Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks came in response to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressing concern over the mounting death toll in the battered enclave and urging the Israeli government to exercise restraint.
Following Canadian Prime mInister Justin Trudeau's comments on the ever-increasing civilian casualty in the ongoing war between Israel and Palestine, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday firmly defended the ground operation by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip and asserted that the onus of the prevailing situation is still on Hamas as they were the ones who deliberately targeted the civilians first.
Expressing concern over the mounting death toll in Gaza, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said, "killing of women, of children, of babies in the besieged Gaza Strip must end."
"I urge the government of Israel to exercise maximum restraint. The world is watching, on TV, on social media - we're hearing the testimonies of doctors, family members, survivors, kids who have lost their parents", Trudeau further added.
Addressing a news conference in the western province of British Columbia, Trudeau said, "The world is witnessing this killing of women, of children, of babies. This has to stop."
However, Trudeau also said Hamas needed to stop using Palestinians as human shields and should release all its hostages.
He had earlier called for the release of all hostages in Gaza and the delivery of enough aid to address civilian needs.
"It is not Israel that is deliberately targeting civilians but Hamas that beheaded, burned", said Netanyahu.
The Israeli Prime Minister further said that Israel has been providing humanitarian corridors and safe zones to civilians in Gaza, while Hamas prevents them from leaving "at gunpoint".
"It is Hamas, not Israel, that should be held accountable for committing a double war crime - targeting civilians while hiding behind civilians. The forces of civilization must back Israel in defeating Hamas barbarism," Netanyahu added.