Netanyahu accused Iran of being behind numerous attacks against Israel “through its proxies.” (document)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel was “one step away from victory” in the Gaza war and vowed there would be no truce until Hamas released all hostages.
He was speaking at a cabinet meeting that marked the beginning of an unprecedented attack on Israel by Hamas militants on October 7, kicking off a six-month war.
“We are one step away from victory,” Netanyahu said. “But the price we pay is painful and heartbreaking.”
“There will be no ceasefire if the hostages are not returned. It’s simply not going to happen,” he said as ceasefire talks with international mediators were expected to resume in Cairo.
He stressed that “Israel is ready to reach a deal, but not ready to surrender.”
“The international community should not put pressure on Israel, which will only lead to Hamas’s position becoming harder. International pressure should be directed at Hamas. This will facilitate the release of the hostages.”
On April 1, seven aid workers from the US food charity World Central Kitchen were killed in an airstrike in Gaza, sparking intense international outrage in Israel.
U.S. President Joe Biden called Netanyahu on Thursday, demanding an “immediate ceasefire” and suggesting U.S. support for Israel is conditional on reducing the killing of civilians and improving humanitarian conditions.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, accused Iran of being behind numerous attacks against Israel “through its proxies.”
Netanyahu added: “Anyone who harms us or plans to harm us, we will harm him. We have always practiced this principle, even in recent days.”
Iran has vowed to fight back against Monday’s airstrike on its embassy and consulate in Damascus that killed seven Revolutionary Guardsmen, as fears grew that the war in Gaza could spread.
Iranian leaders have promised retaliation, with Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, calling the consulate attack a “turning point.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
