Yoav Gallant, Israeli Defence Minister Photo: Getty Images
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated on Monday that the possibility of a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Hezbollah militias on Israel’s northern border is diminishing as Hezbollah grows increasingly tied to Hamas, reports AFP, DPA, and Reuters.
“The possibility of a negotiated framework for the northern front is fading as Hezbollah remains chained to Hamas; the dynamics are clear,” Gallant said during a Sunday night phone call with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Gallant, echoing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, emphasized the plight of the tens of thousands of Israeli citizens evacuated from towns near the Israel-Lebanon border, where exchanges of fire have become nearly daily occurrences since the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began.
Hezbollah’s reopening of the northern front on October 8, 2023, in support of Hamas, has reignited tensions that had been relatively quiet since the 34-day war in 2006. The cross-border confrontations have displaced thousands on both sides and resulted in hundreds of deaths, including Hezbollah fighters and Israeli soldiers.
The ongoing military conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted after an unprecedented terrorist attack by Palestinian militants in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,205 people, mostly civilians.
Since then, Israeli forces have responded with a heavy bombing campaign and a ground operation targeting Hamas positions in Gaza, which, according to Gaza officials, has resulted in over 41,226 Palestinian deaths and 95,413 injuries by midday Monday.
