Israel's attempts to minimise Gaza civilian casualties 'not successful': Netanyahu

Israel is doing all it can to get civilians out of harm's way as it battles Hamas in Gaza, including dropping leaflets warning them to flee, but its attempts to minimise casualties were "not successful", Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday.

Israel is doing all it can to get civilians out of harm's way as it battles Hamas in Gaza, including dropping leaflets warning them to flee, but its attempts to minimise casualties were "not successful", Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday.

Netanyahu was asked by US television's CBS News whether Israel's killing of thousands of Palestinians as it retaliates for the October 7 attack by Gaza's ruling Hamas militants would fuel a new generation of hatred.

"Any civilian death is a tragedy. And we shouldn't have any because we're doing everything we can to get the civilians out of harm's way, while Hamas is doing everything to keep them in harm's way," Netanyahu said.

"So we send leaflets, (we) call them on their cell phones, and we say: 'leave'. And many have left," Netanyahu said.