Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to “completely eliminate Hamas from existence” as he reveals IDF troops fought in Gaza to destroy the terror group and “return” hostages – and insists that “we as “We will emerge victorious.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to “completely eliminate” Hamas on Saturday evening as he revealed that IDF troops in the Gaza Strip were fighting to get rid of “evil” and “bring back” hostages.

He told Israeli citizens that the ongoing ground operation was the second phase of the war against Hamas, in which he said Israel’s “good” would triumph over “evil.”

The IDF is exhausting all options to bring hostages home to their loved ones, Netanyahu added, saying he met today with families of those believed to be trapped in Gaza and that his “heart is broken ” be.

The press conference came just 24 hours after Israel confirmed it would expand its ground operations into the Gaza Strip.

“The war in Gaza will be long and difficult,” Netanyahu said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised on Saturday evening to “completely eliminate” Hamas.

Smoke rises over Gaza, as seen from Israel’s border with Gaza on Saturday

Fire and smoke rise after an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, seen from southern Israel

A Palestinian carries a wounded man after an Israeli air strike on the northern Gaza Strip

“Israel is not just waging its own war, but a war for all humanity, a battle against barbarism.”

He also criticized other Middle Eastern leaders and protesters around the world who have accused Israel of war crimes, saying the claim was “hypocritical” after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack killed more than 1,400 people.

The Israeli prime minister urged those still in northern Gaza to head south, repeating claims that Hamas is using hospitals as bases and exploiting Palestinian citizens as human shields.

Speaking about the meeting with the families of the hostages held in Gaza, Mr Netanyahu said he felt “helpless” but assured them that they did not see the rescue of their loved ones as a “side mission” but as an essential part of the conflict .

Up to 229 people are currently being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. Earlier on Saturday, it was reported that the Hamas leadership had said it was ready to release them – but in return demanded the release of all Hamas prisoners.

He continued: “There are moments when a nation is faced with two choices: to exist or to cease to exist.” And that is just the kind of test we face, and I have no doubt how it will end. We will emerge triumphant. We will triumph.

“In the first weeks of the war there were massive air strikes against the enemy and in the last few days there was increased violence to give us the safest access from the ground.”

Israel has stepped up its bombing campaign as it enters the “second phase” of the conflict

After Israeli attacks on the Nuseirat refugee camp, civil defense teams and civilians are carrying out search and rescue operations and debris removal work on the severely damaged buildings

Earlier Saturday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the war had “entered a new phase” with intense bombing overnight.

People gather at the site of the impact of a rocket fired from Gaza in the town of Kiryat Ono, Israel, on Saturday

Journalists reporting from Gaza on Saturday described the current situation as “chaos.”

“We have eliminated countless murderers… and we have wiped out the infrastructure of terrorism – and that is just the beginning of the road.” Our fight in Gaza will be long and difficult. We are prepared for that.

“This is Israel’s second war of independence.” We will fight to protect our homeland and we will fight on the ground, in the air and at sea. We will eliminate the enemy above and below ground.

“We will fight and we will conquer, and this will be the triumph of good over evil, of light over darkness, of life over death. And in this war we stand firmly together, more united than ever, sure of our righteous path.”

“This is the mission of our lives, the mission of my life.”

After the prime minister, Israel’s defense minister said that the IDF was dealing “heavy blows” to Hamas, but stressed that the state had no desire for “expansion.”

Earlier on Saturday, Israeli ground troops were deployed in the northern Gaza Strip, more than 24 hours after entering the Palestinian territory, three weeks after the start of the war with Hamas, according to the army.

“United combat forces consisting of armored troops, combat engineers and infantry have been deployed on the ground in the northern Gaza Strip since early Friday evening,” the army said in a statement.

Israeli forces have carried out several small ground strikes in the Gaza Strip, but the current one was their longest presence in the area since violence erupted with a deadly Hamas attack on October 7.

Earlier Saturday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the war had “entered a new phase” with intense bombing overnight.

“Last night the ground shook in Gaza. “We attacked above ground and below ground,” Gallant said in a video statement, alluding to the network of military tunnels that Hamas has built under Gaza.

Israel carried out air strikes on the northern Gaza Strip on Friday night and lit up the sky with explosions and fire

Women walk through the devastation in Rafah, southern Gaza, on Saturday; According to Palestinian health authorities, about 7,700 people have died in Israel’s relentless retaliatory strikes

Huge clouds of smoke rise from the site of an Israeli attack on Gaza on Saturday morning

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tweeted images showing ground troops, including armored vehicles, advancing into the Gaza Strip

“The instructions to the emergency services are clear: the action will continue until further notice.”

Journalists on the ground in Gaza have reported bombings of unprecedented intensity, raising international humanitarian concerns about innocent civilians.

The Hamas-run Palestinian Health Authority claims more than 7,700 people have been killed by Israeli offensives, and as tanks rolled into Gaza last night, all internet and mobile phone signals were cut, leaving families and charities in the dark about conditions on the ground .

Earlier on Saturday, Israel released images of ground troops entering the Gaza Strip as it ratcheted up its rhetoric ahead of this evening’s press conference.

A short 15-second video released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shows armored vehicles gathering on Saturday in what the military calls Palestinian territory, as a spokesman said: “The armed forces are always still on the ground and continuing the war.”

It came as the IDF said it killed Asem Abu Rakaba, the suspected architect of Hamas’s airstrike into the country three weeks ago, and naval commander Ratab Abu Tshaiban in some of the overnight raids on 150 “underground targets.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.