Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel “will continue to fight” against its enemies.
Netanyahu delivered a recorded message late Monday to a government memorial service marking the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.
Israel responded to the attacks with a military offensive that has devastated Gaza and inflicted heavy losses on the Hamas militant group. US-led ceasefire efforts have repeatedly faltered, and Israel has now turned its focus to a ground offensive in Lebanon against the Iran-backed Hezbollah party.
“As long as the enemy threatens our existence and the peace of our country, we will continue to fight,” Netanyahu said. “As long as our hostages are in Gaza, we will continue to fight. We will not give up on any of them. I won’t give up.”
The government ceremony was prerecorded, and Netanyahu did not attend.
Families of people killed in the Oct. 7 attack, hostages and soldiers who died fighting Hamas held a separate ceremony earlier Monday, skipping the official ceremony in a show of anger against the government.
