Operation Iron Swords - Day 34 - 09 November 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."

It is the second largest loss inflicted on the Israeli forces after the 1973 war, as the Palestinian resistance killed more than 1,400, wounded more than 5,132 others, and captured more than 250, most of them military personnel, some of whom were high-ranking officers in the army.

Butcher's Bill / Oasis of Martyrs

"The U.S. State Department’s highest officials for Middle East affairs said that the civilian death toll in Gaza is likely higher than estimates suggest, noting that skepticism over the integrity of the statistics released by health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave may undercut the scale of the human catastrophe." The Wall Street Journal reported.

"Asked at Wednesday’s House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing about skepticism over the numbers released by the Gaza Health Ministry, Barbara Leaf warned that the numbers may fall short. “We think they’re very high, frankly, and it could be that they’re even higher than are being cited,” said the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. She added that in times of war it is difficult to get an accurate assessment. “We’ll know only after the guns fall silent.”

Leaf acknowledged that Hamas is “particularly adept” at spreading propaganda and disinformation via social media, but said that based on the feedback they are receiving from a variety of individuals and partners on the ground, “it is "It is very likely that the number will be higher than it is now." Leaf pointed out that health officials in Gaza do not separate the numbers of civilians and militants killed, explaining that it is difficult to know the true number of deaths as long as the fighting continues,

Palestinian health authorities say that at least 10,812 Palestinians had been killed in Gaza, more than four times the number killed in the six-week-long war in 2014. The death toll included 4,412 children [down from 4,800 children previously reported] and 2,918 women, and 667 elderly people. These subtotals fluctuate inexplicably]. The average of children martyrs was six per hour, while female martyrs is five per hour.

On 08 November. 15 unidentified martyrs were buried in a mass grave in the northern Gaza Strip, 48 hours after no one recognized them.In a recurring scene since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip , the bodies of martyrs of the Israeli occupation army’s raids on the Strip are arriving, and they are unidentified due to the severe disfigurement they sustained or the martyrdom of all family members without anyone remaining to recognize them. Anyone who has clear features is photographed and his picture is kept to identify him in the future. However, if there is no clear sign, the martyr’s body is given a symbol and his belongings are kept in the safe deposit boxes.

In addition, the number of injured rose to about 27,000 [though some earlier reports had totaled over 32,000 Palestinians injured since October 7th, including at least 6,360 children and 4,891 women]. More than 2,650 were missing, including 1,400 children, and presumed buried under rubble. On the West bank, at least 179 Palestinians had been killed, and more than 2,300 injured [a big jump from the previous 1,980 injured]. IDF said it was holding 1,500 bodies of terrorists.

More than 1,542 Israelis were killed as a result of HAMAS attacks, including 342 [down from 345 reported a few days earlier] soldiers and officers, according to what was announced by the Israeli army. At least 5,431 were injured. Since the start of the ground incursion into Gaza in the middle of last week, 35 members of the Israeli army had been killed.

The spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Ubaida, asserted that the number of Israeli deaths was “much greater” than what was announced by the Israeli leadership, and he vowed in a speech to make Gaza the “curse of history” for Israel. Abu Ubaida said, "The Israeli leadership is lying to its public about the number of soldiers killed in the Gaza Strip and in the course of the battles," and he addressed the Israelis, saying, "Watch for more of your soldiers returning in black bags.

Some 241 [down from 242 the previous day] hostages are being held by HAMAS in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said 03 November 2023. About 40 Israelis remained missing.

Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson for the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said on Hamas’ telegram account that 23 bodies of the 60 missing Israel hostages were trapped under the rubble. “It seems that we will never be able to reach them due to the continued brutal aggression of the occupation against Gaza,” he said.

The military spokesman for the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement [PIJ], revealed his movement’s readiness to release detainees for humanitarian reasons, and confirmed that they stand shoulder to shoulder with the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ). Abu Hamza said - in a video recording broadcast on Al Jazeera - “The Al-Quds Brigades are ready to release the detained Mrs. Hanna Katsir for humanitarian and health reasons,” stressing that they may not be able to provide her with health care in light of the lack of medicine, fuel, electricity, and all necessities of life. He also announced the readiness of the Al-Quds Brigades to release the boy, Yagil Yaqoub, for humanitarian reasons due to his young age, despite the fact that the occupation prisons are filled with hundreds of Palestinian children, as Abu Hamza noted.

Based on the Prisoner Club’s statistics, since October 7, Israel had arrested 2,300 Palestinians. Various areas in the West Bank and Jerusalem witness daily raids and incursions by Israeli forces into villages and towns, accompanied by confrontations and arrests, in addition to shooting and the use of gas bombs against Palestinians. By another account, more than 2,280 Palestinians were arrested in the West Bank. For its part, the Israeli army announced the arrest of about 1,430 Palestinians throughout the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza, including 900 from the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ).

Operational Update

IDF says Arrow air defense system intercepted a surface-to-surface missile launched toward Eilat from Yemen. A missile was detected that was launched into the territory of the State of Israel and was successfully intercepted in the Red Sea area, by the air defense fighters using the "Hatz" long-range defense system. The target did not cross into Israeli territory.

Since the beginning of the war, about 9,500 rockets and dozens of aircraft have been launched towards Israeli territory. The fighters of the air defense system intercepted thousands of rockets in the defense areas, and with the entry of the ground forces into the Strip, a significant decrease in the number of launches is evident.

The IDF is continuing to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. As of yesterday, 665 trucks have entered Gaza, with deliveries of vital humanitarian aid: Over 3,000 tons of food; Over 1,720 tons of medical equipment; Over 600 tons of equipment for temporary shelters; and Over 1.15 million liters of water.

