In an exclusive interview with One America News (OAN), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opened up on the US-Israel alliance and the war in Gaza, stressing that Israel is fighting on multiple fronts - against Hamas on the battlefield and against propaganda in the media.
During the interview, Netanyahu stressed that “another great casualty of this war is the truth,” highlighting the misinformation and selective reporting that distorts public perception of Israel’s actions.
Speaking to OAN’s Stella Escobedo, the Prime Minister reiterated that all hostages must be released “as soon as possible” for the war to end, maintaining that Israel will only accept a deal that frees every single one.
“We’re considering anything that will get 50 hostages, at least 20 alive ones and up to 30 dead ones, back,” Netanyahu stated.
He also made it clear that while Israel has delivered over two million tons of food aid to Gaza, the hostages still held by Hamas remain “brutally tortured and starved.”
“The only policy of deliberate starvation in Gaza, contrary to the lies that are spread against Israel, is that the Hamas murderers starve our hostages,” Netanyahu said.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed that Hamas must be eliminated, but noted that if the terrorist group releases all remaining hostages and lays down its arms, Gaza could look forward to a brighter future.
Netanyahu also highlighted that Hamas has exploited Israel’s humanitarian practice of warning civilians before strikes, undermining the element of surprise and repeatedly using Palestinians as “human shields.”
Netanyahu also spoke about his close relationship with President Donald Trump, calling him an “extraordinary leader” who is “extraordinarily valiant and wise.”
President Trump recently referred to himself and Netanyahu as “wartime heroes” for their parts in the operation. When asked how he felt about the compliment, Netanyahu responded, “That’s very kind of him,” and reiterated that they had worked together to take down the threat.
“President Trump took the right action, joined us in opposing this common enemy that wanted to develop atomic weapons and ballistic missiles to be able to deliver them deep into Europe and ultimately into the United States.”
Netanyahu stated that Trump ignored the “nonsense” warnings that he would be “dragged by Netanyahu into WWIII,” a claim that has since been proven false.
“All free people should thank President Trump for his leadership,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu also called out the mainstream media for fueling misconceptions, specifically highlighting The New York Times, which has been forced to issue corrections for wrongly reported stories, like the one claiming a malnourished Gazan child’s condition was the result of Israeli policy. The publication later clarified that the boy suffered from cerebral palsy and a genetic disorder.
When asked whether he had filed a lawsuit against The New York Times, Netanyahu said it remained a possibility. Netanyahu concluded the interview by saying that he blocks out criticism by reminding himself, “if we don’t fight, we die.”
“There is no substitute for victory and we will win this war,” he said.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)