JERUSALEM: On January 18, 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel maintains the right to restart military operations in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing continuing US support for such actions.

These remarks were made in a televised address outlining Israel's stance a day before a scheduled ceasefire was set to commence.

Netanyahu emphasized the importance of retrieving hostages held within the region.

He conveyed a commitment to securing the release of all hostages, stating, 'We are thinking of all our hostages ...

I promise you that we will achieve all our objectives and bring back all the hostages.'

The Prime Minister referred to the upcoming ceasefire as a 'temporary cessation' of hostilities, indicating that if the conditions necessitate, military efforts may be resumed.

'With this agreement, we will bring back 33 of our brothers and sisters, the majority (of them) alive,' Netanyahu added.

Furthermore, Netanyahu reflected on the broader implications of the current conflict, asserting that Israel's military operations have altered the dynamics of the Middle East since their inception.

The ceasefire in question is set to last for 42 days.

However, it remains contingent on developments regarding the hostages.

Netanyahu's statement suggested that the region may witness further escalation if the ceasefire objectives are not met satisfactorily from Israel's perspective.