The White House said Israel will start to implement four-hour pauses in its military operation against Hamas in areas of northern Gaza each day. The announcement by National Security Council spokesman John Kirby would give Palestinians time to escape using two humanitarian passages and were significant inroads to reducing the toll of war. "We've been told by the Israelis that there will be no military operations in these areas over the duration of the pause, and that this process is starting today," Kirby said, adding that the idea for pauses came up in discussions between U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In what the White House called a "step in the right direction," the Israeli occupation will begin to implement 4-hour pauses in Gaza to allow people to "flee hostilities". It is unclear where they are supposed to "flee" considering that they are trapped in a besieged strip. The pauses, according to White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby, were the fruit of conversations between American and Israeli officials in the past several days, including conversations between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to Kirby, the pauses would let people escape danger, permit the delivery of humanitarian goods, and even serve as a means of freeing captives.

Kirby also added that a ceasefire was completely off the table since it would allow Hamas to "legitimize what they did on Oct. 7 and we simply are not going to stand for that at this time." Regarding the flow of humanitarian aid to Gazans, Kirby alleged that "a four-hour pause, for instance, will allow potentially to move humanitarian assistance into that localized area over that span of time."

Israeli officials said this is not new and that for several days now they announced pauses to allow people from northern Gaza to go south. "There is nothing more than that", a senior official stated.

Fights broke out outside the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles during a screening of graphic footage depicting the Hamas attack on Israel. The 43-minute film titled "Bearing Witness" showcased extremely graphic and violent content documenting the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Anti-Israel protesters physically attacked Jews attending a screening of the Oct. 7th Hamas Massacre organized by actress Gal Gadot.

The IDF reported "Contrary to publications, the "movie of horrors" was not leaked. The film is screened in a limited manner to decision makers, media and influencers in Israel and around the world subject to strict conditions and accompanied by an IDF representative or an authorized person on his behalf. The screening of the film is intended to legitimize the activities of the IDF, and to present to the world the events of the October 7 massacre. The participants in the screening undertake to comply with the viewing conditions and to sign a document in which they undertake not to photograph or distribute any part of the film. We repeat and ask the public to refrain from spreading false rumors and from forwarding and opening links that claim the film is shown in them."

Biden stated that there was no possibility for a ceasefire on "Israel's" part. When asked by a reporter if there was a chance for a ceasefire following the "pauses deal", Biden responded by saying, "None, no possibility." During his meetings in the Middle East, Blinken was faced with frustration by Arab leaders who are fed up with the blind support the Biden administration has been giving Israel. Blinken's response was to increase his opposition to a ceasefire, saying, “Those calling for an immediate ceasefire have an obligation to explain how to address the unacceptable result that would likely bring.”

In recent weeks, the IDF had been continuously informing the residents of the northern Gaza Strip that they must move south to the Gaza River for their safety. Despite this, the terrorist organization Hamas continues its attempts to prevent the residents of the Gaza Strip from moving south for their personal safety.

IDF Spokesman in Arabic, Lt. Col. Avihai Adrei addressed the residents of Gaza: "I am addressing the Gazan public - your power is stronger than you think! Share with us if Hamas prevents you from moving south on the Telegram account at the attached number! Yesterday we published the name and position of Ahmed Tsiam - commander A group in Hamas that prevented thousands of residents of the Alerntisi hospital from moving south to Nahal Gaza and defending themselves.

The fighting has prompted massive displacement, with the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs saying 50,000 people fled Wednesday for the southern part of the Gaza Strip. That figure was by far the highest this week. The U.N. said a total of 72,000 people had evacuated northern Gaza since Sunday.

As crowds of displaced people from the north of the Gaza Strip towards its south, the majority of whom were women and children, witnessed horrific scenes, with bodies and body parts scattered on both sides of Salah al-Din Street, the main and only street that the occupation army designated as a path for the displaced, after it closed Al-Rashid Street. Al-Sahel, in the context of its ground operation that began on Tuesday of last week.

The displaced talk about corpses being mauled by dogs, torn body parts, and dead and rotting animals along the road extending from the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in southeastern Gaza City to Al-Shuhada Junction. The occupation army forces the displaced people to travel a distance of approximately 10 kilometers, on foot, to bypass the “Martyrs’ Junction,” where Israeli tanks and military vehicles are stationed, to reach beyond the Gaza Valley, on their way to the cities and camps in the southern Gaza Strip, whose homes and shelter centers are crowded with thousands of displaced people from Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli forces are trying to penetrate into the center of Gaza City from the northwestern and southwestern sides. The fighting is taking place in the Karama neighborhood axis, Tal al-Hawa and Sheikh Ajlin axis. Israeli forces are facing resistance.

Infantry, armor and engineering forces of the 162nd Division, with the assistance of the Israel Defense Forces and special forces, raided the security quarter of the terrorist organization Hamas in the heart of Gaza City, near Shifaa Hospital. The security quarter area is the core of the intelligence and operational activity of the terrorist organization Hamas and was used, among other things, to plan and prepare its forces for the attack it carried out on October 7. During the last few days, the infantry, armor and engineering forces of the Givati Brigade combat team worked to purify the area and neutralize the many terrorist infrastructures in the area, including a wide underground infrastructure, at the same time as continuous fighting and the elimination of dozens of terrorists.

So far, over 50 terrorists had been killed in the district during heavy fighting. In addition, intelligence documents were found and a number of significant tunnel shafts, factories for the production of anti-tank missiles, and anti-tank missile launchers were destroyed.

