Israeli PM Netanyahu offers $5 million for release of 'each' hostage in rare visit to Gaza

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on November 19 made a rare visit to Gaza, the epicenter of the ongoing war between the Israeli military and Hamas militants.

The visit comes amid Netanyahu's remark that his country's army has destroyed the military capacity of the Palestinian group, and asserted that it will no longer rule the enclave.

In a video, Netanyahu was seen saying, "Hamas will not rule Gaza. Whoever dares to harm our hostages - blood on his head. We will chase you, and we will get you." 

Netanyahu stressed that efforts to locate the 101 hostages still believed to be in Gaza had not ceased, and announced $5 million (Approximately Rs 37.5 crore) reward for each hostage's safe return.

"Anyone who dares to harm our hostages will have blood on their head. We will hunt you down and get you. Whoever brings us a hostage will find a safe way, he and his family, to get out," he said.

"Choose, the choice is yours, but the result will be the same. We'll get them all back," the Israeli Prime Minister added.

On Monday, Netanyahu, at the Israeli parliament, said that Israel's air attack on Iran last month hit an element of Tehran's nuclear programme while degrading its defence and missile production capabilities.

"It's not a secret. There is a specific component in their nuclear programme that was hit in this attack," he said, emphasising that Iran’s path to acquiring a nuclear weapon remains unimpeded.