Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday (Dec 21) said that the Israeli counter-offensive in Gaza will not stop until the goals are achieved.
Netanyahu said that the Israeli forces would fight until Hamas was destroyed and all the remaining hostages that were held captive by the Palestinian militant group on Oct 7 were released.
“We are fighting until victory. We will not stop the war until we achieve all its goals – destroying Hamas and releasing all our hostages,” Netanyahu said.
“What I suggest for Hamas is very simple: Surrender or die. They will not have any other choice,” he said.
“And after we destroy Hamas, I will do everything in my power to ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel. Not ‘Hamas-istan’ and not ‘Fatah-istan’ (referring to the party headed by Ramallah-based Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas),” the Israeli PM added.
Hamas says Israel’s objective to eliminate it ‘doomed to fail’
On the other hand, the Palestinian military group on Thursday claimed that the Israeli military’s goal of eliminating it in the besieged Palestinian enclave was “doomed to fail”.
Abu Obeida, spokesman for Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said in an audio recording that any further release of hostages held in Gaza depended on a “cessation of aggression”.
Neither Israel’s continued offensive nor “direct military operations” would bring the hostages home, he said.
“It is not possible to release enemy prisoners alive except by entering into negotiations.”
As per the Israeli authorities, 129 hostages remain held in Gaza.
Abu Obeida further said that there was “no alternative” to negotiations, warning that Israeli fire could lead to the deaths of more hostages.
He then took a dig at Israel’s leader saying that their “decision… evades facing and recognising the truth”.
After releasing the spokesman’s recording, Hamas’ armed wing also shared a video that showcased three Israeli hostages, who they claimed had been killed in Israeli strikes.
The fighting in Gaza has so far claimed the lives of at least 1,140 people, mostly civilians inside Israel with Hamas taking some 250 hostages.
(With inputs from agencies)