IDF soldiers identified and struck two anti-tank terrorist cells in the area of the communities of Biranit and Yiftah. A short while latter, terrorists fired at an IDF UAV in the area of Har Dov, northern Israel. An IDF UAV struck the source of the fire and IDF soldiers are responding with artillery fire. In addition, following an unusual identification in the area of Shtula, northern Israel, IDF troops responded with artillery fire to remove a threat. Furthermore, yesterday (Wednesday), IDF troops struck a terrorist cell adjacent to the border in the area of Rosh HaNikra, in northern Israel.

Based on ISA and IDF intelligence, an IDF fighter jet killed Ibrahim Abu-Maghsib, Head of Hamas’ Anti-Tank Missile Unit in the Central Camps Brigade. As part of his position, Maghsib directed and carried out numerous anti-tank missile launches directed at Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. As part of the assistance to ground forces, Israeli Navy forces struck Hamas anti-tank missile launching posts used to attack IDF troops in the Gaza Strip.

IDF soldiers located a Hamas weapons production and storage facility inside a residential building, right next to a children's bedroom. IDF soldiers discovered a Hamas weapons manufacturing and storage facility used to produce and store UAVs and weapons. The site was located in a residential building, in close proximity to schools in the center of the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in northern Gaza. In the building, Hamas’ explosives and operational plans were found right next to a childrens' bedroom.

The Israeli army claimed that it was able to control a site belonging to the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) in the northern Gaza Strip after battles that lasted 10 hours last night. The army explained - in a statement - that this site is located west of the Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that its troops from the 933rd “Nahal” Brigade captured a stronghold of the Hamas Movement, known as outpost 17, in the west part of the Jabaliya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip after a fierce battle that last for around ten hours.

The troops battled Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters who were both “above ground and in an underground route. Inside outpost 17, the troops located many weapons and uncovered tunnel shafts, including one that led to an “extensive underground route,” according to the IDF. The troops also found “significant” Hamas battle plans in the stronghold.

The army said that during the operation to control the site, the soldiers fought a face-to-face battle against militants affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad who were found at the site, whether above ground or in an underground path in the area. The army added that the soldiers completed control of the site after 10 hours of fighting, without any reports of casualties among its ranks. The Hamas or Islamic Jihad movements did not comment on what the occupation announced.

Commenting on the issue, the military and strategic expert, Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi, explained - in a previous bulletin on Al Jazeera - that the Palestinian resistance relies on guerrilla warfare, which is based on the principle of hit and run. The resistance may have considered it in the interest to withdraw from a site, but it continues to target other sites, pointing out: That is if the Israelis believe their claim. Al-Duwairi added that the occupation army does not provide any videos confirming the credibility of what it says, and its statements do not apply to reality and are not accompanied by evidence and are not documented.

Al-Duwairi said that the resistance’s ability to withstand the 33rd day of a war waged against it by the Israeli army - which is considered one of the 10 most powerful armies in the world - means that it is still in control of the battle, indicating that Israel’s push with old mechanisms confirms the truthfulness of the resistance’s statements.

Al-Duwairi added - in an analysis for Al Jazeera - that defeat and victory in battles differ according to the nature of the battles, indicating that what is currently taking place is an asymmetric war between a regular army that is considered one of the four best armies in the world in using technology, and a group of fighters who rely on the simple weapons available to them. Accordingly, Al-Duwairi says, apart from the great destruction that the occupation army inflicted on the Gaza Strip through air and artillery bombardment, its failure to eliminate the resistance means that the latter sees a light at the end of the tunnel, according to him.

Al-Duwairi said that the historically asymmetric war ends in favor of the weak party in terms of the balance of power, and he cited the fact that the Afghan fighters defeated the 3 most powerful armies in the world (America, Britain, and the Soviet Union), all of which were at the height of their power. He added that the Iraqi Islamic resistance defeated the United States, and so did the fighters in Somalia. Al-Duwairi stressed that the upper hand in the war is still in favor of the resistance, which he said will prevail in the end if it continues with the same performance and the same discipline, pointing out that the fighters derive their strength from defending their homeland and honor.

Speaking about the safe zone that Israel is talking about in the south of the Gaza Strip, Al-Duwairi said that there is no safe zone in Gaza in principle because 47% of Israeli bombs fell in the south. Regarding the mechanisms that Israel uses in its ground battle, the military expert confirmed that its start to push with old “M-113” vehicles - instead of the very modern “Tiger” armored vehicle - means that it has already lost many of its modern mechanisms, as the Resistance said.

Al-Duwairi said that Israel's stock of modern "Merkava-4" tanks and Tiger armored vehicles does not allow it to lose many of them in one battle, and thus it began to rely on less advanced mechanisms such as the "Merkava-3" and "M-113" in order to maintain its most modern equipment for any circumstance . A more serious emergency, in his opinion.

Deploying old vehicles gives credibility to the talk of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), about the destruction of more than 136 tanks and vehicles as of yesterday, Wednesday, in addition to 16 vehicles whose destruction was announced today.

Not only that, Al-Duwairi confirmed that not every target that is destroyed is able to document the destruction process, because what appears in the videos it broadcasts proves that some cases require documentation by a photographer alongside the fighter, and this is something that may not be available in all cases during the current battle, in his opinion. The military expert confirmed that the videos broadcast by the resistance are real, modern, and beyond doubt, and that the numbers it announces are the only ones that have been documented, adding, “These numbers explain to us that Israel pushed old battlefield mechanisms instead of the old ones.”

In an activity to thwart terrorist infrastructure in the Jenin refugee camp in the Menasha Brigade, engineering tools uncovered and destroyed dozens of improvised explosive devices. In addition, an IDF aircraft attacked from the air armed men who endangered our forces. As part of the activity, terrorists shot and threw explosives at the forces who responded by shooting at them.

