Operation Iron Swords - Day 20 - 26 October 2023

Palestinian armed group Hamas launched thousands of missiles at Israel and deployed its militants to infiltrate Jewish settlements near the country’s border with Gaza on 07 October 2023. The 1,200 Israelis killed on the first day would be the equivalent of 36,000 Americans killed in an attack, as a proportion to Israel’s population of 9.3 million people (compared to 332 million in the USA). Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated: “Not since the Holocaust have so many Jews been killed in one day". PM Netanyahu stated "On October 7th, Hamas murdered 1,400 Israelis. Maybe more. This is in a country of fewer than 10 million people. This would be equivalent to over 50,000 Americans murdered in a single day. That’s twenty 9/11s. That is why October 7th is another day that will live in infamy."

The departure of Hamas militants from Gaza is actually (already) being discussed, similarly to departure of PLO from Beirut in 1983. The rumours that Hamas may be considering leaving Gaza for refuge in Lebanon, Turkey, or elsewhere represent a startling insight into the secret diplomacy that may [or may not] now be running.

Hamas sent a delegation to Moscow to engage in talks for the release of international hostages, including Russian citizens, Russian news agencies reported, citing the Foreign Ministry in Moscow. Senior Hamas member Abu Marzouk was among those attending the talks, Russian news service TASS reported. "Contacts were held with him in continuation of the Russian line on the immediate release of foreign hostages in the Gaza Strip. Issues related to ensuring the evacuation of Russian and other foreign citizens from the territory of the Palestinian enclave were also discussed," TASS reported. Russia had repeatedly blamed the current crisis between Israel and Hamas on the failure of US diplomacy and has called for a ceasefire, along with the resumption of talks aimed at finding a peace settlement. Israel criticized the trip, calling on Russia to expel a visiting Hamas delegation, and adding that the invitation to Moscow was "deplorable."

Israel said it had dropped over 6,000 bombs on the Gaza Strip since Hamas's attack on October 7, nearly matching the number of bombs the US used in Afghanistan in one year. The IDF had, by its own admission, dropped 4,000 tons of high-explosive bombs on Gaza — a quarter of the explosive power of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The HAMAS had reportedlly fired about 7400 rockets at Israel. The group said it launched 5,000 rockets in the initial barrage. Israel’s military said 2,500 rockets were fired.

The unprecedented Israeli bombing raised the total toll to 7,028 martyrs, including 2,913 children, 1,709 women and girls, 397 elderly people and 18,484 injured, in addition to about 1,950 missing people, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Health in the besieged Gaza Strip. Nearly 1.4 million of the Gaza Strip’s population of 2.2 million people were displaced. More than 1,400 Israelis were killed as a result of resistance attacks, including 309 soldiers and officers, according to what was announced by the Israeli army, which also acknowledged the presence of at least 224 prisoners held by Palestinian factions.

The figures supplied by Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry have been disputed by Israel and cannot be independently verified. US President Joe Biden said he had "no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using" for the death toll in the Gaza Strip. At a White House press conference, Biden was asked whether the claimed death toll in the Gaza Strip meant that Israel's army was ignoring appeals to minimize civilian deaths. "What they say to me is I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed," Biden responded.

Abu Ubaida, spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), said that about 50 prisoners held by it were killed as a result of the ongoing Israeli raids on the Gaza Strip since October 7. The spokesman did not provide any other details in this statement, which he delivered on the Al-Qassam Brigades’ Telegram account. Hamas indicated that among the hostages were “high-ranking military personnel,” and it wanted to exchange them for more than 6,000 Palestinian prisoners, including children and women, in Israeli prisons.

At the end of an extensive arrest operation to counter terrorism and the confiscation of weapons tonight, more than 60 wanted persons were arrested in Judea and Samaria, of which 46 were operatives in the terrorist organization Hamas. Since the beginning of the war, about 1000 wanted persons had been arrested.

