Netanyahu vows to finish job in Gaza, lashes out at ‘global campaign of lies’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he expected to complete a new Gaza offensive “fairly quickly”, as the United Nations Security Council heard new demands for an end to suffering in the Palestinian enclave.

Netanyahu, speaking after his security cabinet on Friday approved a much-criticised plan to take control of Gaza City said he had no choice but to “complete the job” and defeat Hamas to free hostages seized from Israel.

He said the new Gaza offensive aimed to tackle two remaining Hamas strongholds in what he said was his only option because of the Palestinian group’s refusal to lay down its arms.

He also pushed back against what he called a “global campaign of lies”, and said Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, one of Israel’s strongest backers, had “buckled under” by announcing that Germany won’t authorise exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza until further notice.

“The timeline that we set for the action is fairly quickly. We want, first of all, to enable safe zones to be established so the civilian population of Gaza City can move out,” he added.

The city, home to a million people before the two-year-old war, would be moved into “safe zones”, he said.

Palestinians say these have not protected them from Israeli fire in the past. Israel’s military chief has voiced opposition to occupying the entire Gaza Strip and has warned that expanding the offensive could endanger the lives of hostages Hamas is still holding and draw its troops into protracted and deadly guerrilla warfare.

Netanyahu said his goal was not to occupy Gaza. “We want a security belt right next to our border, but we don’t want to stay in Gaza. That's not our purpose,” he said.

European representatives at the United Nations said famine was unfolding in Gaza and Israel’s plan would only make things worse. “Expanding military operations will only endanger the lives of all civilians in Gaza, including the remaining hostages, and result in further unnecessary suffering,” Denmark, France, Greece, Slovenia and the United Kingdom said in a joint statement.

474 pro-Palestinians arrested in Britain

The Metropolitan Police said it made 474 arrests during the UK’s largest protest in support of Palestine Action, which was recently banned by the government, making it a criminal offence to show any backing for the group.

Amnesty International UK’s chief executive Sacha Deshmukh said the protesters in Parliament Square were not inciting violence and it is entirely disproportionate to the point of “absurdity” to be treating them as terrorists.

US backs Israel at UN

The United States on Sunday defended Israel at a UN Security Council meeting, saying the country has the right to decide what's best for its security. It called allegations of genocide in Gaza false. The US has veto power at the council and can block proposed actions there. Other council members, and UN officials, expressed alarm. China called the “collective punishment” of people in Gaza unacceptable.