“2023 is not 1943…we are the same Jews, but have different capabilities”: Israeli Defence Minister

Gallant also briefed them about atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists against children, women, men and the elderly.

Tel Aviv: Issuing a stern warning to the Hamas terror group, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that “2023 is not 1943” and in an indirect reference to the persecution of Jews under the Nazi regime in Germany, added that today’s Jewish people possess “different capabilities”, Times of Israel reported.

His comments came during a briefing for 31 NATO counterparts at a meeting in Brussels.

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“We have been hit hard. Yet make no mistake – 2023 is not 1943. We are the same Jews, but we have different capabilities. The State of Israel is strong. We are united and powerful,” he said.

Gallant also briefed them about atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists against children, women, men and the elderly.

He expressed appreciation for the global show of support for Israel after Hamas launched an attack on the former on October 7, according to The Times of Israel report.

The Israeli President also showed them an uncensored video of some of the attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers as well as foreign nationals, i24 News English reported.

He further asserted that Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) will destroy Hamas and “will hunt down every last man with the blood of children,” The Times of Israel reported.

“Hamas is the ‘ISIS’ of Gaza, a savage organization, funded and supported by Iran. Hamas is ISIS,” he says. “The ‘ISIS’ of Gaza will not exist, on our borders. The IDF will destroy Hamas. And we will hunt down every last man, with the blood of our children, on his hands,” Gallant said.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Forces said that Hamas brought ISIS flags to Israel when they had infiltrated various parts of South Israel last weekend.

In a post shared on X, Israeli Defence Forces stated, “Hamas brought ISIS flags to massacre Israeli children, women and men. Hamas is a genocidal terrorist organization. Hamas is worse than ISIS.” The death toll in Israel since the Hamas attack has jumped to 1,300 and some 3300 have been injured, including 28 in critical condition and 350 in serious condition, The Times of Israel reported citing Hebrew media reports.

The fate of an estimated 150 people abducted and taken to the Gaza Strip during the attack by Hamas is still unclear, the report said.

Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the military has so far notified families of 97 hostages who were being held by terrorists in the Gaza Strip, The Times of Israel reported.