WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Israel is executing all it can to get civilians out of harm’s way as it battles Hamas in Gaza, like dropping leaflets warning them to flee, but its tries to limit casualties had been “not successful”, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported on Thursday.
Netanyahu was questioned by U.S. television’s CBS Information whether Israel’s killing of 1000’s of Palestinians as it retaliates for the Oct. 7 attack by Gaza’s ruling Hamas militants would gas a new generation of hatred.
“Any civilian loss of life is a tragedy. And we should not have any because we’re executing all the things we can to get the civilians out of harm’s way, when Hamas is undertaking all the things to keep them in harm’s way,” Netanyahu said.
“So we ship leaflets, (we) get in touch with them on their mobile phones, and we say: ‘leave’. And a lot of have left,” Netanyahu claimed.
Israel has explained the intention of its navy marketing campaign is to ruin Hamas.
“The other matter that I can say is that we’ll attempt to complete that occupation with small civilian casualties. That’s what we’re attempting to do: small civilian casualties. But sadly, we’re not productive.”
Netanyahu then claimed he desired to draw a parallel with anything relevant to Germany, but he was interrupted by the CBS interviewer, who asked him a problem about Gaza’s post-war safety.
Palestinian civilians have borne the brunt of Israel’s months-long army marketing campaign in reaction to the attack by Hamas that Israel suggests killed 1,200 people today, primarily civilians. Hamas also took about 240 people today of distinctive nationalities as hostages, in accordance to Israel.
Gaza well being authorities considered reliable by the United Nations say at least 11,500 men and women have been confirmed killed in an Israeli bombardment and ground invasion – much more than 4,700 of them youngsters.
Two thirds of the Gaza Strip’s population of 2.3 million have been produced homeless by the war. On Thursday, Israel’s air pressure dropped leaflets in areas of south Gaza telling people to evacuate for their possess security.
Israel has also employed leaflet drops in northern Gaza to warn civilians to shift. Hundreds of thousands have done so, in a mass displacement that many Palestinians anxiety could become long-lasting.
(Reporting by Rami Ayyub editing by Grant McCool)