(Jerusalem) A possible truce in the fighting with Hamas in the Gaza Strip will not undermine Israel’s “objective” of pushing Lebanese Hezbollah from its northern border, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Sunday evening .
Since the start of the war on October 7, exchanges of fire have also been almost daily on the Lebanese-Israeli border between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, an Islamist movement supported by Iran and ally of Palestinian Hamas.
However, at a time when talks are intensifying for a truce lasting several weeks in Gaza, including the release of hostages, Israel continues to “increase” its military capabilities on its border with Lebanon, Yoav Gallant said during a meeting. a visit to the army’s northern command in Safed, where a soldier was killed this month by rocket fire from Lebanon.
“I came here to see how we are increasing our firepower and how ready we are to act against Hezbollah anywhere and with ever-increasing intensity,” Mr. Gallant said, according to a video released by his services.
“If people think that when there is an agreement to release hostages in the south (in Gaza, editor’s note), it will make things easier here (in the north), they are wrong. We will continue shooting, regardless of what happens in the south, until we reach our objective,” he added.
“This goal is simple: for Hezbollah to retreat to where it should be, whether by agreement or by force,” he said.
Since October 7, 10 Israeli soldiers and six civilians have been killed in exchanges of fire in northern Israel. On the Lebanese side, at least 276 people were killed, most of them members of Hezbollah, as well as 44 civilians.
France recently presented “proposals” to avoid open conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, including, according to diplomatic sources, a cessation of violence on both sides of the border, and a withdrawal of Hezbollah fighters from 10 to 12 km north of it.
An Israeli delegation led by the head of Mossad, the foreign intelligence service, visited Paris this weekend for discussions on a possible truce agreement in Gaza, including the release of hostages of the 130 still between them. hands of Hamas.
The Israeli authorities did not indicate whether the French proposal for the withdrawal of Hezbollah fighters had been mentioned there.