“We will continue our defensive war, the justice and morality of which has no equal,” Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv.
His comments came following South Africa launched a case once morest Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday over what it says are genocidal acts in the Gaza Strip.
“No, South Africa, we did not come to commit genocide, Hamas did,” Netanyahu said. “She would kill us all if she might.” Meanwhile, the IDF (Israeli army) behaves as morally as possible.”
A day earlier, the prime minister said Israel’s war once morest Hamas would last many months, renewing his pledge to completely remove the Palestinian militant group from the Gaza Strip.
Vowing to bring home all Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu said the military was engaged in an uphill battle and needed time to achieve its goals.
“The war will continue for many months until Hamas is destroyed and the hostages are returned,” Netanyahu said at a press conference on Saturday.
“We will ensure that the Gaza Strip no longer poses a threat to Israel,” he said, adding that regarding 8,000 people have already died in the enclave during Israel’s military campaign. fighters. – Step by step we are depriving Hamas of its capabilities (…). We will also remove their leaders.”
The war between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas began following the militants carried out a deadly attack in southern Israel on October 7 that killed around 1,140 people, according to AFP news agency figures based on official figures.
International mediators who brokered a week-long truce last month that saw the release of more than 100 hostages and some aid flowed into the Gaza Strip continue to work to secure a new break in the fighting.
During the October 7 attack, Palestinian militants took regarding 250 hostages. According to the Israeli military, approximately 129 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip.
At least 21,822 people, most of them women and children, have been killed so far in this ongoing Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
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2024-07-15 07:14:49
