Israeli FM: War against Hamas will continue "with or without international support"

Shortly after the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in support of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen gave a statement indicating that the offensive against the Hamas militant group would continue either way.

As reported by the Times of Israel, Foreign Minister Cohen said on December 13 that the war will continue “with or without international support”, responding to US President Joe Biden's remark ahead of the UN vote in which he warned that Israel was losing international support because of its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza.

“Israel will continue the war against Hamas with or without international support. A ceasefire at the current stage is a gift to the terrorist organization Hamas, and will allow it to return and threaten the residents of Israel”, Cohen told a visiting diplomat, according to a statement issued by his ministry.

The UN General Assembly vote from December 13 was supported by 153 member states, with only 10 countries voting against the ceasefire, including the US, Israel, Austria, Czech Republic, Guatemala, Liberia, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea and Paraguay.