Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel “has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas”. He was speaking to foreign media in Jerusalem and defending a planned military offensive. He asserted that “our goal is not to occupy Gaza, our goal is to free Gaza”.

Asked in an interview with Fox News if Israel would “take control of all of Gaza,” Netanyahu replied: “We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of Gaza.” The Security Cabinet would still need to approve such a decision.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that Israel's goal is not to take over Gaza, but to free Gaza from Hamas and enable a peaceful government to be established there,