Today marks the 99th day of the war. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the media this evening, providing a statement on the overall situation of the war that Israel has been facing since October 7.
"We are marking 100 days of the war," said Netanyahu. "100 days since the terrible day when our civilians were abducted and murdered. We continue the fight until the end, until we achieve all our goals – neutralizing Hamas, bringing back all our captives, and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel. We will restore security to both the North and the South. No one will stop us, neither The Hague nor anyone else."
Netanyahu also commented on the lawsuit against Israel at The Hague, stating, "The deceitful assault in The Hague on the Jewish state, arising from the ashes of the Holocaust, is a moral low point in the history of nations."
"Tomorrow, we will present a budget that will ensure the continuation of the war," Netanyahu declared. "More funds for security, much more. Additional incentives for reservists, self-employed individuals, and their families, as well as for the rehabilitation of communities. We are on the way to victory, and we will not stop until we achieve it. I know that some cast doubt on this – we do not. I know that you also do not. We are going all the way to the end."
Netanyahu also addressed the question of whether residents of the Gaza Strip will return to their homes, stating, "There is a simple international law that says if you evacuate residents from a combat zone that poses a threat, you are not obligated to return them as long as the danger persists. Currently, the danger exists, and we will not return residents as long as the threat persists."
Regarding the issue of Palestinian workers from the Palestinian Authority, Netanyahu responded, "This is a complex question, people are concerned. When 85% support the massacre on October 7, it's clear there is a natural and understandable fear. People say we do not want to bring them back. Go figure out what will happen. But there might be a solution to bring them in under proper security, and it is being considered these days."
On the question of the captives, Netanyahu stated, "No one can put themselves in the place of the families of the captives; it is a terrible nightmare. Just as no one can put themselves in the place of the bereaved families. But there is an inverted truth; alongside the heart that goes out to them, there is also the overall responsibility alongside other considerations. Just as we cannot put ourselves in the place of the decision-makers, even with all the sorrow, they cannot put themselves in the place of the recipients of the decisions. We are making efforts even in these moments to answer everyone."
"What pushes the process and will lead to the return of the captives is the military pressure; we continue the pressure because that is our way to answer the remaining captives parallel to neutralizing Hamas," he added.
