Asked about Biden’s criticism, PM says he doesn’t believe president would urge more concessions after hostages murdered

Answering questions from reporters at the end of his press conference in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel must maintain security control of the border crossings on the “day after” Hamas and for the foreseeable future. He adds that “when the day comes” and another body or organization can deal with this “under a permanent arrangement,” that is fine with him. “But right now” Israel needs to be there to prevent more massacres, abductions and existential threats.

“We are very close to dismantling Hamas,” he says. “We are dismantling Hamas.” Netanyahu adds that Israel still has to find an alternative to the terror group’s civilian control, including for distributing much of the humanitarian aid in Gaza, and that it is working on it.

Responding to another question, Netanyahu says he does not know what Biden said today, after the US president indicated the Israeli prime minister is not doing enough to secure the release of hostages.

Netanyahu points out that Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 27 praised Israel’s “extraordinarily generous Israeli offer,” and cites other instances of US praise for Israael’s positions.

He also notes that the CIA’s deputy director on August 28 said that Israel has shown seriousness in the negotiations, and now it was Hamas’s turn.

“That was five days ago,” he says,” and what happened in those days? One thing happened – they murdered six of our hostages in cold blood. So after that terrible murder, I don’t think anyone serious would say, ‘Make more concessions now, you’re not serious, Hamas is serious…’ I don’t believe that President Biden really said that.”