Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed Israel\u2019s commitment to decisive military action against any violations of the ceasefire with Hamas, following the killing of senior Hamas operative Raad Saad, whom Israeli authorities describe as a central architect of the October 7 attacks.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a special government meeting in Dimona, Netanyahu said the operation was carried out on his directive and that of Defense Minister Israel Katz. He identified Saad as a key figure behind Hamas\u2019s military buildup in Gaza and a leading planner of what he called the \u201cJericho Wall\u201d extermination plan.<\/p>\n
According to the prime minister, Saad was responsible for coordinating attacks against Israeli forces, smuggling weapons into the Gaza Strip, and rebuilding Hamas\u2019s military capabilities in direct violation of commitments made under a U.S.-backed ceasefire framework.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn English, we speak of demilitarization \u2014 he was conducting remilitarization,\u201d Netanyahu said, accusing Hamas of reorganizing and rearming while publicly claiming adherence to ceasefire terms.<\/p>\n
Netanyahu warned that Israel would not tolerate what he described as systematic breaches of the agreement. He said anyone involved in directing or organizing attacks against Israel would remain a target, aligning Israel\u2019s position with statements made earlier by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur policy is clear, forceful, and independent,\u201d Netanyahu said. \u201cWe decide on the actions and the responses needed to ensure the security of Israel and our soldiers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The prime minister also addressed efforts to recover the remains of Ran Gvili, an Israeli described as a national hero, saying Israel is actively working through multiple channels, including engagements in Cairo and other locations, as the first phase of the current process nears completion.<\/p>\n
Shifting to economic matters, Netanyahu highlighted recent international recognition of Israel\u2019s economy. He cited The Economist<\/em> magazine, which ranked Israel\u2019s economy as the third-best globally in terms of positive year-on-year change, despite the ongoing conflict.<\/p>\n He attributed the performance to what he called firm and coordinated economic management, praising Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and the broader cabinet for their teamwork.<\/p>\n Netanyahu also outlined the government\u2019s long-term development strategy for Dimona and the wider Negev region, referencing Israel\u2019s founding vision to develop the south. He said progress is now being driven by investments in transportation, national infrastructure, and private-sector initiatives, which together are reshaping the region\u2019s growth trajectory.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed Israel\u2019s commitment to decisive military action against any violations of the ceasefire with Hamas, following the killing of senior Hamas operative Raad Saad, whom Israeli authorities describe as a central architect of the October 7 attacks. Speaking at a special government meeting in Dimona, Netanyahu said the operation was<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":14703,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":"","facebook_3558452337540614_100649324928663":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,353],"tags":[1317,1296,456,980,1181,981,2468,983,2469,2467],"class_list":{"0":"post-14702","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-middle-east","8":"category-war","9":"tag-benjamin-netanyahu","10":"tag-ceasefire","11":"tag-gaza","12":"tag-hamas","13":"tag-idf","14":"tag-israel","15":"tag-israeli-economy","16":"tag-middle-east-conflict","17":"tag-negev-development","18":"tag-security-policy"},"yoast_head":"\n