The Israeli army launched continuous military operations in the city of Jenin and besieging its camp amid intense flight of its aircraft, in addition to detaining school students and employees. IDF and MGB fighters under the command of the Kafir Brigade and under the direction of the Shin Bet operated during the day (Thursday) in a counter-terrorism operation in the Jenin refugee camp. During the operation, the fighters exchanged fire with armed terrorists and more than 12 terrorists were killed, more than 20 wanted persons were arrested and five weapons, 4 pistols, ammunition and a lot of military equipment were confiscated. Among the detainees are Nour and Manor Selma, operatives of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. During the operation, soldiers of the Haruv Patrol located and destroyed an underground shaft containing ready-to-use charges. Weapons, ammunition and military equipment were found in searches of other buildings.

Also, following the identification by unit 636 drones, remotely manned aircraft attacked an armed terrorist squad that endangered our forces in the area. Several terrorists were killed as a result of the attack.

Al Jazeera's correspondent said that occupation forces' drones bombed more than one site with missiles in the city of Jenin and the vicinity of its camp, while an Israeli soldier was wounded by resistance bullets in the camp. Large forces from the Israeli occupation army stormed Jenin for the second time within hours with the aim of arresting wanted persons, bulldozing the streets and destroying the infrastructure, and this was accompanied by the outbreak of armed clashes with Palestinian resistance fighters.

The Israeli army also stormed the city of Nablus and pushed military reinforcements towards Balata refugee camp, after storming the town of Dura in Hebron. As a result, confrontations broke out between Palestinian youths and the invading forces, during which the occupation fired live bullets, leading to the death of a young man and the injury of another.

Arrests are carried out by raiding Palestinian homes during the hours of the night until dawn, and detainees are transferred to temporary detention centers, before being referred to the main investigation centers or prisons. Various parts of the West Bank and Jerusalem witness daily raids and incursions into villages and towns by Israeli army forces, accompanied by confrontations, arrests, and shooting and tear gas bombs at Palestinians.

The Israelis published a most wanted list with rewards for any info leading to Hamas leaders.

In order to hold these terrorists accountable, the State of Israel will grant a financial reward to anyone who provides information about the whereabouts of any Hamas member who participated in the incursion. In addition to offering a financial reward to anyone who provides information about the whereabouts of the following people

• $850,000 - Marwan Issa, Abu Baraa
• $800,000 - Muhammad Al-Sanwar Abu Ibrahim -
• $800,000 - Raed Saad, Abu Muhammad
• $750,000 - Izz al-Din Haddad Abu Suhaib:
• $700,000 - Ahmed Ghandour, Abu Anas
• $700,000 - Rafi Salama Abu Salah
• $500,000 - Muhammad Shabana, Abu Anas
• $350,000 - Ghazi Abu Tamaa, Abu Muhammad

Following the warnings in the north of the country, a number of mortar bomb launches were detected from Lebanese territory towards Israeli territory. IDF forces attacked the launcher from which the shooting was carried out. Terrorists launched several anti-tank missiles and fired small arms at the IDF post in the Metula area. IDF forces attacked with artillery and tanks the sources of the fire.

The Israeli police arrested the head of the Supreme Follow-up Committee for the 48 Palestinians (inside Israel), Muhammad Baraka, on charges of trying to organize a demonstration opposing the war on Gaza , while the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club said that prisoners in the Israeli Megiddo prison “are subjected to physical and verbal torture and deprivation of the necessities of life.” The Supreme Follow-up Committee - the highest representative civil society organization for Palestinians within the Green Line - said that Baraka's arrest came after the Israeli authorities considered that the demonstration he wanted to organize "may lead to incitement and harm public peace." Eyewitnesses reported that the Israeli police arrested Muhammad Baraka - a former member of the Israeli Knesset - in the city of Nazareth in northern Israel, and he was transferred to the police station.

The police announced - in a statement - that they had arrested members of the Northern Region Police “for questioning regarding a member of the follow-up committee who is suspected of trying, in contravention of police directives, to organize a demonstration that could be incitement and cause harm to public peace.” The Israeli police prevented the organization of protests against the war launched by the occupation in the Gaza Strip more than a month ago,

The Israeli Supreme Court rejected a request submitted by Palestinians from within the Green Line in objection to the police decision to refuse to grant licenses to organize two demonstrations in the cities of Umm al-Fahm and Sakhnin in northern Israel, in protest against the war in Gaza.

A report in Foreign Policy magazine indicated that at a time when global focus is on what is happening in the Gaza Strip, “some Israeli settlers are exploiting this and are trying to redraw the map in the West Bank.” According to Foreign Policy , “Jewish settlers, supported by Israeli army forces in the West Bank, are intensifying attempts to displace vulnerable Palestinian communities, in the largest expulsion campaign in decades.”

Since the October 7 attack launched by the Hamas movement (classified as a terrorist organization in the United States and other countries), “settlers have been exploiting the guise of war in order to redraw the demographic map in the West Bank,” according to Dror, director and founder of the Kerem Navot organization that monitors settlement activities.

He added to Foreign Policy, “The idea is to force the Palestinians to leave Area C, and besiege them in other places in Area A.” Area C in the West Bank is the occupied territories that the international community views as the basis of the future Palestinian state. Such pressure on Palestinians to leave their areas is not new, but Etkes said, “Some Israeli settlers and officials see the current war with Hamas as an opportunity to intensify violence and intimidation against Palestinians.”

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki registered a formal complaint with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) against Israel after its minister’s threat to drop a nuclear bomb on the Gaza Strip. According to Palestinian state news agency (WAFA), Al-Maliki sent an official letter to the IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi on Wednesday and urged him to address the statements made by Israeli heritage minister Amichai Eliyahu, adding that the nuclear threat is “completing consistent with the prevailing discourse in Israel” against Palestinians. The threat entailed “an official recognition that Israel possesses nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction,” al-Maliki said.

