Israel has recalled its ambassador to the UN as tensions erupted over the handling of allegations of sexual assault by Hamas fighters during the October 7 attacks.

Israel has accused the United Nations of taking too long to respond to the claims, a charge the UN has robustly defended itself against as it published a report detailing evidence of Hamas rapes and assaults.

On Monday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said members of its own staff had been tortured by Israel, even as the Israeli military said the agency had employed more than 450 “terrorists”.

The military also released what it said were recordings of “a terrorist working as an Arabic teacher at a UNRWA school… describing his entry into Israeli territory and stating that he is holding female Israeli hostages” following the October 7 attack.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan, who was recalled for consultations over the escalating row, said “it took the United Nations five months to finally recognise the sexual crimes committed on October 7 during Hamas’ massacre”.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ spokesman denied that he had done “anything to keep the report ‘quiet’” after visceral criticism from Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz.