Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel would not agree to a ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. At a media briefing on Monday, Mr Netanyahu said a ceasefire would amount to surrendering to Hamas.
"Just as the United States would not agree to a ceasefire after the bombing of Pearl Harbor or after the terrorist attack of 9/11, Israel will not agree to a cessation of hostilities with Hamas after the horrific attacks of October 7th," he said.
"Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorism, to surrender to barbarism. That will not happen," he added.
The UN Humanitarian Office (OCHA) today said that 8,309 Palestinians, of whom 70 per cent are said to be children and women, have so far been killed in Gaza since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
"Since 7 October, 8,309 Palestinians have been killed, including at least 3,747 children and at least 2,062 women," the OCHA wrote on its website.
Israeli ground forces have been fighting inside the Gaza Strip and air strikes pounded the Palestinian territory in response to the October 7 attacks, when Hamas operatives killed 1,400 people and took more than 230 hostages.
