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Israel Defense Forces Says It Traded Fire With Hezbollah Overnight; Officials: Maine Shooter Left Behind Note To A Loved One; Israel's Defense Minister: We Moved To A New Phase In The War; Soon: Israeli PM To Speak Amid Expanding Ground Operation; Families Of Gaza Hostages Demand Netanyahu Tell Them If Military Action Endangers Their Loved Ones; Israeli PM Speaks Amid Expanding Ground Operation. Aired 1-2p ET
Aired October 28, 2023 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ANNOUNCER: This is "CNN BREAKING NEWS".
[13:01:29]
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta, where it's 1:00 Eastern Time, alongside Wolf Blitzer in Tel Aviv, where it is 8:00 p.m. Wolf, we'll get to you in a moment.
We're continuing to follow "BREAKING NEWS" in Israel's war with Hamas. Moments from now, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials will hold a news conference, as Israel's defense minister says the IDF has moved to a new phase in the war.
New video shows the siege underway in Gaza. Massive plumes of black smoke are rising from the enclave. Just a short time ago, Israeli forces are now inside of Gaza.
Overnight, the IDF's armored vehicles and tanks are on the move. Though the full scope of current activities remains unclear.
We've also seen Israel unleash a heavy sustained barrage of aerial attacks on Gaza. Our teams on the ground report hearing large explosions and heavy machine gunfire. The IDF says the airstrikes targeted 150 underground Hamas combat spaces and terror tunnels.
We're also watching new military activity unfold along Israel's border with Lebanon. The IDF and militant group Hezbollah continue to exchange fire on that front.
Let's send it over to Wolf in Israel. Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Fredricka, thanks very much. As you mentioned, we're waiting to hear directly from the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in just a few minutes.
We'll bring you that news conference. He's going to take questions as well. Once it begins, we'll bring it to you live. But first, let's bring in CNN Sara Sidner. She is here with me in Tel Aviv. She has been watching all of these latest developments unfold. Update our viewers, Sara on what is going on.
It's a very tense situation, as we can all feel, especially here in Tel Aviv.
SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is. So, we just, and you were here for this, we just saw an hour ago, rockets, coming over, be intercepted by the Iron Dome.
There were, at least, a half dozen of them. Something that, you know, it used to be you didn't hear about happening in Tel Aviv much. But since this war, we really seen a large number of rockets.
Yesterday, there was an apartment that was hit because the Iron Dome is not 100 percent perfect. About 90 percent. sure. So, three people were injured here yesterday. We also saw some things getting hit in Ashkelon as well.
Because when there are so many rockets coming over, the Iron Dome can only do so much, but it has done quite an incredible job. When you look at the numbers of rockets that have been sent over from Hamas from Gaza.
Conversely, when you look at what is happening in Gaza, harder to see exactly what's happening because communications have been cut off. There has been bombardments that have been more fierce and numerous than we have seen over this three-week period or so since the Hamas attack into Israel on October 7th.
But you are seeing large numbers of aerial strikes there. And we have also learned, and as you have also reported that the Israeli military is on the ground, in a -- in a smaller way that everyone initially expected last night, but they are on the ground as well as firing from the sky.
So, that's kind of where we are right now.
There is a sense of alertness that is happening because people can see the movement of the military from the borders of Gaza. And see that this war is changing every single day. And there's a lot of worry about the soldiers from the Israeli side, the civilians here on the Israeli side, and, of course, the civilians and the humanitarian crisis that is happening there in Gaza. Wolf.
[13:05:00]
BLITZER: Yes. I was here in Tel Aviv just a little while ago when those sirens went up. It's pretty scary to hear those sirens. But you were right here.
SIDNER: Yes.
BLITZER: And you could see them coming in and you could -- you could -- after the -- after the intercepting -- (CROSSTALK)
SIDNER: Yes.
BLITZER: -- interception occurred, the Iron Dome intercepted those Hamas rockets coming in, you hear these explosions. It's pretty scary stuff.
SIDNER: The thing that makes it, if you're looking at the video, you'll start seeing the streaks of light coming up, and then, that's the impact there. You see one of the impacts there, and you will see several of them and what is frightening for the population here, especially, is that there they are. You see those one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight lights in the air, that's the Iron Dome. Those aren't the rockets.
