Amid widespread commentary about the hostage deal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally addressed the nation of Israel about the deal. Below is his full address, courtesy of the Israel Government Press Office:
Dear citizens of Israel.
On October 7, our enemies perpetrated the worst massacre against the Jewish People since the Holocaust. But amidst this terrible disaster was shown the great strength of the spirit of the people and the supreme heroism of our fighters.
It is this strength that has led us with determination to achieve all of the objectives of the war that we set: Returning all of our hostages, eliminating Hamas’ military and governing capabilities and ensuring that Gaza will never again constitute a threat to our country.
In the War of Redemption, we have made it clear to our enemies and to the entire world, that when the people of Israel stand together, there is no force that can break us.
I am proud to be Prime Minister of our wonderful people. I am proud to lead our country at such times.
The Security Cabinet and the Government have approved the framework for the return of our hostages. This is the objective of the war from which we will not relent until it will be completed.
The sacred mission to release hostages has accompanied me throughout my life, from my IDF service and throughout my years as Prime Minister.
Together with you, citizens of Israel, and together with many people around the world, my wife Sara and I have hoped, prayed and worked for the return of all of our hostages. I think about them all the time.
My wife Sara has put her entire heart and soul into caring for the families and for those who have returned, and she has been working for them both at home and abroad.
I know that this concern is shared by all families in Israel. I promise you – we will insist on all the objectives of the war. We will bring all of them back home.
As of today, we have returned home 157 of our hostages, 117 of whom alive. Under the agreement that has now been approved, we will return home another 33 of our brothers and sisters, most of them alive.
This agreement is, first of all, the result of the heroism of our fighters in combat, and it is also the result of our steadfast insistence on Israel’s vital interests, in the face of heavy pressure at home and abroad.
This agreement is also the result of cooperation between the outgoing administration of President Biden and the incoming administration of President Trump.
From the moment he was elected, President Trump has been involved in the mission for the release of our hostages. He spoke with me Wednesday evening. He welcomed the agreement and rightly emphasized that the first stage of the agreement is a temporary ceasefire. That is what he said, ‘a temporary ceasefire’.
Ahead of the next stages of the agreement, we retain significant assets in order to return all of our hostages, and in order to meet the objectives of the war.
Both President Trump and President Biden have given full backing to Israel’s right to return to the fighting, if Israel reaches the conclusion that the second stage negotiations are ineffectual. I greatly appreciate this.
I also greatly appreciate President Trump’s decision to lift the remaining restrictions on providing vital weapons and munitions to the State of Israel.
If we need to go back to the fighting, we will do so in new ways and with great force.
During the negotiations, I determined several basic principles:
The first principle – Safeguarding the ability to return and fight as per need. For many months, Hamas demanded that we promise in advance to end the war as a condition for its entering a framework for the release of the hostages, and it set all kinds of additional dictated terms. I strongly opposed these dictated terms – and my position was accepted. We retain the right to return to the war, if necessary, with the backing of the US.
And not for nothing, all senior American administration officials have unanimously attested that it was Hamas that hindered the negotiations.
The second principle that I insisted on, the most important principle: I significantly increased the number of living hostages that will return in the first stage. I am pleased to tell you that this insistence has borne fruit. Contrary to Hamas’s position in May, we have almost doubled the number of living hostages that are due to be released in the first stage.
And the third principle – keeping the Philadelphi Corridor and the security buffer zone. When I say keeping the Philadelphi Corridor, not only will we not reduce our forces there, we will even increase them slightly, and this is contrary to all of the reports that I hear.
We promised in the agreement that Israel would keep full control in the Philadelphi Corridor and the security buffer around the entire Gaza Strip. We will not allow war materiel to be smuggled in, nor will we allow our hostages to be smuggled out.
We determined that terrorists who committed murder will not be released to Judea and Samaria – they will be expelled to the Gaza Strip or abroad, and we decided in the Security Cabinet on a very significant increase in our forces in Judea and Samaria in order to protect our citizens.
