Ofir Akunis, the counsel general for Israel in New York, told Newsmax on Friday hailed Israel’s killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

“Israel is saving the world,” Akunis said on “National Report.” “Sinwar … was the head of the snake in the Gaza Strip, and he is responsible for the October 7 massacre.”

Akunis quoted Winston Churchill, who said during World War II, “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

“It’s very important that [Sinwar] is not with us anymore,” Akunis said. “But we need to defeat Hamas in the Gaza Strip and to defeat Hezbollah in Lebanon. It’s not over until it’s over. We will defeat the terrorists.”

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday promised to press on with Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon, dashing the hopes of some that the killing of Sinwar might help end more than a year of escalating conflict in the Middle East.

“The war, my dear ones, is not yet over,” Netanyahu told Israelis.

Akunis noted that Hamas is still holding 101 hostages.

“Innocent Israelis,” Akunis said. “American citizens as well. We want them with their families in their homeland. We need the international support.”

Netanyahu said the war will continue untily the hostages are released.

Information from Reuters was used in this report.