Operation Iron Swords - Day 35 - 10 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 1,200, 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

Palestinian health authorities say that more than 11,078 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 4,506 children [down from 4,800 children previously reported] and 3,027 women, and 678 elderly people. These subtotals fluctuate inexplicably]. The average of children martyrs was six per hour, while female martyrs is five per hour.

In addition, the number of injured rose to about 27,500 [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 1,500 children, and presumed buried under rubble. On the West bank, at least 183 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.

Alalam News Network, part of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, reported "War crimes committed in Gaza , affecting 42,000 Palestinians , who are direct victims of this war, including martyrs, wounded and missing, meaning about 2 percent of the total population of Gaza became direct victims as a result of this aggression, either martyrs or wounded, which means that the hospitals of the Gaza Strip are receiving an average One "

The leader of the Hamas movement Osama Hamdan confirmed that the number of Israeli army deaths during the battles in the Gaza Strip is double what the occupation announced, Hamdan stated: "We confirm with complete confidence that the number of deaths in the Israeli army is many times higher than what is announced, and the Israelis brazenly admit that telling the truth serves Hamas, so they are lying."

Israel revised down the death toll from last month’s Hamas attacks in southern Israel from 1,400 to 1,200, according to a foreign ministry spokesman. “This is the updated number. It is due to the fact that there were lot of corpses that were not identified and now we think those belong to terrorists ... not Israeli casualties,” ministry spokesman Lior Haiat told AFP.

The Israeli army reported the death of 356 soldiers and officers, 39 of them were killed since the start of the ground operation in the besieged Gaza Strip. At least 5,431 Israelis were injured.

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 IDF reported that since the beginning of the war, over 1,540 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, over 930 of whom are associated with the terrorist organization Hamas. 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 ).

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported an Israeli official saying that there are advanced talks to release Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners with American-Qatari mediation. The same source said that these talks aim for an expanded deal to release the prisoners through American-Qatari mediation. Israeli Channel 12 reported that Israel will take difficult decisions to complete a prisoner exchange deal, saying that the release process may take place in stages and during the days of the truce.

It added that there are negotiations between the Director of the CIA, William Burns, and the head of the Mossad, and also with the Qatari side, regarding the detainees. In the same context, Israeli sources - citing Israeli officials - reported that they are aiming for a broad exchange deal, and that they are ready to pay the price. Israeli Channel 13 quoted high-ranking officials as saying that no agreement has yet been reached regarding the detainees, that negotiations are continuing, and that they are interested in a broad deal and are prepared to conclude it and pay the price.

The sources added that Israel is trying to reach a large deal that will include the release of many detainees, and not small deals as reported by foreign media. It explained, "An agreement has not been reached yet, and we are continuing talks at the same time as the fighting." An unnamed Israeli political official told the channel, "There is no agreement or understanding. There has been talk about the issue for many days, and this talk is continuing. We are trying to exhaust every opportunity" to bring the detainees.

Countries, including Qatar and Egypt, are mediating between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) to reach a prisoner exchange deal between the two parties, ending the ongoing escalation in the Gaza Strip. The Hamas movement expressed its readiness for an exchange deal that includes “all Israeli prisoners” in Gaza, in exchange for all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, who number more than 7,500.

In previous statements, Hamas indicated - in statements issued by its officials - its readiness to complete this deal in stages, but stressed that it will not take place under fire. The " Al-Qassam Brigades ", the military wing of Hamas, confirmed - days after the launch of the " Al-Aqsa Flood " battle on the 7th of last October - that it intends to release civilian detainees as soon as field conditions permit. Hamas also said that it was ready to conclude a deal to exchange "all its Israeli prisoners for all Palestinian prisoners in occupation prisons." Hamas leader Osama Hamdan said - last Wednesday - that the resistance will force the Israeli Prime Minister to pay the price in exchange for the release of his soldiers.

The families of Israeli prisoners are pressuring the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to conclude a deal that may include all prisoners in Israeli prisons under the title "All for All."

Operational Update

About two weeks after the Israeli army announced the expansion of its military operations in Gaza, the picture is still unclear about the extent of progress that Israel has made in achieving its goals of eliminating the Hamas movement in response to the movement’s attack. In statements to the American Fox News network, commenting on the field progress of the Israeli army, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that its progress is “exceptionally good against terrorists on the ground and underground.” He stressed, "We will continue until Hamas is eliminated," and "nothing will stop us." He continued, "I have set goals, but I have not set a timetable because it may take longer." He added, "We are moving forward step by step, minimizing our losses while trying to reduce and mitigate civilian losses and increasing the losses of Hamas terrorists to the maximum extent, and so far, I think everything is going well."

