Netanyahu pushes back against new pressure over Gaza and hostages: ‘No one will preach to me’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday pushed back against a new wave of pressure to reach a cease-fire deal in Gaza after hundreds of thousands of Israelis protested and went on strike and U.S. President Joe Biden said he needed to do more after nearly 11 months of fighting.

In his first public address since Sunday's mass protests showed many Israelis' furious response to the discovery of six more dead hostages, Netanyahu said he will continue to insist on a demand that has emerged as a major sticking point in talks — continued Israeli control of the Philadelphi corridor, a narrow band along Gaza's border with Egypt where Israel contends Hamas smuggles weapons into Gaza. Egypt and Hamas deny it.

Netanyahu called the corridor vital to ensuring Hamas cannot rearm via tunnels. "This is the oxygen of Hamas," he said.

And he added: "No one is more committed to freeing the hostages than me. But no one will preach to me."

Israelis had poured into the streets late Sunday in grief and anger in what appeared to be the largest protest since the start of the war. The families and much of the public blamed Netanyahu, saying the hostages could have been returned alive in a deal with Hamas. A rare general strike was held across the country on Monday.

But others support Netanyahu's drive to continue the campaign in Gaza, which was triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack into Israel and has caused massive death and destruction in the territory. Netanyahu says the assault will force militants to give in to Israeli demands, potentially facilitate rescue operations and ultimately annihilate the group.

Key ally the United States is showing impatience. Biden spoke to reporters as he arrived at the White House for a Situation Room