Tal Heinrich, a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, vowed Saturday on Newsmax that her country's war "will not end with Hamas in power," speaking after the news that four hostages were rescued.
However, she said on Newsmax's "America Right Now" that the news is "bittersweet" because of the death of one of the special forces officers who was part of the rescue operation.
"It's a blessed Shabbat," Heinrich said. "It's a good day in Israel, and we didn't have many moments in which we could rejoice as a nation since Oct. 7. I can tell you everyone in my country is so filled with emotion."
Israel is committed to the return of all hostages, Heinrich added, as "we are a nation that's committed to the principle of leaving nobody behind."
Hamas, meanwhile, tries to shield its fighters in bustling civilian neighborhoods and hides its hostages there as well, she said.
"They were being held in the Nuseirat area," she said. "That's a neighborhood in the middle of a bustling market scene."
Israel's army said it rescued Noa Argamani, 25; Almog Meir Jan, 21; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 40, in its daytime operation, with Argamani being held in a different location from the men.
She and the men were abducted from a music festival in southern Israel on Oct. 7. She had been one of the most widely recognized hostages after her abductors rode away with her on a motorcycle as she screamed.
Meanwhile, Israel's mission is to destroy Hamas, said Heinrich, rejecting arguments that Israel is disregarding civilian losses in its quest.
"They want to maximize civilian suffering and civilian casualties in Gaza," she said. "They hide hostages in civilian structures and in civilian areas. And ... these are the areas from which they operate because they hope that the international community will put pressure on Israel for their bloodthirsty, vile actions against our people."
She added that Israel's war objective has not changed.
"We will destroy Hamas and bring back the hostages home and will make sure that Gaza will never pose a terror threat to us again," she said. "We said from the very beginning that we're not in this to degrade Hamas or deter Hamas or contain Hamas.
"We want to make sure that by the end of this war, they will not have the military capabilities, the desire, or the ability to hurt us ever again ... We don't want to see one more missile, one more attack, one more infiltration attempt through the border. That's over."
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