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Translated by: Latra Gashi
- June 24, 2024 09:39
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the current phase of fighting against Hamas is coming to an end, setting the stage for more troops to be sent to the northern border, as he said, to be ready for war against the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. .
This comment has increased tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Netanyahu has also signaled that he has no plans to end the war in Gaza, AP reports.
The Israeli leader said in a television interview that although the army is close to ending the ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, this does not mean that the war against Hamas is over. But according to him, fewer troops will be needed in Gaza so that the forces are ready to fight Hezbollah.
"We have the opportunity to transfer some of the forces to the north and we will do that," the Israeli leader told Channel 14, a pro-Netanyahu television channel. "First and foremost just for protection," he added, but also to allow thousands of displaced Israelis to return home.
Iran-backed Hezbollah began attacking Israel almost immediately after the October 7 attack by Hamas. Since then, the two countries have been exchanging fire daily, but fighting has escalated in recent weeks, raising fears of war.
Hezbollah is more powerful than Hamas and the opening of a new front would increase the risk of a larger regional war, involving other Iranian proxies and possibly even Iran itself, which would cause great damage and losses to both. sides of the border.
Netanyahu has said that he hoped for a diplomatic solution, but that he is ready to solve the problem "in another way" if necessary.
Hezbollah has said it will continue fighting Israel until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza. The group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, warned Israel last week against starting a war, saying Hezbollah has new weapons and intelligence capabilities that could help it target critical positions deep inside Israel.
Hezbollah has already discovered new weapons during the fighting, including attack drones that are difficult to counter and strike with little warning.
But Israel says it, too, has shown Hezbollah only a small fraction of its capabilities, and that Lebanon will turn into a second Gaza if war breaks out.
Last week, the Israeli military said it had "approved and confirmed" a new plan for an offensive in Lebanon.
Netanyahu will not accept the agreement to end the war in Gaza
The implementation of a US-backed proposal to end the eight-month war in Gaza has been called into question after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would only accept a partial ceasefire and not stop the war. The comment prompted a backlash from the families of the hostages held by Hamas.
On the Israeli television channel "Channel 14", the leader said that he is "prepared for a partial agreement". "This is not a secret - that would bring back some of our people," he said, referring to the 120 hostages being held in the Gaza Strip, AP reported.
"But we are convinced that we will continue the fight after the ceasefire, in order to complete the goal of eliminating Hamas. I will not give up on this," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu's comments stand in stark contrast to the outlines of the deal, detailed late last month by US President Joe Biden, who described the plan as an Israeli plan, referred to by some in Israel as the "deal of Netanyahu". His remarks could further strain Israel's ties with its main ally, which made a diplomatic push for the ceasefire proposal.
The plan would free the remaining hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. But there is mistrust about how the deal will work from Hamas and Israel. Hamas has said it will not release the hostages unless there is a full ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. According to Biden, the proposal included both.
But Netanyahu says Israel is determined to destroy Hamas' military and leadership capabilities. This is to ensure that, by the time Israeli forces leave the territory, the group is no longer in control of the country and able to rearm.
Hamas seems concerned that Israel will continue the war after the hostages are released. The withdrawal of all Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip "was an unavoidable necessity to block Netanyahu's attempts at evasion, deception and continuation of aggression and war of extermination against our people."
The families of the hostages have expressed impatience with Netanyahu, seeing his reluctance to proceed with the deal. A group representing the families condemned Netanyahu's comments, which they saw as a rejection of the ceasefire proposal.
"This is an abandonment of 120 hostages and a violation of the state's moral duty to its citizens," the group said in a statement, noting that it held Netanyahu responsible for the return of all hostages.
