UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the “appalling killing” of two Israeli embassy officials in the United States capital, stressing that “nothing can justify such a horrific act”.

The office of the spokesperson for the secretary-general said this in a statement to UN correspondents on Thursday in New York.

The diplomats were gunned down on Wednesday night as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in central Washington, DC, where the American Jewish Committee was hosting a reception.

They were identified as Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, who were about to be engaged, according to officials and family members.

“The secretary-general reiterates his consistent condemnation of attacks against diplomatic officials,” the statement said.

He called for the perpetrator to be brought to justice and extended his sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims and to the government of Israel.

The lone suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, was apprehended shortly after the murders and was taken into custody.

Mr Rodriguez, from Chicago, shouted pro-Palestinian slogans while in custody, according to media reports.

The High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC), Miguel Ángel Moratinos, also voiced his condemnation.

“This heinous antisemitic act is unacceptable and unjustifiable,” said Mr Moratinos, head of the UN platform that promotes intercultural dialogue and understanding. “My thoughts go to their families, their colleagues, and the State of Israel.” 

Senior politicians from across the world have also expressed their condemnation.

The killings occurred against the backdrop of the war in Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, following Hamas-led attacks on Israel, which left roughly 1,200 people dead while another 250 were taken hostage.

Since then, more than 53,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory attacks in Gaza, according to the health authorities.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar described the Washington, DC, attack as “the direct consequence of the virulent and toxic antisemitic rhetoric against Israel and Jewish communities around the world that has been going on since October 7.”

Mr Lischinsky was a research assistant in the political department at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, while Ms Milgrim organised trips to the country.

They were killed after attending an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee focused on humanitarian aid for Gaza, according to media reports.

The spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Tal Naim, described their deaths as “an unbearable loss”.

She tweeted a photo of the couple below a message which said, “Instead of walking you down the aisle, we are walking with you to your graves.”

(NAN)