‘Cannot pressure us to end war’: Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu on Gaza truce

Israel-Hamas War: Hamas from the Gaza Strip attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu rebuffed international calls to end the Gaza war calling them inconsistent with supporting the war-aim of eliminating Hamas. Briefing his cabinet, Benjamin Netanyahu said he had told the leaders of France, Germany and other countries, "You cannot on the one hand support the elimination of Hamas and on other pressure us to end the war, which would prevent the elimination of Hamas".

Israel-Hamas War: Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem. (AFP)

This comes as fighting raged in the Gaza Strip in the third month of war between Israel and Hamas. Hamas from the Gaza Strip attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. The militant group took around 240 hostages -- 137 of whom remain in Gaza, officials have said. In response, Israel vowed to destroy Hamas, launching a military offensive in Gaza that has killed at least 17,700 people, mostly women and children.

During a seven-day truce that expired on December 1, Hamas released 105 hostages including dozens of Israelis who were freed in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Mediator Qatar said that efforts to secure a new truce and release more hostages were ongoing. The Qatar PM warned that the relentless Israeli bombardment was "narrowing the window" for a successful outcome.

"I must be frank with you: these tasks are almost impossible in the current circumstances," WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.