DAVID MUIR: President Biden has repeatedly said that Israel has every right to defend itself, has an obligation to defend its people. We also know what the administration is now saying, calling for a humanitarian pause to help get aid into Gaza and to help minimize the deaths of Palestinian civilians. Will there be a pause?
PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: First of all, let me say that I deeply appreciate, as do the entire people of Israel, President Biden's and the American government and the American people's support for Israel with great moral clarity. I think there's a -- the question of a cease-fire, the president himself has said that a cease-fire would be a surrender to Hamas. It would be a victory for Hamas, and he would no more have it than he would have a cease-fire after the Al-Qaeda bombings of the World Trade Center.
MUIR: I know the Biden administration has also said now is not the time for a cease-fire. What they're proposing is a humanitarian pause. There will be no pause?
NETANYAHU: Well, there will be no cease-fire, general cease-fire in Gaza without the release of our hostages. As far as tactical little pauses, an hour here, an hour there, we've had them before. I suppose we'll check the circumstances in order to enable goods, humanitarian goods, to come in or hostages- individual hostages to leave. But I don't think there's going to be a general cease-fire.
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MUIR: If Hamas agrees to release the hostages, then there would be a pause?
NETANYAHU: Well, there would be a cease-fire for that purpose, and we're waiting for that to happen. It hasn't happened so far.
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MUIR: You have refused any temporary pause that doesn't include the return of hostages. You mentioned that right here with me again today.
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MUIR: You spoke with President Biden just before you came on the air here to talk with me. Does he agree with you on this? No pause unless hostages? Or is this a disagreement with president Biden?
NETANYAHU: We agree on many things. I've known president Biden. I've known Joe Biden for 40 years. He's a great, great supporter of Israel, and he's a great friend. It's trying times for both of us and for the people of Israel and our friends. We understand that. But we have to stand together, and I think we stand together.
MUIR: But there is daylight here on this notion of a humanitarian pause. You don't agree with the Biden administration on that?
NETANYAHU: We agree that we have to provide humanitarian assistance. We're doing it and coordinating it with our American friends and with President Biden.