Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked for forgiveness for failing to return home the six hostages whose bodies were found in Gaza on Saturday, the Associated Press reported.
Begging for forgiveness, Netanyahu managed to fend off a new wave of votes in favor of a Gaza ceasefire deal after hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets to strike and US President Joe Biden criticized him for should have made more of an effort after nearly 11 months of Israeli citizens being held hostage by "Hamas".
In his first public address since Sunday's mass protests, which saw many Israelis see furious anger and outrage after the bodies of six more hostages were discovered, Netanyahu said he would continue to press for what emerged as a major obstacle in negotiations with "Hamas".
It would continue to keep Israel in control of the Philadelphia Corridor, a narrow strip along Gaza's border with Egypt that Israeli officials say Hamas uses to smuggle weapons into Gaza. Egypt and Hamas deny.
Netanyahu described the corridor as vital under guarantees that "Hamas" will not rearm. According to the Israeli Prime Minister, this corridor is the oxygen of "Hamas".
As Netanyahu explained his arguments, protests continued - including outside his residence - with one demand that he reach an agreement with "Hamas" to release the hostages.
Netanyahu was categorical: "No one is more committed to the idea of freeing the hostages than I am. ... No one has the right to lecture me on this matter."
From the "Associated Press" comment that so far there has not been such a large protest since the beginning of the war. The families of the hostages and much of the public blamed Netanyahu for the hostages killed. According to them, if he had made a deal with "Hamas", the hostages would have been returned to their homes alive. On Monday, strikes were held all over the country.