The state of emergency, which was declared after the attack by the militant Hamas movement on October 7, 2023, will be lifted in the south of Israel from Tuesday. This was announced on Monday by Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Kac. TASR informs about it according to the report of the AFP agency.
The state of emergency allowed the military to limit public gatherings and close off certain areas. It was announced on the morning of October 7, 2023 throughout Israel, but was later restricted to the south of the country. The decision not to extend the state of emergency, according to Kacz, reflects the “new security reality” in southern Israel, which he said was achieved by the military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. A cease-fire between Hamas and Israel has been in effect in the coastal enclave since October 10 of this year.
The war in the Gaza Strip was sparked by an attack by Hamas-led Palestinian commandos on southern Israel two years ago, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Under the cease-fire agreement, Hamas released the last 20 living hostages and handed over the remains of 15 of the 28 dead captives. The movement is gradually returning the remains of the remaining hostages.
In retaliation for the attack, Israel launched bombing and underground operations, which according to Gaza authorities have claimed more than 68,000 lives and caused widespread destruction in the area. The UN considers the casualty figures, which do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, to be reliable.
