Israeli Army's Presence in Gaza to Be Indefinite, Says Defense Minister
Israel has taken control of more than half of the Palestinian enclave in a renewed offensive following the collapse of a ceasefire with Hamas last month. On Wednesday, the Israeli defense minister announced that troops will remain indefinitely...
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Israel has taken control of more than half of the Palestinian enclave in a renewed offensive following the collapse of a ceasefire with Hamas last month.
On Wednesday, the Israeli defense minister announced that troops will remain indefinitely in the security zones established within Gaza. He also noted that similar zones would be maintained in Lebanon and Syria.
Officials from West Jerusalem have stated that these buffer zones are essential for protecting Israeli communities and preventing future attacks by militant groups. In Gaza, the military has created corridors to separate areas under Hamas control.
Israel has been reluctant to withdraw from certain regions in Lebanon after a truce with Hezbollah last year and has recently established a buffer zone in southern Syria after the ousting of former President Bashar Assad.
“Unlike in the past,” the Israel Defense Forces “is not evacuating areas that have been cleared and seized,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. He added that the IDF “will remain in the security zones as a buffer between the enemy and [Israeli] communities in any temporary or permanent situation in Gaza – as in Lebanon and Syria.”
The military's renewed offensive comes after the disruption of a ceasefire and stalled negotiations regarding hostages following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The IDF has resumed airstrikes aimed at increasing pressure on Hamas to release the remaining captives.
In a further move, Katz indicated that Israel will prohibit any humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. “No humanitarian aid will be allowed into Gaza,” he stated on X on Wednesday. He went on to assert that preventing humanitarian aid is a key pressure tactic to stop Hamas from using such means against the population.
Israel's position could complicate future negotiations with Hamas concerning a ceasefire in the enclave and the potential release of hostages. Many Palestinians, as well as governments in Lebanon and Syria, view the presence of Israeli troops as a form of military occupation that contravenes international law.
Palestinian health officials reported on Wednesday that Israeli strikes in Gaza resulted in the deaths of 22 individuals, including a girl under one year old. According to Palestinian authorities, over 50,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in Gaza since Israel initiated its military operation in response to the October attack.
Hamas has declared that it will not release the remaining hostages without a permanent ceasefire and a comprehensive Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israeli officials maintain that 59 hostages are still in the enclave, with 24 believed to be alive. Some hostages were previously released through interim ceasefire agreements or independent negotiations.
The Palestinian organization representing the families of the hostages has accused the Israeli government of prioritizing territorial control over the well-being of the captives, despite earlier commitments to focus on their release, according to AP.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
On Wednesday, the Israeli defense minister announced that troops will remain indefinitely in the security zones established within Gaza. He also noted that similar zones would be maintained in Lebanon and Syria.
Officials from West Jerusalem have stated that these buffer zones are essential for protecting Israeli communities and preventing future attacks by militant groups. In Gaza, the military has created corridors to separate areas under Hamas control.
Israel has been reluctant to withdraw from certain regions in Lebanon after a truce with Hezbollah last year and has recently established a buffer zone in southern Syria after the ousting of former President Bashar Assad.
“Unlike in the past,” the Israel Defense Forces “is not evacuating areas that have been cleared and seized,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. He added that the IDF “will remain in the security zones as a buffer between the enemy and [Israeli] communities in any temporary or permanent situation in Gaza – as in Lebanon and Syria.”
The military's renewed offensive comes after the disruption of a ceasefire and stalled negotiations regarding hostages following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The IDF has resumed airstrikes aimed at increasing pressure on Hamas to release the remaining captives.
In a further move, Katz indicated that Israel will prohibit any humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. “No humanitarian aid will be allowed into Gaza,” he stated on X on Wednesday. He went on to assert that preventing humanitarian aid is a key pressure tactic to stop Hamas from using such means against the population.
Israel's position could complicate future negotiations with Hamas concerning a ceasefire in the enclave and the potential release of hostages. Many Palestinians, as well as governments in Lebanon and Syria, view the presence of Israeli troops as a form of military occupation that contravenes international law.
Palestinian health officials reported on Wednesday that Israeli strikes in Gaza resulted in the deaths of 22 individuals, including a girl under one year old. According to Palestinian authorities, over 50,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in Gaza since Israel initiated its military operation in response to the October attack.
Hamas has declared that it will not release the remaining hostages without a permanent ceasefire and a comprehensive Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israeli officials maintain that 59 hostages are still in the enclave, with 24 believed to be alive. Some hostages were previously released through interim ceasefire agreements or independent negotiations.
The Palestinian organization representing the families of the hostages has accused the Israeli government of prioritizing territorial control over the well-being of the captives, despite earlier commitments to focus on their release, according to AP.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