The Wall Street Journal quoted an informed source as saying that the American intelligence community doubts Israel's ability to achieve its declared military goal of eliminating the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ). The source added that the Israeli military campaign on the Gaza Strip could harm Hamas and its infrastructure, but it would not be able to eliminate Hamas' ideology.

A congressional official confirmed to the newspaper that the most realistic goal is to buy Israel security for years but not forever, without further details. The newspaper also quoted Israeli officials as saying that Hamas leaders may maintain the core of their forces despite the intense attacks. An Israeli officer added that the more complex stages of the war may not have begun yet, as the more the Israeli army penetrates, the more difficult the battle becomes.

The Al-Qassam Brigades , the military wing of the Hamas movement, announced that it had targeted eight Israeli army tanks in Gaza with “ Al-Yassin 105 ” missiles, in addition to targeting a gathering of Israeli forces northwest of the city. The military media affiliated with the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades broadcast scenes of rocket salvoes being fired towards the occupied Palestinian territories. Earlier, the brigades reported that they had bombed Tel Aviv, the Reim base, and Nirim kibbutz (military agricultural settlement). They also announced that they had destroyed 8 armored vehicles and targeted Israeli soldiers with a missile dropped on them by a drone before hitting them with mortar shells.

Retired Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi believed that despite the Israeli incursion into some areas of the Gaza Strip, the decisive battle has not yet begun. He said that the Israelis used all types of crime and all their capabilities, but they were unable to achieve their goals that they and the Americans announced, which were the elimination of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the absence of any future role for it in the Palestinian arena.

Al-Duwairi explained that the occupation, until this moment, has not entered the decisive battle, and that its means, capabilities, and mechanisms have not lived up to the level of achieving the military goal, which is to disarm Hamas. He added that Hamas is "an idea and a doctrine that cannot be eliminated," and even if that happens, factions emanating from it will emerge and will be more determined to demand the realization of justice.

Al-Duwairi said that the next phase of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip will be more violent than before, expecting that the losses of the occupation army will be greater than what will be announced even by the Martyr Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ).

Al-Duwairi added, in an analysis for Al Jazeera, that the war, which has entered its 35th day, has begun to exceed the duration of the 2006 war that took place between Israel and Hezbollah and lasted 34 days, pointing out that what is declared regarding the area of control of the occupation forces on the ground is less than the actual reality.

In this context, he explained that the progress achieved by the Israeli forces, from both sides of Al-Rashid Street extending from north to south, was limited to the main road without the ability to control the side streets, referring in this context to a statement by an Israeli armored unit commander that the more the forces penetrated, the more difficult the battle became.

He pointed out that the areas of invasion carried out by the occupation forces previously are known to have a lower urban density than others, and their streets are wider, and therefore the possibility of movement of vehicles in them is greater, but as they go deeper, the occupation will not be able to employ its vehicles in an ideal way, due to the complexities in terms of buildings and backfilling and the lack of firing ranges. Which makes combat mostly from zero distance.

Al-Duwairi concluded that this will increase the complexity and difficulty of the battle, and thus the losses of the attacking party will increase, as a minimum of 4 armored brigades are deployed, each of which is supported by two infantry battalions, the average number of each of which is between 450 and 500 members, which is the number that turns into a weak point. In light of the resistance's ability to confront zero and destroy Tiger armored vehicles.

The military expert said that - due to this expected development - the fighting will be more violent than its previous stages, and the number of losses of the occupation army in personnel and equipment will be higher than what is expected to be announced by the Qassam Brigades, as well as what the occupation army will announce.

The Chief of the General Staff, Herzi Halevi, and the Head of the Israel Security Agency (ISA), Ronen Bar, entered into the heart of the Gaza Strip, together with combat units, to conduct a situational assessment in the field.

Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi: "The main source of strength in this war, which I feel all the time, is our cooperation. I look around and see the IDF, in every corner, everyone is doing everything that they can so that you will be as strong as possible. There is nothing that they will not do to help you work well. Keep moving forward, in a thorough way, you set the pace. We are behind you!"

Head of the Israel Security Agency, Mr. Ronen Bar: "There is great and unprecedented awe both amongst the public, the political echelon, and inside Hamas. This continues to improve. As a representative of the ISA I can tell you that during the war, we work for the IDF."

IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari reported : "Yesterday we also operated in Syria, Lebanon and the Red Sea area. We are now operating deep in Gaza City, blowing up shafts and from the air. Hamas still uses civilians as human shields and continues to use hospitals and schools. They are constantly engaged in moves To return the kidnapped, we will not miss a single opportunity."

"In the north, terrorist infrastructures of Hezbollah are being attacked, in response to the infiltration of drones. We will respond to the vessel that penetrated from Syria to Eilat, Syria is responsible for everything that comes out of its vessel. The conversation between the pilot and his son fighting on the ground symbolizes the united front. When there is an update about the abductees - the families will be updated first."

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah - launched drones and rockets at Israeli military sites in northern occupied Palestine and the occupied Lebanese territories. The first drone targeted the "Yiftah Kadesh" barracks (in the occupied Lebanese village of Qadas), while the other two targeted the newly established gathering east of "Hatzorit Yehoshua" (in the occupied Lebanese village of Prophet Yehoshua).

Three "aircrafts" [UAV??] infiltrated into Israeli territory from Lebanon. One was intercepted by the IDF Aerial Defense Array and the other two fell in an area in the north. The “Yahalom” (Patriot) Missile Defense System intercepted a UAV yesterday adjacent to Eilat.

Since the beginning of the war, the IDF has struck over 15,000 terror targets in the Gaza Strip and located 6,000 weapons.

In recent days, combined IDF forces have continued to strike numerous terror targets in the Gaza Strip, as well as numerous Hamas terrorists. The coordination between aerial, naval, and ground forces continues, as hundreds of targets, guided by intelligence and infantry, are struck in short timeframes by the IAF and Israeli Navy.

In a rare escalation, heavily armed confrontations erupted on Thursday evening between Islamic Resistance fighters from Lebanon and Israeli occupation forces stationed in the "Misgav Am" military base, an Al Mayadeen correspondent in southern Lebanon reported. The confrontations, which lasted for over 30 minutes, come as operations against Israeli bases in northern occupied Palestine in support of Gaza expand in both nature and volume. Earlier, the resistance announced that they had attacked the Israeli "Rameem" military site with appropriate weapons and a group of Israeli infantry soldiers in "Shtula" with guided missiles. Direct hits were confirmed.

The Israeli forces fired phosphorus shells on the outskirts of the town of Markaba, near a point belonging to the Lebanese Army, in the aftermath of the attacks. The Israeli forces also bombed the outskirts of the villages of Al-Jabin, Yarin, Houla, Mais al-Jabal, Umm al-Tut, and Marouhin.

The Israeli army claimed that its forces stormed Hamas military sites and took control of buildings containing missiles, drones, maps and mortar shells, in addition to storming the office of Muhammad al-Sinwar, brother of the leader of the Hamas movement in Gaza, Yahya al-Sinwar, where documentation of military doctrine was located. Israeli tanks had penetrated towards the Al-Nasr neighborhood in northwest Gaza City, and the Palestinian resistance was engaged in clashes with the forces.

IDF soldiers of the 7th Brigade conducted raids on a Hamas military post and a training compound located in the heart of civilian areas inside the Gaza Strip. The soldiers secured buildings and siezed dozens of weapons, missiles, UAVs, maps, communication devices, mortars, attack drones and technological assets. During the raid, the troops eliminated approximately 30 terrorists.

In an additional operation, forces from the 7th Brigade, along with soldiers from the Yahalom Special Ops Engineering Unit, conducted a raid on a military post of the Hamas "Zabra" Battalion. The forces discovered operation and calibration systems for anti-aircraft missiles. Besides the rocket launching system, the IDF soldiers found several mortars, weapons, a loaded rocket launcher, technological assets, electronic components and multiple intelligence documents that were used by the Hamas terrorist organization.

Over the past day, based on precise IDF intelligence, IDF troops killed numerous Hamas' Nukbha terrorists who participated in the October 7th massacre. Among the terrorists were Ahmed Musa, a company commander and Omar Al-Hindi, a platoon commander, both were located in western Jabalya. Additionally, based on IDF and ISA intelligence, the Head of the Sniper Array of Hamas’ Northern Brigade, Mohammed Kahlout was killed. Based on ISA intelligence, IDF troops struck overnight 19 Hamas terrorists who planned to attack IDF troops. Furthermore, IDF troops struck a shipping container located at a beach, containing approximately 20 rocket launchers. During an activity in Sheikh Ijlin, the troops located a rocket launcher adjacent to resident buildings. All weapons located were struck or confiscated by IDF troops.

