Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, listed a number of what he described as his government's major achievements since October 7 during a tumultuous parliamentary session, during which he faced accusations and disapproval from opposition lawmakers.
Netanyahu said that Israel has changed the face of the Middle East and achieved accomplishments on several fronts unattainable since Israel's founding, whether in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, or elsewhere.
He asserted that the Israeli army assassinated what he described as the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Mohammed Sinwar, the younger brother of the movement's late leader, Yahya Sinwar. These allegations have not been confirmed by Hamas. Haaretz also quoted an Israeli security source as saying that, contrary to Netanyahu's statements, Israeli security services have not confirmed the assassination of Mohammed Sinwar.
Netanyahu revealed that he had confirmed information indicating that 20 Israeli prisoners were still alive and 28 were dead. He pledged to continue the war until Hamas was defeated and all prisoners, both living and dead, were returned.
He emphasized that Israel operates on the principle of responding forcefully to any aggression against it. Netanyahu accused Iran of being behind the attacks launched from Yemen, noting that the Houthis are merely a proxy for the main power, Iran.
Netanyahu also said that he and his wife are being subjected to a smear campaign by the prisoners' families because the opposition in parliament is spreading lies about the matter.
During his speech at the Knesset session, Netanyahu was booed by relatives of Israeli prisoners in Gaza, who held up signs demanding that the government conclude a prisoner exchange deal and release them.
The hostages' relatives accuse Netanyahu of manipulating them when he promised an important announcement regarding the captives soon, then retracted his statement.
Failure to manage the war
In contrast, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to manage the war.
Lapid described Israel's situation two and a half years ago as a safe country with calm and secure borders.
During the tumultuous Knesset session, he said that every Israeli citizen should ask himself what his situation was before the Netanyahu government, and what his situation is now.
For his part, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told NPR Radio that Israel is committing war crimes in the Gaza Strip.
Olmert added that the ministers' call to starve and exterminate the people of Gaza is a call for a war crime, to which the Prime Minister did not comment.
Olmert explained in an interview with NPR Radio that expanding the war has no military purpose or goal that can be achieved, and that everyone is absolutely certain that there is no achievable goal that justifies continuing or expanding this operation.
Olmert told NPR that these operations will not rescue the hostages and will not serve any national interest for Israel.
Hundreds of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv, central Israel, on Wednesday evening, demanding the return of prisoners held in Gaza, coinciding with the 600th day of their captivity.
Israeli media reported that hundreds of people, including mothers and families of the kidnapped, demonstrated in Bialik Square in Tel Aviv in the silent protest "101st Stand," demanding the return of the kidnapped soldiers, who have been held by Hamas for 600 days in the Gaza Strip.
שתף את דעתך
Netanyahu lists his achievements in a tumultuous session, while Olmert says what is happening in Gaza is a war crime.