Yoav Gallant
Israeli War Cabinet convenes to review negotiations for hostages-for-ceasefire deal with Hamas • Eyes on northern border with Lebanon as Hezbollah escalates missile attacks.
“We are optimistic, and we have delivered the response to the Israeli party,” said Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who is helping to negogiate a truce.
Intelligence suggests that the Hamas leader is preoccupied with his own survival and no longer commands the terrorist organization in Gaza.
“The more public this effort is, the more distant it is. The more discreet it is, the greater are its chances for success,” said the Israeli prime minister.
The directive emphasizes exploiting the hostage issue, targeting Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and blaming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the failures of Oct. 7.
Troops have reportedly killed some 3,000 out of 4,000 Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists in Khan Yunis.
Earlier this week, the Israeli defense minister signaled the impending end to heavy combat operations in Gaza.
The defense minister promised he’d “take care of it” on Oct. 7, related Ofakim Mayor Yitzhak Danino.
Israel’s prime minister reiterates pledge to return all the hostages being held in Gaza.
“The Washington Post” cited a senior U.S. official as saying that Israel has already withdrawn several thousand troops from northern Gaza.
The Israeli military confirmed that it had begun the transition to a campaign involving fewer ground troops and airstrikes.
The IDF’s actions against Hamas are a warning to Hezbollah terror chief Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon, said Minister-without-Portfolio Benny Gantz.
