Prime Minister Netanyahu Visits Israeli Troops in Gaza

Three days into a fighting pause in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a visit to his country's troops and declared that "we are continuing until the end — until victory." In a video statement, he declared, "Nothing will stop us," while wearing protective gear and having Israeli soldiers surround him. It was unclear at first exactly when Mr. Netanyahu made his visit—the government withheld details until he had left the Palestinian enclave—as well as his exact location, though it is most likely that he went to the northern section of the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli military has established control. This was Mr. Netanyahu's first visit to Gaza following the start of the Israeli ground invasion nearly a Three days into a fighting pause in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a visit to his country's troops and declared that "we are continuing until the end — until victory." In a video statement, he declared, "Nothing will stop us," while wearing protective gear and having Israeli soldiers surround him. It was unclear at first exactly when Mr. Netanyahu made his visit—the government withheld details until he had left the Palestinian enclave—as well as his exact location, though it is most likely that he went to the northern section of the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli military has established control. This was Mr. Netanyahu's first visit to Gaza following the start of the Israeli ground invasion nearly a Three days into a fighting pause in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a visit to his country's troops and declared that "we are continuing until the end — until victory." In a video statement, he declared, "Nothing will stop us," while wearing protective gear and having Israeli soldiers surround him. It was unclear at first exactly when Mr. Netanyahu made his visit—the government withheld details until he had left the Palestinian enclave—as well as his exact location, though it is most likely that he went to the northern section of the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli military has established control. This was Mr. Netanyahu's first visit to Gaza following the start of the Israeli ground invasion nearly a month ago, according to officials. Those who traveled with him included his national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi; his military secretary, Maj. Gen. Avi Gil; and the Israeli military’s deputy chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Amir Baram.

Photographs released by the Israeli government showed Mr. Netanyahu—wearing a T-shirt, jeans, and a khaki flak jacket and helmet—looking at a map, consulting with commanders, and standing just inside a tunnel that his office said the Israeli military had recently exposed.

The pause, which began on Friday, is part of a deal that includes the release by Hamas of at least 50 Israeli hostages in exchange for at least 150 Palestinian prisoners and increased aid for Gaza. Israel has offered to extend the pause by one day for every additional 10 hostages released. Hamas announced on Sunday evening, after Mr. Netanyahu’s visit, that it was seeking to extend the truce, which was slated to end on Tuesday.

“We are making every effort to bring back our hostages and eventually we will return them all,” Mr. Netanyahu said. Israeli officials have said about 240 people were taken to Gaza as hostages by Hamas and its allies on Oct. 7 in an attack that also killed about 1,200 people.

Some analysts have argued that the longer the cease-fire, the harder it may be for Israel to go back to fighting. But the prime minister emphasized that rooting out Hamas remained a central objective for Israel.

“We have three goals in this war: Eliminate Hamas, return all of our hostages and ensure that Gaza will not go back to being a threat to the state of Israel,” he said.

He added: “We are convinced that we have the force, the strength, the will and the determination to achieve all of our goals for the war.” The prime minister's statement reflects the complex dilemma Israel faces. While acknowledging the potential challenges of a prolonged cease-fire, he reiterates the unwavering commitment to eliminate Hamas and ensure long-term security for Israel. This underscores the belief in their capabilities and determination to achieve their objectives in the ongoing conflict. (QuillBot)

SUMMERY:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited his country's troops three days into a fighting pause in the Gaza Strip, declaring that "we are continuing until the end — until victory." He was wearing protective gear and having Israeli soldiers surround him. This was his first visit to Gaza following the start of the Israeli ground invasion nearly a month ago. The pause began on Friday and is part of a deal that includes the release by Hamas of at least 50 Israeli hostages in exchange for at least 150 Palestinian prisoners and increased aid for Gaza. Israel has offered to extend the pause by one day for every additional 10 hostages released. Hamas announced on Sunday evening that it was seeking to extend the truce, which was slated to end on Tuesday. Netanyahu emphasized that rooting out Hamas remained a central objective for Israel, stating that they have three goals in this war: eliminate Hamas, return all of their hostages, and ensure that Gaza will not return to being a threat to the state of Israel.