Grant Shapps has insisted there is “no equivalence” between the actions of Hamas and the Israeli government.
The defence secretary said the Palestinian militants were targeting “innocent civilians” while the Israeli military were “trying to go after terrorists”.
More than 1,200 Israelis have died since Hamas launched their attacks at the weekend.
Meanwhile, over 900 people in Gaza have been killed following retaliatory air strikes by Israel.
Some have accused Tel Aviv is a disproportionate response to the attacks on Israel.
But speaking to Sky News this morning, Shapps said: “People who are saying there is some sort of equivalence between the two are, I think, entirely wrong.
“When you have terrorists who go out and slaughter festival-goers and murder babies that is entirely different from going after Hamas terrorists.”
He added: “The point I’m trying to make is the objective of the Hamas terrorists was to go after innocent civilians, and that is what they have done in their hundreds, even thousands.
“That’s not the objective of Israel, which is specifically trying to go after the terrorists. We know in war there can be damage beyond the terrorists, but that is not their objective, which is why I say there is no equivalence between the two.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer, meanwhile, described Hamas’ actions as “unthinkable and shocking and appalling”.
He insisted Israel was entitled to defence itself, but its actions must be “within international law”.
He told Times Radio: “The murder of men, women and children in cold blood. It’s terrorism by Hamas. It needs to be called out as such.
“Israel has the right to defend herself in response to these awful acts of terrorism, cold-blooded murder. And that is the in-principle position. Obviously, everybody needs to act within international law, but I don’t think at this stage we should be saying anything other than Israel has the right to defend herself.”