Soldiers exhausted after nine months of war, Israeli commanders say
Quoting commanders of four military brigades operating in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority has reported the following:
- Exhaustion persists among Israeli soldiers due to continuous service for nine months.
- Destroying tunnels and infrastructure takes time.
- The inequality in shouldering the burden of military service with the Haredim (ultra-Orthodox men) affects the army’s performance.
If we have to we’re ready to fight Hezbollah: Israeli Defence Minister
Israeli forces will be ready to take any action necessary against Lebanon’s Hezbollah, though the preference is to reach a negotiated arrangement, says Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
“We are striking Hezbollah very hard every day and we will also reach a state of full readiness to take any action required in Lebanon, or to reach an arrangement from a position of strength,” the minister was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his office.
“We prefer an arrangement, but if reality forces us we will know how to fight,” he added.
Israeli president: Majority in favor of captive deal
Isaac Herzog says on X that it is the government’s duty to return the Israeli captives held in Gaza by Hamas and other groups.
“The entire nation wants their return, and a clear majority supports a hostage deal”, he wrote. “Our leaders must realize that they are being tested in the effort to return the abductees”.
Talks between Israel and Hamas over a deal to end the war in Gaza and return the captives have stalled for weeks after US President Joe Biden announced at the end of May that Israel had agreed to an “enduring ceasefire”.
Israeli captives attempted suicide, al-Quds Brigades says
Abu Hamza, spokesperson for the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, says a number of Israeli captives have attempted suicide.
He said in a statement this is due to frustration over the Israeli government’s neglect of their situation, and due to treatment by units in the brigades who are “depriving them of some of the privileges that were provided to them prior to the heinous Nuseirat crime committed by the criminal Nazi enemy army [Israel]”.
Last month Israeli forces killed more than 270 Palestinians in Nuseirat refugee camp during an operation to free four Israeli captives. Some 700 others were injured.
He said the decision to treat Israeli captives the same way that Palestinian prisoners are treated in Israeli prisons will remain in effect “as long as the [Israeli] government continues its unjust measures towards our people and our prisoners”.
