Netanyahu Issues Fresh Warning: ‘There Will Be No Hamas Rule in Gaza’

By Dike Godspower

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a fresh warning that Hamas will not govern the Gaza Strip, saying anyone involved in the October 7, 2023 attack or the captivity of Israeli hostages is “living on borrowed time.” Netanyahu made the declaration on Monday at a state memorial ceremony at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, marking three years since the Hamas-led attack on Israel.

“There will be no Hamas rule in Gaza,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel still had missions ahead and intended to complete them. He also warned those involved in the October 7 attack and the holding of hostages.

Anyone who was involved in the attack against us and held our hostages is living on borrowed time,” he said, according to reports of his speech. Netanyahu added that Israel was continuing to pursue those responsible.

The October 7, 2023 attack killed about 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in 251 hostages being taken to Gaza, according to Reuters. The attack triggered the prolonged Israel-Hamas war and a devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Monday’s ceremony formed part of Israel’s national remembrance events for the victims of the October 7 attack. Flags were lowered to half-mast, beginning at 6:29 a.m., the time the assault began three years earlier. Netanyahu said Israel had achieved what he described as major accomplishments during the conflict but maintained that further objectives remained.

His remarks come amid continuing debate over the future governance and security arrangements in Gaza, with Hamas’s role, disarmament and Israel’s security demands remaining central issues. The Israeli prime minister’s latest comments underscore his government’s continued opposition to any arrangement that would allow Hamas to retain governing authority in Gaza.