Bansri Shah, Pune
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in a statement, announced the expansion of war goals against the war in Gaza to include the safe return of Israelis who fled to areas near the Lebanese border in the ongoing war between Israel and Palestine.
Since the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, there have been daily cross-border strikes between Israeli armed forces and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed forces based in Gaza. This has forced thousands of people in Israel to migrate to surrounding areas for safety.
This decision was approved by Netanyahu’s office and in a statement on Tuesday said, “The political-security cabinet updated the goals of the war this evening so that they include the following section: the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes.”
In a similar discussion a day before the decision was made, Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, stated to a visiting envoy from the United States that military action was the only means remaining that could guarantee the safe return of Israel’s northern communities back to the country. Despite Hezbollah officials’ claim that they would stop if a ceasefire agreement was achieved in Gaza, Gallant cautioned that time was running out.
The Israel-Palestine conflict has continued for months, with every attempt at a truce negotiation having failed. With the first attack by Hamas on Israel in 2023 that killed more than 1000 people, the continuing war has killed over 42000 Palestinians and 1600 Israelis.
With previously failed negotiations, the ceasefire will be the primary focus of discussion when Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, arrives in Egypt on Tuesday. The US is currently underway on a proposal that will contribute to securing the release of all hostages as well as contributing to broader regional security, according to State Department spokesman, Matthew Miller.
However, Netanyahu has publicly dismissed US claims that a deal is close to being finalized, stressing maintaining an Israeli military presence along the Egypt-Gaza border.
Despite growing pressure from both international and domestic sides, Netanyahu has still resisted agreeing to a prisoner release deal that even has widespread support among the citizens of Israel.