Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday signaled a firm stance on Israel’s military objectives, pledging to fight “until victory” against those who “seek to destroy” Israel, underscoring the complexity of ongoing negotiations around a possible ceasefire, while leaving the door open for talks regarding the hostage issue.
In a speech he delivered in the Knesset during a ceremony honoring the victims of the October 7 Hamas attack, Netanyahu reiterated his stance on the current conflict unfolding on two fronts.
Regarding ceasefire prospects, the Israeli Prime Minister placed the issue of the hostages at the forefront, calling it a “central element of the mission for victory.” He emphasized the need to bring “all hostages, alive and deceased,” back to Israel, suggesting this would be a crucial condition in any future negotiations.
Addressing grieving families and relatives of the hostages, Netanyahu used especially harsh rhetoric against Hamas, calling them “human monsters” responsible for killings, abuses, and abductions. He also pointed to Iran, describing it as the orchestrator of an "axis of evil" active in the region—a barely veiled reference to Hezbollah in Lebanon and other Tehran-backed armed groups.
Netanyahu said on Monday he "aspires to achieve peace" with Arab countries, two days after Israel bombed military targets in Iran.
"I aspire to continue the process I went through a few years ago, with the signing of the historic Abraham Accords, in order to achieve peace with other Arab countries," Netanyahu said in a speech to lawmakers as Israel's parliament began its winter session.
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