Benjamin Netanyahu (agencies)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday vowed that Israel’s mission in Gaza would continue until the remains of all hostages are recovered, declaring that the “fight is not over yet,” further reaffirming his government’s resolve to “achieve all war objectives.“Speaking at a state ceremony at Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl military cemetery marking the first anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to achieving all of its war objectives and continuing to confront Iran and its regional proxies.“We are determined to secure the return of all hostages,” he said. “The fight is not over yet. But one thing is clear today: Anyone who raises a hand against us already knows he will pay a very heavy price for his aggression,” he added.

‘Will achieve all objectives of war’

Netanyahu praised the unity of Israel’s forces, noting that “Jews, Druze, Christians, Muslims, Bedouin, Circassians, and members of other groups – they stood shoulder to shoulder to achieve all the war’s objectives.”He also expressed gratitude to the families of fallen soldiers, assuring them that “we will achieve all the objectives of the war.”Rejecting accusations that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide, Netanyahu said the term better describes the Hamas-led October 7 attack.“On that day, we received a shocking illustration of the expression ‘genocide,’” he said. “I’m not talking about a fictitious genocide hurled at us in antisemitic libels by those who wish us ill. If those murderers had been able to do more, they would have slaughtered every one of us. This is the real genocide.”He accused Iran and its allied militant groups of trying to “strangle Israel to death in a ring of deadly fire,” but stressed that the country had responded with strength. “Our enemies did not calculate one thing: the power within us. We rose to our feet as one,” Netanyahu said. “We shifted the focus of battle into enemy territory; we struck it with crushing blows.”Calling Israel “the dam against the forces of destruction of radical Islam,” he hailed the nation’s soldiers as “the protective wall that separates us from them.” He said Israel’s troops had fought “with supreme heroism and astonishing resourcefulness.”Netanyahu said that while Israel faces “great challenges” from enemies seeking to rearm, it also has “great opportunities” to expand peace in the region once the war winds down. “Alongside challenges lie dramatic and great opportunities to widen the circle of peace,” he said, referring to ongoing efforts to normalise relations with more Arab nations.He urged national unity as Israel looks ahead: “We are operating on both levels at once, and what is needed on both is unity – unity in war and unity in peace. Only through internal cohesion, mutual responsibility, and strengthening the bonds that unite rather than divide will we achieve all our goals.”

Israel demands return of all; Hamas says unable to recover more

Netanyahu’s remarks came a day after Hamas said it had handed over the remains of two more deceased hostages but could not retrieve additional bodies without specialised equipment. According to BBC, Hamas said the two bodies returned Wednesday would be “the last for now,” though it was “exerting great effort” to locate others.Israel has demanded Hamas return all hostages’ remains under a US-backed ceasefire deal, warning that fighting could resume if the process stalls. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) identified the returned hostages as 27-year-old Inbar Hayman, killed at the Nova music festival on October 7, and Sgt Maj Muhammad al-Atarash, 39, who died in combat that day.“Hamas is required to fulfil its part of the agreement and make the necessary efforts to return all the hostages to their families and to a dignified burial,” the IDF said.However, senior US advisers said Hamas intended to “honour the deal” despite the slow pace, citing the severe destruction in Gaza as a major obstacle.“The territory has been pulverised, and specialised equipment would be needed to get them out,” one adviser said on condition of anonymity. “We continue to hear from them that they intend to honour the deal. They want to see the deal completed in that regard.”Meanwhile, Israel resumed humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, with plans to reopen the Rafah crossing. An Israeli official said around 600 aid trucks would enter the enclave despite warnings that supplies could be reduced if the handovers slow further.Netanyahu closed his address by reiterating Israel’s resolve: “We are determined to secure the return of all hostages. Whoever lays a hand on us will pay a very heavy price.”The remarks highlight Israel’s insistence that the war’s goals remain unfinished — balancing calls for peace and aid with its continued demand for justice and the return of every hostage, living or dead.The comments highlight Israel’s growing impatience over the ceasefire deal’s implementation and reflect the continued volatility in negotiations over the fate of hostages, both living and dead — still trapped in the aftermath of one of the bloodiest chapters in the decades-long conflict.