
Ofir Akunis, Israel’s Consul General in New York, was interviewed by Marcia Kramer from CBS News New York’s program “The Point,” addressing growing concerns about a potential Iranian assault in the Middle East.
Akunis emphasized that Hamas initiated the conflict by launching an invasion into Israel. He further mentioned that the United States, Egypt, and Qatar extended invitations to Hamas for negotiations aimed at establishing a ceasefire and securing the release of hostages. However, Hamas declined to participate in these discussions.
“The problem is the existence of a cruel and vicious organization like Hamas in the Gaza Strip. And [the war will continue] until we defeat them, and it’s very close,” he said.
Akunis pointed out that there is still considerable progress to be made before a ceasefire can be achieved. “Hamas wants us to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and from the Philadelphi Corridor because they want to continue to attack Israel from the Gaza Strip. We will not allow a second October 7.”
He highlighted the seriousness of the tunnel networks utilized by Hamas, noting, “The last tunnel we found there is at least as big as the Lincoln Tunnel here in New York. And their tunnels are as long as the tube in London. We cannot accept this.”
Reflecting on past events, Akunis remarked, “We withdrew from the Gaza Strip, including Philadelphi, including the northern parts of Gaza, and they attacked Israel from those areas. We must learn from history.”
When asked about the possibility of an Iranian retaliatory strike following the killing of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, and whether Israel is concerned about such an attack, Akunis responded, “They are doing it every day. All the missiles from Lebanon are actually from Iran. So this is an Iranian attack…I heard even here in the United States, that the missile that killed 12 innocent kids and teenagers wasn’t a Hezbollah missile. Well, of course it wasn’t a Hezbollah missile. It was an Iranian missile and Hezbollah uses it…so, the Iranians are doing it all the time. If you’re asking me if they’re going to do it from Iran – we are ready. We are not afraid. They can threaten. We are ready to defend our people in various ways.”
{Matzav.com Israel}