"No amount of pressure will stop Israel": Netanyahu tells global leaders

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the "volcano of anti-Semitism" and international criticism of Israel's war in Gaza. At the same time, Netanyahu has stressed that no pressure will stop him from defending himself. Netanyahu also said, "If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone."

Speaking on Holocaust Remembrance Day at Jerusalem's Yad Vashem memorial, he lamented that when the Nazis killed six million Jews during World War II, his people were "completely defenseless against those who were planning our destruction.

He said that when the Israeli flag was at half-mast and massacre survivors were ready to light torches, "no country came to our aid."

"Today, we again face enemies who are bent on our destruction," Netanyahu told the crowd gathered for the ceremony.

A yellow chair representing hostages held by Hamas in Gaza was left empty.

He said, "I tell the world leaders that no amount of pressure, no decision of any international forum, will be able to stop Israel from defending itself."

Along with this, he expressed regret over the worldwide criticism against Israel regarding the war in Gaza after the Hamas attack on October 7. He condemned "this terrible volcano of anti-Semitism" that was growing around the world.

Netanyahu compared the protests seen at universities in the US and around the world to discrimination against Jews in German universities during World War II. “How justice and history have been distorted,” he said.

He said the criticism "is not because of what we have done, but because we exist... because we are Jews."

Gaza's bloodiest war began after Hamas' attack on Israel, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. More than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the attack. During the attack, Hamas had taken about 250 people hostage. Israel estimates that 128 people are still held captive in Gaza, of whom 35 have been killed, according to the military.

According to the Health Ministry of the Hamas-run region, at least 34,683 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza in Israel's counter-attack.