Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said during a visit to the headquarters of the Israel Defense Forces' Northern Command that the army intends to step up attacks against the Shiite movement Hezbollah in Lebanon, regardless of the looming deal with the Palestinian movement Hamas.
"We plan to increase firepower against the Hezbollah movement, which cannot find replacements for the commanders we are eliminating. If a temporary pause (in hostilities) is achieved in the Gaza Strip, we will separately increase fire in the north and continue until" "Hezbollah" will not be completely pushed out of the border and Israeli citizens (in northern Israel) will not return to their homes," Gallant was quoted as saying by Haaretz.
Negotiations for a temporary truce between Israel and the Palestinian movement "Hamas" began on February 23 in Paris. On February 25, representatives of Egypt, Qatar, the United States, Israel, and Hamas met in the Qatari capital, Doha. The negotiators will then head to Cairo.
On February 24, the Al-Hadat TV channel reported that in Paris the countries discussed the release of 40 hostages held by Hamas fighters in the first phase, in exchange for between 200 and 300 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. According to media sources, the Palestinian movement "Hamas" has abandoned its demands for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip. Israel agreed to the evacuation of the residents of the enclave from south to north, as well as to the removal of the "military barriers" erected between the northern and southern parts of the Gaza Strip./BGNES
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