Al-Maliki accused Israel of developing weapons of mass destruction and refusing to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, adding that the threat to use nuclear weapons against one country is a threat to all countries. The foreign minister called on the IAEA and its members states to condemn the Israeli threat and take measures to neutralize the threat to the Palestinian people and its surrounding countries.

In a radio interview, Eliyahu was asked about a hypothetical nuclear option as part of Israel’s ongoing military attack on Gaza. He replied: “That’s one way.” After his comments that caused a scandal in the mainstream Israeli media and the Arab world, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office released a statement saying Eliyahu had been suspended “until further notice.”

A recent analysis of satellite images showed that nearly a third of Gaza City was destroyed as a result of Israeli raids, according to a report published by American Public Radio "NPR". The report said that research conducted by experts Jamon van den Hoek, from Oregon State University, and Corey Shear, from the “KIONE” Center for Studies at New York University, suggested that between 27 percent and 35 percent of the buildings in the northern half of the Strip had been damaged since the beginning of the war on the seventh of October.

In their research, the two experts relied on images taken by the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 satellite, where they estimated that between 13 percent and 18 percent of the buildings throughout the Gaza Strip had been destroyed or damaged, meaning between 38,000 and 51,500 buildings. . Van den Hoek, a satellite imagery expert, said the number of destroyed buildings "is increasing steadily... There is widespread damage in the areas where residents live." Sher pointed out that the northern Gaza area is still witnessing widespread damage to new buildings.

The researchers noted that the period between October 25 and 29, before the start of the Israeli ground attack, witnessed a relative calm in terms of the damage resulting from the bombing.

The researchers estimated that at least 8,900 buildings were damaged or destroyed, representing about 5 percent of the total buildings in the southern region. The report pointed out that with the continuation of Hamas missile attacks, and the intensification of artillery shelling and small arms fire inside the Palestinian territories, determining the source of the damage revealed by satellite images becomes increasingly difficult.

Bystanders

Fatah’s Reformist Democratic Faction vehemently condemns the relentless ongoing Israeli genocide against Palestinian civilians and stands in full gratitude to all those brave voices around the world demanding an end to these atrocities, particularly U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib. Dimitri Diliani, Fateh’s Reformist Democratic Faction’s Spokesperson said that Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib’s courageous call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza embodies the moral compass that should guide international efforts to pressure Israel to halt its slaughtering spree of Palestinian children in Gaza. Her stance is not just a plea for peace but a cry for justice. To undermine her voice is tantamount to complicity in the Israeli genocide that have claimed the lives of nearly 11,000 Palestinians, including 40% innocent children. Half of Gaza’s population is displaced, entire neighborhoods obliterated, and essential civil infrastructure lies in ruins.

Diliani stressed, it is with deep concern that we must address the disturbing Genocidal rhetoric coming from some members of the U.S. administration and Congress, which constitutes a clear complicity in the Israeli genocide in Gaza. Diliani pointed out some of the examples of such genocidal rhetoric that appears to be acceptable in Washington D.C.: Max Miller, a Republican congressman, disgracefully stated on Fox News interview that Gaza should be turned into a parking lot.

Congressman Brian Mast shockingly declared that every Palestinian civilian is a Nazi and should be treated as such. He even wore an Israeli Army uniform in Congress, a deeply troubling display of insensitivity, hostility and complicity in the genocide. Sen. Lindsey Graham brazenly proclaimed, “we should level Gaza,” an outrageous and inhumane sentiment. John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House, and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, clearly expressed dangerously troubling genocidal view that there are no redlines for Israel in its bombardment of Palestinian civilians.

Fatah’s Reformist Democratic Faction demanded an immediate halt to Israeli genocide in Gaza, condemns the Genocidal rhetoric in the U.S. administration and Congress, and calls on the world to unite against these grave injustices.

Dr. Mustafa Barghouti: no one has the right to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people except themselves, and we reject any imposed guardianship over our people. The current expansion of the Israeli occupation is a danger to the entire region. Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, the General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative, said that the Palestinian people will not accept the separation of the Gaza Strip from the West Bank and from Palestine and will not accept the continuation of Israel’s occupation of its land. The Palestinians will also not accept for Gaza to fall under the control of any external entity or the violation of the Palestinian people’s right to self determination. Barghouti has stressed that Netanyahu’s intention to take over the Gaza Strip and impose Israeli military and security control for an undefined period of time means the Israeli reoccupation of the Gaza Strip from within, in addition to the siege that has been imposed from the outside for 17 years. The purpose of the discourse about mediation and placing the Gaza Strip under the control of a foreign entity is to give legitimacy to the Israeli occupation and to relieve it from its humanitarian responsibilities towards the occupied.

Barghouti stressed that what is needed is not the expansion of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank to also include the Gaza Strip, a process the Israeli government has begun with the vicious massacres, genocide, and ethnic cleansing of the Gaza Strip. The only solution is to end the occupation that is the cause of all the tragedies and hardships in the region and to create the opportunity for the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self determination either by the creation of a free independent Palestinian state, or by replacing the racist Israeli apartheid regime with one democratic state with equal rights for everyone.

An opinion in Liberation newspaper said that what it described as the brutality of the attack of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) last October 7 held it responsible from the beginning for the ongoing disaster in Gaza, but the blind brutality of the Israeli response is about to hold it responsible for the same and expose it to disgrace and disgrace. Libération is a daily newspaper in France. It was founded in Paris in 1973 by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July after the protest movements of May 1968, and is considered France's leading leftwing daily.

