New York [US], September 26 : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday opened the fourth day of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Debate with a combative speech focused on the war in Gaza and mounting global criticism of Israel's actions.
Netanyahu delivered a forceful address at the UNGA, vowing that Israel is "not done yet" in its war against Hamas.
He said that even though Hamas forces have been diminished, they still pose a threat and "vow to repeat the atrocities of October 7." "Thanks to the resolve of our people, the courage of our soldiers, and the bold decisions we took, Israel rebounded from its darkest day to deliver one of the most stunning military comebacks in history. But, we're not done yet," he declared.
Hamas, meanwhile, has insisted it has sought an agreement to end the conflict. Earlier this month, its negotiators were targeted in an attack on a building in Qatar where they had gathered to discuss a US-backed ceasefire initiative. "We have never been an obstacle to reaching an agreement," the group said in a statement.
The Israeli Prime Minister's remarks came against the backdrop of growing disapproval from traditional allies. The UK, France, Australia and Canada recently joined a number of countries in extending recognition to a Palestinian state, while calls for a ceasefire have dominated interventions at this year's UNGA.
Netanyahu dismissed those appeals as insincere. "You know deep down that Israel, Israel is fighting your fight," he told the Assembly. "So I want to tell you a secret behind closed doors, many of the leaders who publicly condemn us, privately thank us," he said. "They tell me how much they value Israel's superb intelligence services that have prevented, time and again, terrorist attacks in their capitals, time and again, saving countless lives."
Earlier this month, a UN Human Rights Council-mandated commission concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, a finding echoed by independent experts, academics and rights organisations. Netanyahu described genocide as a "false charge" and defended Israel's military campaign by pointing to prior evacuation orders issued before operations in Gaza City.
"Now I want to ask you a simple question, a simple logical question," he said. "Would a country committing genocide plead with the civilian population it is supposedly targeting to get out of harm's way?"
He again accused Hamas of using civilians as "human shields," a justification that has repeatedly been rejected by rights monitors, who argue that such claims do not excuse strikes on civilian infrastructure.
The war has displaced nearly 90 per cent of Gaza's population, with repeated strikes reported on hospitals, schools and shelters housing the displaced. Aid agencies continue to warn that "nowhere is safe" in the enclave.
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