Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told new recruits on Tuesday that Israel was fighting Hamas “without mercy”, according to a statement from his office.
Israel has continued its bombardment in Gaza since Hamas launched its attack on October 7, with the coastal area devastated by fighting and the siege of its 2.4 million residents.
Global concerns are growing over Israel’s actions, massive civilian deaths and a dire humanitarian crisis.
“You are joining the Israel Defense Forces in an excellent fighting position to fight off a ruthless enemy… We will fight back against them without mercy and we will defeat them,” Netanyahu said.
His comments came after Iran launched its first direct attack on Israel over the weekend, leading to a sharp increase in tensions in the Middle East.
Netanyahu told recruits that fighting Hamas was “part of a greater battle.”
“Iran supports Hamas, Hezbollah and other groups, but we are determined to win there and defend ourselves in all areas.”
The Hamas attacks that sparked the war killed 1,170 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,843 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry of the Hamas-controlled region.
Israel says 260 soldiers have died in Gaza since the war began.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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