Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Shalom. I'm David Mensa Israeli government. spokesman today. It's Thursday the 20th of June day 257 of the October 7th wore a short update October then to your questions Israel insists that the war in Gaza will not end until all of our goals are met to bring back all of our 120 hostages dismantling of Hamas governmental. and Military capabilities and removing. the terrorist threat first, uh an operational update in Gaza today. IDF confirmed that leading. Hamas sniper and Nook before forces Commander 1 of the perpetrators of the October 7th Massacre was found and eliminated. uh, his name was Ahmed Hassan, Salami Allura. uh, there was an extensive search for him, but the IDF found him. uh in the beit hanoun area of Northern Gaza. a lot of effort was made to mitigate harm to civilians. We got him and no 1 else. was hurt thankfully. in rougher IDF the IDF are moving systematically precisely. using intelligence. through the area hundreds of terrorists have already been eliminated over the past 24 hours. troops took out the took out terrorists in close quarters encounters. and located. rocket launchers. now to the latest from KOAT and their work coordinating Aid into Gaza yesterday. 2858 trucks went into Gaza. via VIA the areas and kerum Shalom Crossings, uh Aid also a wife arrived from Egypt the ashtaad port. uh here in Israel and elsewhere in Israel. only. 88 a trucks were collected. uh by un Aid agencies and their and also private. uh, private sector yesterday. 33 trucks. from The erys Crossing and only 55 trucks. from kerum Shalom once again, a reminder that the contents of 1,100 1,100 ah trucks just waits to be collected. from the gazan side of kerum Shalom we're often. asked about the J-Lo's Pier. Here, too. Just like the gauze and side of kerum Shalom pallets of Adar have been waiting for days now to be picked up. and distributed by the UN, we've said it before. the UN needs to scale up. Aid is not reaching its destination because the UN are hopelessly inefficient. since the beginning of this war over 36,000 trucks delivering 682 tons. of humanitarian Aid have entered Gaza. lastly please do check out. Um Kat. Twitter feed. showing the bustling. dear albala market today, uh in Gaza full of produce. fresh fruit vegetables. supplies. a plenty. So that's the end of our briefing today. I will now take your questions, which you should uh put in the chat. together with your news Outlet. Thank you. very much. uh first question from Joel Pollock at Breitbart News. did the comments of the IDF spokesman. uh, Daniel hagari about Hamas being impossible to destroy as an idea. hurt the overall. uh war effort. Um, thank you for that question. Uh, Joel uh know I believe I don't believe it did the long convention here in Israel or parliamentary democracy is that the elected government? Uh set the parameters? of everything and uh, the IDF are of course. uh, bravely carrying out the will of the elected government which is what they have done. Uh for many many years now, uh since the since the formation of the state of Israel in 1948, and that is what they will. uh, continue uh to do secondly, uh question from Joel Pollock, uh, also for from Breitbart. uh Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee said that the Prime Minister was correct. that the White House had failed to notify Congress. of final approval for arms transfers to Israel. Um, is that what Netanyahu meant in his video? Uh, thank you for that question. Um, uh, Joel look Israel is the US is Ally we've got so many shared values in common, uh security interests, uh in common over decades now Israel has uh greatly appreciated the US support especially uh here since October 7th, even when there are differences. uh, even when there are differences uh, we're able to resolve them together between friends. you know yesterday the prime Minister met with uh bipartisan us Congressional Representatives. where the prime minister. expressed appreciation. for the bipartisan support for Israel. but also, said that he hopes that the Munitions issue will be resolved. very very soon. We'll be resolved. very very soon. and the uh third part of your question Joel uh, will the spat over weapons transfers affect the prime minister's speech to Congress. uh next month. uh, thank you for that. Uh, Joel No, I don't believe it will. um next question from uh Sara taglios from um, the Jewish news Outlet of Rome, Italy. regarding growing anti-Semitism in Europe. and North America firstly have any additional measures been adopted for Israelis. uh residing abroad and secondly is Israel coordinating with European Jewish. communities institutions and foreign governments institutions. uh on this, uh matter, uh, thank you for that question. Uh, Sarah, uh, the growing anti-semitism uh abroad is of course. uh of great, uh concern to the government. Um, all of us know that anti-Semitism is a very light sleeper the oldest. hatred known to mankind. and the explosion the explosion of Jew hatred which there has uh overtaking so many uh countries uh in Europe. uh, and in the uh all Around the World in North America, uh and other places as well. is of uh concern regarding Um, uh Israeli citizens and giving advice to them. uh residing abroad or visiting abroad the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a specific area on its website. uh, which deals with uh, how that how