In fierce rebuke, Netanyahu says strike is ‘distancing the release of our hostages’

As Israelis across the country block roads and call for a deal for the release of the hostages in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the nationwide strike is making a ceasefire with Hamas less likely.

“Those who today call for ending the war without defeating Hamas are not only hardening Hamas’s position and distancing the release of our hostages, they are also ensuring that the atrocities of October 7 will repeat themselves again and again,” he says at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, “and that our sons and daughters will have to fight again and again in an endless war.”

“To make progress on the release of our hostages and to ensure that Gaza will no longer be a threat to Israel, we must complete the mission and defeat Hamas,” he continues, in statements released by the Prime Minister’s Office.

“This is precisely the cabinet’s decision that was adopted last week. We are determined to implement it,” he says, referring to a security cabinet decision to conquer Gaza City, which sparked calls for today’s strike.

Sunday’s general strike was organized by the October Council, which represents some of the family members of the hostages and bereaved relatives of those killed in the fighting that erupted with the Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023, as well as the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. Organizers said last night that they were preparing for nearly one million people to pass through Hostages Square in Tel Aviv throughout the day, and for tens of thousands to join activities at hundreds of other sites across Israel.

Netanyahu says that Hamas continues to refuse Israel’s conditions for an end to the war in Gaza: “We insist not only that Hamas be disarmed, but also that Israel enforce the demilitarization of the Strip over time through continuous action against any attempt at rearmament or organization by any terror group.”

He stresses that Hamas wants Israel to exit Gaza entirely, including leaving the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border and the security perimeter around Gaza.

“This would allow Hamas to regroup, rearm, and attack us again,” says Netanyahu.

Turning to Lebanon, Netanyahu says that ongoing strikes against Hezbollah fighters and rocket launchers “is in accordance with the ceasefire agreement.”

“Under this agreement, we enforce with fire any violation and any attempt by Hezbollah to rearm,” he continues.