Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Defense Minister Yoav Galant during the press conference (Reuters)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the ceasefire agreement with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the prisoner exchange as "the right decision," but stressed that the war continues and will not stop until all detainees are returned and Hamas is eliminated.

This came at a joint press conference between Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant, and Israeli Defense Council Minister Benny Gantz on Wednesday evening, broadcast on the Israeli Prime Minister's page on social media.

Netanyahu said that the IDF and the heads of the security services fully agreed to the exchange deal, stressing that the security of the Israeli forces will be secured during the truce, and the intelligence effort will continue during it, "and in the meantime the army will continue to prepare for war."

He added that the war on the Gaza Strip will continue even after the implementation of the agreement to exchange Israeli detainees for Palestinian prisoners, and said, "I would like to be clear, the war will continue until all our goals are achieved, which is the return of all our abductees and the elimination of Hamas."

He also said that the deal with Hamas would not include the release of Palestinian prisoners involved in the killing of Israelis, stressing that he would not tolerate any violation of the truce and could return to the military operation before the truce ends.

Netanyahu added that the Red Cross would be allowed to visit "the rest of the abductees" who are not included in the deal and provide them with the necessary medicines, saying that this was "an explicit clause in the agreement and I hope that the organization will do its job."

They are working "non-stop to return all abductees and ensure that Hamas does not pose a threat to Israel," he said, stressing that "the return of abductees is a sacred mission, but we cannot always achieve this goal by military means."

He also confirmed that he had instructed Israel's foreign intelligence service (Mossad) to "act against Hamas leaders wherever they are," and said, "One thing must be understood, we are interested in returning all abductees according to these outlines, and perhaps further, but we do not give them a blank check and that they do what they want."

Regarding the return of displaced people to southern Gaza, Netanyahu said they have no obligation to allow the crossing of residents of the Gaza Strip from south to north, after the end of military operations.


Better deal

For his part, Minister Gallant referred to the exchange deal with Hamas and said that "the agreement we got is more correct and better than the one we had a week ago."

He added that "the agreement to release the abductees was one of the most difficult decisions I had to make in the more than 40 years that I served Israel," noting that "there will be more similar decisions," and said, "I am convinced with all my heart that this is the right decision."

Gallant also stressed that "the end of this war must be through the dismantling of Hamas as a military body" and the return of all detainees, adding that "Israel is committed to deepening its operation in order to exert more pressure on Hamas."

Asked if the elimination of senior Hamas officials such as its political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh and its head abroad Khaled Meshaal was still a target for Israel, Gallant replied: "They are living in lost time."

Gallant also said that by the end of December and the beginning of January, the Israeli government may allow the repatriation of residents of towns four kilometers north of the Gaza Strip.

The exchange of detainees with Palestinian prisoners comes within the framework of a humanitarian truce reached by joint Qatari, Egyptian and American efforts and lasts 4 days, which can be extended.

The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the agreement includes the exchange of 50 civilian women and children prisoners in the Gaza Strip in the first phase, in exchange for the release of a number of Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons.

The truce will also allow the entry of more humanitarian convoys and relief aid, including fuel for humanitarian needs.

Source: Agencies