Now, what has caused Hamas to change its position? First of all, the painful blows that our heroic fighters have landed on Hamas, and the rest of our enemies, on the battlefield. Second, our policy of striking our enemies on seven fronts with force that they have never seen.
We eliminated Sinwar, Deif and Haniye. We eliminated Nasrallah and the entire Hezbollah leadership. We destroyed most of the weaponry of the Syrian military. We struck the Houthis in Yemen. We acted against Iran. Indeed, we struck all of these very hard, that is to say that we struck the entire Iranian axis very hard – and we are still active.
Just as I promised you, we have changed the face of the Middle East.
And as result of all this, Hamas has been left battered and isolated in the campaign. This is exactly how the conditions were created for the turning point in its position and for the release of our hostages. Today Hamas has agreed to what it did not agree to previously.
Citizens of Israel, the War of Redemption has demanded of us tough decisions but it is in these decisions that leadership is tested. These were decisions that took into account our comprehensive national and security considerations. I regret that I cannot detail all of them to you here.
On October 7, we took a severe blow. We experienced terrible pain. With joint forces, we repelled our enemies and achieved considerable results. The entire world, friends and enemies alike, has been impressed by these historic achievements.
My dear citizens of Israel, I see the emotion. I see with uplifted spirit your inner strength. I want to thank you for the confidence and backing that you have given me and my colleagues to lead the State of Israel in these fateful times.
I see our people at their best; the men and women of the IDF regular forces and reserves, the men and women of the Israel Police, the men and women in the ISA, the Mossad and the Prison Service, the emergency and rescue forces, the volunteers and our entire people in its full glory.
In the storm of battle and horror of war, we take to our heart with shared sorrow, love and appreciation, those who have paid the heaviest price of all – our brothers and sisters in the bereaved families, the dear bereaved families.
We embrace our wounded in body and soul, the families of our hostages, the residents who have been displaced from their homes in the north and the south, whom we are committed to returning home.
I take all of you into my heart and I tell you – the campaign is still not over. A long and challenging journey still lies before us. This is not the time to disband and disperse, this is the time to unite and come together. This is what the heritage of Israel commands us. This is what the generation of victory demands of us.
We are winning because the spirit within us is winning. This is the spirit of an ancient people, a people that has refused to surrender to those who have risen up to destroy us.
Together, with G-d’s help, we will defeat our enemies; we will ensure our future.
Because there is redemption and ‘there is hope for your future, says the LORD; and your children shall return to their own border’ [Jeremiah 31:16].”
Tony says
To fund Islam and its Muslims is to fund Muslim terrorism, discrimination, and violence against Non-Muslims(Quran 49:15). Islam is a MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. More specifically, Islam is a Muslim Terrorist Ideology and Criminal Organization of discrimination, segregation, supremacy, genocide, polygamy, deceit, hatred, incitement, sedition, rape, terrorism, and violence against all Non-Muslims as taught in the Quran. Fundamentally, Islam is a Terrorist Criminal Enterprise. The FRUIT of Islam is WAR, terrorism, discrimination, and violence against all Non-Muslims; this FACT must be taught and broadcast to the general public to prohibit Islam, its Mosques, and its Schools. Furthermore, there is NO EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW in Islam or in Islamic Law.
Non-Muslims CANNOT have peace with Islam and its Muslims because Islam and its murderous god, Allah, demand a continuous, Muslim war against unbelievers where Non-Muslims are CRIMINALS under Islam as Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…” HENCE, NON-MUSLIMS MUST MAKE ISLAM, ITS MOSQUES, ITS SCHOOLS, ITS ORGANIZATIONS, ETC. ILLEGAL UNDER THE LAW. Similarly, Islam and its many Organizations must be identified and declared to be a MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATION for their funding, teaching, and support of terrorism, violence, and discrimination against Non-Muslims.
