Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue Israel’s war on Gaza until achieving “total victory,” while also promising to target Hezbollah in Lebanon. His remarks came amid fading hopes for a ceasefire that could prevent a wider regional conflict.
Several delegations walked out of the UN General Assembly as Netanyahu took the podium, while supporters in the gallery cheered. “I didn’t intend to come here this year. My country is at war, fighting for its life,” Netanyahu said on Friday. He explained that he decided to attend after hearing accusations against Israel from other speakers.
Netanyahu’s address followed weeks of Israeli attacks on Gaza, which have killed more than 41,500 Palestinians and wounded over 96,000, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Many victims were women and children, including approximately 1,300 infants under two years old. Israel’s offensive began in response to an October 7 Hamas-led attack that killed at least 1,139 people in southern Israel, primarily civilians, with around 250 taken hostage, based on Israeli figures.
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Hamas “has got to go.”
The Israeli prime minister insisted that Hamas, which governs Gaza, must not have any role in the reconstruction of the region. “If Hamas stays in power, it will regroup and attack Israel again,” Netanyahu declared. He emphasized that Hamas “has got to go.”
The War Could End…
Efforts by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar to broker a ceasefire have so far failed. Netanyahu said the war could end immediately if Hamas surrendered and released all hostages. “But if they don’t, we will fight until we achieve total victory,” he asserted, stressing that there was no alternative to complete success.
He also claimed Israeli forces had destroyed “90 percent” of Hamas’s rocket arsenal and had killed or captured half of its fighters. In response, Hamas accused Netanyahu of spreading “blatant lies” during his speech, particularly regarding the situation in Lebanon.
The ongoing conflict shows no signs of abating, with continued fighting and no clear path to a ceasefire.
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