Israeli Defense Minister: Military Operations in Gaza Have Created Conditions for Hostage Agreement

Yoav Gallant, Israel's Defense Minister, told his American counterpart that his country's military operations in the Gaza Strip have created conditions that allow for an agreement regarding hostages. According to Reuters, the Israeli Defense Minister's office stated that Gallant made these remarks during a call with Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense. Gallant said, 'The Israeli army's operations in Gaza have created the necessary conditions to reach an agreement for the return of hostages, which is currently the highest moral obligation.' Meanwhile, the Israeli army reported that in the past 264 days of extensive operations by ground, air, and naval forces in Gaza, they have succeeded in eliminating half of the leadership of Hamas's military branch. At the same time, Axios reported that Israeli officials, the Palestinian Authority, and the U.S. held a secret meeting last week to discuss reopening the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza as part of a hostage exchange and ceasefire agreement. According to Axios, this is the first such trilateral meeting since October 7, as the government of Benjamin Netanyahu has a 'special sensitivity' regarding cooperation with the Palestinian Authority. The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7 (15 Mehr) of last year when militants from this Palestinian militant group and its allies attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. Approximately 120 hostages remain in the custody of Hamas in Gaza, and this group has not released any news or information about their status. Israel and the United States consider Hamas a terrorist organization.