Islam does NOT MEAN submission, only SURRENDER. Allah in Islam demands SURRENDER which means ‘to Surrender, whether voluntarily or not, by becoming a Muslim’ while Submission, ‘to Submit’, is a voluntary act to follow the authority or control of another. Allah in Quran 49:14 says, “’The Bedouins said, ‘We believed.’ Say,’You did not believe. But say, ‘We surrender (became Muslim as a result of fear).’ And the faith has not entered your hearts. And if you obey Allah and his messenger, he will not decrease anything from your works. Surely Allah is forgiving, merciful.’” Islam does NOT offer love and peace to anyone who is NOT A MUSLIM. Allah in Quran 48:29 says, “Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger, and those who are with him are severe against the infidels but full of tenderness among themselves…”
Islam promotes a terroristic, Muslim war against unbelievers when Allah in Qur’an 49:15 says, “Surely the believers are only those who believed in Allah and his messenger. They do not doubt, and they performed JIHAD with THEIR MONEY AND THEIR LIVES for the sake of Allah. Those are the truthful.”
Allah promises Heavenly Paradise to Muslims for acts of Muslim killing in a terrorist war when Quran 9:111 says, “Surely Allah has purchased from the believers[Muslims] their souls and their money so that they may have the garden[Heavenly Paradise]. They engage in war for the sake of Allah, so they kill and are killed…”
Islam champions Muslim acts of slaughter against Non-Muslims for not becoming Muslims as Allah in Qur’an 8:12 says, “When your lord revealed to the angels: ‘I am with you so make firm those who believed[Muslims]. I will cast a terror into the hearts of those who became infidels[Non-Muslims]. So strike above their necks(decapitation), and strike off(chop off) every finger from them.’”
Eva says
Why don’t I believe him anymore?
somehistory says
Hopefully, he means every word.
And referring to Jeremiah, a True prophet, is a great way to end his speech. Jeremiah also wrote Lamentations, which record some terrible times for Israel. But where there is faith in God, there is hope and strength to do what must be done.
The fight is not yet over.
Leonidas says
Islam ( submission) and irs evil will collapse ,like USSR in 1989,if we DENOUNCE pseudo prophet MUHAMMAD,who according to his biography( Sira) and traditions( Hadith) was a pedophile( wife Aisha was 9 yo), rapist, murderer, bandit (keeping20% of the booty for himself),liar and sex-slave trader and also LIBERATE THE MUSLIM WONEN from barbaric Sharia Law.The Koran states women are dumb, less intelligent than men,wives must be beaten for disobedience by their hudbands ,all women will go to hell unless in the last day their husband says he was pleased with her and all women must hide their curves and wear burkas ,so that men will not be aroused to rape them.Islam is a misogynistic ,violent , imperialist political ideology of Arab supremacy ISLAMOFASCISM(~70%), DISGUISED AS A RELIGION(~ 30%) that strives through violent Jihad and soft cultural Jihad ( dawa)to subjugate the World.Jihadists are promised, if killed battling infidels-kafirs,) they will go to Paradise to enjoy 72 virgins ,taking along 70 of their relatives regardless of their sins!Muslim Immigration is Hijra( flight)to take over the country they settle in ,like Muhammad did to Yatrib-Medina.This, along with forced child marriages and four wives per man ( Bin Laden had 52 siblings and 16 children),the muslims will soon outnumber the local populations and will impose Sharia law .Withdraw from UN MIGRANT COMPACT ,that falsely claims immigration is a Human Right expecting Western countries to accept and provide for an endless number of muslim illegal immigrants ,thus islamizing them. Muslim “refugees “should stay in Turkey or vast rich Saudi Arabia with international support ,until they can return to their countries.We must denounce islamic Sharia (=way)law of blasphemer,apostate ,homosexual , adulterer and hypocrite executions,misogyny,honor killings by stoning,hand amputations for theft,child brides,girls exclusion from schools,halal meat from tortured animals,clitorectomies,subjugation and segregation of women,burkas and Sharia banning of short skirts,bikinis,dancing,singing,painting ,sculptures of people,dogs,pork,alcohol and beauty contests .Demand gender equality for ALL muslim women.Punish severely those that kill apostates from Islam,blasphemers,adulterers or muslim hypocrites.Islam is incompatible with our freedom of speech, gender equality, values,way of life, Human Rights, Constitution, Republic and population stability needed to sustain Life on Earth.Tolerating intolerant Islam is cultural suicide!For more info on Islam go to YOU TUBE for: ApostateProphet,Exmuslims,David Wood,Ayan Hirsi Ali,BrigitteGabriel,BillWarner,Politicalislam.org,PamelaGeller,Jihadwatch,Nonie Darwish , Wafa Sultan,Richard Dawkins on Islam,Ani Cyrus , Geert Wilder,obsession – what the West needs to know.Also Google: Wikiislam, The religion of peace,barenakedislam, MEMRI etc.Watch the deposition of Ayan Hirsi Ali in Congress on how to defeat Islam:https://www.hoover.org/research/challenge-dawa-political-islam-ideology-and-movement-and-how-counter-it
