Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Hamas directly during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday.
After explaining that his speech was being played out over Gaza via speakers, and landing directly on the phones of people in the territory, Netanyahu spoke to Hamas, telling them to free the hostages “now.”
“If you do, you will live,” he said. “If you don’t, Israel will hunt you down.”
Of the 48 hostages left in Gaza, Netanyahu said 20 are still alive and went on to name them individually.
Netanyahu used the opportunity to speak directly to the living hostages, in hopes his words would reach them.
Delivering his message first in Hebrew, then in English, he said: “Our brave heroes, this is Prime Minister Netanyahu speaking to you live from the United Nations. We have not forgotten you, not even for a second. The people of Israel are with you, we will not falter, and we will not rest until we bring all of you home.”
Netanyahu told the U.N. audience that Israel “must finish the job in Gaza.”
“The final elements, the final remnants of Hamas are holed up in Gaza City. They vow to repeat the atrocities of October 7th again and again and again, no matter how diminished their forces,” he said. “That is why Israel must finish the job. That is why we want to do so as fast as possible.”
Netanyahu went on to say that many “world leaders have buckled,” seemingly referencing the growing number of western countries that have announced their recognition of Palestinian statehood over the past week. The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Portugal, and France are just some of the U.S.-ally nations that have made the decision, much to the disapproval of the Israeli Prime Minister, who has argued it’s an “enormous prize” for Hamas.
President Donald Trump, who Netanyahu is set to meet with in the coming days, used his own address at the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday to argue against recognition of a Palestinian statehood.
“As if to encourage continued conflict, some of this body is seeking to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state,” said Trump. “The rewards would be too great for Hamas terrorists for their atrocities. This would be a reward for these horrible atrocities, including October 7.”
In light of more countries recognizing a Palestinian statehood, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich last week spoke of efforts to annex the West Bank.
“The days when Britain and other countries determined our future are over, the mandate has ended, and the only response to the anti-Israeli move is sovereignty over the homeland of the Jewish people in Judea and Samaria, and the removal of the foolish idea of a Palestinian state from the agenda forever,” he said.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said he “will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank.”
“It’s not going to happen. There’s been enough. It’s time to stop now,” he emphasized, adding that he has spoken to Netanyahu about it.
Trump’s words echoed those of French President Emmanuel Macron, who said earlier this week that any attempt by Israel to annex parts of the West Bank would be a red line for the U.S.
Ahead of Netanyahu’s speech, his office announced the unveiling of a “public diplomacy campaign” in New York City. They organized billboards and trucks to display the message: “Remember October 7” in Times Square and around the U.N. building.
Netanyahu and his government have already faced global criticism over the decision to expand its military operations in Gaza City.
Earlier this month, a U.N. Commission of Inquiry determined that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The Israeli Foreign Ministry strongly rejected the report, calling it “distorted and false” and accused those chairing the commission of being “Hamas proxies.”
Israel has repeatedly denied that its actions in Gaza constitute genocide, citing its right to defend itself. A statement from Netanyahu’s office called allegations of genocide “ridiculous” and a “blatant falsehood” during an address on Aug. 13.
Meanwhile, the growing malnutrition crisis in Gaza has also caught the world’s eye.
Famine has been declared in one governorate in the territory, and is expected to be confirmed in two other areas by the end of September, according to U.N.-backed report published in August.
Read More: Israel Has Committed Genocide in Gaza, Says U.N. Commission of Inquiry
In an update shared on Sept. 25, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said “intensified strikes on Gaza city, including on tents, residential buildings and infrastructure, continue to inflict heavy casualties.”
“Over the past week, Israeli forces have continued to carry out heavy bombardment from the air, land and sea across the Gaza Strip, particularly in Gaza governorate,” said OCHA, reporting that 82% of the territory is now thought to be under military occupation or displacement orders.
The Israel-Hamas war started after Hamas launched a terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. Over 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
In the absence of independent monitoring on the ground, the ministry is the primary source for casualty data relied upon by humanitarian groups, journalists, and international bodies. Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants and cannot be independently verified by TIME. Data from the IDF suggests a Palestinian civilian death rate of 83%.