Translation by "Jerusalem" dot com - Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said today, Sunday, that Israel must find better alternatives than occupying Gaza, or engaging in endless rounds of fighting.

Lapid claimed in a speech during a ceremony to commemorate Operation Protective Edge / Gaza aggression 2014, that his army has the power to operate freely in Gaza, and that this force also gives him the freedom to operate within economic and political options.

Lapid described that operation as "difficult" in the war against Hamas, which he described as a "murderous and brutal terrorist organization."

He said, "We are not only right and owners of a just cause, but we are also strong, and the army is the strongest in the Middle East, and we have advanced technology, in addition to our political and economic power, which is a guarantee of our security."

He pointed out that the Israeli government last year adopted a policy of impatience with "terrorism from Gaza," and "any hostile activity received a strong response that carried a message that we cannot be messed with, and this policy was very successful and prevented incendiary balloons and the transfer of dollar bags once and for all." .

He added, "In order to prevent a recurrence of Protective Edge, the State of Israel must abide by two principles: the first is to have no patience with terror, and not to allow Israelis to be shot or harmed. Those who try to kill us must be killed. The civilian in Gaza knows that it is possible." To live differently, and to put pressure on Hamas to stop firing at Israel. To this end, we have expanded work permits in Israel, and we continue to promote the principle of economy in exchange for security.. These are the broad lines on which we work.

He continued, "Fighting terrorism is not a political issue. On the battlefield and in the cemetery, there is no right or left, no matter how secular, religious, Druze, or Jewish, we stand together against Hamas, and the best way to remember them is to remember the purpose for which they sacrificed their lives: security for all." Citizen, and the great, strong, united State of Israel... Our enemies need to know that we stand against them together."

He affirmed Israel's commitment to return Israelis held by Hamas, including the bodies of soldiers, for burial.

For his part, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that the operation that began eight years ago is still working with the same purpose to strike Hamas and deliver clear messages to it that the price they will pay if they continue to try to threaten us, claiming that his forces worked to destroy Hamas' infrastructure and hit many of its targets. objectives, and that Israel also paid a heavy price after losing its soldiers.

He stressed that Israel is still working for the return of Israeli soldiers and civilians to Hamas, as he put it.

Gantz said, "We will not allow the rehabilitation of the infrastructure in the Gaza Strip without their return. We have nothing against the people of Gaza. We want them to prosper, but away from terrorism and what Hamas is doing against them." according to his expression.

He added, "Israel continues to strengthen the moderate elements and weaken Hamas with various actions - political, economic and military - some overt and some secret."

For his part, Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy said that Israel will continue its efforts to return the Israelis to Hamas, warning the latter against firing rockets again.