Netanyahu: Israel ‘has no choice but to finish job and complete defeat of Hamas’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel “has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas”.

He was speaking to foreign media in Jerusalem and defending a planned military offensive.

He asserted that “our goal is not to occupy Gaza, our goal is to free Gaza”.

Mr Netanyahu is also pushing back against what he calls a “global campaign of lies” as condemnation of the plan grows both inside and outside Israel.

He said there is a “fairly short timetable” in mind for next steps in Gaza.

The goals there, he said, include demilitarising Gaza, the Israeli military having “overriding security control” there and a non-Israeli civilian administration in charge.

The prime minister also said he had directed Israel’s military in recent days to “bring in more foreign journalists” — which would be a striking development as they have not been allowed into Gaza beyond military embeds.

Mr Netanyahu again blamed many of Gaza’s problems on the Hamas militant group, including civilian deaths, destruction and shortages of aid.