20:37: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz addressed the nation from the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv a short time ago. Following is excerpts from their statements containing their main points.
PM Netanyahu:
· Permit me to console the families whose loved ones fell in defense of our nation.
· There is no war more justified than this one
· I strengthen the IDF soldiers who are continue their battle in Gaza at this time
· We knew there would be difficult days and today is a difficult and painful day
· We need resilience to continue towards destroying our enemy
· We will not end the operation prior to eliminating the tunnel threat
· The tunnels were built with one purpose in mind, to kill our residents
· The operation against the tunnels is a first and necessary step towards demilitarizing Gaza
· This must be a component of any solution and we will be unyielding in this demand
· The international community must stop the funding of Hamas’ cement and supplies used to build the terror infrastructure
· We have raised these issues in the past but we were not taken seriously. This must change
· Residents of Israel live under constant threat from above and below, rockets and tunnels
· Hamas has violated every ceasefire
· Hamas is a bitter enemy towards not only our residents, but its own civilians
· Hamas seeks more and more casualties among Gaza civilians to use against us
· We must be prepared for a prolonged operation until our objectives are reached in defense of our citizens, our children and our land
DM Ya’alon:
· It is a difficult day for all of us
· At this time the IDF is hitting Hamas targets in Gaza hard
· We do not plan to compromise when it comes to the security of our citizens
· Terrorists targets will be destroyed along with tunnels
· The ongoing Hamas dialogue is rockets and fire and the terror organization is making a big mistake
· We will clench our lips and continue fighting until Hamas gets the message
· Hamas has been hit hard from land, air and sea in the 21 days, wiping out thousands of terrorist targets
· We will not hesitate expanding the operation as required
· The IDF is pained at any and all loss of civilian life
· When fire is directed at a hospital it is because the site is used as a terror base
· Hamas fires from schools, hospitals and uses children and civilians as human shields
· This is now clear to the entire world
· In the coming days were are completing the issue of the tunnels
· During the operation we have witnessed unity and an outpouring of support for our soldiers
· You, the citizens, give us the koach to continue this mission towards bringing quiet to the areas
IDF Chief Gantz:
· As per the objectives given to us by the political echelon, the IDF has made significant progress
· We are dealing with the tunnels that are spread throughout the area
· We remain determined as we address tunnel by tunnel, entrance by entrance
· We are striking rocket launching facilities and have compromised Hamas’ ability to fire rockets, especially longer range rockets
· While Hamas continues to fire rockets, its abilities are far more limited
· The attack continues via air, land, sea and intelligence communities
· We will attack Hamas in any and every place we have to
· Hamas operates in urban settings and intentionally brings the gunfire to the civilians of Gaza
· Much of the destruction is due to what Hamas does to itself
· We have photos regarding what occurred earlier in Shefa Hospital
· We will continue operating with determination, always placing on effort on avoiding civilians causalities
· Therefore civilians should distance themselves from the fighting
· The soldiers remain tenacious in getting the mission accomplished
· We have lost friends, soldiers and commanders but we remain committed to the objectives before us
· We expect to continue receiving the backing and endurance of the homefront until these objectives are achieved
· I have no doubt the security reality in southern Israel will be improved
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
“We must be prepared for a prolonged operation until our objectives are reached in defense of our citizens, our children and our land.” Don’t talk so much, do it!
Netanyahu, time to take the reins and take control like a true leader not like a coward stopping every time Obama or Moon wants a ceasefire.
now is the the time to ask Daath Torah
netanyahu: theres no war more justifiable than this one
what about 49, 67, 73, gulf war, why is this one different?
“The operation against the tunnels” – they still fighting tunnels, empty building and empty places, instead of stating that the operation is against Arab beasts of Gaza.
Tunnels don’t kill, the beasts of Gaza kill.
“We will continue operating with determination, always placing on effort on avoiding civilians causalities”
Meaning, they still would continue attacking empty places, sending warning fliers and phone call and shooting “knock on the roof” stupid rockets, so that to warn beasts not to get killed by the air strikes and be prepared and wait for poor IDF solders who the government sent to go from house to house. IAF still aborts missions because of so called civilians even when they see that the ground solders are in trouble because of this. This is a criminal policy of the government and army. Yet another 5 soldiers just got killed. The army and the government should be held responsible for this.
There were done more than 3000 air strikes into Gaza, and there are only 300 something beasts killed. It clearly indicates that they abort missions and bomb empty places.
With this amount of airstrikes Gaza should have looked worse than Hiroshima, and there would be no need for a single ground solder to put his foot on the ground. There would be nobody left to crole into those tunnels and all the entrances to those tunnels would have being covered with rubbles of the buildings. Instead they keep bombing then with fliers and keep looking back at the international community who could care less at best, but most of the time is very happy for the Arab beasts.
As an irony they threaten or already opened a case against Israeli government and military in the international war crime tribunal. In truth , probably this is Hashem Yisborach who opened the case for the government and those in charge of the army for the crime against their own solders and people. Would be nice that whoever came up with this “Moral” army idea be parachuted into Gaza to preach it there to Hamas and not to our army.
The funny thing is, whether you are so called “Moral” or immoral, the amount of international pressure and hatred is the same, so you might as well fight full strength and forget about this “Moral” stupidity.
May Hashem save all of our soldiers and all of us. Hashem already sent us all the super modern and efficient weapons and probably is saying, my children I sent it all for you, use it. But with the way this war is conducted we really need an open miracle.
Great idea to ask Daas Torah. Go to Reb Chaim!
After all these Nissim it is time that these appikorsim come to their senses and thank Hashem!
Please say and read Tehillim 140. Dovid Hamalech vividly describes this war, He uses the word Chamas 4 times in the kapital.