So, the population here cannot -- you can't see or hear the rockets coming over. They don't know where they are, they are just hope that they can see those tracer fire from the Iron Dome and hope that they're able to get every single one. It doesn't get every single one, and that's why here, there is a lot of fear all of the time, because they know at any moment rockets can come over. Conversely, in Gaza, they don't have the Iron Dome. And so, they are getting bombarded from the sky as well.
Everyone, everywhere really is in this sort of tense moments of fear and trepidation, because Israel is at war.
BLITZER: And what people don't realize is even after the Iron Dome works, and knocks out those incoming rockets --
(CROSSTALK)
SIDNER: Yes.
BLITZER: -- and missiles, there's a lot of debris that falls from the sky. I've been in Ashkelon and Ashdod with some of those -- the debris falls down.
(CROSSTALK)
SIDNER: Huge pieces. Yes.
BLITZER: Huge pieces that could kill people.
SIDNER: Yes, absolutely.
BLITZER: That's why people are obviously running to shelters to stairwells. And that's what they're telling them to do just to be on the side of caution.
SIDNER: You know it better than anyone, Wolf.
BLITZER: Yes.
SIDNER: You know what happens here when this starts to happen. And it's just -- it's terrifying for the population.
BLITZER: Huge metal pieces --
(CROSSTALK)
SIDNER: Yes.
BLITZER: -- start falling from the sky after the Iron Dome intercepts those rockets.
SIDNER: Yes. That's right.
BLITZER: And it's something that everybody has to worry about, as well.
SIDNER: It's really dangerous. Yes.
BLITZER: So, if they -- if you hear those sirens, go to a stairwell.
SIDNER: That's right.
BLITZER: Go to a safe room or something like that, a shelter.
SIDNER: Exactly right.
BLITZER: That we're going to be talking, we got a lot more coming up.
SIDNER: Yes.
BLITZER: Don't go too far away. Sara Sidner reporting for us. She is here with me in Tel Aviv.
Right now, in Gaza, there is a total communications blackout. Some aid groups say they haven't been able to get in touch with their own crews. And family members are also unable to reach each other. All of this adding to the dire humanitarian situation unfolding for civilians in Gaza, as Israel steps up its ground operation.
CNN's. Melissa Bell is joining us right now live from Cairo. Melissa, what are you learning? What are you hearing?
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An extremely difficult situation tonight, Wolf, at the Rafah crossing still closed, still the subject of such intense scrutiny because all of those many thousands of civilians who've made their way to it, in the hope of being let out, they haven't so far.
But also, of course, for the increasingly urgent calls, that something needs to change around that crossing in order that more aid can get in that has gotten so far. Really, when you look at what's happened since the start of this war, Wolf, the U.N. reckons about 100 trucks a day, need to get into meet the needs of the civilian population of Gaza.
It is just 84 trucks that have been in since this war began 21 days ago. It gives you an idea of everything they're lacking. What has gone on Wolf has been medical supplies and food, the fuel that is so desperately needed to run the hospitals, for instance, hasn't got in at all since the start of this conflict.
What that means is that the U.N. agencies, some of whom, as you mentioned a moment ago, haven't even been able to speak to their teams since this Friday night escalation are fearing including the U.N. agency that looks specifically after Palestinian refugees, that they may have to get out within the next few days.
So, an extremely difficult humanitarian situation that has been made worse, as you say, by that near total blackout. Many families are unable to reach each other, their loved ones inside. And, of course, emergency services unable to be reached, because even those wounded cannot call the ambulances to where they are.
And so, you've seen what had been, this hope over the last few days that some calls for -- although, ceasefire, perhaps, but it is a humanitarian pause, to help some -- address some of these urgent issues.
We saw the U.N. vote on the United Nations General Assembly resolution massively in favor of a pause. That those hopes have rather faded as a result of what happened last night continues to happen today. In part, we've just been hearing from Antonio Guterres, the head of the United Nations speaking from Qatar about his disappointment, not just that the dashed hopes over the hostages since we had also Friday night be hoping for some good news regarding those negotiations.
