Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning: "This is a difficult day for us. Together with all citizens of Israel, I was outraged to the depths of my soul by the horrific, cold-blooded murder of six of our hostages:

Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Master-Sergeant Ori Danino. May G-d avenge them.

Together with the entire nation, my wife and I share in the families' deep mourning. I would like to express deep appreciation for our forces, for the brave IDF soldiers and ISA fighters, who risked their lives in order to return our sons and daughters.

I say to the Hamas terrorists who murdered our hostages and I say to their leaders: You will pay the price. We will not rest, nor will be silent. We will pursue you, we will find you and we will settle accounts with you.

Citizens of Israel, We are fighting on all fronts against a brutal enemy who wants to murder us all. Only this morning, it murdered three police officers in Hebron. My wife and I send heartfelt condolences to their families.

We saw the inconceivable brutality of the Hamas murderers on October 7 and we have seen it again in the tunnels under Rafah.

The fact that Hamas is continuing to perpetrate atrocities like those it carried out on October 7 requires us to do everything so that it will be unable to perpetrate these atrocities again.

Citizens of Israel, Our efforts to free our hostages are continuing constantly. Since December, Hamas has refused to hold genuine negotiations.

Three months ago, on May 27, Israel agreed to a hostage release deal with full backing from the US. Hamas refused. Even after the US updated the deal framework on August 16 – we agreed, and Hamas again refused.

In recent days, as Israel has been holding intensive negotiations with the mediator in a supreme effort to reach a deal, Hamas is continuing to steadfastly refuse all proposals. Even worse, at the exact same time, it murdered six of our hostages.

Whoever murders hostages – does not want a deal. For our part, we will not relent. The Government of Israel is committed, and I am personally committed, to continue striving toward a deal that will return all of our hostages and ensure our security and our existence.