Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned against ending the war in Gaza in a meeting on Tuesday of the members of the war cabinet with the heads of local councils of Israel’s northern communities. According to a Kan News report, Gallant warned that “ending the war in the south will lead to another front with Hezbollah in the north. The war in Gaza must not stop in the current situation without the complete dissolution of Hamas.” Gallant added: “The fact that there is no public target date [for the return of northern residents to their homes] is a good thing. The lack of clarity makes it even more difficult for Hezbollah. As soon as a date is set for the return of the residents to the north, it will play into Hezbollah’s hands.” A statement on behalf of the Prime Minister’s office on Tuesday evening stated that Prime Minister Netanyahu met with the heads of councils in the north in Ramat Korazim [a yishuv in the north], along with the members of the war cabinet and Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, Education Minister Yoav Kisch, Housing Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf and Deputy Agriculture Minister Moshe Abutbul. According to a recent survey by the Tel Chai Academic College, about half of the residents who were evacuated from communities near the Israeli-Lebanese border are afraid to return to their homes. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)