From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Report: Mossad chief pushing to link any Lebanon ceasefire deal with hostage release
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
Mossad chief David Barnea has reportedly told his US counterpart that any ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon must also include the release of the hostages being held in Hamas.
According to a Channel 12 news report, the Mossad chief told CIA head Bill Burns that the deals must be linked together. The strategy is reportedly aimed at getting Iran and Hezbollah — who have indicated they are open to a ceasefire in the north — to exert additional pressure on Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar to agree to a deal in Gaza that has proved elusive for many months.
For the past year, Hezbollah officials have said they will not stop firing rockets at Israel until there is an end to fighting in Gaza, although in recent days the terror group has appeared to soften that demand, saying it would consider a ceasefire just in Lebanon.
The Times of Israel Community.