Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, said that soon Israel will end the present intense phase of fighting in Gaza, and it will redeploy some forces to the northern part of Israel where violent clashes have intensified with Hezbollah based in Lebanon causing fears of another all-out conflict.
Netanyahu answered a question on whether the fighting in Rafah’s south would end within one month during television interview with Israel’s Channel 14 late Sunday saying that this time around more focused operations against Hamas will be conducted by Israel in Gaza.
“It is going to be very soon,” Netanyahu told an Israeli media outlet for the first time since October 7 when explosives were set off near its borders with Gaza Strip killing over 1,200 individuals including women and children where as others like men were kidnapped about two fifty who are still missing giving rise to a complete war lasting eight months between Hamas and Israelis.
According to his statement, Israel has not given any ultimatum so far. The next move would involve sending large number of soldiers back to northern parts of it which also faces cross border exchanges with Hizbollah and re-settling people who had been removed from their ancestral homes.
This kind of thing may be done diplomatically if possible or otherwise we shall find other means.” This was after weeks of intensifying rhetoric between both countries.
Open warfare had become a possibility due to American officials’ fear regarding Lebanon’s political party-cum heavily armed militia Hezbollah being backed by Iran that is now reaching boiling point because both sides supported different factions in Gaza war. Hezbollah however remains at best a rather obscure organization outside Lebanon itself despite years spent cultivating an image as regional powerhouse through its foreign operations division helping arm various insurgencies across Arab world while also targeting Western interests such as bombings French paratroopers barracks Beirut during civil conflict there starting 1982 invasion force Syria into Lebanon; these attacks alone killed more than three hundred Americans including president’s national security advisor been captured by Iran-backed Lebanese Shia group called Party God.
Last week, Israel’s military said it had approved operational planning for an offensive in Lebanon.
Last year, Israeli soldiers entered Gaza in an attempt to bring back the kidnapped children and dislodge Hamas from its leadership and military posts. The Hamas-controlled territory says nearly 37,000 Palestinians have died without making clear distinctions between civilians and militants. Hamas is a terrorist organization according to US authorities as well as those of European Union.
During this interview, Mr Netanyahu stated plainly for the first time that he would never accept any form of ceasefire with the Islamist militants which could potentially result into ending hostilities- a suggestion made by American president Joseph Biden during his speech several weeks ago.
“So if there will be agreement, it will be that on our terms meaning that we are still at war; we did not withdraw from Gaza and left their regime untouched,” he said.
“Thus if there is a truce allowing some Israeli hostages to return but after this cease-fire ends then we will fight until we achieve our aim of destroying Hamas entirely,” he added speaking further on his argument.
His statement so enraged families whose members were abducted and still hostage in Palestine where they accused him of abandoning the 120 persons held captive there. Afterward, the hostage family members issued a press release stating; “This violates country’s moral obligation to its citizens.”
Netanyahu’s later statement through his office also vowed to evacuate all remaining Israelis. “Israel has no objection to any kind of settlement provided Hamas stops resisting”, one official cited offered another clarification saying something like: “It should be noted however that Netanyahu himself repeatedly affirmed before taking any action against these prisoners or attempting negotiations whatsoever.”
