Danny Danon: âFinish the jobâ against Hamas
Former ambassador to UN says Israel must go into Rafah to finish the war
Israeli politician Danny Danon has told the Âé¶čÉç that Israel must âfinish the jobâ against Hamas, which he said has âdraggedâ on too long.
Speaking on HARDtalk, the countryâs former ambassador to the United Nations said that âby nowâŠwe should have finished the job, we should have entered Rafahâ.
The Likud politician and member of the countryâs Knesset said one of the reasons the war is still ongoing six months after Hamasâs October 7 attack on southern Israel which killed about 1,200 people, was âbecause we listened to the international community who asked us to slow downâ.
Challenged by Stephen Sackur on the number of people killed during Israelâs offensive in Gaza since the attack â more than 33,000 according to the Hamas-run health ministry â Mr Danon, an ally of Prime Minister Netanyahu, said âthe death toll is on the shoulders of Hamasâ which had ârestarted the war on October 7âŠWe had a ceasefire before thatâ.
Speaking from Jerusalem, Mr Danon said Israel must eliminate Hamas from Gaza. âOnce we started the war, we have to finish the war, and thatâs what I expect from my government; to go into Rafah, to finish the jobâ. He claimed this would âallow a better future for the people who live in GazaâŠfor the future of Gaza we should work faster, finish Hamas and allow a new future for Gazaâ.