Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night insisted the Gaza Strip will have to be demilitarized after the current war with Hamas, saying only the Israel Defense Forces and not any international force could be entrusted with that mission, The Times of Israel reports.
Speaking during a joint press conference with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister Benny Gantz, Netanyahu said past experience showed that international forces have been ineffective in demilitarizing areas with forces hostile to Israel and that he would not accept such an arrangement in Gaza.
Netanyahu also denounced the UN, human rights groups and women’s organizations on Tuesday night for failing to speak out against the severe sexual violence committed by Hamas in the October 7 atrocities it committed.
He called on all “civilized” leaders and governments to condemn the mass rape committed by Hamas terrorists, and questioned whether the silence of many groups was because the victims were Jewish women.
Gantz in his remarks urged Netanyahu to remove the NIS 1 billion in discretionary funds which have been earmarked for political promises from the wartime budget, which will soon come for a vote in the Knesset.
