Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recorded a video message in English, in which he thanked US President Donald Trump several times for his comprehensive support in the situation with the Gaza Strip and the delivery of weapons that were delayed by the administration of the previous US President Joe Biden. At the same time, he once again stated that Israel agrees to the proposal of US Special Envoy Steven Witkoff to extend the ceasefire in the enclave, while the radical Palestinian movement Hamas, according to him, stubbornly refuses it.
“I want to thank President Trump for his unwavering support for Israel. During my recent visit to Washington, I said that Donald Trump is the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House. And President Trump demonstrates this friendship every day. He demonstrated this with his far-sighted plan for Gaza, a plan that Israel fully supports. He demonstrated this by sending us all the ammunition that was delayed. And he demonstrated this by fully supporting Israel and putting pressure on those who really needed to be pressured, Hamas, in order to free the hostages,” Netanyahu said, according to a video of his speech released by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Israeli Prime Minister reiterated that his country had accepted the Witkoff Plan to extend the temporary ceasefire for 50 days, according to which half of the hostages remaining in Gaza should be released immediately and the other half at the end of the truce, if an agreement on a permanent ceasefire is reached during it. “Once again: Israel accepted this plan, I accepted this plan, but Hamas has rejected it so far. In addition, Hamas has made demands for a permanent ceasefire that are completely unacceptable. Israel has decided to cut off the supply of goods and supplies to Gaza that we have been carrying for the past 42 days. We did this because Hamas is stealing supplies and preventing the people of Gaza from receiving them,” he claimed.
Netanyahu warned that Israel “will take further steps if Hamas continues to hold [Israeli] hostages. “And with all of this, Israel knows that America and President Trump stand with us. Thank you again, President Trump! Thank you for all that you are doing to get our hostages back, to strengthen our security, and to ensure a prosperous and peaceful future for all the peoples of the Middle East,” he concluded.