Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu held a press conference on Motzei Shabbos about the ongoing war, along with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister Benny Gantz. “Yesterday, ground forces entered the gates of Gaza, the entrance to the fortress of evil,” Netanyahu said. “This is the second stage of the operation. We made the decision to expand ground operations here. We’ve entered the second stage of the war, with the goal of destroying the military and political capabilities of Hamas and returning the hostages. We made the decision unanimously in the smaller and expanded war cabinet.” “Our soldiers are ready to fight with strength and determination against a merciless enemy. We were commanded to ‘remember what Amalek did to you.’ We remember and we are fighting Amalek. Our forces are committed to eradicating this evil from the world for our survival and the well-being of all humanity. We will remove the murderous enemy and ensure our existence in our land.” “My heart is broken from the meeting I had with the families of the hostages. We will exhaust every possibility to bring them back to their families. Their abduction is a crime against humanity.” “Many around the world understand well that Israel is not only fighting its own battle but the battle of all humanity, the battle of humanity against barbarism. Our allies understand that if Israel doesn’t win, they will be next in line.” “We are in a test of ‘to be or to cease to exist.’ Now we are ‘to be,’ here on our land, and we will win. “We are only at the beginning of the road,” Netanyahu emphasized, “The war will be difficult and long and we are prepared for it. This is the second War of Independence for us. We will fight in the air, at sea, and on land. It’s the mission of our lives, my life’s mission. I pray for the safety of our soldiers and hope for their success.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)