Israel will not agree to a ceasefire as it would be equivalent to surrendering to Hamas and terrorism, Benjamin Nethanyu has said,
Sky News reports.
The Israeli prime minister said his country would not stop military activity "just as the United States would not agree to a ceasefire after the bombing of Pearl Harbor or the terrorist attack of 9/11".
Mr Netanyahu gave a news conference this evening as Israel's troops push deeper into Gaza, with the country's chief military spokesperson warning operations in the territory will "escalate".
The prime minister condemned the "barbarians" of Hamas for trying to destroy the "promise" of Israel's future.
Mr Netanyahu also urged the world not to "surrender to tyranny and terror".
"Israel did not start this war. Israel did not want this war. But Israel will win this war," he added.
Hamas "raped women" and "beheaded men" during their surprise attack on 7 October, he added. He described their actions as the "most horrific crimes imaginable".
"Israel is fighting the enemies of civilisation itself," he said.
In a plea for sympathy from the international community, the Israeli leader said a distinction must be drawn between Hamas's "deliberate targeting" of civilians and the "unintentional" casualties of Israel's strikes in response.
"Hamas is doing everything to keep Palestinian civilians in harm's way," Mr Netanyahu added as he claimed the militant group has been using people in Gaza as human shields.
He also claimed Hamas fighters had been holding Palestinians at gunpoint to prevent them from leaving certain areas.
The Israeli leader also said Hamas is preventing foreign nationals from leaving Gaza.
