"The war is about: it's either us, Israel, or them, the Hamas monsters," he said during the Memorial Day ceremony on Mount Herzl, where Israel's main military cemetery is located.

"Either existence, freedom, security and prosperity or extinction, massacre, rape and subjugation."

Seven months on from Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel and Israel's ferocious military response in Gaza, Netanyahu vowed that Israel was "determined to win this battle" and that the enemy will "continue to pay a high price for its evil deeds."

A victory over Hamas would mean bringing all the hostages home, Netanyahu continued. Such a victory would "secure our existence and our future."