Hochstein back in Israel: can he bring a Lebanon cease-fire alongside Gaza's?

TEL AVIV — The reported progress made in recent days toward a cease-fire in Gaza in exchange for the release of hostages held by Hamas presents Israel’s leadership with a dilemma involving Hezbollah: If a cease-fire is reached between Israel and Hamas, Hezbollah is expected to also halt the attacks it launched on northern Israel concurrent with the Oct. 7 Hamas onslaught in the south, if only temporarily. Israel regards a lull on the northern border as unacceptable, however, given the tens of thousands of Israelis evacuated from border communities and unwilling to return to their homes under the current circumstances. 

“Oct. 7 was a formative date, and the northern communities are not prepared to become sitting ducks at the mercy of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force deployed along the fence,” a senior Israeli military source told Al-Monitor, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The catastrophic cross-border incursion by Hamas in the south has prompted deep fears of a similar operation by the much better trained and armed Islamist group in the north.

“What happened on Oct. 7 changes the basic perceptions of defense and deterrence in the region, and Israel cannot avoid making decisions on the issue,” said the senior military source.