Gallant says possible Gaza deal won't affect fight with Hezbollah

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
26 Feb 2024 01:55

The Israeli occupation Security Minister says "Israel" is planning to "increase the firepower against Hezbollah."

Israel occupation Security Minister Yoav Gallant makes a joint statement with his US counterpart, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, after their meeting in "Tel Aviv", on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. (AP photo)

Israeli occupation Security Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday said there would be no let up in Israeli attacks on south Lebanon and the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah, even if a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal is secured with the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza.

Gallant visited the military's Northern Command in occupied Safad, which was hit earlier this month by a rocket strike, killing one Israeli occupation soldier.

Talks are underway toward a possible prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire in Gaza between "Israel" and Hamas.

"We are planning to increase the firepower against Hezbollah, which is unable to find replacements for the commanders we are eliminating," the Israeli Minister made it clear.

He pointed out that in the event of a truce in Gaza, the Israeli military "will increase the fire in the north, and will continue until the full withdrawal of Hezbollah [from the border]" and the return of some 80,000 Israeli settlers displaced as a result of the Resistance's strikes.

Gallant added that "the goal is simple — to push Hezbollah back to where it should be. Either by an agreement or by force."

"If anyone thinks that when we reach a deal to release hostages in the south and the firing stops it will ease what is happening here they are wrong," he said.

If a diplomatic solution to the situation is not possible, "we will do it by force," he warned.

At least 276 Lebanese citizens have been martyred as a result of Israeli occupation aggression on towns and villages in south Lebanon.

Hezbollah has launched operations in support of the Palestinian people and their Resistance in the Gaza Strip since October 8, 2023, raking in more than 1,000 operations against Israeli military assets and personnel.

Despite efforts made by Western diplomats to put an end to Hezbollah's support for Palestine, the Resistance party remains committed to its obligations, which it says stem from moral and religious grounds, as well as the national interests of Lebanon and the Arab and Islamic nation at large.

A major Israeli demand delivered to Lebanese and Hezbollah officials is concerned with the withdrawal of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force beyond the Litani River north of the Lebanese-Palestinian border.

Hezbollah MP: Resistance to stand ground south, north of Litani

Member of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc in the Lebanese Parliament, Hezbollah Member of Parliament Hassan Fadlallah stressed Saturday that the Resistance will stand its ground "to the south of the [Litani] River, to the north of the River," adding that there will be "no talk with [the Israeli] enemy except through weapons and confrontation."

The Secretary-General of Hezbollah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had affirmed on a previous occasion that the group's actions come in support of the Gaza Strip, stressing that it will continue to launch attacks against Israeli positions until the aggression on the Gaza Strip is halted.

The Resistance leader made it publicly clear that Hezbollah's confrontation with "Israel" is intrinsically tied to the situation in Palestine. In another speech, Sayyed Nasrallah said that the Resistance would escalate its actions in response to any escalation made by the Israeli occupation and its allies, setting clear lines for the battle with the Israeli occupation.

Exclusive: 'Israel' obstructed prisoner exchange deal in Paris meeting

Earlier on Sunday, private sources in the Palestinian Resistance told Al Mayadeen that "Israel" obstructed reaching a final agreement to a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal during the latest talks in Paris.

Although sources explained that the latest meeting in Paris attempted to "bridge the differences" in proposed clauses between Hamas and "Israel", the meeting saw insufficient changes in the Israeli representatives' positions.

Some progress was made on specific clauses, however, the main demands made by Hamas were "ignored", the sources told Al Mayadeen.

Among the demands overlooked by the Israeli side was a clause for a comprehensive ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, according to the sources.

In detail, the progress made during the meeting revolved around altering the ratio of Israeli captives to Palestinian prisoners, from 1 captive to 3 Palestinians, to 3 to 13 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 1 Israeli captive.

The sources revealed to Al Mayadeen that Hamas insisted that all displaced Palestinians should be allowed to return to their homes in the first stage of the deal, adding, however, that those present at the meeting opted for including a clause that would allow only for "the gradual and limited return of displaced" Palestinians to their homes.

Moreover, Al Mayadeen's sources said that "it is clear that the gap between the two sides remains large," adding that Hamas believes that "Israel" is attempting to buy its time and "procrastinate to avoid reaching a final agreement, as that could trigger an internal crisis that may lead to the collapse of the (Israeli) coalition government."