Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a statement to the nation on Saturday night, before the beginning of the implementation of the hostage deal’s first phase.
“Out of this terrible disaster, the tremendous strength of the Israeli people’s spirit was revealed, as was the supreme heroism of our soldiers, and it’s this that leads us with a fierce determination to achieve all the goals of the war: to return all our hostages, to eliminate Hamas’s governing capabilities, and to ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to our country.
“The security cabinet and the government approved the deal’s outline. The mission of freeing the hostages has stuck with me the entire time. Together with the citizens of Israel and many around the world, my wife Sara and I pray for the return of all our hostages. I promise you, we will meet all the war’s goals; we will bring everyone home.
“I am proud to be the Prime Minister of our wonderful people. I am proud to lead our country in times like these,” he continued. “To date, we have brought home 157 of our hostages, 117 of whom are alive. In the agreement that has now been ratified, we will bring home another 33 of our brothers and sisters, most of whom are alive.”
Thanking the US admins for their part
The prime minister stated that the agreement is the result of both the outgoing US administration of Joe Biden and the incoming Trump administration, as well as a “result of the heroism of our soldiers in battle.”
“As soon as he was elected, President-elect Trump mobilized himself to free the hostages. He spoke to me on Wednesday evening. He welcomed the agreement, and he rightly emphasized that the first phase of the agreement is a temporary ceasefire. That’s what he said – a ‘temporary ceasefire,'” the prime minister emphasized and stated that both Trump and Biden have given full backing to Israel’s right to return to resuming the war if Israel concludes that the negotiations of the deal’s second phase are futile.
“I also appreciate President Trump’s decision to lift all remaining restrictions on the supply of essential weapons and ammunition to the State of Israel,” he added.
In his speech, the prime minister also established a few principles, including the ability to return to fighting if necessary. There will be a significant increase in the number of live hostages who will be returned in the first phase. Netanyahu said that contrary to Hamas’s position in May, the number of live hostages who were supposed to be released in phase one has almost doubled. Additionally, Israeli forces will continue maintaining their position at the Philadelphi Corridor. The prime minister said that he even plans to increase the amount of troops stationed there.
Netanyahu has also emphasized that the terrorists that will be released from prisons in the deal will be sent to the Gaza Strip or abroad and not to the West Bank. He also added that the security cabinet has decided to reinforce Israeli forces in the West Bank “in order to protect our citizens.”
The prime minister then noted Israel’s achievements in the war in the Gaza Strip with the weakening of Hamas and the elimination of many of their leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh, as well as the elimination of Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah. Other goals he mentioned were destroying most of the Syrian military’s weapons and fighting Iran and the Houthis in Yemen.
“We have changed the face of the Middle East,” he said.
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