Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his country’s military operations in Gaza during a January 8, 2026 interview with The Economist, addressing international criticism over civilian casualties and media restrictions. Netanyahu rejected allegations of war crimes, emphasizing that Israel’s strategy contrasts sharply with historical examples of indiscriminate bombing, such as Britain’s air campaign over Germany and France during World War II.

“We know what Britain did in World War II, you bombed the living daylights out of German cities and French cities that were in your way. We didn’t do that. We went in with ground forces. We didn’t carpet bomb Gaza,” Netanyahu stated. He highlighted that Israel relied primarily on ground operations and targeted strikes rather than area-wide bombardments, citing a combatant-to-civilian death ratio of approximately 1:1.5 to 1:2.

Netanyahu also addressed the decision to restrict independent media access to Gaza, framing it as a necessary measure to protect journalists in a high-risk warzone where more than 200 media workers have been killed since October 2023. He stressed that operational security and minimizing civilian harm remain central to Israel’s strategy in the ongoing two-year conflict.

In addition to military matters, Netanyahu signaled plans for Israel to gradually end reliance on U.S. military aid within a decade, underscoring the nation’s growing economic self-sufficiency. He framed this move as a reflection of Israel’s maturity and capability to defend its interests independently while continuing to navigate international scrutiny.

The interview reinforces Netanyahu’s position that Israel’s actions in Gaza are measured, targeted, and fundamentally different from historical wartime excesses, presenting a case for strategic restraint amid one of the most heavily scrutinized military campaigns in recent history.