sporticus says
The hostages have been held for 400+ days and during that time 400+ Israeli military have been killed. That’s about one Israeli soldier for every day of the captivity. And 400 is more than the number of hostages. Israel is a State being “held hostage to fortune” by its military being improperly married to Israel’s selfish civil population: those rigid conscientious objectors and those families which do not care how many of their soldiers die. Bleeding hearts have kneecapped the IDF.
Cynthia says
The left in Israel is as self defeating as the left in every western country.
Netanyahu has had to juggle them, the terrorists, Biden and Trump. Yet, they have weakened Iran, Hezbollah, Syria and Hamas.
This is another impossible situation that Israel will learn from – a very hard lesson.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I think Netanyahu should reach out to John Fetterman and try and get Steve Witkoff canned from his job. That guy has a conflict of interests and is not appropriate for this negotiator role. Instead, pick somebody who’s liked in both Riyadh and Jerusalem, rather than in Doha
Jerry says
He should be proud of NOTHING at this point. The “exchange” is a travesty and merely encourages more atrocities by the rabid, psychotic Palestinian mobs. The “families” are a self-centered and selfish lot.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Somehow, I didn’t find in that speech any explanation of the Pali prisoners he agreed to release, including
⮞ The numbers being released
⮞ Their proportion to the number of hostages released
Also missing was any disclosure of how many living hostages will Israel be getting back, vs the dead ones. I can understand the rationale for trading prisoners for living hostages, even if I disagree w/ it. What is less conscionable is trading prisoners for the bodies of hostages: on that, the deal should be “Hand them over, or else get your remaining membership in both Gaza as well as Judea/Samaria pumeled”
Walter Sieruk says
It should always be kept in mind and thus never forget that the horrible reality of the brutal cruelly abused of the Jewish hostages by the Muslims terrorists of Hamas is most horrendous evil and is reflection of the evil and malicious and vicious Islamic character of the jihadists of Hamas.
Therefore , in any genuine deal,Hamas should now be paying those kidnapped Jewish hostages compensation money for the physical and emotional harm the those Muslim terrorists of Hamas deliberately inflected on them.
It also should be remembered that such horrific treatment of those hostages is of no surprise when taking into account the demonic brutal cruel religion that Hamas has its foundation on, which of course is Islam, Surah 5:33. 9:123.
For there is absolutely no limits to the vile, heinous horrifically murderous wickedness that the jihadists of Hamas had committed and will continue to commit because of because of their demonic and malice-filled religion that is Islam.
Cynthia says
You cannot fault the families for moving heaven and earth to get their loved ones back from hell. Netanyahu has to appease the US under both Biden and Trump in order to get future support or even sufficient munitions. The terrorists have a long term strategy to turn Israelis against each other and to get the West against Israel.
All this is calibrated by Netanyahu while planning the next big surprise against Israel’s enemies.
Rick Gordon says
While I applaud his messaging and the vast majority of Israeli actions, I realize that many criticize Netanyahu’s leadership. I think that the best outcome for Israel and Netanyahu would be his call for new elections by mid year and his declaration not to run for or accept a further term as Prime Minister. He has accomplished much but continuing as PM will be detrimental to the state and him .
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I tend to agree w/ you on this one