Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to “completely eliminate” Hamas on Saturday evening as he revealed that IDF forces have been fighting in the Gaza Strip to eliminate “evil” and “bring back” hostages.
He told Israeli citizens that the ongoing ground operation is the second phase of the war against Hamas, in which he said Israeli “good” would triumph over “evil.”
The IDF is using every opportunity to bring hostages home to their loved ones, Netanyahu added, saying he met today with families of people believed to be trapped in Gaza and that his “heart was broken.”
The press conference came just 24 hours after Israel confirmed it would expand ground operations into Gaza.
“The war in the Gaza Strip will be long and difficult,” Netanyahu said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Saturday evening to ‘completely eliminate’ Hamas
Smoke rises over Gaza, seen from the Israeli border with Gaza on Saturday
“Israel is not only fighting its own war, but a war for all humanity, a battle against barbarism.”
He also targeted other Middle Eastern leaders and protesters around the world who have accused Israel of war crimes. He called the claim “hypocritical” after more than 1,400 people were killed in Hamas’ attack on October 7.
The Israeli prime minister called on those still in northern Gaza to move south, repeating claims that Hamas is using hospitals as bases and exploiting Palestinian civilians as human shields.
He continued, “There are times when a nation is faced with two options: to exist or to cease. And right now, this is the kind of test we face and I have no doubt how it will end. We will come out triumphant. We will triumph.
‘In the early weeks of the war there were huge air raids on the enemy and in recent days the force has increased to help us get in from the ground in the safest way.
“We have eliminated countless killers… and we have eradicated the infrastructure of terrorism – and this is just the beginning of the road. Our struggle in the Gaza Strip will be long and difficult. We are prepared for that.
‘This is Israel’s second war of independence. We will fight to protect our homeland and we will fight on the ground, in the air and in the sea. We will eliminate the enemy above ground and below ground.
‘We will fight and we will win and this will be the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, life over death. And in this war we stand firmly together, more united than ever, sure of our righteous way.
“This is the mission of our lives, the mission of my life.”
In his post-prime speech, Israel’s Defense Minister said the IDF is inflicting “heavy blows” on Hamas, but emphasized that the state has no desire to “expand.”
Earlier on Saturday, Israeli ground forces were active in the northern Gaza Strip, the army said, more than 24 hours after entering the Palestinian territory, three weeks into the war with Hamas.
“Since Friday evening, combined combat troops, combat engineers and infantry have been operating on the ground in the northern Gaza Strip,” an army statement said.
Israeli forces have carried out several small-scale ground incursions into Gaza, but the current one is the longest presence in the area since violence erupted with a deadly Hamas attack on October 7.
Earlier on Saturday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the war had “entered a new phase” with the intense nighttime bombings.
‘Last night the ground shook in Gaza. We attacked above ground and underground,” Gallant said in a video statement, referring to the network of military tunnels that Hamas has built under Gaza.
“The instructions to the armed forces are clear: the action will continue until further notice.”
Journalists on the ground in Gaza have reported bombings of an intensity never before seen, raising international humanitarian concerns for innocent civilians.
The Hamas-led Palestinian Health Authority claims more than 7,700 people have been killed by Israeli offensives, and when tanks entered Gaza last night, internet and mobile signals were cut, leaving families and charities in the dark about conditions on the ground. .
This is a current news item and is being updated.