Rips Hague critics of war vs. ‘new Nazis’
Israel is “on the path to victory” over Hamas, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who lashed out Saturday at what he called the world’s “new Nazis.”
“What happened on Oct. 7 will not happen again,” he vowed, according to The Times of Israel. “We are on the path to victory and we will not stop until we achieve victory. ”
Netanyahu slammed what he called The Hague’s “hypocritical attack” as “a moral low in the history of nations” — a reference to South Africa’s genocide allegations against Israel.
“The supporters of the new Nazis dare to accuse us of genocide,” he scoffed at a news conference in Tel Aviv, adding that Israel is “fighting an unprecedentedly moral and just war against the monsters of Hamas — the new Nazis.” In other developments:
The families of the estimated 132 hostages still being held by Hamas kicked off a 24-hour rally in Tel Aviv to mark Sunday’s grim anniversary of 100 days since the Oct. 7 attack. Organizers claimed 120,000 turned out, according to The Times of Israel.
Dorit Beinisch, a former head of the Israeli Supreme Court, spoke at the rally and denounced the “genocide” allegation, calling it an “embarrassment.”
“The massacre on Oct. 7 wasn’t a fight for freedom and isn’t according to the laws of war. The nations of the world have to support us because terrorism is a threat to the world,” the former justice, now 81, said.
One freed hostage compared the attack on Israel and the kidnapping of the hostages to Hitler-era tactics.
“It has been 100 days of cruelty that the world hasn’t seen since Hitler,” said freed hostage Danielle Aloni, whose brother-in-law is among those still being held.
The mother of a Hamas captive who was killed in the Gaza Strip demanded the Israeli government “wake up.”
“Every day that passes endangers those who are surviving,” said Yael Adar, whose daughter Tamir was killed, according to The Times of Israel. “The only job you have is to get them back . . . I won’t forget. And I won’t forgive. Government of Israel, the onus is on you for what happened on your watch.”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant reportedly stormed out of a Cabinet meeting Saturday, The Times of Israel said, citing reports in Hebrew media. Gallant allegedly marched out because Netanyahu barred Gallant’s chief of staff from the meeting. Gallant later returned.
On Saturday the IDF announced it hit three terror cells in southern Lebanon on Friday night, The Times of Israel reported. All three cells were preparing to execute attacks on northern Israel, the IDF said.
The military also said reserve soldier Master Sgt. Dan Wajdenbaum, 24, was killed in the ground operation against Hamas. Wajdenbaum’s death brings Israel’s military death toll for the operation to 187.
The Palestinian death toll since Oct. 7 is estimated to be 23,843, the Hamas-affiliated Gaza Health Ministry said.
On Friday, the Israeli army also killed three Palestinian gunmen who fired on soldiers in the West Bank, officials said.
The gunmen attacked soldiers who were patrolling the Israeli settlement of Adora, Israel’s Army Radio said.