Netanyahu: "We can't finish the war without eliminating Hamas leadership"
Early, reports circulated that attempts have been made to replace Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu with a no confidence vote
During a Likud meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the faction saying the war will not end until all of Hamas leadership has been killed.
"Our goal is a complete victory over Hamas. We will kill the Hamas leadership, therefore we must continue to act in all areas in the Gaza Strip. It is forbidden to end the war before then. It will take time - months not years."
The Prime minster went on to adress the hostages, saying "We have already released 110 of our abductees, we continue to act on this issue, but Hamas has demands that we will not agree to. The release key should be similar to the previous agreement. This attempt will not be realized at any cost."
Early, reports circulated that attempts have been made to replace Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu, in a plan that wouldn’t see elections but a no-confidence parliamentary vote, according to Yuval Segev from the Israeli Army Radio.
According to the report, the plan was pushed by emissaries on behalf of Minister Benny Gantz from the National Unity party, who had joined the government as a war cabinet member to expand the coalition in an emergency situation.
The emissaries approached ministers and lawmakers from Netanyahu’s Likud party, promising future spots in the National Unity in exchange for completing a no-confidence vote to replace the composition of the government and its leader, Segev reported.
Furthermore, different lawmakers from Netanyahu’s own party were suggested as candidates for taking over the prime minister role without demanding it for Gantz. However, the appointment would only be for a specified period. Another condition to the deal would be that the agreed replacement candidate would not run for Likud leadership in the future.
Segev concluded that Gantz and his team chose not to comment but Israeli Opposition Leader Yair Lapid welcomed the move and said his Yesh Atid party would put its 24 mandates behind such an initiative.
Gantz in the past was reportedly against replacing Netanyahu immediately, privately sharing that he did not consider it appropriate to change the prime minister at the current time in the conflict. Lapid, too, was reportedly ready to join the emergency unity government if required to complete a hostage return deal.