Israel’s newly appointed Defense Minister, Israel Katz, has declared that there will be "no ceasefire" and "no respite" in Lebanon, following a series of Israeli airstrikes and ground incursions over the past few weeks.
The ongoing conflict has led to significant casualties, with over 3,000 people reported dead. Katz's remarks indicate that Israel intends to continue its military operations in the region without pausing for any ceasefire, escalating tensions in an already volatile situation.
Posting to social media Israel Katz said:
“The warning and powerful activity carried out by the IDF and the security agencies against Hezbollah and the elimination of [Hassan] Nasrallah are a picture of victory and the offensive activity should be continued, in order to worsen Hezbollah’s capabilities and realise the fruits of victory.
In Lebanon there will be no ceasefire and there will be no respite. We will continue to hit Hezbollah with full force until the goals of the war are achieved. Israel will not agree to any arrangement that does not guarantee Israel’s right to enforce and prevent terrorism on its own, and meeting the goals of the war in Lebanon, [which are] disarming Hezbollah and them withdrawing beyond the Litani River, and returning the residents of the north safely to their homes.”
Katz assumed the role of Israel's Defense Minister last week, following the dismissal of Yoav Gallant by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu due to strategic differences. In May 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for both Netanyahu and Gallant, accusing them of war crimes related to the conflict in Gaza. Israel has since rejected the court's decision, challenging the validity of the warrants.
Around 1.2 million people in Lebanon are estimated to have been displaced by Israel’s ongoing military campaign, while tens of thousands of Israelis in northern Israel have also been forced to evacuate due to relentless rocket fire from Hezbollah and other anti-Israeli factions in Lebanon.
Katz's recent statement on the absence of a ceasefire directly contradicts remarks made on Monday by Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, who suggested that "certain progress" was being made in ceasefire negotiations. However, a spokesperson for Hezbollah has since denied their involvement in any such talks.
(Source: The Guardian)
BD-Pratidin English/Mazdud
