Netanyahu to Hostage Families: No Deal as of This Moment

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu held a press conference today together with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister Benny Gantz at the Kiryah in Tel Aviv.

Netanyahu began by addressing the families of the hostages, saying “we march with you, I march with you. Until this moment, there was no deal but when we have what to say, we will report to the public on it. We know the nightmare the families are in.”

He then spoke of the heroism of the soldiers, the conduct of the war, and the pressures the international community was applying to Israel.

“They demanded we not enter the Strip, not enter Gaza, not enter Shifa, agree to a full cease fire. We rejected all of these. We insist on our vital security interests.”

Regarding the introduction of fuel into the Strip, “humanitarian aid is vital for continued international support, without international support it will be difficult to go all the way. Therefore, when the Shin Bet and the IDF recommended introducing two trucks a day, we agreed. The outbreak of diseases will also harm IDF troops.”