Netanyahu: Israel still focused on ‘sacred mission’ of returning hostages, ‘Hamas has got to go’

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reveals that Israel’s actions have delayed Iran’s nuclear weapons program, but has not stopped it.

“The question before us is simple,” he says. “Which of these two maps I’ve shown you will shape our futures?”

Israel has made its choice, he says, moving toward peace with Arabs and crushing Iran’s proxies.

He says that Hamas numbered nearly 40,000 on October 7, with a massive arsenal and tunnels network. He says Israel has killed half the terrorists, destroyed 90% of the rockets, and destroyed 23 out of 24 battalions. Now Israel is “mopping up” he says, taking out senior commanders and infrastructure.

He says Israel remains focused on “our sacred mission” – bringing the hostages home.

Netanyahu turns to Hamas stealing humanitarian aid, then selling it to their people. “This too has to end, and we are working to bring it to an end,” he says.

“If Hamas stays in power, it will regroup and rearm and attack Israel again and again and again as it has vowed to do.”

“Hamas has got to go.”

He says it is “inconceivable” and “ridiculous” that Hamas could be part of reconstructing Gaza, and that Israel will reject any plan that includes them. Giving Hamas a role in post-war Gaza would be akin to “allowing the defeated Nazis in 1945” to help rebuild Germany — a notion he calls “inconceivable, ridiculous.”

Israel will support any local civilian administration in Gaza that is committed to coexistence, he says.

“We don’t seek to resettle Gaza,” he stresses, but rather a Gaza demilitarized and deradicalized.”

He urges the Hamas captors of Israel’s hostages to “let them go, let them go, all of them.”

And he says, “This war can come to an end now — all that has to happen is for Hamas to surrender, lay down its arms and release all the hostages.”

“But if they don’t,” he vows, “we will fight until we achieve victory, total victory; there is no substitute for it.”

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