Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his plan to occupy Gaza City even as the UN warned of “another calamity” in the besieged Palestinian territory.
In a rare press conference, Netanyahu said Israel had “no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas”.
He denied there was starvation in Gaza, calling it a “global campaign of lies”, even as international fury appeared to be growing over a soaring hunger crisis, forced displacement, killings, and destruction.
Israel faced sharp criticism at the UN on Sunday as the UK, Russia, China, France and other nations condemned Netanyahu’s Gaza occupation plan, warning it would violate international law.
Netanyahu discussed his plan with Donald Trump on Sunday, with the US president saying Israel had the right to decide what was best for its security.
This came as Israeli forces killed five Al Jazeera journalists reporting from Gaza in what the broadcaster denounced as a “targeted assassination” and “yet another blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom”.
