Mikel Ayestaran
Special correspondent. Beirut
Wednesday, October 9, 2024, 8:58 p.m.
When it seemed that the strong blows dealt to Hamas and Hezbollah assured tranquility to the Israeli army, a new element of crisis emerged yesterday. Around 130 soldiers yesterday refused to continue fighting in Gaza, understanding that the fighting represents a “death sentence” for the 101 hostages believed to remain prisoners in the Palestinian enclave.
Through a letter sent to the Tel Aviv authorities, they state that “it is clear that the continuation of the war in Gaza not only delays the return of the kidnapped people, but also endangers their lives. Many hostages have died from bombings by the armed forces, many more than those who have been rescued in military operations,” the signatories detail.
“We, who have served and continue to serve with dedication, risking our lives, announce that if the Government does not change course immediately and work to reach an agreement to bring the hostages home, we will not be able to continue serving,” the text continues.
His words come two days after the first anniversary of the Hamas attacks on October 7 that started the war in Gaza, when 251 hostages were kidnapped by thousands of militiamen in Israeli territory, of whom a hundred continue to be held in the enclave, in addition of four others who have been there for years.
Biden phone call
Benjamin Netanyahu and Joe Biden spoke by phone yesterday at a time when Israel is pending its response to Iran, orders the evacuation of northern Gaza and intensifies the invasion of Lebanon under the daily rain of Hezbollah rockets. The fronts become more complicated and diplomacy works at different levels to reach agreements that serve to relax a situation that has put the Middle East on the verge of a total war.
In turn, Tehran sent its Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, to Saudi Arabia to meet with the crown prince and strongman of the kingdom Mohamed bin Salman (MBS). “We hope that these talks can lead to better conditions in the region for Palestine, Lebanon and peace,” said Araghchi, who highlighted that Iran’s relations with Riyadh are “growing and moving in a positive direction.”
Tehran and Riyadh are the two great regional powers and, after several years of confrontation, in March 2023 they resumed diplomatic contacts. The Persians have also reached out to other close US allies, including Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, with the aim of keeping them neutral in a hypothetical direct clash with Israel.
Two weeks after having put on the table the possibility of a twenty-one-day truce on the Lebanese front, things have changed on the ground after the harsh blows to Hezbollah and the Israelis, with the full backing of Washington, are increasing their demands. Until now, the request of the Jewish State was the implementation of UN resolution 1701, which establishes the withdrawal of Hezbollah to the Litani River, about thirty kilometers from the border, and the deployment of the Lebanese army in cooperation with the international troops of the UNIFIL mission.
After the assassination of Hasan Nasrallah and the beheading of the military leadership of the pro-Iranian militia, now those of the militia and new elections in which they think would show a clear decline in popular support. “We are currently in a position of power, a ceasefire will be carried out on our terms, including a withdrawal beyond the Litani and the dismantling of all Hezbollah military sites in areas near the border,” a senior Israeli official was quoted as revealing. by ‘The Times of Israel’.
Change in Hezbollah
Israel has changed its position, but so has the Lebanese militia. Naim Qassem, deputy secretary general and current head of the Party of God, stated in his speech on Tuesday that “once the ceasefire is firmly established, all other details will be discussed and decisions will be made collaboratively.” Qassem, unlike what Nasrallah did for eleven months, did not link the ceasefire in Lebanon to that in Gaza.
Hezbollah’s change in strategy was one of the most highlighted points in Israeli media such as Channel12. Military analysts assured that Israel now has several scenarios on the table and one of them would involve forcing Iran and Hezbollah to pressure Hamas to release the hostages in exchange for a ceasefire.
The Israeli invasion advances with four divisions deployed in Lebanon and in recent days the rain of Hezbollah rockets has been reinforced. The Shiite militia managed to overcome the security systems in Kiryat Shmona and there were two dead and several injured. A municipal spokesperson asked the 2,000 residents remaining in this northern town “to leave their homes” and move away from an area under daily harassment. The army announced shortly after that it destroyed the shuttles from which the projectiles were launched and is investigating the failure of the anti-missile shield.
Israel strikes on the fronts of Lebanon and Gaza with its sights set on Iran. From the Islamic Republic they maintain a challenging speech and Ebrahim Jabbari, commander of the Revolutionary Guard, assured that “if we hit them with 200 missiles, we are now prepared to launch hundreds or thousands into their occupied territories and attack their economic, military and security centers. ».
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