Israel’s defense minister said the window of opportunity to reach a temporary ceasefire agreement is running out with the Hamas terrorist group He believes this could also bring peace to the country’s troubled northern border with Lebanon.
Speaking to reporters, Yoav Galant said conditions were favorable for at least a six-week pause in fighting, which would include the release of a number of hostages held in Gaza. However, he would not commit to a permanent end to the fighting, as Hamas has demanded, raising questions about the viability of the agreement.
He said, “Israel should seek an agreement that takes a pause for six weeks and brings back the hostages.” He added that after that period, “we reserve the right to operate and achieve our goals – including the destruction of Hamas.”
The United States, with mediators Egypt and QatarIsrael and Hamas have been working for months to reach a ceasefire to end their devastating war. The main area of disagreement is Hamas’ demand for an end to the nearly year-old war and a complete withdrawal of all Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has raised a new issue in recent weeks, saying Israel should remain deployed indefinitely in the strategic corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt.
Mr Galant has been quoted in Israeli media as saying Israel could withdraw from the corridor for six weeks – so that the hostages could be freed without risking Israel’s security. The two men reportedly exchanged heated words at a recent cabinet meeting, where ministers sided with Mr Netanyahu.
During a meeting with foreign journalists on Monday (September 9, 2024), Mr. Gallant was asked about his relationship with the Prime Minister.
He said, “My first priority as defense minister is the State of Israel and the people it protects, and then everything else.”
The current US-led proposal calls for a three-phase plan, starting with a six-week halt to fighting during which Hamas would release some of the approximately 70 hostages believed to be still alive and held by the militants.
In return, Israel will release dozens of Palestinian prisoners, withdraw troops from Palestinian population centers, allow displaced Gazans to return to their places of origin and facilitate the flow of large amounts of desperately needed humanitarian aid.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Monday (September 9, 2024) that Hamas has demanded changes to the proposed resolution, calling it the “main obstacle” to the deal. Hamas rejected Kirby’s allegations as “baseless” and again accused the US of obstructing the agreement by siding with Israel.
Mr. Gallant expressed doubts about Hamas’s intentions and whether the second phase of the agreement – which includes the release of the remaining hostages and a complete halt to the fighting – could be implemented.
He repeatedly said Israel remained committed to its “war aims” — retrieving all hostages, destroying Hamas’ military and governance capabilities, and ensuring the group could never again pose a threat to Israel.
With Hamas repeatedly regrouping in areas of Gaza from which Israeli troops have departed, and with no plans for an alternative post-war government, it is unclear when or if these goals will be fully achieved.
Mr. Gallant accused Hamas of intransigence in the talks and called for more international pressure on the militant group. Still, he said there was an opportunity for at least a first phase of a deal after recent heavy losses inflicted on Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
He said he believed a ceasefire with Hamas could ease tensions with Hezbollah and allow displaced Israelis to return to their homes in northern Israel near the Lebanese border.
Hezbollah began attacking Israel soon after Hamas’s October 7 attack. Cross-border firefights between Israel and Hezbollah occur on a daily basis, at times coming close to all-out war. The fighting has forced thousands of Israelis and Lebanese to flee their homes along the volatile border.
“Achieving the agreement is also a strategic opportunity that gives us a huge chance to change the security situation on all fronts,” Mr. Gallant said.
It is unlikely that Hamas will accept a partial deal in which it would release the hostages – its most valuable bargain – for a short pause in the Israeli offensive.
But international mediators are working on a bridging proposal they hope can meet the demands of all sides. President Joe Biden said last week he is “optimistic” that a deal is within reach.
Domestically, the Israeli government is also facing considerable domestic pressure to reach an agreement, particularly following the deaths of six hostages earlier this month, who were said to have been killed by their Hamas kidnappers when troops approached the area where they were being held.
Mr. Gallant described the current situation as a “strategic juncture” — where Israel can reach a compromise with its adversaries or risk fighting a wider war that could also involve Hezbollah and its sponsor Iran.
Mr. Galant said he prefers the agreement, but Israel is prepared for all scenarios. “We are able to defend ourselves and we can retaliate if necessary,” he said. “We have the capability to hit any strategic target in Iran.”
Israel’s assault on Gaza has forced hundreds of thousands of people to live in squalid tent camps and turned schools into shelters, leaving the health system in a state of collapse and widespread hunger. Israel has been working closely with international aid workers in recent weeks. Mass vaccination program To prevent the polio outbreak from spreading in the area.
As for the dire humanitarian situation, Mr. Gallant said he has formed an advisory group of experts to focus on five areas of need. These include better medical care, aid distribution, energy, water and sanitation, and better communications with aid workers.
“We discuss the issue twice a week and assess the situation,” he said.
Published – September 10, 2024 09:37 PM IST