Hamas’ rule has to come to an end, Benjamin Netanyahu tells Euronews

“Hamas’ regularisation has to travel to an end”, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Euronews successful an exclusive interrogation connected Sunday, discussing the US-led ceasefire program and the aboriginal of Israel and Gaza. 

Netanyahu stated that if Hamas accepts the plan, it “could beryllium the opening of the extremity of the war."

However, if it doesn’t, past “Israel volition receive, arsenic (US) President (Donald) Trump said, the afloat enactment of the United States to forcefully enactment against it to bring astir an extremity to the war.” 

“Let’s anticipation we tin decorativeness it the casual mode and not the hard way.”

Read the Euronews successful its entirety and ticker it successful the subordinate above.

Euronews: The latest ceasefire woody with Hamas comes adjacent to precisely 2 years since the Hamas onslaught connected 7 October. We mightiness spot the hostages freed connected the aforesaid time they were taken 2 years ago. Bringing the hostages back, tin you accidental Israel achieved its main goal? 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Well, we accepted the deal, arsenic did the full world. It was President (Donald) Trump's plan. Hamas says that it accepted the plan. Now the onus is connected Hamas. This program consists of 2 parts. The archetypal portion is releasing each the hostages. Israel makes a tactical withdrawal, stays successful Gaza.

And past the 2nd portion is meant to demilitarise Gaza and disarm Hamas, that volition beryllium negotiated. But the archetypal portion is there, it's agreed upon. And that could beryllium so the opening of the extremity of the war. And arsenic I said, since we accepted it, we person to spot what Hamas volition do. If Hamas does judge it, I deliberation it's a precise bully sign.

If Hamas doesn't judge it and it's the anticipation that we ever instrumentality into mind, past Israel volition receive, arsenic President Trump says, the afloat enactment of the United States to forcefully enactment against it to bring astir an extremity to the war. I prefer, obviously, that we proceed with the program arsenic presented.

But clip volition tell, and it won't instrumentality precise long, successful a fewer days we'll know, if Hamas agrees to the merchandise of each our hostages, we tin determination forward. That is implicit signifier 1 of the deal. That's what we're trying to bash close now. 

Euronews: Prime minister, what happens if Hamas does not merchandise the hostages? What volition Israel do? How volition Israel alteration its stance and strategy? 

Netanyahu:** Well, you person to realise that the crushed Hamas agreed successful the archetypal spot to this woody is due to the fact that we acted militarily against their main stronghold, the metropolis of Gaza. I gave an bid respective weeks agone to the service to participate that stronghold.

And arsenic a result, Hamas became, I would say, a batch much flexible due to the fact that they realised that their extremity is near. Add to that President Trump's involution and the program that helium enactment for ending the struggle by having the hostages released first. That, I think, sealed this concern successful a affirmative way.

Now, of course, I can't archer you if Hamas volition hold to it. I deliberation that it's possible, I anticipation it volition happen, but I can’t warrant that it will. And truthful if it doesn't happen, what President Trump has said is that helium volition backmost Israel wholly successful acting forcefully against Hamas. Well, let's anticipation that we tin decorativeness it the casual mode and not the hard way. 

Euronews: Tthe satellite is watching intimately arsenic the latest woody with Hamas unfolds. After each the suffering, what's adjacent for Gaza from your constituent of view? What is your connection to the Palestinian civilians and to Hamas astatine this stage? 

Netanyahu: I deliberation everybody understands that Hamas’ regularisation has to travel to an end. All our hostages person to beryllium released, and of people Hamas cannot travel backmost to moving Gaza, tormenting its radical with its panic regime, and terrorising Israel with rockets and missiles and hostage-taking.

So that has to end. Once that ends, I deliberation what we request is simply a strategy of part of responsibility. Israel volition person wide information work to forestall a violent resurgence from Gaza.

But successful Gaza we request a civilian medication that is administered not by radical who are committed to Israel's destruction, but those who are committed to surviving peacefully with it.

President Trump has undertaken himself to caput that civilian authority, to caput the governing committee of that civilian of authority, and I deliberation that's a bully development. So if we person that, I deliberation we tin person a antithetic aboriginal for Gaza and for Israel, and for everyone successful the region. That's what we anticipation volition instrumentality place. But the archetypal measurement is merchandise each the hostages, and past disarm Hamas and demilitarise Gaza. 

 Euronews: Is that a bully woody for Gaza, oregon is that the lone woody for Gaza? 

Netanyahu:** Well, I deliberation close present it's the lone woody connected the table, there's nary different deal, fig one. Number two, I deliberation it's precise bully for Gaza. And the Gazans are hoping that Hamas will, they privation to escaped Gaza.

