Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant tells US Secretary of Defense that conditions now ripe for agreement with Hamas to return Israeli hostages.
By World Israel News Staff
The conditions are now ripe for a hostage deal between Israel and the Hamas terror organization, thanks in part to the pressure applied by the IDF over the past nine months, Israel’s defense minister told his American counterpart.
Speaking with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in a phone call overnight, Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant expressed optimism regarding the possibility of reaching a deal securing the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza.
“IDF operations in Gaza have led to the conditions necessary to achieve an agreement for the return of hostages, which is the highest moral imperative at this time,” Gallant told Austin, according to a statement by the Israeli Defense Ministry.
Gallant also provided the Secretary of State with a situational assessment regarding the Gaza front, with a focus on IDF operations to detect and engage senior Hamas leadership.
In this regard, Minister Gallant detailed the precise operation targeting Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif – referred to as the “Osama bin Laden of Gaza.”
The two leaders also discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and Minister Gallant informed the Secretary of his most recent order to build a temporary field hospital along the Gaza border in order to treat ill children.
The Minister and Secretary also discussed the northern border, where Hezbollah attacks continue to threaten Israeli communities. In this regard, Gallant emphasized Israel’s determination to ensure the safe return of its northern communities to their homes, whether it be via agreement or other means.
In addition, Gallant and Austin discussed the topics raised by the strategic consultative group that is meeting in the United States to further strengthen joint defense cooperation in the face of Iranian aggression.