The article by Thomas Loughran stated that the dehumanization of the enemy - on both sides - is what dominates the justification for the horrific killings, and after what it described as the barbarism of Hamas, it held primarily responsible, the Israeli reaction and the vengeful and racist statements of many leaders of the ruling majority in Tel Aviv began. Aviv, let us realize that the government’s behavior there does not apply to a country that adheres to the basic principles that define democracy.

Israel, as a democratic state with effective elections and checks and balances - as Loughran says - had to respect the Geneva Conventions and international law, but we find armed militias working in the West Bank to increase illegal settlement supported and encouraged by the government, and at the same time the air force is bombing Gaza brutally and indiscriminately in plain sight.

The writer concluded that Israel - which long ago lost the battle of the non-Western world - is on the verge of losing the battle of Western public opinion, and the people of Europe and America will soon demand what we demand against rogue countries in terms of sanctions and boycotts, because Israel risks changing its status in the eyes of the democratic world. It undermines what remains of the moral superiority of democracies in the eyes of citizens in free countries, and it is also the worst betrayal of the founding fathers of Israel.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi rejected a US proposal for Egypt to manage security in the Gaza Strip until the Palestinian Authority can take over after Palestinian militant group Hamas is defeated by Israel, the Wall Street Journal reported. Al-Sisi and his intelligence chief Abbas Kamal met with Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns in Cairo and discussed the American proposal, WSJ reported citing senior Egyptian officials. “The Egyptian president said his government wouldn’t play a role in eliminating Hamas as it needs the militant group to help maintain security at the country’s border with the Gaza Strip,” the officials said.

With Jordan and Egypt closing the doors to any discussion related to the proposal to deploy their forces in the Gaza Strip after the end of the war, questions are being raised about the reasons behind this position, whether on the part of these two countries, or on the part of other Arab countries that followed the same tone, during the past days.

Next Saturday, Saudi Arabia is scheduled to convened an emergency Arab summit to discuss the ongoing war in Gaza, and with the lack of clarity on the main headlines that the leaders of countries will focus on, observers who spoke to the Al-Hurra website rule out that the proposal to “deploy forces” will reserve a place on the table, despite the presence of rejection.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi said that his country "rejects any talk about post-war administration of Gaza, through Arab or non-Arab forces." This statement was followed by a report from the Wall Street Journal in which it said that “the United States proposed to Egypt to manage security in the Gaza Strip temporarily,” but Cairo “rejected.”

According to the newspaper, the Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns, discussed the proposal with the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and his intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel. The proposal came, according to the American newspaper, “so that the Palestinian Authority can assume full responsibility after the defeat of Hamas” in the current war between Israel and the Palestinian movement, which is classified on the terrorist list in Israel, America, and the European Union. But Sisi rejected the proposal, saying that “Egypt will not play a role in eliminating Hamas because it needs the armed group to help maintain security on the border,” according to the Wall Street Journal.

While "international administration and the deployment of international forces emerge as one of the options," former Jordanian Minister of Information, Samih Maaytah, said, "America and Israel prefer to deploy Arab forces, and are trying to market this matter." In an interview with Al-Hurra website, Maaytah believes that the Egyptian rejection comes from the premise that Egypt is “the country closest to Gaza,” while Jordan rejects the proposal “because it finds that it places the burden of preserving Israel’s so-called security on Arab countries.”

The reasons also relate to the fact that “the required Arab position is not to contribute to changing the situation in Gaza, but rather to work to stop the aggression, and then go to a political process, the goal of which is to grant the Palestinians their rights, the most important of which is the Palestinian state.”

Dr. Abdullah Al-Assaf, a professor of political media in Saudi Arabia, believes that “the issue of deploying Arab forces is unacceptable and contains a kind of political malice, because it will lead to transferring the conflict to an Arab-Arab.” Therefore, “there will be a big problem,” Al-Assaf explains to Al-Hurra website, saying: “There may be an attempt to penetrate from the Palestinian side and force the Arab forces to deal with fire, which will turn the problem into an Arab-Arab one.” Also, "Arab forces may clash with Israeli forces, and thus the conflict will become regional and turn into a conflict."

The same speaker believes that “the presence of international forces under the supervision of the United Nations is the internationally accepted path,” and that “this is the most important thing that must be pointed out at the present time.”

The item regarding sending Arab or Egyptian forces to Gaza “after the war” was raised in more than one Egyptian-European and Egyptian-American discussion. It was even raised during the recent visit of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to Cairo, according to Al-Ahram newspaper's editor-in-chief, Ashraf Al-Ashry. In an interview with Al-Hurra website, Al-Ashry believes that “the proposal is absolutely rejected, because it is not consistent with or responsive to the Egyptian and Arab positions, which believe that a Palestinian state must be established through a political settlement.” “Once the war ends, a big question arises: What will the next day look like?” Al-Ashry explains, “His country, along with the Arab countries, is currently seeking a ceasefire, after which it will turn to searching for a political settlement.""

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with ABC news aired Monday that Israel could resume responsibility for security in Gaza “for an indefinite period.” Netanyahu said: “I think Israel will, for an indefinite period will have the overall security responsibility [in Gaza] because we've seen what happens when we don't have it. When we don't have that security responsibility, what we have is the eruption of Hamas terror on a scale that we couldn't imagine.”

The US rejected the Israeli PM’s proposition and Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that Israel should not reoccupy Gaza but there may be a transition period after the end of the conflict with Hamas. Blinken said: “Gaza cannot continue to be run by Hamas… It’s also clear that Israel cannot occupy Gaza. Now the reality is that there may be a need for some transition period at the end of the conflict, but it is imperative that the Palestinian people be central to the governance of Gaza and the West Bank.” “We’re very clear on no reoccupation, just as we’re very clear on no displacement of the Palestinian population,” he stressed.

