Netanyahu’s words to echo in Gaza: IDF to blast UN speech with loudspeakers in the Strip

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office ordered the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to broadcast Netanyahu’s address to the UN General Assembly live for residents in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli PM is scheduled to speak at UN General Assembly on Friday (September 26) at 4 pm (Israeli time), focusing on the genocide allegations in Gaza.

The IDF has been tasked with deploying loudspeakers on trucks across the Strip, but it would only be broadcast from the Israeli side of the border. “The Prime Minister’s Office instructed civilian entities, in cooperation with the IDF, to place loudspeakers on trucks on the Israeli side of the Gaza border only,” the PMO said in an official statement.

“With the aim of broadcasting Prime Minister Netanyahu’s historic speech today at the UN General Assembly into the Gaza Strip,” it added.

Netanyahu’s office said the move was part of a “public diplomacy effort,” adding that he had clearly ordered it should not put IDF soldiers in danger.

לוחמי אוגדה 99 נערכים להשמעת נאום נתניהו ברמקולים לתושבי עזה pic.twitter.com/U7uZNRKRjZ

— איתי בלומנטל 🇮🇱 Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) September 26, 2025

Netanyahu’s speech to feature visual aids

Netanyahu is also expected to use visual aids in his UN General Assembly speech, seeking to refocus global attention on the October 7 massacre amid rising recognition of a Palestinian state and rapid US-Israel diplomatic moves.

Israeli officials said Netanyahu spent Thursday in two key meetings with senior advisers. One dealt with what an official called a “blow” from US President Donald Trump, who said he would “forbid” Netanyahu from annexing parts or all of the West Bank.

And the other focused on finalising the speech, which will rely strongly on visuals to remind world leaders of the October 7 attacks and reinforce Israel’s message to the world.

On Monday (September 29), Netanyahu is expected to leave New York for Washington, where he will meet Trump at the White House.

Detour to stay clear of European skies

Interestingly, Netanyahu avoided most of Europe on his way to New York, likely to stay clear of countries where he could be arrested over alleged war crimes.

His official plane, the “Wings of Zion,” took a route that skipped European airspace on the way to Thursday’s UN General Assembly.

The flight route showed the detour, which experts say was to avoid the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) November 2024 arrest warrants against Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza—claims Israel denies.

Several European ICC member countries have said they would arrest him if he entered their territory. An arrest would have forced the flight to land.

Instead, Netanyahu’s aircraft followed a southern route, skimming the edges of Greece and Italy, crossing the Mediterranean, then heading over the Atlantic via the Strait of Gibraltar, bypassing other European nations entirely.