Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a stark warning to Palestinians in Gaza, urging them to evacuate immediately as the Israel Defense Force (IDF) is gearing up to intensify their military actions there.
This declaration comes in the wake of violent acts where Palestinian terrorists were reported to have killed hundreds of Israeli civilians through rocket attacks and shootings throughout the nation on a Saturday.
In his statement, Netanyahu expressed his anger over the terror attacks, especially as they took place on a Shabbat (the Jewish day of rest) and a holiday.
He placed the responsibility of the attacks squarely on Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, describing their actions as a declaration of a “brutal and evil war”.
He depicted the gravity of the situation by highlighting the innocent victims, including children and the elderly, and emphasized the group’s intentions to harm all Israelis.
“Hamas wants to murder us all,” he proclaimed. He painted a grim picture of the group’s tactics, saying they target children and mothers in their homes and even abduct the elderly and young women. He described these victims as innocents who were merely out to partake in holiday festivities.
Netanyahu expressed his determination to prevent such incidents from reoccurring.
Assuring the nation of the government’s unified stance on the matter, he stated, “The entire government is behind this decision.”
The Prime Minister informed the public of the IDF’s planned actions, stating their intent to “destroy Hamas’ capabilities.”
He further vowed retaliation, promising to “forcefully avenge this dark day” brought upon by the actions of Hamas against the State of Israel and its citizens.
In a subsequent warning directed towards Gaza, where Hamas is known to have a significant presence, Netanyahu declared the IDF’s intention to target all areas within the city that are occupied, utilized, or shielded by Hamas.
He cautioned that such places would be turned “into rubble.”
Echoing this sentiment, he addressed Gaza’s residents, advising them to evacuate immediately. “I say to the residents of Gaza: Leave now because we will operate forcefully everywhere,” he declared.
As the statement concluded, he noted that the IDF was in the process of eliminating terrorists from the remaining communities.
