Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement on Tuesday reiterating that the war against the Hamas terrorists who launched the conflict from Gaza on October 7, 2023, will not end until all of Israel’s objectives are achieved: eliminating Hamas as a governing and military entity; returning all of the kidnapped hostages, both living and deceased; and ensuring Gaza can never again pose a threat to the Jewish State.
The statement came in response to a New York Times report entitled “Israeli Generals, Low on Munitions, Want a Truce in Gaza” that cited “anonymous sources” claiming Israel is prepared to end the war before achieving all its objectives due to shortages in ammunition, spare parts and personnel.
The report claimed senior IDF officials are pushing to end the war in Gaza even if Hamas “temporarily” remains in power, saying a ceasefire would be the best way to free the 120 hostages living and deceased who remain captives.
“I do not know who these anonymous sources are, but I am here to make it unequivocally clear: This will not happen,” Netanyahu said.
“The war will end once Israel achieves all of its objectives, including the destruction of Hamas and the release of all of our hostages,” Netanyahu said a few hours after the report was published.
“The Government directed the IDF to achieve these war objectives and the IDF has all the means to achieve them,” the prime minister emphasized. “We will not capitulate to the winds of defeatism, neither in The New York Times nor anywhere else. We are inspired by the spirit of victory.”
Nine current and former military officials were quoted in the report, which also claimed some IDF tanks in Gaza are not carrying a full supply of shells with which to battle the terrorists. The sources said the IDF is running out of shells and that supplies of spare parts for tanks, military bulldozers and armored vehicles are running out as well.
The IDF also issued a response to the report, saying Israel’s military is “determined to continue fighting to achieve the war’s objectives of destroying Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, returning the hostages and bringing the residents of the north and south back to their homes safely.
“So far, significant achievements have been made in the fighting in Gaza and the IDF will continue to fight Hamas throughout the Gaza Strip while continuing to enhance readiness for a war in the north, and defense efforts along all borders.”
