Gaza and Israel: Verbatim Quotes from World Leaders
What leaders have actually said about Gaza, Israel, and the path to a ceasefire — verbatim, attributed, with sources.
“The reason we lost is the war”
“he is a Muslim Brotherhood guy, 100 percent”
“Why should we suffer the slings from lunatics like an El-Sayed when they (Israel) don’t need it?”
“It’s a bad talking point because you’d say — ‘Why don’t we give everybody $4 billion?’”
“Because they (Israel) don't need it, and because why should we suffer the slings from lunatics like an El-Sayed when they don't need it?”
“and why should we suffer the slings from lunatics like an El-Sayed when they don’t need it?”
“I'm at 99% approval rating in Israel. Can you believe it?”
“Because they don't need it, Brian. I mean, I ask them because they don't need it, and because why should we suffer the slings from lunatics like an El-Sayed when they don't need it?”
“Why should we suffer the slings from lunatics like El-Sayed when they don’t need it?”
“cut off at the end of the year”
“both feel pretty good about the prospects for potentially coming to a negotiated settlement”
“Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly … Do I drive them into hell?”
“could never function in the same way”
“contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the region”
“but you know they’re not very reliable”
“we can achieve military objectives if we seek to”
“express my sorrow and regret for the pain and suffering of so many millions and to recognise the way it still shapes our world today”
“not be held liable for historical wrongs”
“They stole the elections in Israel!”
“forever eliminate the existential threat of Iran”
“evolve in a positive direction”
“strong, brave and brilliant in the face of tremendous opposition”
“vote Likud for the sake of our country!”
“without the realisation of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination”
“the specter of ethnic cleansing”
“that would finally, finally, remove the Iranian threat”
“that our enemies, Iran and its proxies, could challenge us with attacks in order to disrupt the elections”
“outstanding Warrior Prime Minister”
“in total and complete freefall”
“invasion of extremist Islam”
“considering a very extensive IDF operation in Judea and Samaria, such as has not been carried out since”
“But the only leader to do it in Israel is me...and he (Trump) said, 'I won't do it with anyone else.'”
“something one way or another”
“prevention and offence over containment and defence”
“overthrow the regime in Iran”
“in the middle of election campaigns, whether here in the region or on the other side of the Atlantic”
“naively spreading narratives that certain circles are clearly trying to promote”
“Bibi Netanyahu has been a Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran, with its 51 year old chant, ‘Death to Israel, Death to America! We will destroy the Little Satan and the Big Satan,’”
“that’s what I’m focused on”
“Great Warrior Prime Minister”
“BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
“Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. Who wants to take the chance?”
“systematically destroyed, both Militarily and Financially, and unless they change their ways, rapidly, we will soon finish the job”
“Together we will complete the mission!”
“forge a different future, a different Middle East, and also a different world”
“The Shin Bet security detail, your subordinates who are with me 24/7, could have reached me within minutes. How many lives could we have saved if only you had called on time?”
“a lot of people said we were wasting our time”
“offers a window for dialogue”
“radical ideologues who are anti-democracy”
“disgraceful and embarrassing decision”
“Between our TOTAL CONTROL of the Strait of Hormuz, and this great announcement on Russian Energy, Diesel Prices for Americans and, indeed, the World, will be COMING DOWN, IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST!”
“cutting off their resources and crippling its ability to operate”
“has lost its moral compass”
“real efforts to end the war”
“the nice way or the not-so-nice way”
“shouldn't have been here and certainly shouldn't have been flying planes”
“crash the plane, killing everyone on board”
“for the most part, want peace”
“we have achieved enormous accomplishments, but there are still missions ahead of us, and we intend to complete them”
“weaker than it has been since its establishment”
“immense courage and unwavering resolve”
“Smit, if you won’t be emotional in front of me, then where will you be?”
“He can help you too — I highly recommend him!”
“I asked him, how did you know how to do that? And he said, ‘Well, I, I watched these air disaster films,’”
“he would have done something about it”
“not involved in politics anymore”
“interested in making sure this doesn’t happen again”
“strong indications that Iran played a part”
“the terrorist organisations it funds”
“really hates the way that things have gone with Iran”
“He told me that, somehow or other, he managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members”
“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before — maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world?”
“Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell?”
“not stop until Hamas no longer exists in the Gaza Strip”
“one of his 'easiest' decisions”
“In the last three years, our heroic soldiers have fought a war on seven fronts. Do you know of any other country the size of New Jersey that can fight for three years on seven fronts?”
“a tiny sliver of land… that is equal to about one third of 1% of the landmass of the entire Arab world”
“To all those spreading these lies about my country and about our brave soldiers, whether they sit in this hall or in the office of the antisemitic mayor of New York, I say this: Shame on you!”
“no greater partner than President Trump”
“battle against the barbarians”
“Mr. Mamdani, since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York. They talk to me, they tell me ‘this isn’t the city we remember, it changed so quickly,'”
“bulldozing the path to peace and raising the spectre of ethnic cleansing”
“was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make”
“tell the truth about our heroic soldiers”
“Are we simply to stand by and watch this spectacle that should shame us all?”
“to tell the truth about you”
“danger to the right-wing bloc”
“to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers”
“time for Britain to believe again”
“I hear the cynicism of some – 'recognition on paper; look at reality'. But what credibility do we have if we continue to remain inactive regarding Gaza?”
“I have a big decision to make. Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before â maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy again? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness?”
“return to the law of the jungle”
“out of control institution”
“fight for the truth about our heroic soldiers”
“These are chapters of the same story. The story of power. Who has it? Who is denied it?”
