PM tells families of hostages and fallen soldiers not deterred by potential ICC arrest warrants against him, willing to ‘sacrifice himself for Israel’ as he vows not to the war until remaining Hamas battalions eliminated

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said that Israel has begun evacuating civilians from the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah ahead of a ground offensive there and that the war will continue despite the IDF pulling most of its forces out of the Palestinian enclave.

“We are continuing the war. We’ve begun evacuating civilians from Rafah and the offensive there will begin soon. We will not surrender to Hamas,” he told families of fallen soldiers and hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, adding that he was fighting international pressure, including from the United States.

He noted that the objectives of the war against Hamas have not changed and remain the eradication of the terror group and the release of the hostages.

The families said they were supportive of his efforts and expressed optimism after the meeting.

“We were told that 200,000 civilians have already left Rafah. The prime minister made it clear that without destroying the remaining four Hamas battalions there, there can be no end to the war,” said Itzik Bonzel, whose son Amit was killed in the fighting in Gaza, adding that only a total victory would complete the work his son set out to do.

According to Bozel, Netanyahu assured the families that he was undeterred by potential arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court in The Hague. “He told us he was willing to sacrifice himself for Israel and wasn’t afraid,” he said.

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