Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued a statement to the media this evening (Monday) in which he addressed the situation in the south and the security situation following Hamas attacks. In his remarks, he emphasized that the military will continue to operate, and he called for the formation of an emergency government.
"We are on the third day of the conflict. We are in a battle for our home, a battle for our existence, a battle that we will win," said Netanyahu. "This war has been imposed on us by a heinous enemy, inhumane people who celebrate the murder of women, children, and the elderly. We haven't seen such horror since the horrors of ISIS. Children were killed with the rest of their families. Young men and women were shot in the back and murdered, and other horrors that I won't describe here. We always knew who Hamas was, and now the entire world knows. Hamas is like ISIS, and we will defeat it just as the enlightened world defeated ISIS. This bloodthirsty enemy wanted a war, and it will get a war."
"Call for the establishment of a national emergency government immediately"
"At the beginning of the war, I ordered five immediate actions: The first action – to clear and defend the settlements and prevent any enemy incursion into our territory. These battles are still ongoing. Several terrorists are still hiding within us, and our forces are working around the clock to eliminate them. The second action being carried out at the moment is to launch a massive attack against Hamas with unprecedented force. The third action is to fortify the other fronts – on the northern border against Hezbollah, in Judea and Samaria, and within the State of Israel. I embrace the soldiers and fighters, all the security and rescue personnel who are working with extraordinary dedication, even in these moments, on all these fronts, and I admire their courage in safeguarding the State of Israel.
"The fourth action – continuing to strengthen the international support that I began to mobilize with the outbreak of the conflict on Saturday, in order to preserve our operational space against our enemies," Netanyahu continued. "The final action, from my perspective, is of supreme importance – consolidating unity among the people. The division within us is over. We are all united. And when we are united – we win. The people are united, and now the leadership needs to unite. I call on the leaders of the opposition to immediately establish a national emergency government without any preconditions, as was established with Menachem Begin, on the eve of the Six-Day War."
"What we will do to our enemies will resonate with them for generations"
"Dear citizens of Israel, we have begun, and I emphasize that we have only just begun, to strike at Hamas. The images of destruction and devastation from the strongholds of Hamas in Gaza are just the beginning," the Prime Minister pledged. "We have eliminated many terrorists, and we will not stop there. I said that every place from which Hamas operates will turn into a heap of ruins. It is already happening today, and it will continue.
"I know that we all want immediate results. It will take time, but I promise you, dear citizens, that at the end of this conflict, all our enemies will know that it was a grave mistake to attack Israel," he added. "What we do to our enemies in the coming days will resonate with them for generations."
He further noted, "Yesterday, I appointed Gal Hirsch as responsible for the issue of the captives and missing persons, and he has already begun his work. We will do everything to bring them back. Our hearts are with the families of the captives, our hearts are with the families of the fallen. We have lost whole families, sons and daughters, young and old, soldiers and security personnel, Jews and non-Jews. The fate is shared by all of us. This is not a slogan. This is true. It is the truest and deepest thing that binds us to one another. Together, we will overcome and together, we will win – only together."
"As the Prime Minister of Israel, I say to you with an open heart: there are still difficult days ahead of us. We grieve for our brothers and sisters whose blood has been shed, and we are determined to win this war in order to bring life, blessing, and light to our nation and our country," he concluded. "The revival of Israel is a miracle and a testament to faith and action. In the book of Samuel, it is said: 'The victory of Israel will not be false.' Throughout our long journey, this promise has stood true. This time, too, we will uphold the promise – because Am Yisrael Chai - The Nation of Israel Lives."