Defiant Netanyahu: ‘No One Will Preach to Me’ on Gaza Hostages

Benjamin Netanyahu remained defiant Monday, even as mass protests and a rare general strike roiled Israel over the deaths of six hostages held in Gaza—and the Israeli PM’s ongoing refusal to broker a ceasefire deal with Hamas. “No one is more committed to freeing the hostages than me... No one will preach to me on this issue,” Netanyahu said. He is refusing to cede Israeli control of the Philadelphi Corridor, a strip along Gaza’s border with Egypt where Israel claims Hamas smuggles weapons into Gaza, which both Egypt and Hamas deny. “This is the oxygen of Hamas,” Netanyahu said of the corridor. Late Monday, AP reported, several thousand demonstrators gathered outside Netanyahu’s private home in central Jerusalem, chanting “Deal. Now,” “You are the leader, you are guilty,” and “Shame,” while carrying coffins draped in the Israeli flag. Asked if Netanyahu was doing enough, American president Joe Biden responded bluntly, “No,” adding the U.S. would continue to “push as hard as we can” for a deal.