An Israeli government spokesperson questioned the accuracy of the death toll provided by Palestinian authorities in the Gaza Strip and accused Hamas of inflating the numbers. In an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya, Ofir Gendelman, Arab media spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, advised Arab and Western media not to believe the numbers released by the militant group controlling the enclave. “Where does this data come from? It’s from the Ministry of Health ... which takes orders from Hamas’ Ministry of Information and the terrorist spokesperson belonging to Hamas,” he told Al Arabiya. “There are no independent data.” When pressed on whether he thinks death tolls published by international organizations or the United Nations are accurate, he said all were subject to Hamas’ orders. “They fear Hamas. In several cases, the teams are Palestinians belonging to Hamas.”

He continued, “How many terrorists have been killed? Did Hamas admit to any of its terrorists being killed?” he asked. “No, because it is trying to portray all fatalities as innocent civilians.”

Marwan Bishara, Senior political analyst at Al Jazeera, noted the tension between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the other two leading generals in the war cabinet, Benny Gantz and Yoav Gallant, created confusion over the much-anticipated land invasion of the densely populated Palestinian enclave. They have long treated the veteran prime minister with suspicion and contempt, especially since Netanyahu allied his Likud party with the religious fanatics of the extreme right, and went on to rewrite the country’s fundamental laws, to suit his and his fanatical partners’ interests. But since they were stuck with him as prime minister, the generals had to settle with excluding his most fanatic ministers from the war cabinet. Gantz continues to hold a grudge against the prime minister since the 2020 elections, when the general foolishly broke away from his own grand coalition in order to join a Netanyahu-led coalition government, only to be betrayed by a more confident backstabbing prime minister. Likewise, Gallant continues to hold a grudge against Netanyahu, who fired him as defence minister in March 2023 for questioning the soundness of his fanatical legislative agenda and its implications for national security. Although Netanyahu reversed his decision under public pressure a few weeks later, the two men haven’t buried the hatchet. Bishara suggested Netanyahu and his fanatical allies, who deepened Israel’s occupation and inflamed the Palestinian anger, have raised the public expectation from the war, insisting on total annihilation of Hamas and its leadership. A report by the British Economist magazine stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his army commanders are “harmfully” divided over how to fight the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ). The magazine revealed that the leader of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Shas party, Aryeh Deri, leaked information - at a meeting of his party members after his surprise visit last Tuesday to Israeli soldiers on the border with the Gaza Strip - that the army is not yet ready to fight there. The report stated that Adraee does not play an official role in the government, does not have any military experience, and that all of his qualifications are that he is an important political ally of Netanyahu. Netanyahu was under increasing pressure from his extreme right-wing base to demonstrate his willingness to eliminate the Hamas movement. The Prime Minister's agents kept informing journalists that the army was not fully prepared to begin the ground campaign, and that instead of endangering the lives of Israeli soldiers through a quick invasion, as Israeli generals suggest, more lethal air strikes were needed to destroy the movement's tunnel network. The Israeli security establishment would prefer to see the Palestinian Authority return and take control of the Strip. But one of the senior officials admits that there is no plan in this direction, pointing out that Netanyahu has isolated and neglected Gaza for more than a decade. Israel's Ministry of Defence said that a total of about 250,000 people voluntarily left their residences as part of an official evacuation program to escape fighting near Gaza and rocket attacks near the northern border with Lebanon. Authorities are working to more widely evacuate areas along the Gaza Strip and Lebanon border until the end of the year, the spokesperson confirmed. However, government approval for this is still pending. Israel has a total population of just under 10 million.

