Devendra Kumar
Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has made it clear that the country will not be deterred from its goal of weakening Hezbollah’s presence along the Israeli-Lebanese border, despite potential ceasefire agreements with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Gallant stated that any agreement to halt hostilities in Gaza will not automatically bring about a similar ceasefire with Hezbollah in the north, and that Israel’s primary objective is to push the militant group away from its border.
Gallant’s comments come as the war in Gaza continues to rage on, with Hezbollah firing rockets into Israel and Israeli forces conducting airstrikes and artillery fire in response. Tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced by the fighting, which has been ongoing since a deadly attack by Hamas on October 7th triggered the conflict. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has vowed to adhere to a ceasefire in southern Lebanon if a deal is reached in Gaza, but will escalate attacks if Israel continues to strike in Lebanon afterwards.
The Israeli military has intensified its targeting of Hezbollah commanders, reportedly weakening the group’s ability to launch attacks against Israel. Over the past five months, nearly 200 Hezbollah fighters and 35 civilians in Lebanon have been killed, while nine soldiers and nine civilians in Israel have been killed in Hezbollah attacks. The majority of the fighting has taken place within a few kilometres of the border.
Diplomats from the US and European countries have presented proposals aimed at reducing the border conflict, including a Hezbollah pullback from the border, increased Lebanese army presence in the region, and negotiations over border points where Lebanon claims Israel still occupies small areas of its territory. These proposals could potentially lead to a demarcation of the land border between Lebanon and Israel, following the maritime border deal reached in 2022. Lebanon is currently studying a proposal forwarded by France, which would involve Hezbollah withdrawing its forces 10 kilometres from the border.
As the conflict continues to escalate, it remains unclear whether a ceasefire agreement can be reached between Israel and Hamas, or whether Hezbollah will indeed escalate its attacks if a deal is reached. Gallant’s comments suggest that Israel is unlikely to be swayed by potential agreements, and is instead focused on achieving its goals through a combination of diplomatic efforts and military action.