Israel 'not interested' in occupying Gaza but will do 'whatever is needed' to eliminate Hamas: UN envoy

Israel has “no interest” in occupying Gaza but will do “whatever is needed” to eliminate Hamas, Gilad Erdan, the country’s ambassador to the UN said. His comments came after US President Joe Biden said any move by Israel to occupy the Gaza Strip again would be a “big mistake.” In an interview with CNN, Erdan said, “We have no interest to occupy Gaza or to stay in Gaza, but since we are fighting for our survival and the only way, as the president [Biden] himself defined is to obliterate Hamas, so we will have to do whatever is needed to obliterate their capabilities.” Echoing Erdan’s remark, Michael Herzog, the Israeli ambassador to the US said, “We have no desire to occupy or reoccupy Gaza. We have no desire to rule over the lives of more than 2 million Palestinians.” When asked if Hamas — whom Biden described as “a bunch of cowards” — must be eliminated entirely, he replied: “Yes I do.” “But there needs to be a Palestinian authority. There needs to be a path to a Palestinian state,” he continued, reiterating the long-standing US call for a two-state solution. Erdan thanked Biden for supporting Israel in its effort to eliminate Hamas. “Thank you President Biden for recognizing what Israel has been saying since the barbaric Hamas massacre occurred: Israel’s goal is the total elimination of Hamas’ terror capabilities,” he said on X.

Thank you President Biden for recognizing what Israel has been saying since the barbaric Hamas massacre occurred: Israel’s goal is the total elimination of Hamas’ terror capabilities https://t.co/rqRGDh5Onl

— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) October 16, 2023

The war between Israel and Palestine has reached Day 10, leaving over 2,800 dead.