Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that his country would not agree to a ceasefire with Hamas despite international pleas for such a deal.

Netanyahu compared the unprecedented terrorist attacks on Oct. 7 that left roughly 1,400 people dead, the vast majority of whom were civilians, to the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, which prompted the United States's entrance into World War II.

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“I want to make clear Israel's position regarding the ceasefire. Just as the United States would not agree to a ceasefire after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, or after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Israel will not agree to a cessation of hostilities with Hamas after the horrific attacks of Oct. 7,” Netanyahu said. “Calls for a ceasefire or calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorists, surrender to barbarism, that will not happen."

Israeli forces have launched thousands of airstrikes at targets within Gaza, pulverizing infrastructure, hitting buildings, and killing thousands of Palestinians. Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders have said that their goal is to rid Gaza of Hamas, the terrorist group that has been the de facto government of Gaza for about 15 years since Israel withdrew from the enclave in 2005.

The destruction in Gaza and the worsening humanitarian situation has led to calls for a ceasefire. But, Israeli backers, including U.S. officials, have warned that a ceasefire would benefit Hamas, who would be able to regroup and plan to launch additional attacks against Israeli targets. Historically, Hamas has broken ceasefire agreements.

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Israel's military has begun the second phase of its operations in recent days, which is a ground incursion into Gaza. The urban and dense environment in Gaza poses significant challenges to Israeli forces as it seeks to destroy Hamas's military capabilities.

Israeli troops "will be fighting in multiple dimensions — on the ground, above ground and in buildings, and below ground, in the hundreds of miles of tunnels that they face," former U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told the Washington Examiner. "So it's going to be a really tough, gritty, bloody affair. There will be a lot of casualties, military and civilian."