Fourteen Israeli soldiers are killed in Gaza over weekend of combat as Netanyahu says country is paying ‘a very heavy price’ but they have ‘no choice but to continue fighting’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has admitted that his country has paid a “very high price” for the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu, 74, said today that 153 IDF soldiers have been killed since Israel launched a retaliatory offensive on the enclave following the Hamas surprise invasion on October 7, with 14 of them killed since Friday.
He said that although Saturday ’23 was one of the IDF’s worst days in terms of death toll, its forces have “no choice” but to continue fighting.
He said: “This is a difficult morning after a very difficult day of fighting in Gaza.”
But he added that the IDF would continue its mission to destroy Hamas “with full force to the end,” although he acknowledged that it could take a long time.
Netanyahu (pictured) said today that 153 IDF soldiers have been killed since Israel launched a retaliatory offensive on the enclave following the Hamas surprise invasion on October 7, with 14 of them killed since Friday.
Since Israel launched its retaliatory strike on the Gaza Strip, more than 20,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed.
He said that although Saturday ’23 was one of the IDF’s worst days in terms of death toll, its forces have “no choice” but to continue fighting.
“Let it be clear: this will be a long war,” he said.
According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, 166 people were killed in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours.
Since Israel launched its retaliatory strike on the Gaza Strip, more than 20,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed and another 50,000 injured.
Israel launched its strikes on the Gaza Strip after Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 Israelis and took 240 hostages on Black Saturday.
While Western allies have called on Israel to reduce the number of civilians it kills, it accuses Hamas of hiding in densely populated urban areas.
Israel launched its strikes on the Gaza Strip after Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 Israelis and took 240 hostages on Black Saturday.
While Western allies have called on Israel to reduce the number of civilians it kills, it accuses Hamas of hiding in densely populated urban areas.
US President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday in what he described as a long and private conversation, a day after the Biden administration again shut Israel down on the diplomatic stage.
On Friday, the UN Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution that calls for an immediate speeding up of aid to desperate civilians in the Gaza Strip, but not a ceasefire.
US President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday in what he called a long and private conversation, a day after the Biden administration again defended Israel on the diplomatic stage.
On Friday, the UN Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution that calls for an immediate speeding up of aid to desperate civilians in the Gaza Strip, but not a ceasefire.
“I did not ask for a ceasefire,” Biden said of the call. Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister “has made it clear that Israel will continue the war until it achieves all of its goals.”
Also on Saturday, the Israeli military said troops had arrested hundreds of suspected militants in Gaza over the past week and transferred more than 200 to Israel for further questioning, providing rare details of a controversial policy of mass roundups of Palestinian men.
The army said more than 700 people believed to be affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups have now been sent to Israeli detention centers.