Devastation in Israel’s north caused by Hezbollah rockets. Photo: Raz Malka
Israel’s security cabinet has added the safe return of residents from the northern regions of the country to their homes as a key objective in its ongoing war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated on Tuesday, according to The time of Israel.
“Israel will continue to act to achieve this goal,” Netanyahu’s office said following a security cabinet meeting.
Previously, Israel had defined its war aims as the destruction of Hamas’ military capabilities and government apparatus in Gaza, the release of all hostages, and ensuring that Gaza would no longer pose a threat to Israel.
Now, the “safe return of residents from the north to their homes” has been added to this list, Netanyahu’s office announced.
Since the start of the Gaza war nearly 11 months ago, there have been frequent military clashes between Israeli forces and the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border, resulting in hundreds of casualties, mostly fighters in Lebanon, and dozens of Israeli soldiers and civilians killed.
Due to the ongoing fighting, tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border have been forced to flee their homes. Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, has been launching rocket attacks on Israel since the conflict began, stating it will cease fire only after a ceasefire agreement is reached in Gaza.
On Monday, Netanyahu told U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein that a “radical change” is needed at the Israeli-Lebanese border. Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant echoed the sentiment, telling the envoy that military action is “the only means” to ensure the safe return of northern communities to their homes.
