Israel to continue Gaza engagement, Netanyahu backs US veto

Israel's Prime Minister emphasizes the continuation of engagement with Hamas forces. On Saturday, he referred to their conflicts as a "just war" and also spoke about the UN resolution.

The "just war" in the Gaza Strip, aiming to suppress the Palestinian group Hamas, will persist - announced Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Saturday evening. He warmly embraced the "appropriate stance" demonstrated by the United States at the UN Security Council.

"Other nations must comprehend that they cannot advocate for the eradication of Hamas while simultaneously calling for the termination of the war. This would essentially obstruct efforts to eliminate Hamas," stated the head of the Israeli government, a day after the USA vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire" in the Gaza Strip.

The resolution draft, supported by 13 nations, was constructed by the United Arab Emirates following a Security Council meeting summoned by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Great Britain abstained from voting during this process.

The Prime Minister further added, "Israel will persist with our just war to dispel Hamas and accomplish other objectives we have set for this war."

On Saturday, Ashraf Al-Kidra, a spokesperson for the terrorist group Hamas' health ministry, reported that at least 17,700 Palestinians have died because of Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip since October 7.

"The atrocities and genocide against the people of Gaza are beyond description," stated the spokesperson. They also revealed that 48,780 individuals sustained injuries amidst the war.

According to the Hamas ministry, the Nasser hospital, located in the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, received the bodies of 62 individuals killed in Israeli bombardments. The Al-Jazeera portal reported that in the past 24 hours, a total of 133 bodies were delivered to two healthcare facilities in Gaza.

On Saturday, residents of the Gaza Strip reported raids and bombings in northern and southern regions, including the city of Rafah near the Egyptian border. The region is one of several areas where the Israeli army issued evacuation orders to civilians.

Since October, attacks initiated by Hamas have resulted in the death of 1.2 thousand individuals on the Israeli side.