IDF and defense establishment urge Netanyahu to agree to ceasefire

The defense establishment as a whole wants to move closer to a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, not believing there is much more that can be achieved militarily and frustrated by the daily loss of soldiers Jerusalem Post has learned.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant both increased pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza that would include the return of the remaining 101 living and dead Israeli hostages held by terror groups in the Gaza Strip.

Speaking at the officers' graduation ceremony, both senior defense officials said time was of the essence for the hostages to be returned. Most officials now agree that this will only happen, if at all, through a deal with Hamas.

At the same time, defense sources still want to confirm that Hezbollah will commit – at least publicly – to withdraw north of the Litani River, which has been Israel's main position since the start of the current war.

Furthermore, Israel wants to ensure that it has the right to enforce violations of such a withdrawal itself, without having to seek permission from UNIFIL, which has been considered completely ineffective for some 18 years.

Smoke rises from southern Lebanon, seen from the Israeli side of the border, October 29, 2024. (Credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90)

Separately, six Lebanese health workers were killed and four injured in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The total number of health workers killed by Israel since October 2023 rose to 178 and 279 were injured, the ministry added.

The IDF has not yet responded to the allegations as of press time, but has alternately denied some of these incidents or confirmed some incidents, blaming Hezbollah for deliberately fighting and attacking Israel from among the civilian population.

IDF carries out attacks in Syria

The military said on Thursday that the air force also attacked weapons depots used by Hezbollah's Radwan forces in Syria's Qusayr area, near the Syria-Lebanese border.

A statement said the attack was specifically directed by IDF intelligence.

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The military said it was carrying out strikes to curb arms transfers from Iran to Hezbollah via Syria.

The IDF noted that Hezbollah's ammunition unit had recently increased its activities in the border town as part of attempts to build logistical infrastructure in the area.

The military said its attack in Syria was part of its broader operations against the terror group's Unit 4400, which involved transferring weapons from Iran.

“With the support of the Syrian regime, the terrorist organization Hezbollah is endangering the security of Syrian and Lebanese civilians by embedding command centers and forces in civilian areas of these two countries,” the IDF said.

On Thursday, Reuters reported that civilians were injured in a suspected Israeli strike in the area, which targeted the city's industrial area and residential areas.

Last week, the IAF attacked Hezbollah's infrastructure at the Jousieh border crossing operated by the Syrian regime in northern Beqaa, Lebanon.

In Gaza, the IDF continued a series of airstrikes and Divisions 162 and 252 continued to fight against small groups of Gaza terrorists, particularly in Jabalia in the north of the Gaza Strip.

With the IDF still attacking Gazan terrorists in the north of the Gaza Strip, it was unclear what agreement was or was not reached between the US and Israel on the humanitarian situation there.

In mid-October, the US threatened to freeze arms deliveries if the humanitarian situation in the north of the Gaza Strip did not improve significantly.

Reuters contributed to this report.

IDF and defense establishment urge Netanyahu to agree to ceasefire – Israel News

IDF carries out attacks in Syria

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