'Will fight till we achieve total victory if Hamas doesn't surrender': Netanyahu at UNGA

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, during his address at the UN General Assembly, said that while Israel is “yearning for peace,” it continues to face “savage enemies” and that the country will keep defending itself unless Hamas lays down its arms.

“I didn’t intend to come here this year. My country is at war, fighting for its life. But after I heard the lies and slanders levelled at my country by many of the speakers at this podium, I decided to come here and set the record straight,” the Israeli leader said.

Talking about the Israel and Hamas war, the prime minister said, “A normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel seemed closer than ever. But then came the curse of October 7th. Thousands of Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists from Gaza burst into Israel in pickup trucks, on motorcycles. And they committed unimaginable atrocities.”

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Netanyahu said, without providing evidence, that Israel’s military had killed or captured more than half of Hamas’ estimated 40,000 armed fighters, and that it had destroyed 90% of Hamas’ rockets.

He added that the war between Israel and Hamas could come to an end “now” if the latter surrenders and release all the hostages held by it in Gaza. “But if they don’t, we will fight until we achieve victory, total victory. There is no substitute for it,” Netanyahu said.

“If Hamas stays in power, it will regroup… and attack Israel again and again and again… So Hamas has got to go,” Netanyahu said to diplomats gathered at the UN’s New York headquarters.

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A number of diplomats left the premises in protest before Netanyahu began his address while demonstrators gathered outside the UN building to slam the prime minister’s war policy.

On Iran-Hezbollah

He added, “Israel was soon forced to defend itself on six more war fronts organized by Iran. On October 8th, Hezbollah attacked us from Lebanon. Since then, they fired over 8,000 rockets at our towns and cities, at our civilians and our children.”

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah are currently engaged in a conflict with the former reportedly preparing its forces to launch a ground operation in Lebanon. Hundreds have died after Israeli airstrike hit several parts of Lebanon including the capital city of Beirut.

“I have a message for the tyrants of Tehran. If you strike us, we will strike you,” Netanyahu said.

With inputs from agencies