Pushing back on criticism, Netanyahu defends pledge to ‘eliminate’ Hamas

‘To whoever doubts our goals – there is no substitute for victory’ – Netanyahu vows to continue Gaza war until Hamas terror organization ‘eliminated.’

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back Sunday on calls to plan for an end to the current war in Gaza without the destruction of the Hamas organization.

Speaking at the beginning of the weekly government meeting Sunday, Netanyahu cited the ongoing counter-terror operations against Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups in Judea and Samaria, and in the Gaza Strip.

“I send condolences to the dear families of our heroic fighters who fell in combat in the Gaza Strip and in Judea and Samaria in the past week. We embrace the bereaved families in their most difficult hour. We are committed to the testament of the fallen – to continue to absolute victory over Hamas,” said Netanyahu, referencing recent fighting in the city of Tulkarem in Samaria, in Rafah, and in Gaza City.

The IDF has eliminated roughly 40 terrorists in its operation in the Gaza City neighborhood of Shejaiya, the army said Sunday, while the battle of Rafah continues.

“Our forces are operating in Rafah, Shejaiya, everywhere in the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu continued. “Dozens of terrorists are being eliminated every day. This is a difficult fight that is being waged above ground, sometimes in hand-to-hand combat, and below ground as well.”

The prime minister doubled down on his pledge to continue the war in the Gaza Strip until Hamas has been completely destroyed.

“We are committed to fighting until we achieve all of our objectives: Eliminating Hamas, returning all of our hostages, ensuring that Gaza never again constitutes a threat to Israel and returning our residents securely to their homes in the south and the north.”

“To whoever doubts the achieving of these goals, I reiterate: There is no substitute for victory. We will not end the war until we achieve all of these goals.”

“Regarding the sacred mission of freeing our hostages: There is no change in Israel’s position on the release outline that President Biden has welcomed. Today, everyone knows a simple truth: Hamas is the only obstacle to the release of our hostages. With the combination of diplomatic and military pressure, the latter first and foremost, we will return them all – all 120 hostages, the living and the deceased.”

Last week, National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi (Likud), one of Netanyahu’s long-time confidants, appeared to directly challenge the prime minister’s goal of destroying the Hamas organization.

During an address at the Reichman University Herzliya Conference on Tuesday, Hanegbi argued that the Gaza-based organization “cannot be completely eliminated, because it is an idea.”

“We can’t get rid of Hamas as an idea, there we need an alternative idea.”

Hanegbi echoed comments by the Israeli military’s top spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, who said last week that the government must “find an alternative” to Hamas, since the terror group cannot be destroyed.

“Hamas is an idea, Hamas is a party. It’s rooted in the hearts of the people — anyone who thinks we can eliminate Hamas is wrong,” Hagari said earlier this month.

Benjamin Netanyahugaza stripHamas