Feb 6, 2024 – ISW Press
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on February 5 that Israeli operations have dismantled 18 of 24 Hamas battalions, rendering them “no longer [functional] as fighting military” organizations. Gallant and the IDF have not identified a precise definition for “dismantle.” The IDF previously announced Israeli forces had “dismantled” all of Hamas’ battalions in the northern Gaza Strip on January 6. Hamas cells have continued attacks in the northern Gaza Strip after the IDF withdrew most of its forces on December 31….
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Hamas reples to peace initiative ...
Blinken said that the response was being reviewed and that he would be “discussing it with the government of Israel tomorrow. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but we continue to believe that an agreement is possible and, indeed, essential.” He and other officials have characterized a hostage agreement as a steppingstone toward broader U.S. aims of a permanent political settlement in the Middle East, including a Palestinian state….