Israelis uh should stay safe. uh when they are abroad to keep out of uh trouble, um, the next part of your question was Israel can coordinating. uh with European Jewish communities institutions and foreign governments issues on this matter. Yes, uh, thank you for that question Sarah. We are of course. uh discussing there was this matter there are parts of these grey Israeli government, which is in uh, very close contact with Jewish communities. uh around the world in the US and and in Europe and all around the world. uh in order to ensure that uh, Jewish people are kept safe and protected from uh, anti-Semitism which has seen such a dramatic rise, uh, especially in countries, uh, like France and other countries as well. Which have seen some terrible. Uh anti-semitic Acts. um, you know due hatred as I mentioned is the oldest uh hatred in the world, uh it is a light sleeper. Uh, and we've seen this explosion. Uh lately. Um, uh, but we know that um, the way to face up to Due hatred is to is not to hide our identities. It's not to um, sink back between ever higher walls. Uh, it's to uh, where your uh, jewishness and have pride in your identity. That's the most important. uh thing to do to see down these due hate these due haters. Um, next question. uh, also a question from Sara. uh was in an interview with IDF. spokesman Daniel, hagari. He said the business of destroying Hamas making a must disappear is simply throwing sand in the eyes of the of the public. um, given that this is in contrast with the government has been saying, uh, what has been the response to the statement. Uh, thank you for that question. Uh, Sara, I don't believe that that was that quote is from uh, Daniel hagari, I think that's from 1 of the leaders. uh of Hamas. Uh, look we've um stated very very clearly that for this water. end we insist. that it won't end until all of our goals are met. That is the return of all of our hostages dismantling. uh Hamas governmental and Military capabilities and removing the terrorist threat and the precise framework. proposed by Israel during the negotiations maintains. this principle while establish lishing conditions for the transition between uh those stages look Hamas again and again and again, uh throughout this process. uh have prevented a hostage release pause and they continue uh to do that unreasonably. It's there's countless times now, uh that countless have um, rejected. uh, any pause and what they do is they unreasonably demand. that the IDF exit, uh Gaza and then the war in a way that leaves them and their reign of terror intact. Look we are. um not going to have that. We're not going to enable. Uh Hamas to repeatedly commits the atrocities. which they did on October the 7th the massacre and we will uh not allow. this. genocidal terrorist organization. to remain in power. uh in Gaza. uh in a certain sense we are liberating. Gaza from Hamas. Um, okay next question from uh, Linda gradstein from Voice of America. Could you comment on Palestinian claims of torture of Palestinian prisoners? in both the West Bank? and stay Taman? prison? uh, thank you for that question. uh Linda um, you know Israel maintains the highest levels of uh, international law when it comes to uh dealing with uh, uh Palestinian, prisoners, there is no torture and there's never been shown to be uh any torture that I'm aware of. its unfortunately. Um, the Hamas which hold uh, Israeli prisoners, and tortures them. daily. as confirmed by the uh, rescued hostages. uh, which were rescued to just um, a week and a half ago, uh Hamas are the terrorist organization and any uh attempt to try and project. their evil. their evil torture of our people. onto uh, uh terrorists and Palestinian, uh prisoners uh being held by Israel. is uh, simply ridiculous. Um, I've not seen any evidence whatsoever. Uh, Israel maintains the highest levels of uh of international law when it comes to uh, Palestinian prisoners, uh, you know, the prisoners which uh, Hamas are trying to uh, get out of prison are prisoners. Uh, who are murderers they are murderers. like the uh jihadists. of uh of 77 in London uh like the uh, jihadists of um, of of the of 11th of septembar. in uh in New York. and Washington DC. and elsewhere. they are jihadists. jihadists. That's what they are thereafter. the destruction of Israel, but they also did the destruction. the destruction of anyone that does not subscribe to their brand of uh, islamo fascist. Jihadism. Uh, thank you. next question from uh, Hannah Julian from the Jewish press there are reports that most if not all uh the Democrat members of Congress plan to boycott. prime minister Netanyahu's address So is there any update on the date uh for that address? and can you respond to the boycott of the joint session? uh by nearly half of the Congress. Uh, thank you for that question. Uh Hannah, uh, I've already in this briefing. uh spoken about the close relationship the bipartisan. relationship. between um, between uh, Israel and the United States of America we have stood side by side shoulder-to-shoulder for so many decades now We are fighting. uh a war for our very existence. our very existence. when Hamas invaded our borders. uh on October 7th, they sought to destroy this country. Uh, when um, Iran, fired, a uh ballistic missiles suicide drones Um projectiles uh on against this country in April they sought to destroy. this country. Um, I think that the bipartisan relationship