Netanyahu: ‘Catastrophe’ if we hadn’t tackled the tunnels

More of what Netanyahu has been saying:

“People of Israel, the heart of the whole nation is with the families of the fallen. We feel your pain.” He says Israel bows its head to those who fell “so that we can continue to live in this land.”

He sends condolences to the families of the soldiers “who fell in the battle for the defense of Israel… There is no more just cause than that for which your sons fell,” he says. “We will finish the mission they started… We will restore quiet and security… to the country.”

Netanyahu urges Israel “to be strong in difficult days like these, and those that might still come.

“We are in a war for our home,” he continues. “Our forces are active now in the field, acting with professionalism, determination, great power — great fire power and great spiritual power.

“IDF solders, I want to tell you, the people of Israel stand with you and pray for you.”

Netanyahu tells the families of soldiers now in the field: “I am aware of your fears. We all share them. We are doing everything to safeguard the lives of our civilians and our soldiers.”

He stresses: “We did not choose to enter this conflict,” but once it was imposed, vows to restore calm. “We are not deterred. We will continue this operation as long as necessary.”

Hamas invested “years of work, and immense capital” in the tunnels, aiming to “carry out mega terror attacks and kidnappings… This was a strategic effort by Hamas.

“If we hadn’t exposed these tunnels,” the results would have been attacks “on kindergartens, dining halls — the results could have been catastrophic. That was Hamas’s plan.”

He praises the US, Canada, Germany, Britain, France and other nations for backing Israel’s right to defend itself and to restore security to its people.

He says he just spoke to President Obama and thanked him for US support.

“It cannot be claimed that Israel chose escalation. Therefore, Hamas bears the consequences of its aggression,” he adds.

“We’re making efforts not to harm the residents of Gaza, and Hamas is making every effort that Gaza residents be harmed.” Thus, responsibility for harm to Gazans is “on Hamas, and Hamas alone.”

Hamas had two systems for hurting Israel — rockets and tunnels, both of which are being “significantly harmed” in the current operation.

“We knew this could be a lengthy operation,” he concludes. “But our history speaks a truth — the eternal people is not afraid of a long journey.”