Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the shooting and killing of three (3) Israeli hostages by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “shocked” him, describing the sad incident as a “terrible tragedy”.
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| From Left: Alon Shamriz, Samer Talalka and Yotam Haim killed mistakenly by Israeli troops in Gaza on Friday 15 December, 2023. Photos: Shamriz, Al-Talalka and Haim families via AP via Al Jazeera |
The shooting and killing of the three (3) Israeli hostages by the IDF which happened on Friday 15 December, 2023 was a “mistake”, the IDF said.
The Israeli PM said, “Alon, Samar and Vitam survived the inferno for 70 days. They were just a step away from freedom, they really touched redemption and that’s when the disaster happened”, further saying, “it broke my heart”.
He once again alerted Israelis, “We are at war for our existence.”
PM Netanyahu said: “We are at war for our existence.
In this war we must continue until victory, despite the international pressures and despite the unbearably heavy price that the war exacts from us in the fall of our dear sons and daughters. The State of Israel mourns the tragic death of three of our abductees Alon Shamriz, Samer Talalka and Yotam Haim.
When I was informed about the terrible tragedy – it shocked me. Alon, Samar and Vitam survived the inferno for 70 days. They were just a step away from freedom, they really touched redemption and that’s when the disaster happened. It broke my heart. It broke the whole nation’s heart. Our hearts go out to the families in their time of need.
In this difficult time it is important for me to strengthen our fighters as well. They sacrifice their souls to achieve a crushing victory over our enemies and to return our hostages. We do and will do everything to protect the lives of our fighters, each and every one of them, and we will use all means so that they don’t get hurt.
“Since yesterday’s tragedy, I have been haunted by one thought – “What would have happened if only something had been different”. I’m sure this thought is shared by all of you. We were so close to hugging them now. But unfortunately, time cannot be turned back. Anyone who has fought on the battlefield knows that the distance between victory and disaster is a hair’s breadth. In the midst of the enormous pain, we will learn the lessons, apply them, and not relent in the military and political effort to bring all our abductees home safely.
With all the deep sorrow I want to clarify: the military pressure is necessary both for the return of the kidnapped and for achieving victory over our enemies. Without the military pressure, we would not have been able to produce an outline that resulted in the release of 110 abductees. And only the continuation of the military pressure will lead to the release of all our abductees. The instructions I give to the negotiating team are based on this pressure and without it we have nothing.
“Israeli citizens,
Yesterday we lit the last candle of Hanukkah. In those days, in the struggle for our existence, four of the five Hasmoneans fell and ensured Israel’s victory over an enemy that wanted to exterminate our people. Even in these days, in difficult battles in Jabaliya, Sajaya, Khan Yunis and other places, the Maccabees of our time fell in the fight against an enemy who wants to destroy us. We lost dear heroes, brave and dedicated warriors and commanders like none other, heroes who fell on the battlefield so that we could continue to live in our country, so that the thread of our lives would not be severed.
Together with you, citizens of Israel, I embrace the bereaved families. I cry with them. As a member of the bereaved family, I know that until the last day they will not stop missing their loved ones and they will not stop crying for what and who was lost. I spoke with the widow and parents of the late Lt. Col. Tomer Greenberg, commander of the 13th Battalion in the Golani Brigade, he fell heroically this week along with his soldiers and subordinates. I told them what I say to all my brothers and sisters, the members of the bereaved families, I know that the pain that tears your heart will never go away. But there is one consolation: to ensure that our heroes have not fallen in vain, to ensure that we will continue to fight until the total victory is achieved.
I also clarified this determination to the US national security advisor, with whom I met the other day. I greatly appreciate the US’s support for Israel – in helping to return our abductees, in supplying armaments to the IDF, in curbing the attempts at the UN to stop the fighting, and in other things as well. I repeat to our friends: we are more determined than ever to continue until the end – until we eliminate Hamas, until we return all our abductees, and until we ensure that in Gaza there is no longer any factor that educates terrorism, finances terrorism, and sends terrorism.
“I say this to the whole world, many in the world understand this, and I stand by it tonight as well. This is not “politics” – this is policy. This is my policy, and today I can say – this is the desire of a huge majority of the people. I will not let us replace Hamastan with Fatahstan, let us replace Khan Yunis with Jenin. I will not let the State of Israel repeat the fatal mistake of Oslo, which brought to the heart of our country and Gaza the most extreme elements in the Arab world who are committed to the annihilation of the State of Israel, and who educate their children for the purpose this.
The debate between Hamas and Fatah is not about “whether” to eliminate the State of Israel, but only about “how” to do so. According to a survey conducted a few days ago, 82% of the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria justify the terrible massacre of October 7, and up to this moment The senior officials of the Palestinian Authority simply refuse to condemn the massacre, and some of them even glorify it with relish. So they will rule Gaza the “day after”? Have we learned nothing? As Prime Minister of Israel, I will not let this happen.
“It is important to clarify this already. Because between friends one must tell the truth and not foster illusions, all the more so on an existential and fateful issue like this. So I repeat to our friends: after the elimination of Hamas – the Gaza Strip will be demilitarized, it will be under the security control of Israel, and there will be no factor in it that will threaten us and no factor that will educate its children to destroy us.
I want to tell you citizens of Israel, victory will take time. But we are determined to continue until the end. Despite the enormous pain, despite the grief that tears our hearts apart, despite the international pressures – we continue until the end. Nothing will stop us – until we achieve victory.
together we will fight,
and with God’s help,
together we will win.”
נאומי הערב לאזרחי ישראל >>
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אנחנו במלחמה על קיומנו.במלחמה זו חייבים להמשיך עד לניצחון, על אף הלחצים הבינלאומיים וגם על אף המחיר הכבד מנשוא שהמלחמה גובה מאיתנו בנפול בנינו ובנותינו היקרים. מדינת ישראל אבלה על מותם הטראגי של שלושה מחטופינו אלון שמריז, סאמר טלאלקה ויותם חיים.… pic.twitter.com/gJkkVQqFJj
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) December 16, 2023