But, of course, the dashed hopes with regard to the hopes that aid might finally get in and that some kind of arrangement might get found for at least dual national citizens to be able to get out. Tonight, Wolf, those hosts seem pretty far off.
BLITZER: Melissa Bell in Cairo for us. Melissa, we'll stay. We have a very close touch with you as well. Thank you very much.
I want to get some analysis right now in all these breaking developments that are unfolding right now here in the Middle East.
[13:10:03]
Joining us, the former CIA operative Bob Baer. Bob, thanks so much for joining us.
What do you think Israel is trying to do in Gaza right now? Is it mostly about preparing for a full-scale larger ground operation in Gaza? Or is it something else?
ROBERT BAER, CNN INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY ANALYST: Wolf, I think what they are doing for sure is probing Hamas defenses. They are seeing if they'll come up on air, push to talk radio's, they are trying to get a feel for the tunnels. What is Hamas's tactics? They don't quite know what it is. It's been nine years since the last entry into Gaza. So, they are checking this out.
They may continue south as they go. Or right now, they're just testing lines. And that we're going to see sort of losses the Israelis taking how many Hamas defenders there are. BLITZER: Yes, a lot going on. The big concern, of course, for Israel going into Gaza, as you know, Bob, has to be a protracted fight that takes place in those extensive underground tunnel networks that Hamas has developed in Gaza.
Do you think the IDF has enough intelligence right now to know where to take the fight against Hamas, where these tunnels are, and there could be a hostages that are in those tunnels as well?
BAER: No, they lack intelligence. The Israelis, given their druthers would rather not bomb Gaza, they would rather get into the tunnels, take out Hamas, destroy and decapitate the movement, and be done with it.
The problem is, last nine years, Hamas has been building tunnels, some of them supposedly go 150 feet deep. That seems too much for me. But they are -- they are very deep. And the only way to get into them is fight from tunnel by tunnel.
And if the hostages are down there, it's especially, you know, the chances that they are making it out in a protracted war are close to zero.
BLITZER: Negotiations at the same time have been ongoing to try to get more of those hostages released, released by Hamas, with Qatar apparently being the main mediator right now.
How do you think the ground operation which seems to be beginning right now massively will impact those negotiations?
BAER: I think they're pretty much cut off at this point, Wolf, because Hamas has said, give us a ceasefire, we'll give you hostages. We know that Hamas has gone to Russia and as agreed to release eight of them. But I'm not sure that's going to happen especially so chaotic in the street, getting those people out would be extremely difficult.
BLITZER: Yes. Israel's main objective right now is to destroy Hamas as much as they possibly can. And we'll see what happens in these coming hours and days.
Is there a concern over in the Pentagon you think that the U.S. could potentially be drawn into this conflict if Iranian-backed Hezbollah decides from southern Lebanon to seriously escalate its attacks on northern Israel? In fact, right here in Tel Aviv, Israel, they have rockets and missiles from southern Lebanon provided by the Iranians that could reach where we are right now in Tel Aviv?
BAER: Yes. They are solid propelled rockets, they can pull them out of caves, they can hit Tel Aviv, they can destroy Haifa. There is supposedly 150,000 Hezbollah rockets, which the Israelis would have to invade Lebanon to take out.
So, the United States has warned Tehran, you send your proxies into Israel and we will destroy them. And I could see us getting in. This war is heating up. It's not calming down, obviously, Wolf. BLITZER: Yes. And the U.S. has sent -- deploy two U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups to the eastern Mediterranean, not far from the coast of Israel, not far from Gaza, not far from Lebanon, either. We'll see what they will be doing.
Supposedly, designed to deter Hezbollah from even thinking about launching all these rockets and missiles against Israel. But we shall see. Bob Baer, thank you very much for your analysis.
This note to our viewers, if you would like information on how to help the humanitarian relief efforts in both Gaza and Israel, please go to cnn.com/impact. You'll find a list of vetted organizations providing important assistance. That cnn.com/impact.
We'll have much more. Just ahead, we're live here in Tel Aviv, Israel. Coming up, several communities in Maine can now begin to heal and mourn those they lost after the suspected gunman and the deadly mass shootings was found dead last evening.
The latest from Maine, that's coming up next.
