‘Hamas true obstacle to peace’: Israel likens Palestinian group to ISIS; ‘time for excuses is over…’

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, addressed the media ahead of a UN Security Council session, declaring that “all our living hostages are finally home” and vowing that “our struggle is not over” until the remaining captives are returned. Danon said Hamas has been “forced to accept what it long rejected—to release our hostages and disarm,” calling for global pressure to ensure that “disarmament is not a slogan but an action.” He denounced the UN’s “silence” on Hamas’s actions and accused UN agencies such as UNRWA of long‑standing infiltration by Hamas operatives, citing the October 7 massacre. The Ambassador said Israel welcomes an international force in Gaza to maintain order after Hamas’s disarmament but rejected accusations of a permanent occupation. He also warned the Houthis against further aggression, saying Israel “has the capability to reach any site in Yemen.” Danon affirmed that Israel’s ultimate goal is “peace through the removal of terror.”