Mossad stipulates requirement for ceasefire in Lebanon, according to reports
According to Walla news agency, the Israeli spy agency Mossad anticipates that Hezbollah and Iran will exert influence on Hamas to facilitate the release of Israeli hostages. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The Israeli government maintains that any ceasefire following its military operation in Lebanon will be contingent upon the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, as reported by the Israeli news agency Walla, which cited a senior US official.
Dadi Barnea, the head of Israel's Mossad spy agency, recently conveyed this demand to CIA Director William Burns, according to Walla's report on Wednesday.
An unnamed American official, along with another informed source, indicated that Barnea stated Israel and the US should only consent to a truce in Lebanon if Hamas releases the hostages.
The Mossad chief reportedly believes it is feasible to persuade Hezbollah, Iran, and "other elements in the region" to exert pressure on Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to comply with this request, as detailed in the report.
Following Hamas's incursion into Israel on October 7 last year, approximately 1,200 individuals were killed and 250 were taken hostage.
Since that time, Hamas has released 109 captives, the majority of whom were freed during a week-long truce in late November. The Israel Defense Forces rescued eight hostages, while 37 others have been confirmed dead, including three who were accidentally killed by Israeli troops.
Discussions regarding a ceasefire in Gaza and a potential prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas have stalled for several months. There have been significant protests in Israel, with demands for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to take stronger action to secure the release of the hostages.
According to the latest figures from Gaza’s health ministry, at least 42,010 people have died and 97,720 have been injured in Israeli airstrikes and the ground offensive in the Palestinian enclave over the past year.
Walla reported that both Israel and the US concur that now is not the right moment for a ceasefire in Lebanon, advocating for the continuation of the operation against Hezbollah.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu addressed the Lebanese population, encouraging them to “free your country from Hezbollah so that this war can end.” He cautioned that failure to do so could result in Lebanon "falling into the abyss of a long war that will lead to destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza."
On Wednesday, Netanyahu conducted his first phone call with US President Joe Biden in nearly 50 days. The White House stated that their discussion primarily centered on possible Israeli retaliation for an Iranian missile attack last week, but the situation in Lebanon was also addressed. Biden emphasized the importance of a “diplomatic arrangement” to facilitate the return of Israeli and Lebanese citizens displaced by the fighting in the border region.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
Dadi Barnea, the head of Israel's Mossad spy agency, recently conveyed this demand to CIA Director William Burns, according to Walla's report on Wednesday.
An unnamed American official, along with another informed source, indicated that Barnea stated Israel and the US should only consent to a truce in Lebanon if Hamas releases the hostages.
The Mossad chief reportedly believes it is feasible to persuade Hezbollah, Iran, and "other elements in the region" to exert pressure on Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to comply with this request, as detailed in the report.
Following Hamas's incursion into Israel on October 7 last year, approximately 1,200 individuals were killed and 250 were taken hostage.
Since that time, Hamas has released 109 captives, the majority of whom were freed during a week-long truce in late November. The Israel Defense Forces rescued eight hostages, while 37 others have been confirmed dead, including three who were accidentally killed by Israeli troops.
Discussions regarding a ceasefire in Gaza and a potential prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas have stalled for several months. There have been significant protests in Israel, with demands for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to take stronger action to secure the release of the hostages.
According to the latest figures from Gaza’s health ministry, at least 42,010 people have died and 97,720 have been injured in Israeli airstrikes and the ground offensive in the Palestinian enclave over the past year.
Walla reported that both Israel and the US concur that now is not the right moment for a ceasefire in Lebanon, advocating for the continuation of the operation against Hezbollah.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu addressed the Lebanese population, encouraging them to “free your country from Hezbollah so that this war can end.” He cautioned that failure to do so could result in Lebanon "falling into the abyss of a long war that will lead to destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza."
On Wednesday, Netanyahu conducted his first phone call with US President Joe Biden in nearly 50 days. The White House stated that their discussion primarily centered on possible Israeli retaliation for an Iranian missile attack last week, but the situation in Lebanon was also addressed. Biden emphasized the importance of a “diplomatic arrangement” to facilitate the return of Israeli and Lebanese citizens displaced by the fighting in the border region.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
