterly appalling.
"My intention was to mock and point the finger of shame at the behaviour of the cruel leaders on ALL sides of this atrocious war, who have continued to behave like the worst, dangerous, sickening bullies and seem to relish the tyrannical and childish oneupmanship of the violence. THEY were my target, but clearly I failed to do that, and that's on me. I apologise unreservedly. I'm particularly sorry that my disgust at Hamas didn't figure. It appeared one-sided, and that is wrong.
"I am a person, who like many others, is feeling increasingly helpless and hopeless as we witness the carnage and destruction worsen. The images of starving and wounded children have haunted me day and night. History has taught us never to stand by and allow this kind of inhumane violence to be wrought on anyone, especially innocent children.
"I have felt my silence is complicit or even somehow sanctioning. So in my small way I wanted to voice my desire to say NO - to BOTH sides - to any further violence.
"I hope you will understand my intention was not to offend, but clearly I have. For which I'm sorry and I have removed the video."
Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's attack that triggered the Gaza war, 55 remain in captivity, including 31 the Israeli military says are dead.
The 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to AFP calculations of official figures.
According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, at least 54,677 people have been killed in the territory since the start of the war, also mostly civilians.
Source: RTE.ie
