Benjamin Netanyahu on the deal: We reserve right to return to fight the war

In an address to the Israeli people regaring the hostage deal with Hamas tonight (Saturday) Benjamin Netanyahu assured that after phase one of the deal, Israel reserved the right to return to war with even more power than before.

Netanyahu started by saying that "we showed the world that when Israel remains united, there is no power than can break us...the cabinet approved the hostage deal, and their return is one of the goal's goals and we won't give up on this. The sacred duty of returning hostages is one that accompanies me my entire life...I think about them all the time."

"I promise that we will accomplish all of the war's goals. We will return all of the hostages home," he continued. "Unitl now we have returned 157 hostages, This deal is first and foremost the fruit of how brave soldiers. It's also the result of our full participation with the departing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration."

"Trump called me on Wednesday and gave his blessing for the hostage deal, and he spoke of the first phase of the deal as a temporary cease fire. After that, we have significant resources with which to release the rest of the hostages and to fulfill all of the war's goals. Both Trump and Biden give their full backing to our right to return to war, if Israel decides that phase 2 of the deal is not worth it."

Netanyahu assure that "Trump would release any restrictions on ammunition and war supplies. If we have to return to fighting, we will do this with new ways, and we will do this with great power...Hamas demanded that we agree to permantly stop the war effort. I refused this outright and I succeeded in this. I also successfuly obtained the maximum of hostages that could possible be released in the first phase of the deal. Compared to the deal set up in May 2024, we have doubled the amount of live hostages to be released."

"The other principle that we insisted on was regarding the Philadephi Corridor and the security area. We will actually increase our forces a bit in the Philadelphi Corridor, this in contrast to what was heard in the media. Our forces will remain in the security zone within Gaza. We will not allow the transfer of weapons into Gaza and we will not allow the taking of our hostages out of Gaza. In addition, those terrorists with blood on their hands will not be released to Judea and Samaria but rather either to Gaza or outside the country altogether. We also decided in the cabinet of a significant increase in our forces in Judea and Samaria to ensure the safety of the residents there.

"Our war requires us to make difficult decisions," Netanyahu concluded. "But it is these decision on which leadership is tested. These decision take into account the entirety of the nation's security considerations...I salute those that paid the ultimate price in the war, my brothers and sisters in bereavment...The war is still not over, a long and challenging road lies ahead. This is the time to be united. This is what the legacy of our nation requires of us and this is what the generation of victory demands of us...this is the spirit of our ancient nation. Together, with God's help we will defeat our enemies and ensure our future."