Netanyahu stated, "Our goal is total victory over Hamas. We will kill the leadership of Hamas, therefore we must continue to operate in all areas in the Gaza Strip. We must not end the war before then. It will take time - months, not years."
On the issue of the hostages, Netanyahu said that "we have already freed 110 of our hostages, we continue to act on this issue, but Hamas has demands that we will not agree to."
"The release mechanism should be similar to the previous agreement. This attempt will not be realized at any cost," he added.
The war between Israel and Hamas began when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, during the Simchat Torah holiday. Thousands of terrorists broke through the border between Israel and Gaza and rampaged through dozens of communities and a music rave.
Over 1,200 people were murdered on October 7, mostly civilians, and about 250 people were taken hostage to Gaza. 136 hostages are still held in Gaza about four months after the massacre.
The massacre of October 7 was the worst massacre committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
