Israel-Hamas war: Will offer 'real future' to people of Gaza, says Benjamin Netanyahu

Israel-Hamas war update: Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday told foreign ambassadors in Tel Aviv that the people of Gaza will be offered a "real future" after the destruction of Palestinian militant outfit Hamas. He said that people of Gaza will be offered a "future of promise and hope" once Hamas has been annihilated. 

Since Hamas' attack on October 7 that killed 1,400 Israelis and seized more than 240 hostages, Tel Aviv has attacked the Gaza Strip from air and launched a ground assault. At least 10,000 Palestinians, including 4,104 children, have been killed so far due to Israel's counter action in Gaza, as per the Palestinian health ministry. 

"We will defeat and dismantle Hamas and we will offer the people of Gaza and the people of the Middle East a real future, a future of promise and hope, but this requires victory," the Israel PM said. 

Netanyahu further alleged that an "axis of terror" is being led by Iran and it comprises Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis and other groups. He said that these groups "seek to bring the Middle East and the world back to a dark age", while adding they seek to disrupt and derail any peace efforts. 

Emphasising that the battle against the Hamas is not a local battle but a global one, Netanyahu said, "If they are not stopped, they will imperil the entire Middle East. If the Middle East falls to the axis of terror, Europe will be next and no one will be saved. This is not a local battle. This is a global battle." 

When asked about the future of Gaza once the conflict between Israel and Hamas is over, Netanyahu said that Israel will have the overall security responsibility of Gaza for an indefinite period. 

"I think Israel will for an indefinite period... have the overall security responsibility because we've seen what happens when we don't have that security responsibility," he was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters. 

Meanwhile, Israel has said that it will consider 'tactical little pauses' in fighting to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid for Gaza citizens and for the exit of hostages. Israel once again rejected calls for a ceasefire in Gaza despite international pressure. 

"As far as tactical little pauses-- an hour here, an hour there- we've had them before. I suppose we'll check the circumstances in order to enable goods, humanitarian goods to come in, or our hostages, individual hostages, to leave," Netanyahu said. 

Israel's all-weather ally US has also pressed for fighting pauses so that humanitarian aid could enter Gaza and for exit of hostages. US President Joe Biden discussed short fighting pauses and likely hostage releases in a phone call with BiBi on Monday. Biden also reiterated the US' support for Israel while emphasising that it must protect civilians, the White House said. 

(With inputs from Reuters)

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