Boma Achenimie 
….As Gaza Campaign Enters ‘Critical Stage’
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday reaffirmed his administration’s determination to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
This was has he insisted that Israel will not bow to what he described as the militant group’s “Dictates.”
Speaking in his first public statement since Hamas rejected Israel’s latest truce proposal, a plan reportedly designed to secure a ceasefire and the safe return of hostages, Netanyahu adopted a defiant stance, signaling that military operations would continue.
“I believe we can bring our hostages home without surrendering to Hamas’s dictates,” Netanyahu said in a televised address on Saturday.
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“We are at a critical stage of the campaign, and at this point, we need patience and determination to win.”
His remarks drew swift criticism from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an advocacy group representing the families of captives, which has consistently pushed for a negotiated agreement to secure their release.
“There is one clear, feasible, and urgent solution that can be achieved now: reach a deal that will bring everyone home even if it means stopping the fighting,” the group said in a statement following Netanyahu’s address.
Defending his government’s approach, Netanyahu argued that halting military operations under current conditions would send the wrong signal, both to Hamas and to Israel’s adversaries worldwide.
“Ending the war under these surrender conditions would send a message to all of Israel’s enemies: that abducting Israelis can bring Israel to its knees,” Netanyahu warned. “It would prove that terrorism pays and that message would endanger the entire free world.”
The Prime Minister further accused Hamas of leveraging the negotiation process to strengthen its hold over Gaza and to prepare for future attacks.
“Hamas is demanding the end of the war, the continuation of its rule, and a full Israeli withdrawal all of which would enable them to rearm and plan more attacks against us,” he said.
Netanyahu concluded his remarks with a call for national unity and perseverance, invoking the sacrifices made by Israeli soldiers since the conflict began.
“If we commit to ending the war, we will not be able to resume fighting in Gaza,” he warned. “So I ask you did our soldiers fight in vain? Did our heroes fall and suffer for nothing?”
The Israeli government continues to face mounting domestic and international pressure as the conflict drags on, with the fate of the remaining hostages and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza at the center of the ongoing debate.
