Netanyahu Rules Out a Ceasefire, Accusing Hamas of Using Palestinians As ‘Human Shields’ to Turn World Against Israel

During a televised address in English on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruled out a ceasefire with Hamas and accused the terror group of using Palestinians as human shields in order to turn the world against Israel.

“I want to make clear Israel’s position regarding the ceasefire. Just as the United States would not agree to a ceasefire after the bombing of Pearl Harbor or after the terrorist attack of 9/11, Israel will not agree to a cessation of hostilities with Hamas after the horrific attacks of October 7th. Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorism, to surrender to barbarism. That will not happen,” Netanyahu said.

Earlier in his address, Netanyahu condemned Hamas for deliberately using Palestinians as “human shields” and turning the international community against Israel.

“In fighting Hamas and the Iranian axis of terror, Israel is fighting the enemies of civilization itself,” Netanyahu said, continuing:

Victory over these enemies begins with moral clarity. It begins with knowing the difference between good and evil, between right and wrong. It means making a moral distinction between the deliberate murder of the innocent and the unintentional casualties that accompany every legitimate war, even the most just war. It means holding Hamas responsible for the double war crime it commits every day by deliberately targeting Israeli civilians while deliberately using Palestinian civilians as human shields. It means making clear that the use of human shields is not only an immoral tactic of terror but also an ineffective one. Because as long as Hamas’ use of Palestinians as human shields results in the international community blaming Israel, Hamas will continue to use it as a tool of terror and so will others.

Earlier Monday, the Israeli Defense Forces announced that it had successfully freed soldier Uri Magidish, who was taken hostage after the Oct. 7 terror attack. Hamas said it still has more than 200 hostages and claimed that 50 had been killed due to Israeli air strikes.

Watch the clip above via MSNBC.