Netanyahu: Capitulation to Hamas Demands Would not Free Hostages

February 8, 2024

by: Itamar Eichner ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 8 February 2024 | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that victory was within reach. He added that there can be no capitulation to the demands of Hamas after the terror group said that only a complete cease-fire and a withdrawal of troops would bring about the release of the Israeli captives held in Gaza since their abduction on October 7.

“Giving in to the outrageous demands of Hamas will not only fail to bring about the release of the hostages but will invite an additional massacre and a disaster for Israel,” Netanyahu said in a press conference.

He told the reporters that the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] was instructed to prepare for an offensive on Rafah. He said the military had already killed or injured 20,000 Hamas terrorists, which is half of the terror group’s force. “If Hamas survives in Gaza, it will only be a matter of time until the next massacre,” he said.

“The day after the war is the day after Hamas. Not part of Hamas, not half of Hamas,” he said. “After Hamas is destroyed, Gaza will be demilitarized and there is only one force that can ensure Israel’s security. That means Israel will operate in Gaza wherever and however long is needed to ensure terrorism does not lift its head again.”

The prime minister pushed back on claims that Hamas was again emerging in the northern areas of the Gaza Strip and insisted the military destroyed the terrorists command structure there. He said what is left is “shrapnel” from the force of the Israeli assault. “There is no option but to destroy Hamas militarily and that is within our reach . Armies around the world are looking at our war and comparing it to the nine months it took the US and its allies to win in Mosul, Iraq, over 5,000 terrorists who did not have an underground network of tunnels. The achievements of the IDF speak for themselves.”

The prime minister then repeated comments he had made in the past that the governing body in the Strip cannot be one that educates children for terror or funds terror. “This means we will have to replace UNRWA. I’ve given instructions to begin this process and informed Secretary Blinken of the fact.”

Posted on February 8, 2024

Source: (Excerpt from an article originally was published by Ynetnews on February 7, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Avi Ohayon/Government Press Office of Israel/wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia