Netanyahu, who visited Israeli troops in northern Gaza on Monday, told lawmakers from his Likud Party that the conflict was far from over and dismissed what he cast as media speculation his government might call a halt to the fighting.

He said Israel would not succeed in freeing its remaining hostages held by Hamas without applying military pressure.

In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal on Monday, Netanyahu reiterated three prerequisites for peace: Hamas must be destroyed, Gaza must be demilitarized, and Palestinian society must be deradicalized.