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[13:18:39]
WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. We are learning new details today about the gunman in Wednesday's mass shooting that killed 18 people in Maine. We now know the shooters body was found inside a box trailer in the town of Lisbon.
Investigators say, 40-year-old Robert Card died of an apparent self- inflicted gunshot wound. Residents of Lewiston are relieved the two- day manhunt is over and can now begin grieving their lost loved ones.
The rampage there was the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. this year, and the deadliest since the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas.
I'm joined now by CNN crime and justice correspondent Shimon Prokupecz, live in Lewiston.
Shimon, what are the next steps in this investigation?
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN'S CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Well, the crime scene. They are still clearing the crime scenes. You could see behind me here, we're outside the bar the -- that where the one of the shootings occurred, and investigators are still here going over evidence, collecting the remaining pieces of evidence that they have to collect for their investigation. And then, really working towards more about the history of the shooter.
The investigators trying to piece together the days leading up to this what was going on in his life today. They revealed there were some mental health issues. They're investigating that they also say that he bought the weapons, some of them in the last several days.
[13:20:02] They recovered three weapons. Two that were with him inside the trailer, and then, the long rifle, potentially, the one used in this horrific crime in his car.
There also is a note, as we've been discussing the past few days. They found this note, they released some more details about that note saying that there is information in there that he left for a loved one.
Here's the police officials discussing that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL SAUSCHUCK, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSIONER, MAINE: What it is, is it's a note to a loved one. And he is saying that this is the passcode for my phone. This is the bank account numbers. And I wouldn't describe it as a explicit suicide note. But the tone and tenor was that the individual was not going to be around and wanted to make sure that this loved one had access to his phone and whatever was in his phone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PROKUPECZ: And investigators also say that the shooter's family has been very cooperative in this investigation, and that's been helping them and figure out a motive.
They say that actually, in the moments after this shooting, when they released the photo of the shooter, it was the family that first identified him to police, and that's sort of how they've been able -- of how they were able to identify him and track him down.
All of this, of course, happening as the families here and the community is starting to grieve. A vigil is planned here for tomorrow night, and for the several days to come, where it gives an opportunity for many of the community members and the families here to get together, remember their loved ones, and really deal with what's going to be a very difficult time, you know, in the coming days, weeks, and months.
WHITFIELD: Sure. It's not over. Not for them. All right. Shimon Prokupecz, thank you so much.
All right. At any moment, we're expecting to hear from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as Israeli forces expand ground operations. We'll bring you his remarks live. Stay with us.
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[13:26:19]
BLITZER: The IDF, the Israel Defense Forces continues launching around the clock airstrikes in Gaza.
IDF reserves soldiers call last night's barrage, the most intense wave of bombing of this conflict so far. And Israel's defense minister says the country has moved to a new phase in the war against Hamas.
Video from Gaza City shows the level of destruction as people dig through the rubble.
CNN's Jeremy Diamond is joining us now from spirit Israel, which is not far from the Gaza border. Jeremy, what can you tell us? What are you seeing? What are you hearing right now? It seems to be so intense.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: No doubt about it, Wolf. We are more than 24 hours now past Israel officially expanding its ground operations inside of Gaza.
There was a question last night as these operations were beginning, when we woke up in the morning with those tanks, with those troops that went into Gaza last night still be in Gaza? Would they still be fighting? And today, we found out that indeed, they still are.
And throughout the day, Wolf, we have been hearing the constant thud of artillery heading out, out of Israel and pounding Gaza as well as aerial bombardments continuing.
We also, as we were in Sderot, overlooking the Gaza Strip, we could hear small arms fire, machine gunfire continuing, and clear indication that the fighting between Hamas fighters inside of Gaza and Israeli troops is very much still ongoing.
We also learned of what the intensity of those aerial bombardments that we were hearing last night, Wolf, which have been -- which were without a doubt the most intense and the loudest booms that we have heard inside of Gaza since this war began three weeks ago.
That they were so intense because most of what they were targeting was the underground tunnel system under Gaza. 150 underground targets in northern Gaza were targeted last night, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
And today, Wolf, despite those targeting operations carried out by the IDF, rocket fire continuing to come out of Gaza, targeting Israeli cities, like right here in Ashkelon, where we now are as well as central Israel in Tel Aviv as well.
