Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement to the media on Wednesday evening in which he said that "we will fully clarify what happened in the Gaza envelope, everyone will have to give answers, including me." "October 7 was a black day in our history. As Prime Minister, I am responsible for the future of the country and now my job is to lead to victory. Now is the time to join forces." Netanyahu also said that the government would set national days of mourning in memory of the fallen and murdered of the war.
"We are in the midst of a battle for our existence," he said at the start of the statement. "We set two goals for the war: to eliminate Hamas by destroying its military and governmental capabilities, and to do everything possible to bring our hostages home. All Hamas members are dead - above ground, underground, inside Gaza, outside Gaza."
No political considerations
"Together with Defense Minister Galant, Minister Benny Gantz, the Security Cabinet, the IDF Chief of Staff and the heads of the security forces, we are working around the clock to realize the goals of the war until victory. We do this without political considerations. What we have in mind is only one thing – saving the country, achieving victory."
"We are raining bomb fire on Hamas," he added, referring to reports of the delay in the ground incursion at the request of the United States, saying that "we have already eliminated thousands of terrorists - and this is only the beginning. At the same time, we are preparing for a ground incursion. I will not go into detail when, how, and how much, nor the range of considerations that we take into account, the vast majority of which are not known to the public at all – and that is how it should be. That's a good thing, in order to preserve the lives of our soldiers."
"I want to be clear, the timing of the IDF's action was unanimously determined by the War Management Cabinet, together with the Chief of Staff, and together with the Cabinet we are working to ensure the optimal conditions for our fighters for future operations. When we enter Gaza, as the fighting continues, we will exact the full price from the murderers – the perpetrators of the horrific atrocities of Hamas-ISIS," Netanyahu then called on the population of Gaza to evacuate to the southern Gaza Strip.
Soldiers on the Gaza Strip border. Dentists volunteer for them, Photo: AFP.
"Cutting off their lives is like a shower of arrows to our hearts. The soul of the nation drinks blood. The government will set national days of mourning for this terrible disaster."
The war against Hamas is an international war
"Golani fighter Dvir Lisha fell in Simchat Torah defending the communities near the Gaza Strip. His mother, Nava Lisha, eulogized him when he was buried on Mount Herzl, saying: "From the pain of this war – we will be reborn as a people." There is no more correct statement. I bow my head to all the families whose terrible destruction has befallen them. I know their lives will never be the same. I send them, from the bottom of the hearts of the entire nation, a loving and comforting hug," he said.
"Government ministers are working to extend a helping hand to anyone who needs it. We evacuated tens of thousands of civilians in communities along the conflict line to hotels, hospitality complexes and other places, fully funded by the state. Government ministries are formulating plans for continued extensive assistance to all citizens of the country, just as we did during the coronavirus pandemic. We will leave no one behind, and the Minister of Finance will elaborate on this as soon as possible. We will build the communities and kibbutzim from the dust, and we will rehabilitate the communities that were damaged."
Ruins of a house damaged by an IDF airstrike in the Gaza Strip, Photo: AP.
In addition, Netanyahu noted that "since the beginning of the war, we have established 600 new alert squads, even with many arms shipments that we bring from abroad, and we will add more forces to this effort. We encourage civilians and help citizens arm themselves with personal weapons for defense. It's done in a controlled manner."
"We are enlisting the support of world leaders to continue the campaign. Many of them today understand what we have been telling them since 2014: Hamas is ISIS and ISIS is Hamas. I tell them that our war against Hamas is also theirs. Our war against Hamas is a test for all of humanity. This is a struggle between the axis of evil of Iran-Hezbollah and Hamas, and the axis of freedom and progress. We are the sons of light, they are the sons of darkness, and light will triumph over darkness."
In conclusion, Netanyahu stressed: "October 7 was a black day in our history. We will fully clarify what happened on the southern border and the Gaza envelope. This omission will be fully investigated. Everyone will have to give answers. Me too. But all this will happen only after the war. As Prime Minister, I am responsible for securing the future of the country, and now my job is to lead the State of Israel and the people to a crushing victory over our enemies. Now is the time to join forces for one goal: to charge forward to victory."
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