In a striking move, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a live speech at the United Nations General Assembly, using an "unprecedented operation" to take control of mobile phones belonging to Gaza residents. This operation allowed his address to be broadcast directly through their devices. During his speech, Netanyahu announced that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had seized the phones of both Gaza residents and Hamas members to ensure his message reached the hostages still held in Gaza.

Netanyahu specifically addressed the 20 living hostages, stating, "I want to do something I've never done before. I want to speak from this forum directly to those hostages through loudspeakers." He emphasized that his message would be heard in both Hebrew and English, declaring, "This is Prime Minister Netanyahu speaking to you, live from the United Nations. We have not forgotten you, not even for a second. The people of Israel are with you. We will not falter and we will not rest until we bring all of you home."

He urged Hamas leaders to release the hostages, saying, "Lay down your arms. Let my people go free, the hostages, all of them, the whole 48 - free the hostages. Now, if you do, you will live. If you don't, Israel will hunt you down." Netanyahu's office described this operation as part of a "public diplomacy effort," asserting that it was conducted without endangering IDF soldiers.

In a separate part of his address, Netanyahu condemned the idea of establishing a Palestinian state near Jerusalem, comparing it to giving Al-Qaeda a state near New York City after the September 11 attacks. He stated, "This is sheer madness. It is insane, and we won’t do it." His speech was met with protests, as several delegates walked out in response to his remarks.

Netanyahu also highlighted Israel's military operations in the region, claiming credit for significant actions against various groups, including Hezbollah and Hamas. His speech coincided with demonstrations supporting Palestine outside the UN venue, as he faced an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over alleged war crimes.