Netanyahu: There are still a 'sufficient' number of hostages alive to justify the war in Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, February 11, that there are still a 'sufficient' number of the 132 Israeli hostages held by Hamas alive to justify the war in Gaza. In an interview with ABC News, in response to a question about how many hostages are still alive, he stated, 'Enough to justify the efforts we are undertaking.' Netanyahu added that Israel is making every effort to return the living hostages as well as the bodies of those who have died. The Israeli Prime Minister also mentioned that for every Palestinian civilian killed in the war, a Hamas militant has also been killed. Israel launched its offensive in Gaza following a terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and over 240 hostages taken. Hamas claims that more than 28,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in the Israeli attacks, without mentioning its own casualties. The Voice of America's Persian section is unable to independently verify the figures provided by Hamas. The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Israel, and several other countries have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. According to Reuters, two White House officials reported that President Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu will speak on Sunday. This will be Biden's first contact with Netanyahu since he described Israel's response in Gaza as 'excessive.' Netanyahu stated in a Fox News interview that he has not spoken with Biden since the latter's comments on Thursday and does not know what he meant by that phrase. The UN reporter's claim regarding 'October 7 victims' has angered Israel. Netanyahu: Those who tell us not to enter Rafah are saying do not win against Hamas. Israel reported the discovery of Hamas tunnels beneath the main UNRWA headquarters in Gaza. Israeli airstrikes on Rafah have killed over 30 people. Hezbollah's rocket fire towards Israel coincided with the arrival of the Iranian Foreign Minister in Lebanon. Israel shot down a 'suspicious aerial target' in the north of the country. Israel intensified its bombing of Rafah amid ongoing international efforts to establish a ceasefire. A military commander of Hezbollah in Lebanon was killed in a drone attack attributed to Israel.