Israeli ambassador on Hamas: Beasts who do things democratic societies cannot imagine
Since the October 7 launch of Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, there have been more than 800 Israeli victims, among them old people, women and children, Israeli ambassador to Bulgaria Yosef Levi Sfari said in a television interview on October 9.
“Every citizen of Israel who was near the terrorists was kidnapped or killed,” he told Nova Televizia.
“We are not talking about human beings. These (Hamas) are beasts who do things that democratic societies cannot imagine,” Safari said.
“Hamas has no respect for human beings. This is jihad. They are ready to attack other places as well.”
Asked what comes next, he said that the government must first decide how to handle the hostage situation and negotiate with Hamas about their safety.
He said that the attack was unexpected because recently Israel has done a lot to improve the economic condition of Gaza.
“We are not going to fight the people of Gaza. Israel is doing a great deal to improve the economic situation of Gaza,” Sfari said.
“Every day 20 000 people from Gaza enter Israel to work, we give electricity, fuel, we give opportunities to improve their industry. We thought, that if the economic situation in Gaza improves, relations would also improve. Obviously, this cruelty was planned.”
Sfari said that Israel has no intention of taking over Gaza. “Hamas has been in control of Gaza for years”.
Such an attack could be carried out without the support of a third party, he said.
Israel has no idea how the rockets for the October 7 attack entered Gaza, he said: “Some were produced there. But there is no doubt that there is help from outside…Iran is a threat not only to Israel , but to the world. This is Europe’s backyard. We cannot allow this situation to continue.”
He did not rule out an escalation of the conflict: “Gaza is very densely populated and we have no intention of doing anything against the civilian population of Gaza, but we have to protect our citizens and we will do whatever it takes.”
Sfari said that this was not a war between two armies, but one between Israel and a terrorist organisation.
On the night of October 7, the Bulgarian Parliament building was lit up in the Israeli flag in a show of solidarity with that country as it came under attack from the Hamas terrorist organisation. Photo: parliament.bg
He thanked the Bulgarians and the Bulgarian authorities for their sympathy and support.
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