Galant said that the situation in the negotiations for the release of Hamas hostages is difficult.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant met with relatives of the hostages and informed them of Hamas's tough position in the negotiations.

He said Hamas expects military action against Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran's entry into the war against Israel. Galant emphasized that it is possible to link the war in Lebanon with the release of the hostages, and this will be done.

Al-Akhbar, a publication close to Hezbollah, reported that 450,000 people had left Lebanon in three weeks, a third of them with Syrian citizenship. The UN Security Council called for an end to hostilities in southern Lebanon and increased diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.