Israeli minister in charge of military affairs has said that the regime’s troops will remain in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria indefinitely.
“Unlike the past, (Israel forces) have not evacuated areas that have been cleared and seized,” Israel Katz said in a statement Wednesday.
He added that Israeli forces will remain in these occupied territories as “buffers” to protect Israeli settlements “in temporary or permanent circumstances of Gaza” like Lebanon and Syria.
In recent weeks, Israeli forces have taken up a significant portion of Gaza under the pretext of pressure Hamas to release Israeli prisoners. This follows the Tel Aviv administration’s unilateral decision to end ceasefires and prisoner swap deals.
Despite a previous ceasefire with Hezbollah, Israel continues to maintain its military presence in parts of Lebanon, opposing its efforts to de-escalate. Similarly, after the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad, they seized areas in southern Syria.
MNA