They privation to escaped Gaza from Hamas, from Hamas tyranny. Hamas shoots anybody, anybody connected the Palestinian broadside who wants to dissent from Hamas's warfare of panic successful Israel, who wants to dissent from Hamas taking each the money, the billions that were enactment into Gaza.

The Gazans didn't spot immoderate payment from that. They conscionable built an underground city, a panic passageway city, and truthful they privation a antithetic future. And Gazans are present warring Hamas. They're really warring Hamas due to the fact that they spot present a anticipation to get escaped of Hamas, truthful is that thing that tin happen? I deliberation it could.

And I think, it's not lone that wrong Gaza radical are hoping that they tin region this Hamas panic dictatorship that has subjugated them for truthful long, it's that everybody successful the satellite agreed to a caller woody for Gaza, instrumentality of each our hostages, the disarming of Hamas, the demilitarising of Gaza.

Basically, the full satellite has present accepted this plan. We have, astir of the Arab countries have, the Arab states, arsenic I said, have, Europe too. And of course, the United States, which has led this by President Trump. So that's a precise bully thing. And I deliberation we should prosecute it. 

Euronews: Prime minister, bash you judge this woody would yet pb to a lasting bid alternatively than a simply impermanent pause, particularly given, arsenic you said, that Hamas lone partially accepted the plan? 

Netanyahu:** Well, it can't partially judge it. It has to judge it successful full, and particularly the archetypal portion that has to get nether way. That's what moves everything towards a solution of the conflict. If they do, if we really acceptable up a civilian medication successful Gaza that doesn't amended its children to hatred Israel, to effort to destruct Israel, to termination Jews everywhere.

In different words, to de-radicalise Gaza, not lone to demilitarise it. Not lone to disarm Hamas, but to de-radicalise Gaza, arsenic was done successful Germany aft World War II oregon successful Japan. Then yes, past I deliberation the full portion tin person a overmuch much affirmative and peaceful future.

And by the way, I deliberation that if that happens, I deliberation we'll person galore much bid deals of the benignant that I broke, that I had done with President Trump and Arab leaders successful the Abraham Accords.

We tin grow the Abraham Peace Accords to see different countries successful the Middle East and Muslim countries beyond the Middle East. So the aboriginal is bright, but the archetypal signifier is Hamas has to get connected the programme. They person to merchandise each our hostages and bash truthful immediately. 

 Euronews: Well, the program is seen arsenic a short-term solution by galore determination actors, and the Arab countries whitethorn not travel suit, unless, arsenic they say, they spot a semipermanent solution for Palestine. How bash you program to get them connected committee from your side?  

Netanyahu: I deliberation galore of them are acrophobic of the Palestinian panic state. Many of them privately archer america however they privation to spot Hamas eliminated from the scene. I deliberation we tin get to a solution that protects Israel's information and besides gives the Palestinians the quality to govern themselves, but not to endanger Israel.

That means needfully that immoderate sovereign powers volition stay successful Israel's hands, particularly the sovereign powerfulness of security, due to the fact that we've seen clip and again that erstwhile Israel moves out, gives the Palestinians a territory which they govern with nary limitations, past instantly Iran comes in, they acceptable up a panic state, they onslaught Israel, arsenic they did successful the horrific massacre of 7 October.

That cannot be, that's not a way to peace. If you privation a existent way to peace, past the Palestinians person to travel yet to recognise and judge the beingness of a Jewish authorities successful their midst. And that hasn't happened.

That's wherefore we don't person bid here. Because they garbage to, they don't privation a authorities adjacent to Israel, they privation a State alternatively of Israel. And erstwhile they get immoderate territory, they usage to onslaught america again and again.

If we don't alteration that, past this struggle volition continue. If we do, we are able, with the program that we person for the time aft Hamas and Gaza, if we are capable to alteration that, that goes a agelong mode to securing a semipermanent bid and a unchangeable bid successful the Middle East. 

Euronews: Some of the critics voiced precisely this concern, arsenic you say, regarding what comes the time after. 

Netanyahu:** And I said, what comes the time aft is simply a deradicalised Gaza, a demilitarised Gaza and a disarmed Gaza, successful the consciousness that Hamas volition nary longer tally the show.

And the radical who volition tally the amusement successful Gaza, and those are not Israelis, they person to beryllium those Palestinians supported by others who privation bid with Israel and not the demolition of Israel.

And erstwhile we get to that point, I deliberation we tin beforehand bid not lone betwixt Israel and Gaza, but betwixt Israel and galore different partners successful the Middle East and Muslim countries beyond the Middle East. 

 Euronews: Prime minister, would this program and this result beryllium imaginable without Donald Trump's mediation, fixed that Europe has been visibly absent from this process? 

Netanyahu:** Europe has been absent due to the fact that Europe has fundamentally caved successful to Palestinian terrorism, to extremist Islamist minorities successful their midst. And they fundamentally said “let's conscionable springiness them a Palestinian state, which would beryllium the eventual reward for Hamas aft doing the top massacre against the Jews since the Holocaust”.

“Now we'll springiness you a authorities successful which you tin proceed the warfare against Israel”. That's wherefore Europe has fundamentally go irrelevant and displayed tremendous weakness. If you privation to combat terror, basal up and combat terror. Stand up and beryllium forceful against terrorism. Don't capitulate to its demands.

Don't provender the crocodile successful (Winston) Churchill's words, due to the fact that it's gonna travel aft you aft it devours Israel oregon immoderate different state that stands successful its way. That's the archetypal happening not to do.

What should beryllium done is precisely what President Trump is doing. He's presenting a realistic bid plan, a realistic program that eliminates the violent elements, the elements that privation to proceed the warfare again and again, who vow to repetition the massacre of October 7th again and past again.

Remove them, regenerate them with a peaceful medication and past we tin determination connected with peace. But that requires archetypal releasing each the hostages and eliminating Hamas arsenic a subject and governing constituent successful Gaza. 

Euronews: Several EU countries person precocious recognised the authorities of Palestine. How does this impact oregon however volition it impact Israel's relations with Europe? How would you explicate to Europeans the goals of your authorities successful Gaza?

Netanyahu:** Well, I deliberation it caused tremendous harm for america present successful the Middle East due to the fact that it's the eventual prize for terror.

You onslaught Jews in, arsenic I said, the worst onslaught since the Holocaust, and you're fixed a authorities due to the fact that that's who is gonna tally that state. And remember, the Palestinians had a authorities successful Gaza, a de facto state, which turned retired to beryllium the top violent onslaught successful past since 9/11.

Imagine that aft 9/11, radical would say, okay, present let's springiness (Osama) Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda a state. Not lone volition we springiness them a state, but it'll beryllium 1 mile from New York, which is what they're suggesting.

After this 7 October massacre against Israel, we'll springiness the Palestinians a authorities 1 mile oregon a fewer miles from Tel Aviv. That's not gonna beforehand peace, but that's efficaciously what the European leaders, those European leaders who suggested a Palestinian state, are saying. 

We're gonna halt coercion by giving the terrorists a authorities close adjacent to their intended victim, whom they astir massacred, whom they're astir eliminated. That doesn't bring peace. I deliberation that the much liable attack taken by the United States and by President Trump is the mode to amended peace. How did we get the Abraham Accords?

For 50 years, for 25 years, a 4th of a century, we couldn't grow the bid with our Arab neighbours. Everybody said you person to springiness the Palestinians a state. And that state, obviously, was committed to our elimination, truthful that wouldn't determination it precise far. In fact, it would determination the needle backwards.

In came President Trump and I, and we worked together, and we went astir the Palestinian state. We went to Abu Dhabi, we went to the Emirates, we went to Bahrain, we went to Morocco, we went to Sudan, and we brokered a nonstop bid betwixt them, a bid based connected communal respect, a bid based connected strength.

First you person the strength, past you person peace. Now, what these European leaders are saying is that we should weaken Israel to the constituent wherever it's warring for its endurance against different Palestinian state, this clip close astatine the outskirts of Jerusalem, successful fact, wrong Jerusalem, and close supra the hills supra Tel Aviv.

Let's springiness them a state, and that's going to bring peace. That's absurd. So Europe is lost. Those European leaders, unfortunately, caved successful to the panic of Hamas. And I deliberation that's the incorrect mode to go.

I anticipation they rethink their way, due to the fact that we'd similar to person not lone bully relations with Europe, but bully relations with a realistic Europe, and 1 that would bring existent peace, arsenic opposed to the repetition of horrible war. 

Euronews: Are you consenting to negociate with the European members to person them to bash that? 

Netanyahu:** Well, I'm successful changeless interaction with them. I tin accidental that immoderate of them person been much respectful of our positions than others. Others, basically, they're nether tremendous pressure.

The media has precise stilted it, precise tilted against Israel. It conscionable accepts Hamas propaganda, hook, enactment and sinker, immoderate numbers they give, immoderate facts they springiness that are precisely the other of the truth, they've accepted.

Then they person besides these demonstrations from time one, from time of the massacre, erstwhile women were raped, and men were beheaded, and babies were burned by these Hamas monsters; determination were wide demonstrations connected the streets of Europe's capitals connected behalf of Hamas, connected behalf of Hamas.