One thing is clear, Wolf, this is still a very dynamic operation. Earlier today, we drove along the border with Gaza, where hundreds of armored personnel, carriers, and tanks have been massing for several days now, along that border.
Today, what we found were mostly empty fields, trash laden on those fields where those troops used to be. But some of those tanks, Wolf, were coming back from Gaza, back towards those staging positions. There was movement really back and forth between that northern part of the border with Gaza and northern Gaza itself.
So, very much an ongoing operation, which the Israeli military's chief of staff says is a complex and important operation. And he says that Israel's best troops are currently engaged in fighting with Hamas over there. Wolf? BLITZER: Yes. Very intense situation indeed. Jeremy Diamond in Ashkelon, not far from Gaza, either -- just north of Gaza. Jeremy Diamond, thank you very much.
We're waiting for remarks by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the defense minister of Israel as well.
We're going to bring all of that to you live once it begins. Lots going on. Stay with us.
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[13:33:40]
BLITZER: Right now, we're following some breaking news here in Israel. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about to speak to reporters.
This comes as Israel steps up its ground operations inside Gaza and continues launching a barrage of airstrikes.
Any moment now, Prime Minister Netanyahu will hold a news conference, along with the current and former Israel defense ministers. We'll bring that to you as soon as it begins.
Let's bring in Sara Sidner. She's here with me in Tel Aviv. She's watching all of this unfold. Also, former State Department Middle East negotiator, Aaron David Miller, is joining us as well.
Sara, this is going to be important, because these family members of the hostages want answers.
SIDNER: They have demanded answers. I mean, this is the anniversary, the three-week anniversary of the October 7th attack by Hamas.
When you imagine that they have been waiting for this long to have some concrete answers about what the plan is, now they're not just asking, where are my loved ones and what do you know?
They're now asking will this new incursion, will this ground incursion have a negative effect on the potential of them being able to leave and their well-being. They want direct answers. And they want clear answers.
They want to know what they are dealing with, because a lot of them -- and I've spoken to several and I know you've spoken to them, too -- all the horrible things that sort of rattle around in your head about what can happen to your loved ones.
[13:35:06]
They've been waiting for so long. And they've seen four people of the 20-plus people still being held by Hamas released, giving them some hope. But hope being dashed when you see these huge bombardments and the ground forces that are in.
BLITZER: Several did meet a little while ago --
SIDNER: Yes.
BLITZER: -- here in Tel Aviv with the prime minister. But earlier, several of them put out a joint statement. Let me read a couple lines to you from the statement:
"We are tired of slogans," they said. "Our loved ones' time is running out. They have been held in appalling conditions underground in the dark for three weeks, some wounded. And every additional hour there could be a death sentence for them.
"We expect the prime minister and defense minister to arrive with clear answers on how they plan to bring the hostages home healthy."
They're clearly worried, understandably, about their loved ones.
SIDNER: I'd say they're terrified at this point. Because for those who are injured, it's been a long time. We know there has been some medical attention for some of the hostages, because we heard that from one of the hostages who was released.
We saw video of one of the hostages being released where she was getting some medical attention, although it didn't look like great medical attention. She was at least getting something.
But at this point, when they see there is no movement that they can visibly see of hostages, one by one, being led out -- they've only seen four over the three weeks now.
They're just terrified and they want to know the truth no matter how much it hurts.
But they also want Israel to take a look at what they're doing and really consider the hostages as a very important part of their plans, even though they are in a full-scale war with Hamas.
BLITZER: Let me get Aaron David Miller into this conversation.
Aaron, you've been involved in the Middle East for many, many years. How do you see this hostage crisis unfolding?
AARON DAVID MILLER, FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT MIDDLE EAST NEGOTIATOR: I think the government of Israel confronts a cruel dilemma, Wolf. The families are looking to the prime minister basically to tell them what kind of priority is the redemption of these hostages. I suspect the prime minister and defense minister are only going to have general answers.
Reality is Israel faces a cruel dilemma. On one hand, it has a commitment to the 1,400 Israelis who have been killed in that Hamas slaughter on October 7th. On the other hand, they have a commitment to the living.