President Isaac Herzog gave an interview to French news channel BFMTV. He stressed Israel’s commitment to international humanitarian law. During his interview, the President said: "I heard the comments of the Secretary General of the United Nations Guterres. In a way he eluded as if the source of all this evil has to do with the conflict. I absolutely reject his words. Because there was a sort of implication or even consent for atrocities, for terror. The problem with the conflict is terror. The most inherent problem that derails the peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians has to do with terror. We have been suffering endless terror - day in and day out. In my last year as President, I visited mourning families throughout the country. But now we have seen the most atrocious example of what terror is all about. Since World War Two, since the Holocaust, there hasn't been such a number of Jews killed in one day.”

He stressed: “There is a civilization out there, of ISIS, of Hamas, of Al Qaeda - and all of these organizations, the Houthis, all they want is basically to swarm, to conquer the Middle East, to get the Jews out, and next will be Europe, you have to study their philosophy. This coalition of evil starts from Iran. It has forks all over the Middle East. This is their life their lifelong vision, and they're using the most brutal means possible, atrocious means that we never believed we will see following the Holocaust, that we will see them in modern times.”

He explained, “First and foremost, we have to uproot the military capabilities of Hamas,” and added, “How does one make security? How does one protect the civilians living there? We didn't want to go to war. We do not want to be warmongers. We are simply protecting and defending our people. And on 7th October in the morning, there was a war waged at us, at Israel and its people, and we have to protect and defend ourselves, first and foremost, to take the capabilities of Hamas out of the homes of people in neighborhoods, underneath the ground and above ground with a huge amount of weapons, dangerous and lethal weapons, and make sure that people can go on with their lives. Perhaps it will also help the Palestinians in Gaza to take control of themselves and live in prosperity in the future.”

“One has to know the truth. There's no electricity in Gaza because of Hamas missiles, their missiles blow up the wires that carry the electricity. We are not interfering with the water in Gaza, and we only supply 7% of the water in Gaza. They are the ones who've ruined their own infrastructure. You see how tragic this all is? Your taxpayers - like the entire European nations - paid more and more money for infrastructure in Gaza to make the life of the citizens better. Israel in the last few years opened up its borders and enabled tens of thousands of Gazans to work in Israel. All that was shattered by a horrendous terrible attack on our people, killing them with the highest amount of casualties in our history, torturing people and butchering them, and celebrating their heads being chopped and, and children being abducted. This is the situation we're in. It's a call of duty for the international community to understand that we are fighting for good. We are fighting evil.”

The President made clear, “We care for our neighbors, we always did, we operate according to international humanitarian law, we've asked the civilians to move to a safe zone, a humanitarian zone, and the ones who are blocking them are Hamas. But one has to give us the answer. How exactly are we to defend ourselves? "

Former general and member of Israel's war cabinet, Benny Gantz, said a planned ground offensive on Gaza would be only one part of a much longer process that could continue for years. "The maneuver is only one stage in a long-term process that includes security, political and social aspects that will last for years," Gantz said. "The campaign will soon ramp up with greater force," he added. Gantz, who has been a long-time political rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said that Israel was "facing a challenge it has not experienced since its establishment." He said the emergency government's establishment of a war cabinet was "the right step."

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said that his forces moved "within 24 hours to an increasing attack from the air, sea and land," noting that the Israeli army began a fire attack with unusual intensity 24 hours after the start of the war. In a press conferenceg, Gallant said that his forces are fully prepared, and that the ground military operation in Gaza will begin at the appropriate time when conditions are ready. He refused to answer a journalist’s question about the impact this would have on efforts to free prisoners held by the Hamas movement.

Galant added, "Our goals are accurate, and we carried out strikes against the infrastructure of the Hamas movement." There will be other stages that we will implement and win as we create the conditions for the battle to continue. In response to a question about the possibility of a confrontation with Iran, he said, “We are waging a war on the southern front against Hamas, and we are prepared for any development in the north. Hezbollah is suffering many losses. But it is not in our interest to expand the war,” stressing that Israel has no interest in a war with another opponent other than Hamas. Galant added, "We are going through difficult circumstances, and our war is to preserve the homeland, and we must win it."

