JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli forces will remain in five strategic locations in southern Lebanon near the border after the full withdrawal deadline Tuesday, Israeli officials said Monday.
The official spoke on the condition of regulatory anonymity.
See: With Israel’s withdrawal deadline approaching, it is on the ground of Lebanon’s UN forces
The Lebanese government opposed further delays in Israel’s withdrawal under the ceasefire agreement that ended the fight against Hezbollah’s militant groups. There were no immediate comments from Lebanon or Hezbollah officials. Earlier on Monday, an Israeli strike in Lebanon killed a senior Hamas leader.
The news sparked a war in the Gaza Strip, and eventually a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah, as Israel had marked its 500th day since the attack on Hamas on October 7, 2023. caused.
The war in Gaza was suspended last month when a fragile ceasefire took hold. The first phase of the armistice is expected to end in early March, and it is unclear whether it will be extended to allow the release of dozens of hostages.
Separately, prevention and prevention observers said Monday they issued a bid to build nearly 1,000 settlers’ homes on the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Read more: Israel’s Netanyahu Signal He advances Trump’s plan to move Palestinians out of Gaza
Peace now says the development of 974 new housing units will increase the population of the EFRAT settlement by 40%, allowing further blockage of the development of the nearby Palestinian city of Bethlehem. Hagit Ofran, who heads the group’s settlement monitoring, said construction could begin after the contract process and the issuance of permits, which could take at least a year.
There were no immediate comments from the Israeli government.
Israel captured the West Bank along with the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East War. Palestinians seek all three territories for their future states, viewing the settlement as a position with great obstacles to peace and broad international support.
The expansion of the settlement is set to accelerate with Trump in office
President Donald Trump lent unprecedented support for the settlement during his previous term. Israel also steadily expanded reconciliation during its democratic regime, which was more important, but rarely took action to restrain them.
Israel has built more than 100 settlements on the West Bank, ranging from the front post on the hill to fully developed suburban communities, with apartment blocks, malls and parks.
Over 500,000 settlers live in the occupied West Bank, home to around 3 million Palestinians. Although settlers have Israeli citizenship, Palestinians live under military control with Western-backed Palestinian authority that controls population centres.
The Israeli government views the West Bank as a historical and biblical center for the Jews and opposes the Palestinian state, but human rights groups have denounced Israel for discrimination and oppression of Palestinians in the West Bank.
Peace, which supports two states’ solutions to negotiate the conflict, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of pushing for the construction of a settlement, and dozens of hostages were arrested on October 7, 2023 in Hamas However, the attack was taken prisoner of the Gaza Strip.
“The Netanyahu government is operating “on steroids” to establish facts on earth that destroys opportunities for peace and compromise,” he said in a statement.
Israelis mark 500 days of war and prisoners
Israel held protests nationwide on Monday, calling for an extension of the ceasefire to allow more hostages to be released. Protesters blocked major crossings in Tel Aviv, and some protesters planned to fast for 500 minutes at a show of solidarity with the prisoners of war.
“All I care about is that all I want is friends to come back. There were six people living in an unbearable state, with a 6-square-meter (65-square-foot) space. A week and a half. Ohad Ben Ami, a hostage previously released, told Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday that hostages are counting minutes and seconds in captivity. I did.
Read more: Israel and Hamas complete the latest exchange in the first phase of the ceasefire with two weeks remaining
Hamas is expected to continue the gradual release of 33 hostages at the current stage of the armistice in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces were pulled back from most parts of Gaza and allowed a surge in humanitarian aid.
However, the two countries still have the chance to release the remaining 70 or more hostages (about half of which are believed to be dead) in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, Israel’s complete withdrawal and a permanent ceasefire. We haven’t negotiated yet.
Netanyahu and the Trump administration have given conflicting signals as to whether they want to continue the ceasefire or renew the war. Both say they are committed to eradicating Hamas and returning all hostages, but their goals are widely viewed as incompatible.
Hamas-led extremists killed and attacked around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, on October 7, 2023, and attracted around 250 people. Military operations.
Extremist groups have weakened, but continue to have full control of their territory. Hamas said he was willing to give up power to other Palestinians but would not accept the occupying forces.
Israeli air force and ground war killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health. The war destroyed the vast areas of Gaza, chasing off about 90% of its population of 2.3 million at its height.
Trump is asking for the Gaza population to be permanently transferred to other countries, and the United States to take ownership of the territory and rebuild it for others. Israel welcomed the plan, but the Palestinians and Arab countries universally rejected the idea.
Rights groups and experts say that if the proposal is implemented it is likely to violate international law.
Meanwhile, the proposal has more doubts about the future of the ceasefire. Hamas may not want to release the remaining prisoners (its only negotiation tip) if they believe Israel will resume war with the goal of banishing the Palestinians.
Israel kills senior Hamas officials in Lebanon
Israeli drone strike targeted vehicles in South Port Sidon, Lebanon. The deepest strike has been in effect since the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel came into effect in November.
Israel said it targeted Muhammad Shaheen, head of Hamas operations in Lebanon. The circulating footage showed the car engulfed in flames. The strike occurred near the Lebanese military checkpoint and the Municipal Sports Stadium in Sidon.
The original withdrawal deadline was late January, but under pressure from Israel, Lebanon agreed to extend it until February 18th. It remains unclear whether Israeli forces will complete their withdrawal by Tuesday.
Since the ceasefire, Israel has continued airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, saying it targets military locations, including missiles and combat equipment. Each side accuses the others of violating the ceasefire.
Wafa Shurafa of Deia Al Bala, Gaza Strip, contributed to this report. Abou Aljoud was reported by Beirut.
