For the first time since December, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a press conference on Wednesday. He opened with a statement and then took questions from journalists, marking the first such briefing in six months.
At the outset, Netanyahu offered condolences to the families of Sgt. Yosef Yehuda Chirik and Staff Sgt. Danilo Mokanu, who were killed in the Gaza Strip. "This war comes at a cost, but it has a clear purpose: to defeat Hamas, bring all our hostages home, and ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel. We are committed to achieving these goals in full," he said.
Netanyahu reviewed the achievements of the war and outlined the cabinet's future strategy. "We've accomplished a great deal together, but the job is not yet done. We have a detailed plan. We began in Gaza, eliminated tens of thousands of terrorists, took out top masterminds, and destroyed countless terror tunnels. Those who attacked us so brutally now understand the scale of the devastation they brought upon themselves."
"Thanks to our soldiers and the strategic decisions we made, hostages have been returned. We brought home 148 hostages alive. We know for certain that 20 hostages are still alive, and there are 38 deceased. We will bring them all back."
"Prepared for a temporary ceasefire"
The prime minister stressed that, contrary to early doubts, hostages have been freed: "At the start of the war, some said we wouldn't get even one hostage back. I thought differently. I acted differently. And this path has proven itself. If there's an opportunity for a temporary ceasefire and to bring back more hostages, we are ready for that. A temporary ceasefire only."
He added: "After crushing the enemy in the south, we withstood immense international pressure to end the war, and significant domestic pressure as well. We pushed back against it all. We entered Rafah, seized the Philadelphi Route, cut Hamas' supply line, and only then turned to Lebanon. In the boldest beeper operation in the history of warfare, we eliminated thousands of terrorists and most of Hezbollah's senior command. We destroyed the overwhelming majority of their terror villages and removed the threat of invasion to northern communities."
"We are enforcing this ceasefire with determination. The IDF does so exceptionally. Our operations in Lebanon led to the fall of the Assad regime. We've dealt serious blows to the Houthis in Yemen, and we haven't said our final word yet. We hit Iranian terror infrastructure, but Iran remains a very serious threat to Israel."
Netanyahu also addressed the US-Iran nuclear talks: "We're in full coordination with the US, in constant communication. We hope they reach an agreement, one that would prevent Iran from enriching uranium. If that happens, of course, we'll welcome it. But regardless, Israel reserves the right to defend itself against a regime threatening our annihilation."
"The mission Is not yet complete"
Netanyahu reiterated that Operation Gideon's Chariots aims to finish the job. "Three days ago, the cabinet and I ordered a new phase in this war of rebirth. We are delivering massive blows to the remaining Hamas strongholds in Gaza. Ask the residents of the Gaza border communities, their houses shake, not from Hamas rockets, but from the IDF's massive firepower. We're taking more and more territory and clearing it of Hamas. By the end of this process, all of Gaza will be under Israeli control and Hamas will be fully defeated."
"To maintain our operational freedom and allow our allies to support us, we must prevent a humanitarian crisis," he continued, explaining the US-Israeli plan to deliver aid to Gazans.
Three-Phase Humanitarian Plan
"I hear from true friends of Israel: we are backing you, sending weapons, urging you to eliminate these monsters, but one thing we won't accept is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. At the same time, we all know Hamas loots much of the aid and sells the rest at extortionate prices to recruit terrorists. So, to deny Hamas access to humanitarian aid, we've developed an alternative plan with the US, a basic food distribution program that won't reach Hamas."
The plan includes three phases: "Phase one - immediate delivery of basic food supplies to prevent a humanitarian crisis and allow fighting to continue. Phase two - starting in the coming days, opening food distribution points run by American companies. Phase three - during the takeover of Gaza, establishing a sterile zone in the southern Strip free of Hamas, where Gazans will receive full humanitarian aid."
