Benjamin Netanyahu vows ‘all Hamas fighters are doomed’ as he says Israel is ‘preparing’ to invade Gaza in chilling new warning to the terrorist group

Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hamas terrorists that they were “doomed” as he vowed last night to press ahead with a ground invasion of Gaza.

Israel’s prime minister said the fight against the gunmen who massacred civilians on October 7 was necessary to “save our country” and that the airstrikes on Gaza were just “the beginning.”

The Israeli prime minister confirmed that the country is “preparing” to invade Gaza and reiterated that troops have already “eliminated thousands of terrorists.”

But questions remain over the exact timeframe after it was reported that the country postponed the ground attack to allow the US to rush missile defenses to the region.

Mr. Netanyahu, in a televised address last night, declined to give details of the “considerations” of the invasion, but said the timing of the Israeli forces’ operation is “determined unanimously by the cabinet leading the war.”

Mr. Netanyahu said: “We have set two main goals during this war: to eliminate Hamas by destroying its military and government capabilities, and to do everything in our power to bring our hostages home.

“All Hamas militants are doomed. Above the earth, underground, inside Gaza and outside Gaza.’

Hamas is believed to be holding approximately 222 hostages in Gaza, ranging in age from nine months to 85 years.

Mr. Netanyahu acknowledged that a “soul-search” would be needed into how the terrorist group was able to carry out the October 7 murderous attack without the knowledge of the country’s intelligence services.

But he said his role now was to lead Israel to “total victory” over its enemies. He added: “If we enter Gaza later in our struggle, we will receive the full price from the terrorists who committed these Hamas atrocities.”

He called on Israelis “not for a moment to forget” those killed in the Hamas attacks and revealed there will be a national day of mourning to commemorate the victims.

“It’s like shooting thousands of arrows into our hearts, which bleed,” he told the country, adding: “Together we will fight and together we will win.”

Netanyahu said the country’s special war cabinet had made the final decision on when armed forces would enter the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

He said he would not “not tell” how and when the invasion would take place, nor how extensive it would be. But last night it was suggested that the planned attack was being shelved at the request of the White House.

“I want to make it very clear: the timing of the IDF operation is determined unanimously by the cabinet directing the war, together with the chief of the general staff,” he said.

“We are working to ensure the best optimal conditions for their next operations.”

Netanyahu also urged citizens to evacuate to southern Gaza, saying the country would help people “obtain their own personal weapons in a controlled manner.”

The Pentagon is trying to deploy nearly a dozen air defense systems to protect U.S. troops serving in the Middle East, including in Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and Syria.

U.S. officials are said to be concerned that terrorist groups across the region could target U.S. troops once the incursion begins, the Wall Street Journal reported.

There have been at least thirteen drone and missile attacks in Iraq and Syria since October 18, injuring about twenty American soldiers. However, President Joe Biden denied the reports, telling reporters: “It’s their decision, but I didn’t ask for it.”

Israel is also weighing the need to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, as well as diplomatic efforts to free more hostages from the clutches of Hamas. A large-scale ground attack threatens to further fuel geopolitical tensions in the region.

On Tuesday, a news agency with ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said it was “likely” that Lebanon’s Tehran-backed Hezbollah group would become involved in the war with Israel.

During a visit to Cairo yesterday, French President Emmanuel Macron said a “massive” ground invasion of Gaza would be a mistake. Instead, he suggested that the international coalition formed to fight terror group Isis should be revived to eradicate Hamas.

Biden warned “there is no going back to the status quo that existed on October 6” between Israelis and Palestinians.

In a call with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Biden said he would “guarantee” Israel had “what it needs to defend itself against these terrorists.”

Last night, Netanyahu pledged to gain the international community’s support for the coming invasion.

He said: ‘We are mobilizing the support of world leaders to continue this campaign and many of them today understand what we have been repeating since 2014: Hamas is Isis and Isis is Hamas.

“I tell them that our war against Hamas is also their war against Hamas… it is a battle between the axis of evil of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran and that of progress and freedom.”

According to the Syrian state news agency Sana, eight Syrian soldiers were killed yesterday by Israeli airstrikes in southwestern Syria.

The Israeli military said its fighter jets hit Syrian army infrastructure and mortar launchers in what it described as a response to rocket launches from Syria towards Israel.