Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the 80th UN General Assembly in New York City on Friday under a wave of protests, as anger over Israel’s war in Gaza spilled into the international spotlight.
Just before his address began, hundreds of diplomats walked out of the hall in a coordinated demonstration against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Attendees of the UN General Assembly stage a mass walkout as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu enters the hall for his address. pic.twitter.com/amZiL1W45g
— The National (@TheNationalNews) September 26, 2025
Focus on hostages still held in Gaza
Netanyahu opened by focusing on the hostages still held in Gaza. “The families of our loved ones are wasting away in Hamas’ dungeons,” he said, before displaying a map and vowing that Israel would not stop until Hamas was dismantled.
He claimed Israel had already struck decisive blows: “We destroyed the Houthis, crushed Hamas’ leadership, dismantled Hezbollah, and disarmed Iran’s nuclear program. We are not finished yet.”
Netanyahu says Israel will be “finishing the job” in Gaza
The Prime Minister insisted that Israel must complete its offensive in Gaza, calling it essential for security. “The last remnants of Hamas are barricaded in Gaza City,” he said. “They vow to repeat the atrocities of October 7 again and again. This is why Israel must finish the job.”
He accused the world of forgetting the October 7 attacks, while Israel “remembers every detail.” Of the 48 hostages believed to still be in Gaza, Netanyahu said only twenty remain alive, and he named them during his speech.
He delivered a direct message in Hebrew and English:
“Brave heroes, we have not forgotten you for one second. Israel will bring you home.”
Turning to Hamas, he warned: “Release the hostages now. If you do, you will live. If not, Israel will hunt you down.”
A “quiz” for the West
In a striking rhetorical device, Netanyahu presented a “quiz” to the assembly. “Who chants ‘Death to America?'” he asked them. “Answer: All of the above—Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis.”
“Who has murdered Americans and Europeans in cold blood?” he went on. “Again: All of the above.”
He framed Israel’s enemies as shared enemies of the West, warning that they sought to drag the modern world “back into a dark age of violence, fanaticism, and terror.”
Rejection of Palestinian state recognition
Netanyahu sharply criticized governments recognizing a Palestinian state, arguing that such moves reward terrorism. He urged leaders to follow former US President Donald Trump’s stance and reject recognition.
“Nearly 90% of Palestinians supported the October 7 attack,” he claimed. “When the world’s worst terrorists cheer your decision, you didn’t do something right—you did something terribly wrong.”
Netanyahu addresses civilian casualties and accusations of genocide in Gaza by Israel
Addressing widespread criticism, Netanyahu rejected claims that Israel deliberately targets civilians. He argued that the military has dropped millions of leaflets and messages urging evacuations, while Hamas “hides in mosques, schools, hospitals, and apartment buildings” and forces civilians to remain under threat.
He compared accusations of genocide to Nazi atrocities: “Did the Nazis ever ask the Jews to leave?” he asked.
He further denied Israel is starving Gaza, blaming shortages on Hamas. “If there are Gazans without food, it is because Hamas steals, hoards, and sells it,” he proclaimed.
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