Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant is heading to Washington for talks on the Gaza war and tensions with Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement. The visit comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the United States of freezing arms and ammunition deliveries, which has strained ties between the two allies. Netanyahu has faced pressure from Israeli demonstrators demanding a resolution to the conflict in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israeli forces continue to bomb Gaza, resulting in a high civilian death toll. Tensions have also increased on the northern border with Lebanon, where Hezbollah has engaged in cross-border fire with the Israeli army. Gallant will discuss developments in Gaza and Lebanon and reaffirm the importance of the US-Israel relationship.
In Gaza, Israeli forces have continued to strike targets and battle against Hamas. The Israeli military has vowed to destroy Hamas following their attack on southern Israel on October 7. In one air strike, at least five people were killed at a United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees facility. Several UNRWA buildings have been turned into shelters for displaced Palestinians. Israeli warplanes have struck “dozens of terror targets” in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours. As the war continues, Israeli protesters demand the release of remaining hostages. Many demonstrators express frustration with Netanyahu and his allies, holding them responsible for prolonging the conflict and endangering the country’s security.
The October 7 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians. The militants seized hostages, with 116 still held in Gaza. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has resulted in the deaths of at least 37,598 people, mostly civilians according to Gaza’s health ministry. Survivors in Gaza call for an end to the war.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah targeted military positions in northern Israel with attack drones in response to an Israeli strike that killed the commander of another armed group, Jamaa Islamiya. Israel’s military reported one of its soldiers being severely wounded by a drone strike. The Israeli military announced approval for a plan of a Lebanon offensive, prompting threats from Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah that no part of Israel would be spared in a full-scale war
© 2024 AFP