IDF forces under the command of the Givati Brigade carried out a targeted raid using tanks in the territory of the northern Gaza Strip, as part of the preparation of the area for the next stages of combat. As part of the activity, the forces located and attacked many terrorists, destroyed terrorist infrastructure, anti-tank positions and carried out work to organize the area . The troops left the area at the end of the mission.

"During the night we carried out a targeted raid in the north of the Gaza Strip, led by the Givati Brigade and combining armored forces, infantry, engineering, and fire from the sea, from the air and from the ground", described the commander of the armor company of the Givati Brigade, Major Shaham, "we carried out Elimination of terrorist squads that we identified with our eyes, of terrorist infrastructures, anti-tank launchers and other infrastructures that we identified in the area." "In addition, we have organized the area for the future," he added, "We have been training and preparing during the last few weeks in a high-quality and extensive manner, and are working hard in order to succeed and win this mission. It is important for us to carry out the mission and we want to win it and protect the State of Israel."

IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari reported : "The Givati ??Brigade and other forces from Division 162 carried out a planned and proactive raid tonight, it is part of our preparation for the next stages of combat. The mission lasted several hours, and the forces left at the end, there were no casualties to our forces. In the sector In the north, we eliminated 5 squads that tried to shoot. So far, the families of 309 IDF martyrs and 224 abductees have been notified, we will continue to update the families of the abductees and the missing with every detail of information we have."" Military and strategic expert, Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi, believed that the general features of the possible Israeli ground military operation have begun to become clear, in light of the systematic destruction of areas and towns in the Gaza Strip, and the measures taken by the Israeli occupation army during the past hours and days. It is expected that the main battle will be in the northern sector of Gaza, and there are measures at the political, military and procedural levels that support this expectation, according to Al-Duwairi.

He pointed out that the targeting of the northern areas and neighborhoods of the Gaza Strip , such as Al-Atatra, Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun, Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, and other neighborhoods, shows the destruction of entire squares and targeting in the form of longitudinal or transverse lines, which suggests - according to the military analyst - that the possible military operation will take place in these areas.

Al-Duwairi explained - in the military analysis presented by Al-Jazeera - that the destruction targeting the northern areas of Gaza is in order to create corridors through which bulldozers - which usually advance in military operations of the Israeli army with tanks - can open roads and create corridors for the Israeli forces to carry out an internal maneuver. It carries out isolation and encirclement operations.

Concerning the focus of the Israeli raids on the eastern border fence of Gaza, such as the Shuja’iya neighbourhood, Al-Duwairi said that the heavy bombing on the border strip in the almost populated agricultural areas was surprising, and if this bombing had continued - in which planes, artillery and launchers were used - it would have been an indication that the start of Ground operation is coming soon.

The areas that were completely wiped out as a result of the Israeli raids as part of the systematic destruction confirm - the military analyst adds - that there is a high probability that “what is coming will be closer than previous expectations.” However, he refused to confirm this matter with certainty, because the occupation may change its procedures, especially with The arrival of American advisors, one of whom specializes in urban warfare, according to the military spokesman.

IDF reported that Hamas continued to use the residents of the Gaza Strip as human shields, preventing their evacuation to southern Gaza. Over the past few days, residents in the northern Gaza Strip had been notified to evacuate to the south for their safety. Hamas was not allowing them to evacuate to the south. As seen in the past, they use a variety of methods including roadblocks.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian warned that the United States would not be spared the flames of war if the genocide in the Gaza Strip continued. Abdullahian said, in his speech before the United Nations General Assembly, “I say frankly to the American politicians who are now managing the genocide in Palestine, that we do not welcome the expansion of the scope of the war in the region. But if the genocide in Gaza continues, they will not be spared from this fire.”

