Alon Davidi, Mayor of Sderot, spoke on Sunday at the Arutz Sheva-Israel National News Jerusalem Conference in New York City.
Commenting on the return of the residents of Sderot to their city after being forced to leave their homes after the October 7 massacre, Davidi said, "90 percent of the residents of Sderot have returned, and we are suffering. Hamas continues to launch rockets at the city—over 70 rockets in the last month. It’s very tough for the children, but if you come to Sderot and talk to people, they will tell you that we will continue to endure only if the Israeli government continues with its goals: first, to destroy Hamas; second, to bring back the hostages in Gaza; and most importantly, to change the situation in southern and northern Israel."
On Israeli leadership, Davidi said, "We are seven months after October 7th. The biggest challenge in Israel is that it’s the same leadership as before October 7th. Every day since 2001, when the rockets started, and after we left Gaza and evacuated everyone from Gush Katif, I have always told the Israeli leadership and the army that whenever they launch an operation in Gaza, whether it lasts a week or two, it stops, negotiations with Hamas begin and the old order prevails.”
On Hamas and control over Gaza, he stated, "Hamas is the enemy; they don’t care about the people living in Gaza. They only want to destroy Israel, and we, the people living in the south, especially in Sderot and the villages around Gaza, have become the frontline of the State of Israel. If we want change, we need to control Gaza for many years. We must continue fighting and not stop, and this is important not just for Israel and the people living in Sderot, but for the entire world."
In conclusion, he commented on the ceasefire and hostage release deal proposed by the US and said, "Such a deal cannot be signed. A Prime Minister who takes this deal without destroying Hamas and allowing one million Palestinians living in Gaza to return to northern Gaza—that is madness. Anyone who signs such a deal cannot continue to be Prime Minister of Israel."