JERUSALEM, Israel – One month since the October 7th massacre by Hamas, the IDF is fighting inside its main stronghold, Gaza City. However, Israel keeps getting pressure to declare a ceasefire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ABC News Israel isn’t ready for a ceasefire.
“Well, there’ll be no ceasefire, general ceasefire, in Gaza without the release of our hostages,” Netanyahu said. “As far as tactical little pauses, an hour here, an hour there. We’ve had them before, I suppose, will check the circumstances in order to enable goods, humanitarian goods to come in, or our hostages, individual hostages to leave. But I don’t think there’s going to be a general ceasefire.”
Netanyahu went on to say a cease-fire would hamper the war and the effort to get the hostages. Netanyahu also told 80 ambassadors what he believes is at stake in this war.
“What we see is a broader battle between civilization and barbarism. The barbarism is led by an axis of terror. The axis of terror is led by Iran,” he said. “We believe that all civilized powers should back us in this effort because this battle is your battle and our victory is your victory.”
Israel’s military says it’s cut off Gaza City and separated Hamas strongholds in the north and south. The urban warfare fighting is now house-to-house and close quarters.
The IDF also uncovered evidence of what they had said for years, that Hamas hid their rocket launchers inside mosques and even a boy’s club. In a video, one IDF officer showed the pictures on the wall, while at the end of the room were rocket launchers aimed toward the Israeli city of Ashkelon and other cities to the north.
The IDF found rocket launchers embedded in the ground near a mosque. Hamas has denied this in the past, and Israel says using hospitals, schools, and mosques constitutes a pattern of war crimes.
The IDF also released footage of Gazans fleeing the combat zone when they opened up a civilian corridor.
Back in Washington, in a leaked memo, Politico reported some mid-level diplomats at the State Department are criticizing the White House for being too supportive of Israel.
But at the White House, National Security Spokesman John Kirby reminded why Israel is fighting this war.
“I think it doesn’t hurt for us here in the first week of November to remember what happened in the first week of October and what that felt like and what that looked like and to the grotesque stories that were coming out of Israel on the seventh and eighth and the 9th of October last month. And what they’re up against, the kind of enemy they’re up against,” said Kirby.
Hundreds of Israelis gathered outside Israel’s Knesset to support the more than 240 hostages.
“I am here today for him and all the other hostages. We want them free. We want to know that they’re alive. We want their families to know that they are not alone. For all of us, the ultimate goal is to get them back and to have them free.” “Find them, get them back, bring them home. I think it’s really simple.”