Israel to Maintain Military Presence in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria “Indefinitely,” Defense Minister Says

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Wednesday that Israeli troops will maintain a permanent military presence in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, signaling a shift in policy towards long-term occupation of several territories, Al Jazeera reports.

“Unlike in the past, the [Israeli military] is not evacuating areas that have been cleared and seized,” Katz stated. The army “will remain in the security zones as a buffer between the enemy and [Israeli] communities in any temporary or permanent situation in Gaza – as in Lebanon and Syria.”

According to the military, 30 percent of Gaza has been transformed into a “security” buffer zone, and approximately 1,200 “terror targets” have been struck since the resumption of its offensive on March 18, following a nearly two-month truce with Hamas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to eliminate Hamas and secure the release of the remaining 59 captives held by armed groups in Gaza, including the 24 believed to be alive. However, Hamas has conditioned the captives’ release on a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire, demands that have yet to be met.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group recently released a video of captive Rom Braslavski, who appeared distressed and pleaded with Netanyahu to end the war. In response, a leading organization representing the captives’ families accused the Israeli government of “choosing to seize territory before the hostages.”

Israel asserts that maintaining control over these “security zones” is essential to prevent a recurrence of the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,139 Israelis and the abduction of 250 others.

TLebanese President Joseph Aoun stated that Israel’s continued presence in parts of southern Lebanon is “hindering” the Lebanese army’s full deployment as mandated by the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel. While the agreement stipulated the withdrawal of both parties from southern Lebanon, Israel has only partially withdrawn, maintaining troops in at least five locations. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that two Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon killed two people on Wednesday, adding to the more than 70 civilians killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon since the ceasefire took effect in November.

In Syria, Israel has established several military posts within Syrian territory, including on Mount Hermon, following numerous airstrikes after the ousting of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The Israeli government has deemed the new Syrian government led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as “a terror group from Idlib that took Damascus by force” and has refused to withdraw from the seized territories.