Axis of Resistance

The military spokesman for the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement [PIJ], stressed that the Al-Quds Brigades declared, from the beginning, that they were “an integral part of the Al-Aqsa flood, and stand shoulder to shoulder alongside the mujahideen brothers in the Al-Qassam Brigades ,” and added, “The youth, heroes, and mujahideen of the Al-Quds Brigades are like a roaring wave in this flood, sometimes with artillery and missile force and with elite sniper heroes.” At other times, armor and other military formations that repel tank columns and enemy army mercenaries on all fronts of the fighting.”

Abu Hamza praised the steadfastness and steadfastness of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, who he said were being subjected to a war of extermination imposed on them, where houses were being bombed on the heads of their residents and blood was being shed. The Israeli occupation vowed that it would not achieve victory against a people who knew only the path to victory, and “we will destroy your hopes on the land of Gaza , just as we destroyed the hopes of your ancestors on the walls of Acre.”

He reassured the Palestinian people, and all the lovers, supporters and advocates in the world, that the Al-Quds Brigades and the Resistance are “a thousand thousand fine” and “that the enemy, which has been trying for many days to advance from several axes, is drinking pain and terror with its tanks that have become mobile coffins."

Abu Hamza also said that the Palestinians "are facing a global war whose clear goal is to annihilate the Palestinian people, and the enemy is targeting everything, even its prisoners, who are now in the grip of the Al-Quds Brigades and the Resistance Brigades."

Deputy Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Sheikh Saleh Al-Arouri, said that the Battle of Al-Aqsa Flood revealed the brutal face of the United States of America, and demonstrated the inability of the entire world to provide cover and protection for civilians and children. He pointed out that it was the Western world that gave the occupation cover for this criminal brutality, which revealed its true criminal face by continuing to deliberately kill women and children.

He stressed that the occupation is very focused on targeting hospitals, especially Al-Shifa Hospital , claiming that under this hospital there is the battle management and the military leadership of the resistance. He described this claim as “very ridiculous” because it is a hospital that contains tens of thousands of sick and displaced people.

He continued, asking, "How can there be a military administration center in this crowded place!? Have all the places in Gaza narrowed down to accommodate the resistance leadership until it is in Al-Shifa Hospital?" This is ridiculous talk. He stressed that the occupation policy is to displace the population of the Gaza Strip from north to south, pointing out that the plan in the beginning was to displace them out of Gaza, noting that the steadfast Palestinian people thwarted their plans.

He pointed out that it is possible for the occupation tanks to control some areas and this will result in stopping the firing of rockets from that area, but that will not stop the resistance fighters and their targeting of its tanks and soldiers, stressing that the longer the occupation expands on the ground, the more its losses will increase and it will sink into the quagmire of resistance.

He explained that this battle is called the Al-Aqsa Flood . It is not the battle of Gaza, but rather the battle of Jerusalem, and all free people in the world who have human consciences must move with this battle. Stressing that the Palestinian people will never be defeated and their victory is inevitable.

The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas called on the masses of the Palestinian people, the Arab and Islamic nations, and the free people of the world to escalate the movement rejecting the Israeli aggression and America’s support for it, and in support of the right of the Palestinian people to liberation, return, and self-determination, calling for the expansion and continuity of the crowds in all cities, capitals, and squares on all continents of the world.

The movement stressed in a press statement the need to make the coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday days to strengthen solidarity with the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip , and to put pressure on the occupation and the American administration to stop the aggression and genocide against civilians.

Hamas called on the masses to carry the slogan, “Stop genocide and starvation... Freedom for Palestine.” This comes in light of the continuation of genocide and Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip for the thirty-fourth day, and its perpetration of horrific massacres and escalation in starvation and thirst for children.

In another statement, Hamas called on "the masses of people in the West Bank and everyone who can carry weapons to come to Al-Nafir to break the siege on the Jenin camp , clash with the fascist occupation army, and escalate resistance with it in all available forms and tools." It stressed that "the occupation that suffers defeat in Gaza will also suffer defeat in Jenin al-Qassam, and will not succeed in breaking the will of our people from Gaza to the West Bank. Resistance is a spirit that runs through us and our people who are stationed, and we will continue to pursue the occupiers until victory and liberation."

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had a meeting during the 16th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The central topic of their discussions was the situation in Gaza within the context of the Palestinian-Israeli struggle. Turkish sources reported that the talks primarily revolved around addressing the humanitarian crisis resulting from ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza, outlining potential steps for resolution.

The two presidents agreed that effective and practical decisions need to be made to help resolve the unfolding catastrophic situation in Gaza when the OIC meets in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday (Nov. 11) to discuss the Israeli aggression on Palestine. The Turkish President stressed the need for the Islamic world to adopt a united position regarding Israeli crimes and increase pressure against the occupying entity.

Iran rejected a G7 statement that called on Tehran "to cease supporting Hamas and taking actions that could destabilize West Asia," including supporting Lebanese Hezbollah and other non-state actors. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani strongly criticized the statement from the G7 countries, which include the United States, Britain, Germany, Canada, Italy, France, and Japan. Kanaani argued that Iran has been actively working to halt the Israeli attacks on Gaza. He expected the G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Tokyo to fulfill their international responsibility by condemning the actions of "Israel" that violate human rights and international law.

“What was expected from the meeting of the Group of seven foreign ministers in Tokyo was to fulfill their international responsibility, including condemning the acts of the Zionist regime that violate human rights and international law in Gaza,” he added.

