Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel gave a sharp interview yesterday to CNN senior anchor Christiane Amanpour. During the interview, she clarified that Israel will continue fighting in the Gaza Strip until its two main objectives are achieved: the return of the hostages and the elimination of Hamas. She also pushed back against claims of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which she said are based on false information spread by Hamas.
“Military pressure is what brought about the last deals. We have two goals: to bring back our brothers and sisters held captive in Hamas’ hell – any country would do everything to bring back its citizens – and to restore security to the country by eliminating Hamas,“ Haskel said.
The Deputy Minister addressed the issue of humanitarian aid, stating, “We are looking for ways to provide humanitarian assistance without allowing Hamas to get its hands on it. During the 42-day ceasefire, aid entered — and Hamas profited: they stole and sold the supplies, and with the money, they armed themselves and recruited more terrorists. It was the first time Hamas was able to pay salaries to all terrorists in the organization.”
Addressing accusations that Israel is starving Gaza’s population, she said, “These are lies. Some journalists prefer to receive information from a terrorist organization, and their reports are based on Hamas’ falsehoods. As a democratic country, we collect data legally and in a regulated manner – and you treat it with skepticism, while Hamas’ information is accepted as truth. That’s a mistake.”
