Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, declared on Saturday that the arrival of additional ground forces in Gaza on Friday night marked the beginning of the second phase of the conflict with Hamas.
Israel wants to “defeat the murderous enemy and ensure our existence in our land,” he stated.
His remarks follow that of the chief of the Israel Defence Forces, who stated that the force is currently conducting ground operations in the Gaza Strip to accomplish every goal of the war.
Netanyahu emphasized that the soldiers are part of a 3000-year history of Jewish fighters. Their sole objective, he declared, is “to defeat the murderous enemy, and to ensure our existence in our land.”
He emphasized that Israel’s war goals are “destruction of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, and returning the hostages home” during a press conference in Tel Aviv.
According to a story in The Times of Israel, he stated that the war cabinet and the security cabinet decided unanimously to begin the ground invasion.
He said, “Our commanders and soldiers fighting in enemy territory know that the nation and the national leadership stand behind them.” The soldiers he’s met in the field are determined to make Hamas pay for its actions on October 7, he claimed
Netanyahu stated, “They are determined to eradicate this evil from the world, for our existence and, I add, for all of humanity.” He stated, “We always said, ‘Never Again’. Never Again’ is now.”
After addressing the families of those who have been abducted, Israel’s prime minister expressed his wounded heart and vowed to seize every chance to “return our kidnapped brothers and sisters to their families’ embrace.” His kidnapping was dubbed a “crime against humanity.”
Those who “dare to accuse our soldiers of war crimes” are liars and hypocrites, according to Benjamin Netanyahu. The IDF “does everything to avoid harm to non-combatants,” he claimed, referring to it as “the most moral army in the world.” He demanded that the residents of northern Gaza move to the southern part of the Strip.
Netanyahu charged Hamas with war crimes and stated that the organization “uses citizens as human shields,” turns hospitals into terror hubs, and steals fuel intended for medical facilities to power its operations.
According to The Times of Israel, he declared, “Israel is fighting not only its war but humanity’s war against the barbarians.”
He continued, “Our allies in the Western world, and our partners in the Arab world, know that if we do not win, they are next in line in the campaign of conquest and murder from the axis of evil.”
The first phase, he said, was a heavy air campaign to enable Israel’s ground soldiers “to go in as safely as possible.” He said that Israel has destroyed numerous terrorist organizations’ headquarters and infrastructure.
He declared, “We got rid of a lot of killers, even mass killers. Numerous terrorist organizations’ headquarters and infrastructure were destroyed. We have only just begun.”
Referring to it as the “second war of independence” for Israel, Netanyahu emphasized that the conflict will be “long and hard and we are ready.” He declared that Israel would not give up and would fight to protect its territory.
Declaring the struggle to be one of “light over darkness, life over death,” he declared that Israel would annihilate the enemies “above ground and below the ground”. This is my life’s purpose as well as ours.”
Benjamin Netanyahu met with family members whose loved ones are being held captive in Gaza on Saturday. Following their discussion, Netanyahu declared that Israel “will exercise exhaust every possibility” to ensure their return, according to The Times of Israel.
He informed the families that one of the main objectives of the war was to rescue the hostages. He stated, “The key is the level of pressure.” According to The Times of Israel, Netanyahu stated, “The greater the pressure, the greater the chances [of freeing the captives]”. In addition, he informed them that increasing pressure on Hamas would not prevent a significant ground incursion.
In the meantime, video footage of the questioning of Hamas militants involved in the October 7 attack on Israel has been made public by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), confirming that the terror organization maintains a bunker beneath Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital.
The footage was made public one day after IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that Hamas operated out of the Gaza Strip hospital as its major center of operations.
The Israel Air Force had earlier on Saturday declared that joint combat teams of infantry, engineering, and armored personnel have been conducting ground operations in the northern Gaza Strip.
The Israel Air Force said on X, “Armoured, engineering, and infantry combined combat teams are conducting on-the-ground operations in the northern Gaza Strip, beginning yesterday evening. During the exercise, terrorist groups attempting to launch anti-tank missiles and high-trajectory fire were detected and attacked by IDF units. Additionally, the soldiers discovered a trapped house that they had attacked.”
“Combined combat forces of armor, combat engineers, and infantry have been operating on the ground in northern Gaza since early Friday evening,” the IDF said in a post posted on X. IDF soldiers identified and destroyed terrorist cells that were attempting to fire mortar shells and anti-tank missiles as part of the operation. located and demolished a building that was booby-trapped. IAF helicopters were led by IDF tanks as they attacked a Hamas operational meeting place building.”
Following the identification of three launches from Lebanese territory into Israeli land, the IDF launched an operation on Hezbollah’s military facilities in Lebanon.
The IDF said in a post on X, “Three launches from Lebanese territory to Israeli territory were located, which fell in open regions, following the original report on the alert that was issued in Shtula. Consequently, the Israeli Defence Forces struck a Hezbollah military facility in Lebanon.”
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