In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear that Israel has no plans to resettle the Gaza Strip after the current war, and that the ultimate goal remains removing Hamas from power.

“I have a very clear plan,” Netanyahu stated. “The day after Hamas is the day after Hamas. We have to get rid of Hamas. Rafah is the last stronghold that ends the intense part of the fighting. If you mean resettling Gaza, it was never in the cards. Some of my constituents aren’t happy, but that’s my position.”

“The reconstruction of Gaza, if possible, would be done by the moderate Arab states and the international community,” he added.

Netanyahu also addressed the ongoing negotiations for a hostage release deal, saying that Hamas is demanding that Israel leave Gaza and end the war in exchange for releasing the hostages, but “I will not agree to that.”

Additionally, Netanyahu criticized the charges brought by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against himself and his defense minister as “beyond outrageous.” He accused the ICC Chief Prosecutor of not even bothering to come to Israel and putting forward “false charges” that are “both dangerous and false.”

When pressed about why he has refused interviews with Israeli media networks since October 7, Netanyahu said that it was due to “tendentious reporting” and insisted that he has done numerous press conferences with Israeli media, where they can ask anything they want.

However, in fairness, his last press conference was two months ago, and the question was regarding interviews, not press conferences, which he has more control over.

Netanyahu has given 22 interviews since October 7, all of which have been with foreign media outlets.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)