Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the war between Israel and Hamas will last for "many more months" — until the militant group has been eliminated.
"We will guarantee that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel," he told a news conference and later posted on social media, adding that the military was involved in a "complex fight" and needed time to achieve its goals.
"As Prime Minister, I have rejected the international pressure aimed at stopping the war before we achieve these goals," he added.
The war in Gaza was triggered by a terror attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel on October 7, in which around 1,200 people were killed.
Netanyahu, who thanked the United States for their continued support, continues to push back against persistent international cease-fire calls after mounting civilian deaths, hunger and mass displacement in the besieged enclave.