From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Gallant: Israel can ‘handle risks’ of hostage deal, ‘will know how’ to resume fighting
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Amid ongoing hostage deal negotiations with Hamas, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says “as there are in military operations, there are risks in diplomatic moves as well” and that Israel “will know how to facilitate the moves and handle the risks.”
“We are creating conditions for what we wanted, the first thing, for the defeat of Hamas. The second thing… we are getting closer to a situation where it will be possible to reach a deal for the release of hostages,” Gallant says to troops in southern Gaza’s Rafah.
Gallant says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the US is “very important… for all of us.”
He says that after a potential hostage deal and truce with Hamas, “we will know how to return to fighting.”
