In his first address since Operation Rising Lion in Iran, Prime Minister Netanyahu vows to seize Hamas’s last strongholds, rejecting what he calls “impossible” surrender conditions.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a forceful statement to Israeli media on Sunday evening — his first since Operation Rising Lion in Iran — declaring that Israel has entered the “decisive phase” of the war to crush Hamas in Gaza.
Following Thursday’s Security Cabinet decision, Netanyahu confirmed that the IDF will move to take control of Gaza City, the “terror capital” housing Hamas’s headquarters, commanders, and operational infrastructure.
“The Cabinet instructed the IDF to move to the decisive phase and take control of the last strongholds held by Hamas,” Netanyahu said. “We will provide civilians with an organized exit corridor and humanitarian aid outside the combat zones, as we did in Khan Yunis, Rafah, and Deir al-Balah.”
Rejecting ‘Conditions of Surrender’
Netanyahu accused Hamas of sabotaging months of hostage negotiations, presenting demands he called “impossible”:
- Complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, including the Philadelphi Corridor
- Release of Nukhba unit terrorists
- Binding international guarantees preventing the IDF from future combat in Gaza
“These are conditions of surrender that no responsible government would accept — and I will not accept,” he declared. “Hamas has deceived us, and the right path is to defeat Hamas.”
Why Encirclement Was Rejected
The Prime Minister revealed that some in the Cabinet proposed encircling Hamas and conducting raids, but the majority believed this would fail to achieve decisive victory or secure the release of hostages.
“Through the path I led, 205 out of 255 hostages were released — 148 alive. We remain committed to bringing home the 20 still alive and the 30 who are no longer with us.”
A ‘Historic Crossroads’ for Israel
Netanyahu framed the current stage as a turning point for the Middle East, claiming:
- The Iranian axis has been broken
- Hezbollah has been severely weakened
- The government is advancing efforts to disarm Hezbollah
“Some try to downplay these historic achievements — as if saving the lives of ten million people and securing our future for generations is a trivial matter.”
He credited these gains to resisting domestic and international pressure to halt the war before entering Rafah:
“Had I given in, Sinwar and Haniyeh would still rule Gaza, and Iran would be racing toward a nuclear weapon and producing 20,000 ballistic missiles threatening our existence.”