You know as well as I, Wolf, what a national mission Israel has for itself in terms of redemption of its soldiers and civilians left on the battlefield. That is the cruelest of dilemmas.
The Israel prime minister, the longest governing prime minister in the history of the state of Israel, faces, clearly, the greatest political and security crisis of his career.
I doubt, frankly, that the prime minister is going to have very much to say specifically other than general propositions on where the hostages fit in terms of Israel's looming ground campaign.
BLITZER: Where do you think, Aaron, the U.S. fits into this whole dilemma how to free those hostages?
MILLER: You know, 10 Americans unaccounted for. Clearly, for the Biden administration, any administration, frankly, the redemption of American hostages is a top priority.
I think the administration has succeeded in buying time and space from the Israelis in order to see whether or not you can actually have a large-scale release of civilians.
I suspect both the U.S. and Israel are essentially confronted with Hamas that is playing the cruelest of psychological games with human beings. They know how valuable hostages, Israelis are to the government. They know what kind of pressure the Netanyahu government is under.
And they're using them in an effort, I think, to buy time and to constrain a likely Israeli ground campaign.
Again, I think it's impossible for us to know exactly what the state of those negotiations are or, frankly, Wolf, what the fate of those unfortunate humans imprisoned by Hamas really are at the moment.
BLITZER: It's a sad, sad situation, indeed.
We're going to sneak in a quick break. We're standing by to hear directly from the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu and the defense minister.
[13:39:32]
We'll take a quick break. Our coverage of this live news conference will begin very soon.
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BLITZER: We're standing by for the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak any moment now on Israel's sudden military expansion of its ground operations in Gaza.
Prime Minister Netanyahu met with some of the families of the hostages earlier today after they had demanded a meeting with him.
I'm joined by Hadas Kalderon. She has five family members who were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7th. It's believed they're being held hostage in Gaza right now. They include her husband, her 16-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son.
Hadas, our hearts go out to you. Thank you so much for joining us.
If I have to interrupt our conversation to hear what Prime Minister Netanyahu has to say, I'm sure you'll understand.
We'll get your reaction after we hear what he and the defense minister have to say about the hostage situation and this military incursion in Gaza right now and how that could potentially impact the fate of more than 200 hostages in Gaza.
[13:44:59]
But what is your message, Hadas, to the Israeli leadership as this military operation in Gaza clearly expands and your family members remain hostages in Gaza?
HADAS KALDERON, FIVE FAMILY MEMBERS MISSING IN ISRAEL: Sorry. My message is to the government leaders but also to Hamas and all the government in the whole world, to Qatar, to Egypt, to France, to United States, to all the governments.
Please, we are 22 days after all these innocent people have been kidnapped. I'm already very tired, tired to --
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: Hadas, I apologize to interrupt you, but we're going to continue this conversation.
But the prime minister is now speaking.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translation): Citizens of Israel, yesterday, additional forces entered into Gaza, into the evil forces.
This is the second stage of the war, which our cause is very clear, to destroy the military and government ability of Hamas and return our victim's home.
We decided to operate on the ground of Gaza in the covenant of the war in the general covenant.
We're ready to make sure the faith of the country, our soldiers know that the government and the people are standing behind them.
I met our soldiers in the bases, in the south and the north where the wonderful army, wonderful soldiers, heroes, Jews and non-Jews, secular and non-secular, left and right, go united.
They have the motivation. I haven't seen such a spirit. They're going to fight powerfully against an evil enemy.
They are ready to make sure that the murderers are going to pay the price for the massacre. They're going to abolish this evil in order for all humanity, all the people and the government. We believe in them.
Remember what I'm elected to. We remember and we fight.
Our heroic fighters in Gaza, around Gaza and all around the country are joining the years of Israel. It's a chain of 3,000 years from Joshua, Judah and the rest of the wars of Israel, like Yom Kippur.
Our heroic fighters have one goal, to destroy this enemy and to make sure the existence in our country. Never again, never again is now.
I met our victims' families today. Parents who lost their loved ones. I said to them, in any stage until now, in any stage from now, we'll exhaust anything as we can to make sure they're coming back to their families.
