'Lay down your arms' and free hostages now, Israel's PM Netanyahu tells Hamas at UNGA

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken straight to nan hostages being held by Hamas successful Gaza, saying, "We person not forgotten you."

The premier minister's agency announced earlier connected Friday that loudspeakers connected nan Israeli broadside of nan separator would broadcast Netanyahu's reside into Gaza arsenic portion of what it calls an "informational effort."

"We will not remainder until we bring each of you home," Netanyahu said successful some Hebrew and English, telling Hamas "lay down your arms" and free nan hostages now.

"Israel will hunt you down," Netanyahu warned.

The warfare began erstwhile Hamas-led militants attacked confederate Israel connected 7 October 2023, sidesplitting astir 1,200 people, astir of them civilians, successful what Netanyahu called an enactment of "unspeakable savagery".

Hamas took 251 group arsenic hostages, and is presently holding 48, of whom 20 Israel believes are still alive.

"Israel is fighting your fight," Netanyahu said, citing what he called nan emergence of extremist Islamism successful countries crossed nan world.

Netanyahu besides held up a representation showing what he called "the curse of Iran's panic axis," saying overmuch of Tehran's proxies had been decimated by Israel’s military, citing Hamas, Hezbollah successful Lebanon and Yemen’s Houthis arsenic examples.

"Our enemies dislike each of us," Netanyahu said, denying that genocide is happening successful Gaza.

Netanyahu entered nan enclosure to rowdy applause and cheering, prompting repeated calls for order. But dozens revenge retired of nan room arsenic he made his measurement to nan podium.

Israel has been facing increasing world condemnation for nan warfare successful Gaza, pinch respective countries condemning nan worsening humanitarian situation successful nan Strip.

In August, nan Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said famine is occurring successful Gaza City and warned it could dispersed southbound to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis.

Netanyahu denied famine was happening anyplace successful nan Strip, saying Israel had fto successful 2 cardinal tonnes of aid, capable to fulfill nan dietry requirements of nan population.

The Israeli subject violative has to day killed much than 65,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to nan Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry whose figures do not separate betwixt fighters and civilians

No mention of West Bank annexation

US President Donald Trump said connected Thursday that he would not let Israel to annex nan occupied West Bank, offering beardown assurances that he'd artifact a move that Arab leaders successful nan region person staunchly opposed.

Asked astir Israel officials suggesting successful caller weeks that their authorities could move to prehend power of astatine slightest immoderate parts of nan West Bank, Trump was blunt.

"I will not let Israel to annex nan West Bank," he told reporters successful nan Oval Office while signing executive orders unrelated to overseas policy. "I will not let it. It's not going to happen."

Possible annexation has been floated successful Israel successful consequence to a drawstring of countries, including cardinal US friends for illustration nan United Kingdom and Canada, moving to recognise a Palestinian state.

France, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Andorra and Belgium besides recognised Palestinian statehood astatine this year’s General Assembly.

Trump said he'd spoken to Netanyahu and that he'd beryllium patient successful not allowing annexation, adding, "It's been enough. It's clip to extremity now."

Trump has been a staunch protagonist of Israel but has besides sought to agent an extremity to nan fighting against Hamas successful Gaza.

His comments connected Thursday constituted a uncommon lawsuit of imaginable pushback against apical Israeli officials.

Earlier this month, Netanyahu signed an statement to push up pinch a arguable colony description scheme that will trim crossed onshore that nan Palestinians dream would shape nan ground of a early state.

"There will not beryllium a Palestinian state," Netanyahu said during a sojourn to nan Maale Adumim colony successful nan West Bank.

"This spot belongs to us...We will safeguard our heritage, our onshore and our security. We are going to double nan city’s population."

Israel's Higher Planning Committee gave last support for nan E1 colony task successful nan occupied West Bank successful August.

The plan, connected an unfastened tract of onshore eastbound of Jerusalem, was nether information for much than 2 decades but stiff owed to US unit during erstwhile administrations.

The timing is besides fraught, fixed that Israel is waging a major subject violative successful a bid to prehend Gaza City, while expanding settlements successful nan West Bank, forbidden nether world law.

Israel captured nan West Bank, East Jerusalem and nan Gaza Strip successful nan Six-Day War successful 1967. The Palestinians want each 3 territories to shape their early state.

They, and overmuch of nan world community, opportunity annexation would each but extremity immoderate remaining anticipation of a two-state solution, which is wide seen internationally arsenic nan only measurement to resoluteness decades of Arab-Israeli conflict.

Netanyahu is scheduled to sojourn nan White House connected Monday, his 4th travel to Washington since Trump's 2nd word began successful January.