U2's Bono says 'release Israel' from Netanyahu regime and 'far-right fundamentalists'

U2's Bono has called for Israel to be "released" from Benjamin Netanyahu and the far-right's grip on power, as hundreds of Palestinians are killed in Gaza in a devastating new Israeli military campaign.

The Irish rock star spoke at the Ivors music awards, where he demanded the release of Israeli captives held by Hamas in Gaza from the podium, as well as a generic call for peace.

"Hamas, release the hostages. Stop the war. Israel be released from Benjamin Netanyahu and far-right fundamentalists that twist your sacred texts," said Bono, real name Paul Hewson.

"All of you protect our aid workers, they are the best of us."

His criticism of Netanyahu follows a turn in the West against the Israeli leader, as an intensification of the military assault on Gaza kills hundreds and a siege threatens a famine in the Palestinian enclave.

The UK this week cancelled trade talks with Israel, put sanctions on settler leaders, and summoned Israel's ambassador to London.

It was joined by France and Canada in slamming Israel's "egregious actions" in Gaza, and threatened Netanyahu with consequences unless the war on the enclave ends, amid dire humanitarian warnings by the UN and NGOs.

Netanyahu responded by accusing the three countries of supporting Hamas and "being on the wrong side of justice", as even Israel's strongest ally, the US, lost patience with the prime minister's continued stalling of ceasefire talks.

Bono also dedicated the song 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' to the prospect of peace in Gaza, which itself was written about the massacre of Irish civil rights protesters by British forces in Derry over a decade before the song was released.

"Believing in the possibility of peace was then and is now a rebellious act and some would say a ridiculous one, to believe peace was attainable between your country and ours, between our country and itself," Bono said before the performance.

"Peace creates possibilities in the most intractable situations. Lord knows there’s a few of them out there right now," Bono added.

Bono was later criticised for his 'tone deaf' take on the Gaza war during a U2 performance in 2023, changing the lyrics of the song 'Pride (In The Name of Love)' to slam Hamas's 7 October attack on a rave in Israel that had taken place days earlier.

"In the light of what’s happened in Israel and Gaza, a song about non-violence seems somewhat ridiculous, even laughable, but our prayers have always been for peace and for non-violence," he told the crowd.

"But our hearts and our anger, you know where that’s pointed. So sing with us… and those beautiful kids at that music festival.”

In response, pro-Palestine Pink Floyd singer Roger Waters called Bono "disgusting" and "an enormous s***".