Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel had no intention of permanently occupying Gaza.
"Israel has no intention of permanently occupying Gaza or displacing its civilian population. Israel is fighting Hamas terrorists, not the Palestinian population," Netanyahu said.
He claimed that Israel was fighting Hamas in full compliance with international law.
"The IDF is doing its utmost to minimise civilian casualties, while Hamas is doing its utmost to maximise them by using Palestinian civilians as human shields," Netanyahu claimed.
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"Our goal is to rid Gaza of Hamas terrorists and free our hostages. Once this is achieved, Gaza can be demilitarised and deradicalised, there by creating a possibility for a better future for Israel and Palestinians alike," he added.