Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers speech to Congress | CNN Politics

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will continue waging war in Gaza “until we destroy Hamas’ military capabilities and its rule in Gaza and bring all our hostages home.”

“We will settle for nothing less,” Netanyahu said during remarks to US Congress on Wednesday.

He then set forth what he described as his vision for a new post-war Gaza.

“Gaza should have a civilian administration run by Palestinians who do not seek to destroy Israel. That’s not too much to Israel. It’s a fundamental thing that we have a right to demand and receive,” the prime minister said. 

“Demilitarization and deradicalization – those two concepts were applied to Germany and Japan after World War II and that led to decades of peace, prosperity and security. Following our victory, with the help of regional partners, the demilitarization and deradicalization of Gaza can also lead to a future of security, prosperity and peace,” Netanyahu said.

The US has been intensely working with regional partners to establish plans for security and governance when the war comes to an end and has encouraged the Israeli government to come up with its own ideas as well. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken in November laid out a series of principles that the US expected for post-war Gaza, including no re-occupation by Israel, no reduction of territory in Gaza. The US has also called for a unified Palestinian government led by a “revitalized” Palestinian Authority.

Blinken has also warned of the dire situation that could emerge in the absence of day after plans.

“What we can’t have is an agreement that’s followed by some kind of void that will either be filled, if it’s there, by Hamas coming back, which is unacceptable; by Israel prolonging its occupation, which they say they don’t want to do and is unacceptable; or just having a vacuum that’s filled by lawlessness, that’s filled by chaos, which we see in so many parts of Gaza right now, which is also inimical to actually helping people who desperately need it,” Blinken said Friday.

This post was updated with more of Netanyahu’s remarks on Gaza and background on the US stance.