“to ensure that power is governed by law”
“themselves violate international law and sit in the Security Council”
“small, little private affair”
“I said, 'You know, this is not good timing for me. I have a thing called Iran and other things,'”
“many hours before the start of the attack”
“not at the Israeli people”
“behind the back of the Argentine government”
“All right, can we take down their leadership [kill Hamas leaders]?”
“I recognize there have been places where this has flared up”
“If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings and, when it is over, there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran!”
“All of Israel’s systems are working to overthrow this regime and defeat it”
“It is a pleasure welcoming our good friend, the president of the Republic of Congo, in Israel. It is a great friendship. We are strengthening it, and this visit will only help strengthen it even further. So welcome, Mr. President!”
“words of brotherly support”
“in response to the Iranians’ failed attempt to lay sea mines in the strait”
“When are the Iranian people going to rise up and fight?”
“in retaliation for the Iranians’ failed attempt at adding sea mines to the Strait”
“the Iranians shooting eight missiles, all successfully knocked down, at our Military Base in Jordan”
“has engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel”
“believes the sovereignty and security of regional countries including Jordan should be respected”
“been against Iran for almost 40 years”
“What a stupid question that is, actually. Here they are, they’re totally defeated militarily. So now I defeat them, and now I should use a nuclear weapon on top of them? What a stupid question.”
“reiterated our commitment to strengthening India’s long standing friendship with Iran across diverse sectors”
“Kharg Island being blown to smithereens!!! President DJT,”
“immense harm to the law-abiding settler community”
“going back to talk to him all the time”
“all mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz”
“the Palestinians governing Palestine”
“unique and important role in the region”
“IRAN IS COMPLETELY COLLAPSING!!!”
“on an unprecedented scale”
“on the verge of breaching”
“One thing we did say, ‘We’re absolutely against a Palestinian state,’”
“moving towards the south and threatening us”
“most crushing economic operation ever taken”
“ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences”
“the most crushing economic operation ever taken”
“have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials whose government has not consented to ICC .”
“individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials whose government has not consented to ICC jurisdiction”
“prosecute officials whose government has not consented to ICC jurisdiction”
“police their region of the world”
“The number one Goal is, and always will be, that Iran cannot have, in any way, shape, or form, a Nuclear Weapon”
“I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the denuclearisation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, 'No thanks!'”
“No one (abroad) will tap our minerals. We are going to tap them for the benefit of the Brazilian people”
“until Hamas is completely disarmed”
“Try finding that in Britain today – in what is called the Islamic Republic of Britain.”
“pay a tiny little bit more for your gasoline”
“has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!”
“You might call Britain the ‘Islamic Republic of Britain.’”
“Israel does not accept the ‘15-point document.’”
“The U.S.A. has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!”
“If I go, you go. Right?”
“You remember the expression ‘the people are with the Golan,’ right?”
“for all of the people that they have killed”
“Iran should be responsible for the damages and death caused to the people of Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza!”
“firmly into any, and all, future negotiations..”
“talking to the Americans about this issue”
“no Palestinian state will arise as long as I am prime minister”
“families of those killed on the USS Cole”
“Also, with respect to the Iran negotiations, Iran should be responsible for the damages and death caused to the people of Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza!”
“five month Military Conflict”
“Also, regarding negotiations with Iran, Iran must be held accountable for the damages and deaths it has caused to the peoples of Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza!”
“we are only semi-negotiating”
“I have great appreciation for President Trump. He is a great friend of ours in the White House”
“wave of rumours about Israeli weakness and Israeli withdrawals on all fronts”
“will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces”
“monumental step toward lasting peace and security”
“with an agreement or without an agreement, as long as I am prime minister, Iran will not have nuclear weapons”
“will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens”
“stand on my own two feet and resist”
“major milestone in the implementation”
“Israel rejects the 15-point document”
“We have proven this in the past and we are proving it today”
“a monumental step toward lasting peace and security”
“does not target any country”
“open to the participation of all brotherly countries seeking peace, prosperity and stability”
“do whatever is necessary to protect themselves, our territory, and our citizens”
“sent us a draft. We did not agree. It is not our draft. We sent our comments…. This is our position”
“to do whatever is necessary to defend themselves, defend our territory, and defend our citizens”
“are not withdrawing from the current lines in Gaza until Hamas is completely disarmed”
“I said, ‘What would you rather do? Would you rather have us do this or not?’ They said, ‘We would much prefer a deal as opposed to an attack, because you don’t know where these attacks lead,’”
“major points of agreement, I would say – almost all points of agreement”
“Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking”
“Whether Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused, for decades. It is very simple, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!”
“end the Iran nuclear threat”
“the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to”
“We'll be hitting them very hard. At some point, they're going to say, 'We just can't take it anymore,'”
“The Country of Israel joins me”
“complete and total opening”
“to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to”
“We’ll be hitting them very hard, and you know at some point they’re going to say, ‘We just can’t take it anymore,’”
“consistently has implanted and embedded spies”
“every communist left-wing insurgency”
“necessity of prioritising dialogue to de-escalate tensions”
“the foundations of an agreement”
“other Middle Eastern countries”
“an end to Iran’s nuclear threat”
“they break their word so often”
“You know, at some point they're going to say, 'We just can't take it anymore.'”
“doesn’t meet Israel’s demands for a full demilitarization of Gaza in exchange for any withdrawals from the Strip”
“After reviewing the events of Yoni’s life and death, the producer said to me, ‘Leave it alone. A great biography of a great life needs the perspective of decades,’”
“agreement will be carried out in carefully structured phases”
“Israeli forces will withdraw”
“new Palestinian police force”
“blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement”
“historic agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza”