Netanyahu Hopes for Hostage Return by Sukkot, Says IDF Will Stay in Gaza
Addressing the nation on Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes that by the upcoming Sukkot holiday, Israel will have succeeded in returning all the hostages—both the living and the dead—while keeping the IDF deployed deep inside the Gaza Strip.
He recalled that early in the war, some officials doubted whether even one hostage could be rescued alive, and others argued that the only way to free them all would be through a complete withdrawal from Gaza.
“I took a different approach,” Netanyahu said, adding that firm decisions made together with the government and the determination of Israeli soldiers had already led to the return of 207 hostages. “I have not given up on the rest,” he continued, “nor on achieving the remaining goals of the war.”
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Netanyahu said that throughout the war, he and other officials met repeatedly with the families of the hostages. “When I spoke directly to the families, we said we have never, ever forgotten you throughout this war,” he stated. He described hearing their anguish and sharing their prayers, expressing hope that the living will soon return home and that the families of those who perished will be able to lay their loved ones to rest.
Netanyahu said the decision to enter Hamas’s stronghold in Gaza was critical and had been closely coordinated with President Trump. “It turned things completely upside down,” he said, explaining that the joint effort helped isolate Hamas and apply the “immense pressure” that, in his words, is now compelling the group to release the hostages.
He rejected claims that Hamas had previously been willing to free the captives without Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza. “That was a lie,” Netanyahu said, insisting that “only the military pressure and the political pressure that we wielded upon them” had brought about the current change.
The prime minister credited Israel’s soldiers and officials for resisting outside demands, saying that without their resolve, “we would have left Gaza without barely any achievement.” He added that the operation enabled Israel to take control of the Philadelphi Corridor and prevent a premature withdrawal that, he argued, would have left Hamas intact.
Netanyahu said Israel’s campaign in Gaza had accomplished far more than expected, claiming it paved the way for Israel’s 12-day war with Iran which “removed and eradicated the nuclear threat against the State of Israel.” He called it “a historic achievement that will be written down in the annals of history,” and credited President Donald Trump for his role. “My dear friend, President Trump, I must thank you, who helped us by sending the B-2 airplanes and his steadfast stand and help, and he bombed the nuclear facilities,” Netanyahu said.
He added that many had doubted that a hostage release that allowed Israel to accomplish its military goals was possible. “People said it was too good to be true. Well, I’m telling you, it is true,” he said. “It really is true. And with the help of God, it will happen very soon.”
