Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly ruled out a ceasefire in the country’s fight against Hamas, as ground forces targeted Hamas militants inside the Islamist group’s vast tunnel network beneath Gaza.
On Monday, Israeli ground forces advanced deeper into Gaza, pushing tanks and other armoured vehicles into Gaza’s main city and rescuing a soldier held hostage by Hamas militants.
Netanyahu Rejects Ceasefire Talks, Pledges to Protect Civilian Lives
Netanyahu denied any possibility of a cease-fire in Gaza, rejected calls for his resignation, and dismissed criticism of Israel’s airstrikes on civilian houses during a media briefing on Monday.
“Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorism,” Netanyahu said, dismissing UN appeals for a ceasefire.
Netanyahu told foreign reporters, “This will not happen,” adding that Israel will “fight until this battle is won.”
Furthermore, the Israeli PM stated, “Just as the US would not agree to a cease-fire after the bombing of Pearl Harbor or after the terrorist attack of 9/11, Israel will not agree to a cessation of hostilities with Hamas after the horrific attacks of 7 October.”
#FPWorld: Prime Minister #BenjaminNetanyahu rejected calls for a ceasefire to facilitate the release of captives or end the war, which he has said will be long and difficulthttps://t.co/Kk4VuWFGLH
— Firstpost (@firstpost) October 31, 2023
Netanyahu declared that Tel Aviv would not agree to stop hostilities because this would only benefit Hamas, the group governing Gaza, which initiated terror attacks on Israel earlier this month.
The Israeli leader’s political opponents have called for his resignation in response to his failure to stop the attacks.
Netanyahu denied that Israel is unjustly punishing more than two million Gazans for Hamas’s crimes. According to the Gazan Health Ministry, Israel has cut off Gaza’s electricity, fuel, and most food and water supplies, and Israeli airstrikes have killed over 3,000 children.
An Israeli soldier abducted during Hamas’ deadly attack on 7 October was rescued in Gaza, as reported by the Israeli military. Military officials gave few details, but said in a statement that Pvt. Ori Megidish was “doing well.”
Netanyahu welcomed the soldier home, claiming that Israel’s security forces’ “achievement illustrates our commitment to free all the hostages.”
Additionally, he stated that Israel was doing everything possible to protect civilian lives. He referenced Israel’s warning to residents to flee to southern Gaza, where Israeli attacks occur less frequently.
Reports suggest that the rising death toll has prompted appeals from the US, which is Israel’s closest ally, other countries, and the UN for a ceasefire to allow more humanitarian supplies to reach the besieged enclave.
LIVE UPDATES: The Israeli military and Hamas report clashes deep inside the Gaza Strip, while the U.N. agency in Gaza warns that “an immediate humanitarian cease-fire has become a matter of life and death for millions.” https://t.co/F9SMPwsnCD
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 31, 2023
Israel Attacks Hamas Militants in Gaza Tunnels
On Tuesday, Israel said its soldiers attacked Hamas fighters inside the group’s vast tunnel network beneath Gaza.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stated, “Over the last day, combined IDF combat forces struck approximately 300 targets, including anti-tank missile and rocket launch posts below shafts, as well as military compounds inside underground tunnels belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation.”
In the statement, it added that the militants retaliated with machine gun fire and anti-tank rockets. “The soldiers killed terrorists and directed air forces to real-time strikes on targets and terror infrastructure,” the IDF revealed.
The al-Qassam brigades, Hamas’ military branch, said militants clashed with Israeli troops “invading the southern Gaza axis, (including) with machine guns, and targeted four vehicles with al-Yassin 105 missiles,” referring to locally developed anti-tank missiles.
According to al-Qassam, the militants also used the missiles to strike two Israeli tanks and bulldozers in northwest Gaza.
Latest statistics from Gazan health officials suggest that 8,306 persons have been killed in Israeli bombings since 7 October, including 3,457 children. Further, UN authorities have reported that more than 1.4 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million civilians have been displaced.