Iran rejected a G7 statement which called on Tehran to stop supporting Hamas fighters and taking actions that "destabilise" the Middle East. The comment by Tehran came a day after foreign ministers from the G7 group of advanced economies, meeting in Tokyo, expressed support for "humanitarian pauses and corridors" in the Israeli-Hamas war. The G7 also called on Iran to "refrain from providing support for Hamas and taking further actions that destabilise the Middle East, including support for Lebanese Hezbollah and other non-state actors."

Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani "strongly condemned" the statement by the group which includes the United States, Britain, Germany, Canada, Italy, France, and Japan. He said Iran has engaged in "non-stop efforts to stop military attacks of the Zionist aggressor regime (Israel) on the defenceless citizens" in Gaza.

"What was expected from the meeting of the Group of 7 foreign ministers in Tokyo was to fulfill their international responsibility, including condemning the acts of the Zionist regime that violate human rights and international law in Gaza." Iran, which supports Hamas financially and militarily, has hailed the Palestinian group Hamas' attack on Israel as a "success" but denied any involvement. 7President Ebrahim Raisi has said Iran sees it as "its duty to support the resistance groups" but insisted that they act independently.

7

Allied for Democracy

The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth published a report in which it considered that a temporary ceasefire in Gaza would allow the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas to transport supplies to the tunnels that were not targeted, and supply those inside them with weapons and other things, and that Hamas would seek to detain soldiers from the occupation forces, after declaring a humanitarian truce, according to their claim.

It added that Tel Aviv considers that the truce will be an opportunity for Hamas to stockpile and equip its missiles, and that the truce will be used by Hamas to transfer detainees held by the resistance in Gaza, in addition to the fact that Tel Aviv may agree to a truce of only 5 to 6 hours, which allows for improving the humanitarian situation for the displaced in the south of the Gaza Strip, and this is what It will meet the aspirations of the world that is pressing for this truce,

Israeli opposition leader told i24NEWS that a West Bank-like settlement with PA-managed governance is the lesser evil There is no magic formula for establishing governance in the Gaza Strip once Hamas is eradicated, Israeli opposition leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid told i24NEWS. "We only have bad choices, but the least bad is for the Palestinian Authority to be back in Gaza, with a strong support system from the international community and Arab world." He added that Israel would need to maintain control over the security apparatus, describing a situation akin to the current division of the West Bank into spheres of military and civilian authority.

Asked apropos of Hezbollah whether sharing a border with yet another Islamist terror force hellbent on Israel's annihilation seems like a sustainable option in the aftermath of October 7, Lapid admitted that in the long run the situation is unsustainable; however, as Israel's immediate goal was eradicating Hamas in the Gaza Strip, he said that opening another front in the war, beyond the continuous Hezbollah rocket attacks and the Israeli retaliation, would be strategically unwise.

A rocket strike targeted US forces at Ain al-Assad base in western Iraq three consecutive times a few hours apart with different weapons that hit their targets. The first bombing was carried out through a rocket strike, while the second bombing was carried out through a drone strike. Later, the US base of Harir in northern Iraq also came under attack with drones, the responsibility of which was claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. The Resistance group issued a statement, saying, "Our freedom fighters targeted the US occupation base of Harir with two drones that directly hit their targets."

The majority of United States citizens believe that Biden is inadequately handling the "Israel's" aggression on Gaza, a poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research revealed. At least 63% of poll-takers said that Biden is not doing enough to manage the situation in occupied Palestine, bring a ceasefire, or limit civilian casualties. The survey was conducted from November 2 to 6, and shows that Americans are divided on whether Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip have gone too far.

According to the survey's results, 40% of Americans believe that "Israel's" response in the Gaza Strip has gone too far. However, a greater portion of Biden's Democratic Party answered yes when asked the same question, as 58% of Democrats share this belief. Shockingly, 18% of Americans said that "Israel's" bombardment and shelling of the Gaza Strip has not gone far enough. The poll was published at a time when over 10,500 Palestinians had been killed by "Israel" in the Gaza Strip, including upward of 4,300 children.

According to Politico, the US supports the Israeli objective of annihilating the Palestinian Resistance, despite the grave humanitarian costs, not only out of regard for their Israeli ally but also because annihilating the Palestinian Resistance is an American interest just as much as it is an Israeli interest.

"What’s not said in public: Destroying — or at least degrading Hamas — is in the U.S. interest on multiple levels," the report reads. The news website pointed out the reasons Washington is not putting effort to end the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, is because:

• The US perceives Hamas as being an "Iranian proxy" and thus sees the annihilation of Hamas as a scored victory against Iran.
• The US perceives Hamas as a "destabilizing force" in the Middle East which threatens US regional interests.
• Hamas opposes the US-proposed compromise of a two-state solution.

According to a senior US defense source, the US has taken "additional measures to communicate directly with Iran" to convey that it does not intend to escalate warfare in the Middle East amid the Israeli aggression on Gaza. It follows the Pentagon's announcement of an airstrike on Thursday that targeted the outskirts of the city of Deir Ezzor from the direction of Port Said Street and Harabesh. The missiles targeted a bakery and empty warehouses, according to Al Mayadeen field sources.

The official told CNN, “In light of heightened tensions stemming from the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, we have undertaken additional measures to communicate directly with Iran, Iran-aligned groups in Iraq, Lebanon, and our regional partners." "We aim to clarify that our military actions do not signal a change in our approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict, and we have no intentions of escalating conflict in the region.”

chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles Q. Brown, stated that Israel's aim for its military in Gaza, which would be the complete destruction of Hamas, was "a pretty large order." In turn, he added that Israel's main target is the senior leadership of Hamas, which he thought was easier to achieve.