With top diplomats touring the Mideast on Sunday in a mission to stop the war from spreading, Israel said the war must not be stopped until they have eliminated Hamas, returned all of their hostages, and ensured that Gaza will never again constitute a threat to Israel. Fears of a wider war have added urgency to visits to the region by the American secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken, and the European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell Fontelles. Cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia in Lebanon, has also become a point of increasing concern. Israel is under great pressure from its allies, neighbors, and world leaders to curtail the fighting in Gaza. Over the weekend, the Israeli military offered a presentation on the gains it has made against Hamas, but cautioned it is still determined to dismantle the capabilities of Hamas and that achieving this goal will take time.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/07/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-war-.html
