“Israel did not start this war, Israel did not want this, but, Israel will win this,” says Israeli PM; calls for a ceasefire declined

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that a ceasefire ‘will not happen’ in Israel's military operation against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, claiming that ‘it is a time of war’ and Israel will ‘fight until this battle is won.’ "Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorism, to surrender to barbarism. That will not happen," said the Israeli Prime Minister.

"Just as the United States would not agree to a ceasefire after the bombing of Pearl Harbor or after the terrorist attack of 9/11, Israel will not agree to a cessation of hostilities with Hamas after the horrific attacks of October 7th," he said while clarifying Israeli's position on a ceasefire.

“The horrors that Hamas perpetrated on October 7th remind us that we will not realize the promise of a better future unless we, the civilized world, are willing to fight the barbarians”, said Netanyahu. Following Hamas's October 7 surprise strike, Israel launched a counter-offensive in Gaza, which was followed by a ground operation.

This comes at a time when the Israeli forces continue to advance into Gaza. Israeli air attacks have killed approximately 8,300 civilians in the region, stated the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry.

In addition, Netanyahu proposed that Israel’s military offensive has been successful in liberating Israeli hostages while destroying Hamas and that is evident from Hamas’s release of hostages. Israel's Prime Minister lauded the military and security agency Shin Bet on the release of army private Ori Megidish, on Sunday night, three weeks after being taken hostage.

Netanyahu claimed that Hamas started the ‘war’ by ‘committing the most heinous savagery our people have seen since the Holocaust.’ "Hamas murdered children in front of their parents. Murdered parents in front of their children. They burnt people alive. They raped women. They beheaded men. They tortured Holocaust survivors. They kidnapped babies. They committed the most horrific crimes imaginable," Netanyahu said in the press briefing.

The Israeli Prime Minister also named an ‘axis’ of evil that has been formed by Iran, Lebanon, and Yemen. "An axis of terror that works by arming, training and financing Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and other terror proxies throughout the Middle East and beyond the Middle East," the PM added.

Benjamin Netanyahu stated that ‘Israel did not start this war, Israel did not want this’, however, the PM has vowed that ‘Israel will win this.’​