The Iranian Foreign Minister called on those who wish to prevent the war from expanding to pressure Israel to stop its war on Gaza, stressing that the Palestinian people have the right to resist occupation in accordance with international law, including armed struggle. Abdullahian denounced what he described as "war crimes and genocide" committed by the Israeli occupation in Gaza and the West Bank about 3 weeks ago. He said that the United States and European countries are watching and supporting the killing of 7,000 civilians in Gaza. The Iranian minister also condemned the American steps to support Israel, and said that Washington's direct participation in the war on Gaza is a clear violation of the United Nations Charter.

Regarding the issue of Israeli prisoners in Gaza, Abdullahian said that the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) informed Tehran of its readiness to release civilian detainees, and added that the world must take action to free 6,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. He stressed that Iran "is ready to play its role in this very important humanitarian endeavor, along with Qatar and Turkey. Of course, the release of the 6,000 Palestinian prisoners is another necessity and responsibility for the international community."

Experts' opinions differed regarding what Iran could do if Israel started a large-scale ground war to eradicate the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), as some believed that Tehran will intervene directly in the war, while others rule out this hypothesis unless Iranian territory is directly struck. Despite increasing warnings of the possible expansion of the ongoing war between the occupation army and the Palestinian resistance factions, the facts on the ground do not provide data indicating any direct Iranian interference so far, according to what observers believe.

Although the Lebanese Hezbollah , an ally of Iran, began intermittent clashes with the occupation army on the Lebanese border, the military expert, Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi, said that the matter appears to be an implicit agreement that the two sides will not go beyond this area any further. During the analytical space presented by Al Jazeera, “Gaza... What’s next?”, Al-Duwairi said that the clashes between Israel and Hezbollah were still taking place within the framework of action and reaction, but they do not give any indication of moving towards an open battle.

While some talk about Iran entering into a direct war immediately after Israel begins its invasion of Gaza, Al-Duwairi said that this will not happen unless Iran is subjected to a direct strike, stressing that Hezbollah itself “will not enter the war directly as some imagine.” Not only that - Al-Duwairi added - Hezbollah “will not enter the war immediately after the start of the next ground invasion of the Gaza Strip , but rather this will depend on the size, extent and repercussions of this intervention,” he said.

In almost the same direction, Lebanese political analyst Amin Qammouriyeh spoke, saying that Hezbollah had rules for movement and that the rules of engagement between it and Israel still existed, although they have changed over the past two weeks. According to Gammouria, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah’s failure to speak meant that there is a position for the party, which had not happened so far, adding, “Despite Hezbollah’s presence in the battle in one way or another, the decision to enter into a direct war has complex internal and regional calculations.”

As for the researcher specializing in Iranian affairs, Dr. Fatima Al-Sammadi, she believed that looking at Iran’s position in the battle requires looking at “the defensive mosaic it has created in the region, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.” Therefore - Fatima Al-Sammadi added - it cannot be said that Hezbollah is the one who made the decision to enter into a direct war; Because the entry of any part of this Iranian defensive mosaic into a wide war will be viewed as Iranian entry.

Regarding the so-called unity of the arenas (against Israel), Al-Duwairi said that Hamas was now fighting alone directly against Israel, while the arenas of Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon have references in Iran, which did not want a direct war and also did not want the forces loyal to it to get involved so that the area does not expand the war.

On the other hand, Qamouria said that unity on the battlefield existed, but not in the way some wish or expect, expressing his conviction that all positions depend on the future of the battle, including official Arab positions. In this regard, Fatima Al-Sammadi believed that Hamas was allied with Iran, but it is not part of the Iranian defense mosaic, and there was an agreement that it is the one who makes the decision for war and that it will only fight for the sake of Palestine, but all of this does not mean abandoning it on the part of Tehran.

Dr. Fatima believed that Iran's red line is to preserve its political system and thus it avoids opening a wide war in the region that might lead to the collapse of the regime, but at the same time it cannot abandon Hamas because it considers the Palestinian issue part of its national interests. Therefore - the researcher said "Iran will not allow Hamas to be erased from the Palestinian equation because this means Tehran losing this important issue to it." She indicated that the last thing the late Revolutionary Guard Commander, Qassem Soleimani , worked on was a plan to “activate the rough arms of the resistance axis in Palestine,” adding that the plan is being worked on despite his departure.

