Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant called his plans to meet with two top U.S. officials “extremely important and impactful on the future of the war in Gaza and our ability to achieve the goals of the war.”
On Monday, Gallant’s office released a statement translated from Hebrew to English before he met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and CIA director William Burns, saying his meeting with the intelligence chief would “discuss the hostage issue. I have been dealing with this issue since the first day [of the war].”
He continued, “I would like to emphasize that it is Israel’s primary commitment to return the hostages, with no exception, to their families and homes.”
Describing his upcoming meeting with Blinken as “critical,” Gallant said, “among other topics, we will discuss the transition to ‘Phase C’ in Gaza and its impact on the region, including vis-à-vis Lebanon and other areas.”
Gallant is also scheduled to speak with White House senior advisor Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk, White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa.
“We are discussing a variety of issues,” said the defense minister, noting that like in prior meetings, the goal is to “reach agreements and solve issues,” even when the challenges are formidable. “And I am sure this will be true this time as well.”
{Matzav.com}
