Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his commitment to continuing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, despite rising domestic and international opposition.
In a pre-recorded video released Saturday night, Netanyahu framed the war as a fight for Israel’s survival, insisting that the country has “no choice” but to persist “until victory.”
The prime minister called for “perseverance and resilience,” asserting that defeating Hamas and securing the release of the remaining 59 hostages are top priorities.
His statement comes as tensions rise following Hamas’ rejection of an Israeli ceasefire proposal, which demanded the disarmament of Gaza but did not include a permanent end to hostilities—conditions Hamas has refused to accept.
“If we surrender to Hamas’s demands now, all the tremendous achievements gained by our soldiers, our fallen, and our wounded heroes—those achievements will simply be lost,”.
He linked the war effort to U.S. President Donald Trump’s vision of Gaza’s future, which included relocating Palestinians and turning the strip into a “Riviera of the Middle East.”
Trump has also suggested U.S. control over the enclave, home to over two million Palestinians.
However, Netanyahu’s remarks were met with criticism from the Hostage Families Forum Headquarters, which accused him of lacking a concrete strategy for securing the hostages’ release.
“Many words and slogans will not succeed in hiding the simple truth — Netanyahu has no plan,” the group stated, lamenting the absence of direct engagement on the issue during his broadcast.
