In a speech to Israeli lawmakers in the Knesset, Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed demands for the creation of a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 attacks saying “first, I want to defeat Hamas”.

There are increasing calls for an official probe into the deadly assault by Palestinian armed groups. The Israeli military last week released the results of its first internal investigation that admitted “severe mistakes and errors”.

Netanyahu has been accused of avoiding an inquiry to stay in power.

The prime minister said on Wednesday that Israel is “progressing methodically to achieve the goals of the war: the release of the abductees [and] the destruction of Hamas”, the Haaretz newspaper quoted him as saying.