Israel’s reply to Hamas will change the Middle East, says PM Netanyahu

NEW DELHI | Updated: 10 October, 2023 11:56 am IST

The Israeli PM offered an ultimatum to Palestinian citizens vowing to destroy the Gaza Strip to rubble in retaliation

NEW DELHI: With rising tensions between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that their action in the Gaza Strip would be unparalleled and would have a transformative impact on the Middle East.

In a meeting with the mayors of districts neighbouring the southern borders of the nation, Netanyahu also issued a caution to all Palestinian civilians in Gaza, pledging to reduce their sites to ruins.

“What Hamas will experience will be difficult and terrible. We are going to change the Middle East,” Netanyahu told the mayors in Jerusalem, a city that has witnessed rocket attacks by Hamas and unprecedented incursions into Tel Aviv. These comments come at a time when speculations are rife with Hezbollah and Iran commending Hamas’ attacks on Israeli territory. Rumours suggest that Iran has had a direct role to play in supporting the militant body in infiltrating the country, although the Iranian government has denied all such allegations.

Israel’s Prime Minister @netanyahu in a video message:

“We didn’t want this war. It was forced upon us in the most brutal and savage way. But though Israel didn’t start this war, Israel will finish it. Once, the Jewish people were stateless. Once, the Jewish people were… pic.twitter.com/xmgxmEihWr

— The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) October 10, 2023

Currently, the Israeli government has escalated its assaults on Gaza, implementing a complete blockade where no food, essential goods, or electricity are allowed to enter the disputed area.

Hamas militants had stormed the southern districts of Israel, including the twin capitals, initiating their attack with a spate of rockets dropped upon the country. The militants, reportedly, had dropped over 5,000 rockets into the territory.

Numerous political and defence analysts have questioned the preparedness of the Israeli Defence Forces and the intelligence agencies of Mossad and Shin Bet. Government officials have blamed the unpreparedness towards the holy day of Sabbath for the intelligence lapse.

As of now, over 700 people have been killed in Israel since Hamas launched its attack on Saturday, while on the Gaza side, at least 560 people have been killed.