Israel Paying Heavy Price, But Has No Choice: Netanyahu As War With Hamas Rages On

<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday that the Gaza conflict was exacting a "very heavy price" as the death toll from combat with Hamas rose, news agency AFP reported. "This is a difficult morning, following a very difficult day of fighting in Gaza," he remarked after the army confirmed 14 military personnel had died in the Palestinian region since Friday. "The war is exacting a very heavy price but we have no choice but to keep fighting," he added in a statement.</p> <p>"We are continuing with full force until the end, until victory, until we achieve all of our goals: the destruction of Hamas, the return of our hostages, and ensuring that Gaza will never again constitute a threat to the State of Israel," he was quoted by AFP in its report.</p> <p>He added: "Let it be clear: This will be a long war... (until) Hamas is eliminated and we restore security in both the north and the south."</p> <div> <p>Later that day, the 154th death in the military was announced: tank commander Maj Aryeh Rein.</p> <p>In another statement, the military stated it has killed more than 8,000 Palestinian combatants so far in its campaign, according to Reuters.</p> <p>On October 7, Hamas terrorists invaded from Gaza into southern Israel, murdering 1,200 people and seizing around 240 prisoners.</p> <p>Israel insists on taking precautions to minimise civilian fatalities and criticises Hamas for settling in heavily populated areas.</p> <p>During a phone discussion with Netanyahu on Saturday, US President Joe Biden underlined the "critical need" to preserve civilian life, according to the White House.</p> <p>Biden informed reporters that he did not request a cease-fire in his phone conversation. Both guys feel that such an action would favour Hamas.</p> <p>The UN Security Council passed a resolution requesting large-scale relief delivery to Gaza on Friday, but it, too, stopped short of asking for a truce between the two warring parties.</p> <p>Talks in Egypt earlier this week aimed at securing a new truce between Israel and Hamas have so far yielded no results.</p> <p>According to a Palestinian official acquainted with the ceasefire talks, Egypt proposed a new three-stage proposal that would begin with a two-week humanitarian truce - which could be extended - during which Hamas would release 40 hostages and Israel would release 120 Palestinian detainees, BBC reported.</p> </div> <div id="jiosaavn-widget"> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div id="v-ndtv-0"> <div id="_vdo_ads_player_ai_5333" class="vdo_video_unit vdo_content"> <div id="vdo_logo_parent"> <div>&nbsp;</div> </div> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p>

from Drone Which Attacked Chemical Tanker Near India Fired From Iran, Says US https://ift.tt/cKpISr1