Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Sunday to NBC about the continued fighting against Hamas in Gaza.
"We offered the Al-Shifa Hospital fuel to operate the hospital, they refused,” claimed Netanyahu. “I offered to build a field hospital and help transfer the patients to the southern areas of Gaza. Hamas is hiding in the hospital and does not want the hospital to accept the fuel.”
Netanyahu also noted that “after the ground operation began, Hamas started changing positions about the deal on the release of the hostages. It's because they are stressed. If there is a deal, we will discuss it."
Regarding the location of the hostages, he said: “We know a lot – but I am not talking about it.”
When asked about responsibility for the failure that led to the October 7th Hamas attack, Netanyahu replied: “I said that this whole question will be addressed after the war. There will be an investigation, and everyone will have to answer difficult questions. We all bear the responsibility. No one will avoid responsibility.”
The Prime Minister later added in an interview with CNN, when asked on the matter: “Did people ask Franklin Roosevelt after Pearl Harbor that question? Did people ask George Bush after the surprise attack of September 11? At the moment, we have to unite the country for one purpose, one purpose alone – that is to achieve victory. We have to destroy Hamas and return the hostages – to make sure the threat does not arise once again.”
When asked if the focus on the judicial reform distracted the government’s attention, he replied: “We were not distracted at all. Instead of talking about the past, now we have to focus on destroying Hamas.”
“We called for the evacuation of all patients in the hospital. There is no reason not to evacuate them from a place that Hamas is using as a safe house. No terrorist should be given immunity.”
He added that the IDF is “investing exemplary efforts in trying to minimize harm to civilians. Many have responded to our call to move south. Without the destruction of Hamas – Israel will fall again. And Europe will fall.”