And with this combined unit of distorted media, and interior Islamist unit supporting Hamas rather a fewer of them caved in, and that's not good.

I deliberation it's not bully for Europe. I deliberation that it's precise atrocious for Europe, due to the fact that it encourages further extremism and fanaticism, which volition bring down Europe eventually.

And I don't deliberation it is bully for peace. So I anticipation that Europe changes its direction. Some of it has, but immoderate of it hasn't. I anticipation the portion that hasn't rethinks not lone for our sake, but for Europe's involvement too. 

Euronews: Prime Minister, the Hamas onslaught connected 7 October marked a turning constituent successful the conflict, the tragic nonaccomplishment of life, and the ongoing suffering. I privation to inquire you, however bash you bespeak connected the interaction of it today? What lessons from that time proceed to signifier Israel's policies? And successful this circumstantial moment, with the merchandise of hostages being imminent, and aft each the immense suffering connected some sides, has justness been served successful your view? 

Netanyahu:** I deliberation the archetypal question is, tin we region a menace to execute different Holocaust connected the Jewish people? And the reply is, I deliberation we have. It's travel astatine a large outgo to us, due to the fact that we've mislaid immoderate of our finest sons and daughters who bravely combat this war. 

I deliberation we've done thing else. It's not lone been a warfare against Hamas terrorists, but it's besides been a partition against the Iranian panic axis.

Remember that successful these 2 years of conflict, we besides went aft Hezbollah, which threatened to rainfall down 150,000 rockets and missiles connected our heads. And they did rather a spot of that. And we fundamentally brought them to their knees, Hezbollah. 

We brought down by our enactment the murderous Assad authorities that had murdered fractional a cardinal of its ain colonisation and served arsenic a main axis for the Iranian panic span to the Mediterranean.

We took retired the astir unsafe weapons directed against america and brought back, rolled backmost the Iranian atomic menace to annihilate Israel. It's a tremendous achievement. And it not lone threatened us, it threatened each 1 of our Arab neighbours.

It threatened Europe, due to the fact that they were gathering intercontinental ballistic missiles that could transportation atomic warheads to Italy, to France, to Germany, to Britain. It's huge. 

Service that we did, arsenic (German) Chancellor (Friedrich) Merz said, Israel did the enactment for each of us. That was an important acknowledgement of what we were doing.

And then, of course, we besides person to woody with the Houthis that are blocking different Iranian proxy astatine the rima of the Red Sea, which is blocking maritime commercialized and is besides raining down missiles connected us, including past night.

So we person a full Iran panic axis which we person rolled back, not lone for our ain security, but for the aboriginal of the world. And that panic axis is what has funded Hamas, funded Hezbollah, funded the Houthis, kept live each these fanatic forces that are not lone against Israel, they chant decease to America, decease to Israel, and by the way, decease to Europe successful between. 

And I deliberation it's important for the Europeans to recognize what Chancellor Mertz said successful a broader context. We are really warring the barbarians who privation to destruct our escaped societies.

They privation to destruct you. And we are lasting astatine the beforehand lines portion we are being attacked from radical successful Europe whom we are protecting. It's rather amazing. So obviously, determination has to beryllium a change, I think, successful the knowing of what conflict is being fought here. 

It's not simply against the Hamas terrorists who fell down civilians, who usage their civilians arsenic quality shields, who sprout the civilians, who privation to get retired of harm's mode erstwhile we archer them to permission the area, the portion of combat. It's not lone against these monstrous terrorists, it's against the full monstrous panic axis that Hamas has built, not lone to destruct Israel, conquer the Middle East, but to onslaught you. And that is what Israel is fighting.

Few Europeans possibly recognize it, but it doesn't marque it little true. It's conscionable when, arsenic Churchill warned the world, that was celebrating the Munich Agreement, celebrating the giving (German Nazi person Adolf) Hitler control, basically, of a portion of Czechoslovakia.

Everybody said, it's bid successful our time. And helium said, no, it is not, it's not. This volition bring a war, the likes of which we haven't seen. And radical condemn them arsenic a warmonger, conscionable arsenic they are condemning Israel, conscionable arsenic they’re condemning me. But successful fact, we are warring the conflict of the escaped world.

We are warring a conflict to forestall the barbarians from storming into Europe, archetypal from conquering each the Middle East, storming into Europe. And past attacking the United States. Now, whether oregon not radical spot it, it's true.

And I'm precise arrogant of our soldiers, who successful defending ourselves truthful courageously, are besides defending each of escaped civilisation.