Netanyahu: We won’t cease fire in the Gaza Strip until Hamas releases the hostages
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that Israel will assume comprehensive security responsibility in the Gaza Strip for an indefinite period after the war it is currently waging against Hamas, reiterating his rejection of a ceasefire before the movement releases the hostages.
Netanyahu said in a television interview with ABC News that Israel will assume, for an indefinite period, comprehensive security responsibility in Gaza.
He added, “When we don’t assume this security responsibility, what we face is the outbreak of Hamas terrorism on a scale that we cannot imagine”.
In response to a question about who is supposed to rule the Gaza Strip after the war, Netanyahu said, “Those who don’t want to continue on the path of Hamas”.
Netanyahu stressed that there will be no ceasefire in the Gaza Strip unless Hamas releases the hostages it has been holding since it launched its sudden and unprecedented attack on October 7th.
“There will be no ceasefire – a comprehensive ceasefire – in Gaza without the release of our hostages,” he said.
He added, “With regard to ceasefire for short periods – an hour here, an hour there – this is something that has already happened”.
He continued, “I think we will study the circumstances to allow goods – humanitarian goods – to enter or for our hostages to leave, but I don’t think that there will be a comprehensive ceasefire”.
The Israeli Prime Minister stressed that any long-term ceasefire would benefit Hamas.
He said, “This would hinder our efforts to free our hostages, because the only thing that affects these criminals and Hamas is the military pressure that we are exercising”.
In response to a question about whether he considers himself responsible for the unprecedented attack launched by Hamas exactly a month ago, Netanyahu said, “Of course”.
“There is no doubt about that, and this is something that must be addressed after the war,” he added, acknowledging that his government had clearly failed to fulfill its obligation to protect its people.