is extremely important. uh the date which has been in terms of in terms of the dates, which has been set for the address the latest information. I have is for the uh end of July. that's the last information. I haven't seen uh any changes or any update on that date. Um, uh, but if there are any updates on that date then we we will of course. uh, let you know uh in terms of um, I and in terms of this boycott of joint session of nearly half of the Congress I simply uh, I think that scare mongering I think uh the majority of Americans uh are are in is Israel's side. uh the last statistics I've seen of support for Israel. against these genocidal, uh, jihadis has been in the region of 70 to 80% uh, the reason that there is so much support. uh for this country fighting against this genocidal, uh, Terror organization. and these jihadis is because we're on the front line of this Terror if we don't succeed here, then they'll be coming. uh to you soon. uh in the outside world outside of Israel and further a field. Um, so I simply don't recognize that as being true. That sounds like scaremongering uh to me. Um, question from David Clement from the news forum, Canada is now declared the irgc as a terrorist organization. Uh does the uh prime minister's office. uh have comment on that development. Uh, thank you for that question. uh, David, uh, I haven't uh seen that uh in terms of um that development uh in Canada so forgive me if I've uh, missed that if that has indeed come to pass that it is a positive development because the irgc is uh, Iran's revolutionary. uh, guard uh Council, uh, a terrorist organization. Uh, I think recognized by many countries around the world. uh, Iran as opposed to a separate from the Iranian people, uh, Iran is a Islamic islamo fascist type. uh regime that carries out terrible crimes. against its own people. and of course they have openly declared. their their desire to wipe. this country. uh off the face. of the map. Uh, we're not going to let that happen. We're going to we're standing up to their aggression. Uh, its aggression against us they call us the uh, little Satan, but they call the US. and I think they would probably include Canada in that as well. Um, they call, uh the US the big Satan so if that has indeed come to pass. uh as you're saying in Canada. uh again apologies for I haven't seen that development yet. but if that is indeed the case then that is a positive. uh development. Uh, question. uh from follow-up question from Joel Pollock at Breitbart News follow up on hagari. Is there a concern that the military is trying to send a signal? to the civilian leadership? about the direction of War? policy? Uh, thank you for that question. Joel Joel. That's not something I uh recognize I think there's a few misnomers here firstly. we are taking apart. Um Hamas, uh in Gaza and we know that the the the feet of Hamas in Gaza we talk about them. uh the prerequisite for the end of this war being uh defeated Hamas military. and um and there and also their governing capabilities that does not necessarily mean um killing every single eliminating every single uh, Hamas terrorists, Uh, but it means taking away, their as exactly as we say their governmental. and Military, capability. We're already seeing that we're already seeing that do you probably may have seen reports that uh in many parts of Gaza, uh, because Hamas have um uh are lacking uh men to fight. uh their genocidal war against us. Uh, they've taken to using children. uh IDF I've seen reports IDF of are now seeing uh children, I mean under 18, I mean, uh teenagers uh with uh rocket propelled grenades now now, that is very similar to the uh closing stages of the second World War. when uh Hitler's Nazis also, recruited teenage, pages uh to uh, Dawn the Nazi uniform and fight, uh the allies. we're winning in Gaza. We're taking this. organization. apart. Uh, we won't stop until it's done. Uh, the idea that uh, Hamas will uh, stay in power in Gaza is a non Uh, we don't see that we have to kill every single in the same way in this in the end of the second world war not every single Nazi was eliminated. but the capability of the Nazi regime military and governing capability was destroyed which is why they finally surrendered we say again this war could end. right? now this afternoon. if Hamas lay down their weapons, and release our hostages it will be over right now. uh these jihadists the jihadists have uh, pretend to uh represent. gazans. They don't they represent. a genocidal jihadism. Uh, but we're standing up against it and we are winning we We are being successful. We're taking them apart. the final stronghold. in rougher is being taken apart. systematically. slowly. with intelligence. house by house. tunnel by tunnel home by home. We're taking them apart and we will win. this, uh conflict will end. when uh We've we've set out the 3 uh objectives of this war and they are they are uh directed by the elected government of this country. and these 3 objectives. still have uh overwhelming overwhelming support in this country. and um and we'll take them forward until we finish the job. Uh, I think there was 1 more question. uh, which all right, that was David menser Right there. He is the Israeli government spokesperson. who usually does these briefings, uh 3 to 4 times a week normally around. 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. We just played that 1 for you
