"If we retreat..."

"If we retreat..."

Herzog said the Israeli government is considering many ideas on how to manage Gaza after the end of the conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. "If we withdraw, then who will take over the area? We cannot leave a vacuum. Nobody will want Gaza to become a terrorist base again," the Israeli President said in an interview with the Financial Times.

When asked about Israeli military activities around Gaza hospitals, Herzog stressed that they are being carried out "in a very, very careful manner" and that Israel wants to protect civilians.

The Israeli president said that his country respects its allies and listens "very carefully" to Washington, however, he pointed out that "at the end of the day, we have a duty to protect our people".

Herzog stated that Israel's first priority is to free the approximately 240 hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

He said Israel is working to facilitate the delivery of more humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.