After the evacuation of thousands of Israelis from northern Israel due to ongoing confrontations and intermittent clashes, the Israeli army hinted that their return will take time. Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated today that Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi informed local authority heads in the northern region during a meeting that plans would be made for the residents of this area to return.
Chief of Staff General Herzi Halevi met today (Tuesday) with the heads of local authorities in the northern region and held discussions with them. The Chief of Staff told the leaders that this meeting is extremely important and that he places great importance on the relationship between the defense forces and local leadership.
"I made a difficult decision to evacuate…," he said, but at the same time emphasized that "the reality there will not return to what it was before the war." Halevi added, "We made a difficult decision to evacuate the residents from the northern region. We will plan with the heads of authorities for their return and the timing through dialogue, based on the understanding that we will not be able to return to the reality that existed here before the outbreak of the war."
Additionally, he affirmed that Israeli forces will continue to fight in Gaza, announcing their "readiness to deal with developments in other arenas, including the northern region," as he expressed.
