Hamas and Hezbollah no longer 'effective' proxies for Iran: Israeli Defence minister

Jerusalem, Oct 28
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has said that Hezbollah and Hamas are no longer "effective" proxies for Iran after Israeli operations killed several leading leaders from the two groups in recent weeks.

Gallant was speaking on Sunday at a memorial ceremony on Mount Herzl for Israeli soldiers killed on October 7 last year, CNN reported.

"In the south, Hamas ceased to function as a military entity. In the north, Hezbollah continued to absorb blows, its command chain was eliminated, and most of its missile and rocket capabilities were destroyed," he said.

The Israeli Defence Minister added that Hamas and Hezbollah, "long prepared as Iran's extended arms against Israel, no longer serve as effective tools."

But with a new round of negotiations on hostages and a Gaza ceasefire getting underway in Qatar, Gallant added: "We know that some goals cannot be achieved by military action alone, and thus, we must honour our moral obligations to bring our captives home, despite the painful compromises involved."

Gallant and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have frequently been at odds on the negotiations to secure the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza.