Netanyahu defends planned military offensive in Gaza: 'Our goal is to free Gaza'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday defended Israel's planned military offensive in Gaza. 

He said that Israel “has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas," emphasizing that the goal is to free Gaza. 

“Our goal is not to occupy Gaza, our goal is to free Gaza,” he said.

He also said Israel intends to demilitarize Gaza and take “overriding security control” there as well as install a non-Israeli civilian administration.

Netanyahu also said he has taken steps to “bring in more foreign journalists” to cover the developments, which the Associated Press noted has so far been limited to miliary embeds.