Netanyahu rails against US criticism and says Israel won’t stop until ‘total victory’ is achieved

By TIA GOLDENBERG and RAVI NESSMAN
Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is railing against international criticism of his government amid the devasting war with Hamas. Netanyahu spoke days after U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called on Israel to hold new a election and said Netanyahu had “lost his way.” Netanyahu said Sunday that an election would force Israel to stop fighting and would paralyze the country for months. He said that no amount of international pressure would stop Israel from eliminating Hamas and freeing those held hostage in Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry says the war has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians. The fighting began when Hamas attacked Israel and killed 1,200 people and took about 250 hostage.