But Al-Duwairi was certain that Iran will not intervene unless it is bombed directly. He said that the United States, during the era of George W. Bush during the war on Iraq, developed a plan of 7 scenarios for dealing with Tehran, the highest of which was its absolute occupation and the lowest of which was the destruction of its nuclear project. He added, "At the end of Barack Obama's era, a plan was drawn up of 4 scenarios that are still in place, starting with directing 2,000 air strikes, down to 500 strikes." Options for launching a single American strike or a strike with Israel's participation were also developed, according to Al-Duwairi.

Al-Duwairi concluded that the situation is now heading toward an American-Israeli strike, and therefore Iran will not intervene directly in the war, but will instruct its arms to intervene if it comes to eliminating Hamas. Al-Duwairi believed that Washington picked up on this position and therefore sent a general to frame the Israeli ground operation so that it would be strong and lead to a political solution similar to the Battle of Mosul.

On the contrary, Qamouria believed that Hezbollah's decision is not entirely dependent on Iran, especially when it comes to establishing the American presence in the region, as is happening currently, because it was based primarily on resisting this presence. The same thing - according to Qammouriyeh - applies to Iran because its interest, preserving the gains it has achieved over four decades, and its nuclear progress are all related to what is happening in Gaza, and it has allies in the arena whose ability to act cannot be underestimated if an open battle occurs.

European Union leaders at a summit called for "humanitarian corridors and pauses" in Gaza, to allow the safe and unhindered access of aid deliveries. The European Council released a statement following hours of negotiations at a summit of the bloc in Brussels. "The European Council expresses its gravest concern for the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and calls for continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and aid to reach those in need through all necessary measures including humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs," the statement read. "The European Union will work closely with partners in the region to protect civilians, provide assistance and facilitate access to food, water, medical care, fuel and shelter, ensuring that such assistance is not abused by terrorist organisations," added the declaration, issued at the summit in Brussels. Countries supporting appeals for ceasefire at a leaders' summit in Brussels included Spain, Ireland and Belgium. Others like Germany and Hungary emphasized Israel's right to self-defense.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke at an EU summit in Brussels on behalf of Israel and its actions in Gaza. "Israel is a democratic state with very humanitarian principles guiding it," Scholz. "Therefore, you can be sure that the Israeli army, in its actions, will also follow the rules that derive from international law. I have no doubt about that," he added. The German chancellor said it was very important to do everything possible so that hostages can be released, humanitarian aid can get into Gaza, and dual nationals and employees of international organizations could leave the territory.

A digital poster distributed by Hamas resources on social networks featured the inscription "Gaza" at the entrance, three Merkavas, one of which is under the American flag, and the inscription in three languages: "Labyrinth of the arrogant." Satan' s arrogance, on account of which he was dismissed from Allah' s mercy and grace, is related in the Qur' an as a lesson to mankind. This arrogance on the part of Satan is what caused his downfall - In Islam, arrogance is a great sin. The Quran forbids pride and Allah curses those who walk arrogantly on earth. The Prophet Muhammad said that no one will enter paradise if they have even a mote of pride in their heart. The most severe arrogance is being arrogant against Allah Almighty by rejecting submission.

The Quran says in Ayah Luqman 31:18, "And do not turn your nose up to people, nor walk pridefully upon the earth. Surely Allah does not like whoever is arrogant, boastful". The Prophet Muhammad said in a hadith, "Whenever you meet humble people from my Ummah you must meet them with humility and you must behave arrogantly with the arrogant people". Arrogance stems from a false sense of self-importance. It is a direct molestation with Allah's power and a sort of claim to be Allah.