It is a crime against humanity. The people that are blaming us for crime against humanity, our soldiers, they're completely wrong.
We call the civilian population to please go to the safe area of the Strip. The cynical of their enemy, they use their population as human shield and as providers of their fuel.
[13:50:04]
Everybody around the world understanding now what we always said, we are fighting the humanity war, our human war against barbarians.
Our allies in the Western world and our allies in the Arab world understand today that if Israel is not going to win today, they are going to be next in the axis of evil.
From the beginning of the war, we managed to have international support from leaders, USA, Biden, prime minister of Britain, France, Germany, Greece, Cyprus and other leaders.
They came to us at the time of war and they have a clear message, we're not just supporting you, we are waiting for your victory, we are blessing you.
We are going to stand alone, and it's good to stand together. We have no other choice.
One thing we clarify, that we need to understand, two possibilities, to be or not to be. This is our test. And we are going to be the one who are going to win it. We are going to win it.
In the first few weeks, we destroyed the enemy from air, and the last few days have extended power, in order to a system to get into the ground in the safest way. We destroyed infrastructure and headquarters of the enemy.
The war inside Gaza is going to be long. This is our second independence war.
We're going to save our country. We're going to fight in the air, ground, and sea. We are going to fight and win. It's going to be the victory of the good over evil.
We are standing together united. And we are sure this is the right way, this is the mission of our life, the mission of my life.
In your name and the name of everybody, I pray for the safety of our soldiers. We're going to give them the crown of victory. Together, we are going to win.
Citizens of Israel, soldiers are fighting at the moment, in the air, ground and sea, inside Gaza and outside Gaza.
Before everything, the abductees' families and the families that lost their loved ones in the fight in the last few weeks, and the abductees' families, there's not one moment that I don't think about you.
There's not one moment that, when I consider the operational strategies, the actions of the forces, there's not a moment I don't take it into account.
On the last day, we moved space. The powerful fire toward the enemy, it's different what Hamas experienced until now.
The IDF forces are maneuvering and destroying the infrastructure of Hamas over the ground and underground, from the air, ground, and from the sea. Hamas has taken fatal hits.
I visited today the forces in the air, the intelligence forces. I saw how the intelligence are giving support, the air forces are giving them support that makes them very powerful, what the forces are doing.
[13:55:20]
I want to say one thing. I have faith in the chief general, in the fighters and commanders, and all the forces, the Mossad and its people and the defense system.
We're going to achieve. The fighters on the ground up to the chief general are going to bring us victory.
At this time, we are readying all the fronts, the north, center and south. We have no interest in expanding the war. The Air Force is using a small air freight into Gaza and it's ready for other development.
Alongside these efforts, the war efforts, we have other efforts. The most important one, the Central Command, is the concern for the citizens, for the reservists in the front and the settlements that are in the front and people that were evicted from their houses, and we are working towards helping.
A few words about abductees. We are making any effort in order to return the abductees to us, to our country. It's a very complicated effort. It's dealing with reality that we didn't know in the past.
We are ready to do anything possible. This is not a secondary mission. This is a national priority. We are committed to it.
We know who we are standing against. We are dealing with murderers that murdered kids, raped women, that broadcast to families, murder, crimes in real time. Please don't think that they try for humane solutions.
The efforts to return your loved ones, it's important efforts for us. As long as the military pressure and fire is going to be increased, as we hit the enemy harder, there's better chance that the enemy will agree to solutions to return the loved ones.
Towards the end of my saying, this is not going to be a short war. It's going to be long. We should have patience. And we have to be strong, as individuals, as leadership, and most of all, the defense forces.
This is a war on our house. It's not a choice. It's us or them. I'm committed to lead the defense forces to victory over Hamas.
Israeli society experienced the biggest disaster of our times. Therefore, we are fighting together.
We are managing this war with responsibility and determination in order to change the reality of the south and to fulfill this contract never again.
We are working on all fronts. There are enemies all around our borders. They'll understand the message.
[13:59:44]
Along that, we are doing every effort to return the abductees in Gaza home. Every effort. This is our moral commitment, as Jews, as country, as leadership.
The ground maneuver, alongside other stages, could progress the return of the abductees home.
