Israel will “act decisively to end the threat to its citizens,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at a joint press conference in Tel Aviv.
“Hamas builds terrorist tunnels under hospitals, mosques, and schools,” Netanyahu emphasizes.
Netanyahu underscored the fact that Hamas rejected ceasefire offers before Israel began its military reponse to Hamas rockets, as well as during the fighting.
Ban Ki-moon, left, and Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, July 22, 2014. (Screen capture: Channel 2)
“The international community must take a clear stance” and hold Hamas accountable, says Netanyahu, for rejecting ceasefires and initiating the hostilities.
“They are committing a double war crime. They want more civilian casualties, whereas we want no civilian casualties.”
Netanyahu added that the people of Gaza are “the victims of the brutal Hamas regime, they are holding them hostage.”
Continuing to focus on Hamas violations, Netanyahu said Hamas is preventing civilians of Gaza from going to the field hospital Israel built for Gazan civilians. “I believe that you understand this, it is the right of every state to defend itself, and Israel will do what it needs to do to defend ourselves.”
“This is not only our right, this is our duty.”
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Tuesday, July 22, 2014
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