Netanyahu says Israel's goal 'victory over Hamas, toppling its rule'

JERUSALEM

Israel means to defeat the Palestinian group Hamas and end its rule in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday.

Speaking to the Knesset, Israel's parliament, ahead of a widely expected ground operation, Netanyahu said "our goal is victory over Hamas, toppling it from rule."

"We will win, because our existence here is at stake," Netanyahu said, according to the Times of Israel online, and went on to describe the Hamas group as "Nazi Hamas."

The Israeli premier also warned both Iran and Hezbollah from getting involved in the course of the fighting between Israel and Palestinian groups in Gaza.

He also said that Israel has started to learn from what he described as "failures" that led Hamas gunmen to manage to infiltrate southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Ten days into the conflict with Palestinian group Hamas, Israeli bombardment and blockade of the Gaza Strip has continued, with over 1 million people – almost half the total population of Gaza – having been displaced, according to the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA.

Gaza is undergoing a dire humanitarian crisis, with no electricity, while water, food, fuel, and medical supplies are running out, as civilians flee to the south following Israeli warning to evacuate northern areas.

The fighting began on Oct. 7 when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air. It said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Since then the number of Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza has risen to 2,750, including 750 children.

In Israel, 1,300 have been killed.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar