A “Special Statement” with No Plan Just More War
On Saturday night, Benjamin Netanyahu popped out of his bunker again—not to face the press, of course, but to drop a pre-recorded monologue that was long on bravado and short on solutions. He called it a “special statement on a diplomatic matter.” That’s his new way of saying, “I still have no plan for the hostages, but let’s talk about how I’ll never stop bombing Gaza.”
Here’s the short version of what Bibi said: “We’ll keep fighting Hamas until they’re wiped out. No hostage deal unless it’s on my terms. And by the way, Iran I see you.”
He insists Israel can’t end the war until Hamas is “eliminated.” Not defeated. Not neutralized. Eliminated. It’s the kind of word that plays well in far-right echo chambers but makes hostage families and quite a few generals nervous.
And why? Because Hamas, according to Netanyahu, is apparently too clever to be tricked into peace. “They’re despicable murderers,” he said, “but they’re not stupid.” The irony of Bibi calling anyone else deceptive is… well, rich.
When Strategy is a Slogan
The hostage families? They didn’t buy it. Their response was clear and scathing: “Netanyahu has no plan.”
Can you blame them? More than a year and a half after October 7, dozens of Israeli hostages are still stuck in Gaza. The only thing Netanyahu offers is a speech. No press conference. No questions. No updates. Just a performance one that’s getting stale.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum nailed it:
“What kind of revival can happen without the return of the hostages kidnapped under his watch?”
Good question. And one Bibi isn’t interested in answering.
The Deal Netanyahu Rejected
Let’s talk about the deal Netanyahu blew off just days before this address.
Hamas offered to return half the remaining living hostages and the remains of the dead in exchange for a temporary ceasefire. That was a significant offer especially since every hostage deal until now came with some kind of pause in fighting.
But Netanyahu said no. Why? Because the deal required “binding international guarantees” that Israel wouldn’t restart the war once the hostages were released.
And to that, Bibi said: “Hell no.”
He’s afraid of getting locked into peace. Seriously.
“If we obligate not to fight, we can’t go back to fighting in Gaza,” he warned.
Translation: If we make a promise, we might actually have to keep it. And we can’t have that, can we?
The Great Deception That Wasn’t
One of Netanyahu’s stranger arguments is that some people he never names them are suggesting Israel could just lie to Hamas. Accept their deal, get the hostages, and then go back to war.
But Hamas, he says, isn’t dumb enough to fall for that.
“These people have no idea how the international system works,” he snapped.
That line probably sounded smart in his head. But here’s the thing: those “people” he’s talking about include former generals, hostage negotiators, and a sizable chunk of Israel’s security establishment. And maybe they do know how international politics work certainly better than someone whose own allies accuse him of running the country into a wall.
Postwar Gaza? Still a Black Hole
After 18 months of bombing, Netanyahu still has no answer to the most basic question: What happens to Gaza if Hamas is gone?
Who governs it? Who rebuilds it? Who keeps it from turning into something even worse?
Crickets.
He’s happy to talk about “destroying Hamas,” but the “what next?” is a blank space. And that’s not just bad planning lt’s dangerous.
Because nature and war zones hate a vacuum.
When in Doubt, Blame Iran
When Netanyahu’s Gaza pitch starts to wobble, he goes straight for his comfort zone: Iran.
In his latest address, he vowed not to give Tehran “a millimeter” of breathing room on nuclear weapons.
“I won’t give up on this, I won’t let up on this, and I won’t withdraw from this not a millimeter.”
Great. But here’s what he doesn’t say: His critics aren’t just whining from the sidelines. They’re his former cabinet ministers. His generals. His ex-prime ministers.
Even opposition leader Yair Lapid and former PM Naftali Bennett say Netanyahu let opportunities to hit Iran slide. Meanwhile, reports surfaced that Donald Trump blocked a proposed Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. Netanyahu didn’t deny it. Trump shrugged and said he wasn’t in a rush.
Netanyahu’s response? Mock them.
“It is amusing,” he smirked, “to listen to the criticism of those who opposed the actions I took to harm and delay Iran’s nuclear program in the past.”
Sure, Bibi. Real amusing. Unless you’re one of the families wondering why your loved ones are still hostages while you play geopolitical charades.
The Philadelphi Corridor: A Red Line
Hamas wants Israeli forces to leave the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi Corridor on the Egypt-Gaza border. They also want international guarantees that Israel won’t just waltz back in once the hostages are released.
To Netanyahu, these are “capitulation conditions.” He mocked those who’d accept such terms as naïve fools playing international checkers against master strategists.
But again, the people calling for a deal aren’t dreamers. They’re Israelis many with military backgrounds who understand that you can’t bomb your way to peace. Especially not when hostages are still stuck underground in Gaza.
The Elephant in the Room: Public Opinion
There’s something Bibi doesn’t talk about: his own slipping grip on public support.
Petitions are piling up. Reservists, veterans, families, ordinary citizens they’re all demanding a deal to bring the hostages home. Even if it means ending the war.
But Netanyahu won’t budge. Because for him, this isn’t just about Gaza or Hamas. It’s about survival. His political survival. His legacy. His fragile alliance with the far-right.
That’s why he hasn’t held a press conference in over four months. That’s why every message is a recorded video. That’s why every question is dodged.
You don’t need a political science degree to see what’s happening. Just some common sense and a pulse.
Punchline: Revival for Whom?
Netanyahu called this conflict the “war of revival.” But it’s fair to ask revival for who?
Not the hostages still wasting away in tunnels. Not the families begging for answers. Not the soldiers dying in an endless ground campaign.
Maybe it’s revival for one man trying to hold onto power with speeches instead of solutions, slogans instead of strategy.
And maybe, just maybe, the rest of the country is waking up.
