Web Summit CEO Paddy Cosgrave steps down amidst global outcry over controversial Israel-Hamas war remarks

Paddy Cosgrave, the CEO of Web Summit, resigned on Saturday following the withdrawal of several major technology companies from the company's upcoming annual technology conference. This was a result of Cosgrave's comments on the Israel-Hamas conflict. In a statement to CNN, Cosgrave expressed regret for the distraction his personal comments had caused and apologized for any harm he may have caused.

He resigned shortly after expressing his condemnation of Israel's war in Gaza on X, previously known as Twitter. On October 13, he made a statement saying, "Regardless of who commits them, war crimes should be recognized and denounced."

Additionally, Cosgrave criticized the October 7 attacks carried out by Hamas militants, which resulted in the death of an estimated 1,400 individuals in Israel, as reported by authorities.

Israeli forces have conducted continuous airstrikes on Gaza in the past two weeks, resulting in the deaths of at least 4,385 people, as confirmed by the Ministry of Health in the Hamas-controlled enclave. This relentless bombing has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Prior to Cosgraves' post on X, Amnesty International, a human rights organization, denounced the targeting of civilians in Gaza as "collective punishment," viewing it as a war crime. In contrast, the Israeli military claims to avoid civilian casualties and has issued warnings for residents to evacuate certain areas of Gaza.

On Tuesday, Cosgrave published a statement on the Web Summit blog, comprising close to 600 words, to express his apology and provide further explanation regarding his position.

"I condemn without hesitation the despicable, repugnant, and atrocious attack carried out by Hamas on October 7. I firmly advocate for the immediate release of all hostages," he stated. "I wholeheartedly affirm Israel's right to exist and to safeguard its own security. Moreover, I unwaveringly support the concept of a two-state solution. ... Additionally, I firmly believe that while defending itself, Israel should strictly adhere to international law and the principles outlined in the Geneva Conventions, thus refraining from engaging in any war crimes."

However, the tech giants, including Google parent company Alphabet, Meta, Siemens, and Amazon, quickly faced severe criticism after reacting to his initial remarks by withdrawing from the conference. The conference, planned for November 13-16 in Lisbon, has been affected by their decision. CNN has contacted these companies, but no response has been received at this time.

A new CEO will be appointed by Web Summit promptly, according to a spokesperson from the company. Additionally, the spokesperson stated that Web Summit 2023 in Lisbon will proceed as scheduled. Co-founded by Cosgrave, 41, in 2009 along with David Kelly and Daire Hickey, Web Summit has grown into a significant entity.