'We are all ready': Israeli PM Netanyahu visits areas of Hamas assault for the first time

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday (Oct 14) visited Kibbutz Be’eri and Kibbutz Kfar Azza — two of the worst hit areas in last week's assault launched by Hamas militants. In a post on X, Prime Minister Netanyahu said, "With our fighters in the Gaza Strip, on the front line. We are all ready." Citing an official statement, a report by The Times of Israel said that Netanyahu walked between the ruins of the houses where these terrible massacres took place.

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He was briefed by officers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the areas. This was the prime minister's first visit to the scene. He had earlier faced criticism for not visiting the affected areas, and visiting the injured.

עם הלוחמים שלנו בעוטף עזה, בקו החזית. כולנו מוכנים.

(צילום: אבי אוחיון, לע״מ) pic.twitter.com/TiGzHcWhPK — Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 14, 2023

More than 1,300 people have been killed on the Israeli side. Gaza authorities, meanwhile, have said that 2,200 people have been killed, a quarter of them children. Thousands of people have been injured on both sides.

Israel's retaliation only the beginning: Netanyahu

On Friday, Israeli PM Netanyahu said that his government's week-old retaliation for the Hamas assault from Gaza was "only the beginning," though he did not elaborate on what might follow or for how long.

Also watch: War crimes in Israel-Hamas conflict | Dark World

The Israel-Hamas war is on for nearly a week, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has alleged that Hamas militants are beheading soldiers and raping women.

His concerns have been echoed by Israeli media and think tanks which said Hamas is using rape as a weapon of war.… pic.twitter.com/9uneqh0WBd — WION (@WIONews) October 13, 2023

"We are striking our enemies with unprecedented might," Netanyahu said in a brief statement which, unusually, was televised after the Jewish sabbath had begun. "I emphasise that this is only the beginning," he added.

Netanyahu's remarks come two days after he forged an emergency government on Wednesday to direct war against Hamas. In a joint statement, Netanyahu and former defence chief and centrist opposition party leader Benny Gantz said they had agreed to form an emergency government comprising the two leaders and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

Hamas chief accuses Israel of war crimes

Meanwhile, Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh wrote a letter to United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres where he accused Israel of war crimes in Gaza. "Israeli atrocities amount to war crimes," Haniyeh said in the letter and condemned the "barbaric Israeli siege" in which "the Israeli occupation is banning entry of humanitarian aid and medical supplies to the Gaza Strip".

He urged Guterres to pressure Israel into allowing humanitarian aid to enter into Gaza.

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