Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained defiant and came out swinging in a Wednesday press conference amid growing international isolation and pressure, even from allies.
He declared at a press conference in Jerusalem that Israel will control all of Gaza when the military offensive ends, and this remains the ultimate goal – to fully and finally crush Hamas.
Netanyahu described that it was days ago, upon the approval of Operation Gideon’s Chariots – the greatly expanded ground offensive in Gaza – that he made the decision to initiate the next stage of the war.
He asserted that “At the end of this campaign, all of the territories of the Gaza Strip will be under Israel’s security control.”
However, he did also say that “If there is an option for a temporary ceasefire to free hostages, we’ll be ready” – this after calling back Israeli negotiators from Doha this week.
He further said in the televised news conference, which was his first since December, that “We must avoid a humanitarian crisis in order to preserve our freedom of operational action.”
Shortly after the address, regional headlines cited that dozens of aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip, which marks the end of an 80-day cutoff, and after intense pressure from allies to let aid flow, and amid fears of famine gripping the Palestinian population.
The BBC observed that Netanyahu’s tone was one of defiance and defensiveness:
Benjamin Netanyahu was in defensive mode, sticking to his guns and unfazed by critics – foreign and domestic – of his decision to step up the war in Gaza.
Operation Gideon’s Chariots is intended to “complete the war, the job”, said the Israeli Prime Minister at a rare press conference tonight to which only Israeli media were invited.
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