Tue Sep 17 06:14:46 UTC 2024: ## Israel Expands War Aims to Include Return of Northern Residents

**JERUSALEM** – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced an expansion of his war aims in Gaza to include the safe return of Israelis who have fled areas near the Lebanese border. The decision, made during an overnight meeting of his security cabinet, comes amidst a tense situation on the northern border, marked by near-daily cross-border fire between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

The move comes after months of negotiations and shuttle diplomacy failed to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has declared that “military action” is the “only way left” to ensure the return of residents to northern Israeli communities.

The inclusion of the northern border issue in the war aims coincides with mounting pressure on Netanyahu to accept a prisoner exchange deal, which has wide support from the Israeli public. However, Netanyahu has publicly rejected US assessments that a deal is nearly complete and insists on an Israeli military presence on the Egypt-Gaza border.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah officials have indicated they would stand down if a ceasefire was reached in Gaza, but Israel warns that time is “running out.” The ceasefire will be a key focus of discussions when US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Egypt later on Tuesday. The US is working “expeditiously” on a new proposal that “secures the release of all hostages, alleviates the suffering of the Palestinian people, and helps establish broader regional security.”

The war in Gaza, which began on October 7 after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, has resulted in over 41,000 Palestinian deaths and more than 95,000 injured. On the Israeli side, at least 1,139 people have been killed and over 200 taken captive.

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