Jerusalem/The Israeli Army said this morning that it killed around 65 Hezbollah militiamen in close combat throughout Saturday in southern Lebanon, where they have been conducting a ground offensive since October 1. “In various encounters and in cooperation with the Air Force, Army troops eliminated militia in close encounters,” said a military statement this Sunday.
During its operation in the south, the military said it destroyed rocket launchers aimed at Israel and other “terrorist” infrastructure. The Army statement also mentioned its fighting in the Gaza Strip, where the Army says it killed “dozens of terrorists”. “The troops are maintaining their operations in the northern, southern and central areas of Gaza,” the same statement said.
In the south of the ocean, without specifying the city, they said that they had identified a cell of Islamic groups that they “destroyed” with the help of the Air Force in close meetings. In total, Israeli aircraft bombed 175 targets between Gaza and Lebanon, including weapons warehouses, rocket launchers and other infrastructure belonging to Hamas and Hezbollah.
“Deal now,” is the cry of the families and friends of hundreds of hostages who have lived inside the Gaza Strip for more than a year, but this weekend will gain more strength after the death of the Hamas leader and master October. 7, 2023 attacks, Yahya Sinwar, seen by many as an obstacle to the implementation of a peace agreement.
Relatives of the abductee believe that Netanyahu should take advantage of this moment to promote diplomatic channels
Relatives of the 97 kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023 who are still in captivity – at least 34 of them dead – believe that the Government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should take advantage of this moment to promote diplomatic and resume. peace talks that allow all prisoners to return.
“379 days have passed since that black Saturday. Today I am free but I cannot forget that day when I was kidnapped by my children and my husband, who was later murdered and his body is still kept in Gaza. to bury him here, in our house, as he deserves, that will not end,” said Meirav Tal, which was published during the break last November, the only one so far.
Tal expressed his concern that the world is forgetting about the enemies, but he believed that the death of the “psychopath Sinwar represents a ray of light” to restart diplomatic efforts, as the Islamic leader was credible leading the negotiations with a heavy hand from Gaza. tunnels.
Also kept in the Strip is the body of Idan Shtivi, whose death was confirmed by Israeli authorities on October 7, just one year after he was murdered by Hamas militiamen at the Nova music festival.
“We must seize this opportunity and bring them back now, before it is too late. We will not forgive ourselves if we waste it. And for you, Shinwar, I have a message: you thought you would succeed in dividing us, in our destruction. us, but you failed.
“What unites us more than anything else is the reunification of families with their enemies. Of the living to rehabilitate and the murdered to bury,” said Eli with tears.
After more than a year of marches, tributes, vigils and protests, attendance at the events every Saturday has dwindled, but last Saturday he managed to gather more than 500 people in a central square in Tel Aviv, on -renamed Hostage Square. “The blood of my good friends has not yet dried on the hands of Sinwar. Along with feelings of relief, I do not feel joy or thirst for revenge. I only have expectations and hope. We are happy for this military success, but we are very worried about it. Everyone is still hosting Hamas,” said Simona Steinbrecher, the mother of the enemy Doron, who is still a prisoner.
Simona also asked the Israeli government, world leaders and mediators to take advantage of this moment: “Put strong pressure on Hamas. Bringing the guards home is the only way to stop the fighting and make the whole region more peaceful.”
Calls for a return to the negotiating table and for a truce have been heard in recent days from the President of the State of Israel.
Calls for a return to the negotiating table and for a truce have been heard in recent days from the President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog, opposition politicians and international leaders such as US President Joe Biden; the vice-president, Kamala Harris, or the president of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen. However, Netanyahu confirmed after Sinwar’s death that the war continues, although it was “the beginning of the end” and he met with his security cabinet last Saturday but the possibility of resume discussions for a break.
“Now” was the word that the people shouted, as they did for a year, asking for the return of all the enemies, for which Hamas wants Israeli soldiers to be taken – out of the Strip and a permanent ceasefire, conditions that Netanyahu is not willing to give up.
