JERUSALEM, Israel – In its final stages of the war with Hamas in Gaza, Israel is putting military and political pressure on Hamas, backed by strong support from Washington. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the campaign is nearing its end, even as international outrage grows over the killing of journalists Israel says were terrorists, and antisemitic violence surges abroad.
Anticipating Israel’s planned takeover of Gaza City, Netanyahu claims the war is nearing its end.
“Especially,” he said, “In these days of great victories, against those who came to destroy us, as we stand before the end of the campaign and work to defeat the remainder of the Iranian axis and free all our captives.”
President Donald Trump is backing Netanyahu’s rejection of any partial hostage deal. The White House says more military pressure is needed before Hamas will agree.
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Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) contends that Hamas must be destroyed.
“Enough, already,” Graham declared. Destroy Hamas. Do to Hamas what we did to the Germans and the Japanese during World War II, to annihilate them and rebuild Palestinian society like we did with Germany and Japan.”
After sharp international criticism over the killing of five journalists in an airstrike, including a prominent Al Jazeera reporter, the Israel Defense Forces revealed they have evidence he was a paid terrorist and a cell leader, at one point posing for a selfie with Hamas leaders.
Nicole Zedeck, a news correspondent for I-24 News, explained, “Israel is stating that this was a journalist who has ties to Hamas, and we published those ties to Hamas back in October, so this is no new information for anyone. And more of the pictures and evidence that seems to be coming out shows that this journalist had at least very strong connections to the main leaders of Hamas as well.”
As anti-Semitic attacks rise, Israeli President Isaac Herzog called to console a Jewish Canadian father who was assaulted in front of his children in Montreal.
Herzog’s office issued a statement from the president reading, “May you have a swift recovery in body and soul from this terrible ordeal. We are with you, and we are here for you. The whole Jewish people stands with you.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said in a statement that the attack was “shocking and stomach-turning.”
Herzog’s office stated, “Maybe some choose to forget October 7th. We will not.”
