Israeli Defense Minister says troops will remain in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria indefinitely
JERUSALEM – The Israeli Defense Minister said on Wednesday that forces will remain in so-called security zones in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria indefinitely, which could complicate negotiations with Hamas on a ceasefire and hostage release.
Meanwhile, according to local health officials, Israel attacked Gaza in Gaza, one of which was not yet a one-year-old girl. The injured girl’s mother hugged her daughter, still wearing a bloody blue dress before being buried.
Israeli forces took over more than half of Gaza in a new campaign to oppress Hamas militants to release hostages after ending the ceasefire last month. Israel also refused to withdraw from certain parts of Lebanon after a ceasefire with Hezbollah militant group last year, occupying a buffer zone in southern Syria after rebels overthrew Syria’s President Bashar Assad in December.
“Unlike in the past, (the Israeli military) has not evacuated the cleaned and occupied areas,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. The military “will be a buffer between enemies and (Israel) communities in any temporary or permanent situation in Gaza, such as Lebanon and Syria.”
Both the Palestinians and both neighboring countries believe that the existence of Israeli forces is a military occupation that violates international law.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the ongoing presence of Israel in certain parts of Lebanon is “hindering” all deployment of ceasefire demands negotiated by Lebanese troops with Israel.
The Ministry of Health said two Israeli drones attacked two people in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. The United Nations said that Israeli strike in Lebanon killed more than 70 civilians since the ceasefire came into effect in November.
Hamas said dozens of hostages would not be released without a complete evacuation from Gaza and a lasting ceasefire.
The main organization representing the hostage family said in a statement: “They promise that hostages are hostages first and foremost. “There is a solution that is desirable and feasible, and it is the release of all hostages, even at the cost of ending the war, which is part of a portion of the hostages.” ”
Israel said it must maintain control over the security zone it mentioned to prevent Hamas from repeating the October 7, 2023 attacks, in which thousands of militants attacked southern Israel from Gaza, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians and kidnapped 251 people.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, the Israeli attack killed more than 51,000 Palestinians, which does not say how many civilians or combatants are, but says women and children account for more than half of the dead. Israel said it killed about 20,000 militants and provided no evidence.
Israeli bombing and ground operations have made vast areas of the territory uninhabitable and displaced 90% of the Palestinian population about 2 million. Many people have been displaced many times.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to annihilate Hamas and returned 59 hostages still in Gaza, 24 of whom remain alive.
On Wednesday, Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants released a video of hostage ROM Braslavski. This is the first sign of his life, despite the recent release of hostages saying they were imprisoned. Braslavski said in a video shot under coercion that he was considered a terrible condition and begged with Netanyahu to stop the war and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