IDF 401st Armored Brigade "Iqvot HaBarzel"t in recent days was storming the Bader outpost, held by militants from the Al-Shati Refugee Camp battalion. The battalion headquarters, several sites with missile launchers and several firing points with anti-tank systems were destroyed, and a network of underground tunnels was also discovered. During one of the raids in the Blue Beach area on the Gaza coast, brigade units came under fire from anti-tank crews located in the hotel building. As a result of the battle, 30 militants were allegedly killed. Also on the coast, homemade MLRS were discovered , camouflaged by placing them in sea containers.

IDF ground troops killed numerous terrorists and struck terror infrastructure and weapons belonging to Hamas' Zabra Tel Elhua Battalion. These activities are a part of the joint intelligence effort of the IDF and ISA to significantly degrade the battalion, including the elimination of the battalion's commander, which was announced on November 3rd. IDF troops conducted raids, which included extensive battles in the southern area of Sheikh Ijlin, in western Gaza City, where a significant number of Hamas operatives were located. During the raids, the troops killed numerous terrorists from Hamas' Zabra Tel Elhua Battalion and struck terrorist infrastructure, including tunnel shafts, rocket launchers, weapon depots, observation posts, and terror tunnels.

IDF ground troops are continuing to operate in Gaza – eliminating terrorists and directing aircraft and artillery to strike terrorist infrastructure. Since the beginning of the ground operation, the IDF has taken control of 11 military posts belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization. In addition, IDF soldiers identified a suspicious vehicle parked in a necessary transit area used by the troops. Following inspections, the troops confirmed that the vehicle was rigged with explosives – which was subsequently struck by aircraft. During additional ground activity in Gaza, IDF troops located and destroyed an underground tunnel route near a school. Moreover, IDF soldiers identified a terrorist cell approaching IDF troops who were operating in the area. Aircraft struck the cell, removing the threat.

Overnight, IDF naval forces struck infrastructure used by the Hamas terrorist organization against IDF troops in northern Gaza. In addition, weapons depots containing equipment used by Hamas naval forces were struck. IDF infantry forces in Gaza identified military targets inside the Al-Shati Camp and directed IDF Naval Forces which struck the targets.

The Al-Qassam Brigades reported that they had bombed Tel Aviv, the Re'im base, and Nirim, a military agricultural settlement. They also announced that they had destroyed 8 armored vehicles and targeted Israeli soldiers with a missile dropped on them by a drone before hitting them with mortar shells. On the other hand, Al Jazeera's correspondent said that sirens sounded in Sderot and several towns in the Gaza envelope area.

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that there were martyrs and wounded as a result of an Israeli bombing that targeted a group of displaced people on Salah al-Din Street near Wadi Gaza. The reporter said that Israeli aircraft targeted the displaced people while they were on their way to the southern Gaza Strip, after the occupation forced them to flee their areas in the northern Gaza Strip. AJ reported that "The occupation forces repeatedly targeted displaced people from the northern Gaza Strip while they were walking on Salah al-Din Road or the coastal Al-Rashid Street in the west of Gaza. It also constantly bombed the southern areas of the Gaza Strip, despite its claim that it was a “safe” area."

The HAMAS government media office in Gaza announced that 18 hospitals had been out of service since the beginning of the ongoing aggression against the Strip for 35 days. HAMAS officials in the Gaza Strip reported that Israel launched air strikes on at least 3 hospitals or near them today, Friday, threatening the health system, which is facing serious difficulties after the influx of thousands of injured and displaced Palestinians into hospitals. The HAMAS Gaza Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra told Al Jazeera that Israel launched simultaneous raids on a number of hospitals during the past hours.

Al Jazeera's correspondent said that a number of martyrs and wounded were killed in the occupation aircraft's bombing of the clinic building at the Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City, before the head of the government media office in Gaza confirmed to Al Jazeera that 13 martyrs and dozens of wounded were killed as a result of the bombing.

For his part, the HAMAS Gaza Civil Defense spokesman told Al Jazeera that "a number of martyrs were lying on the ground and we could not reach them due to the occupation bombing." Director of Al-Shifa Hospital, Muhammad Abu Salamiya, told Al-Jazeera that Israel is targeting Al-Shifa Complex for the fourth time since dawn on Friday, noting that the occupation is now waging a war on hospitals and the medical sector in Gaza.

The New York Times quoted American officials as saying that the Israeli army had limited time to achieve its goals in Gaza. The newspaper added, citing officials, that the escalation of anger in the region and frustration in the United States will limit Israel's goal of eliminating Hamas. It added that the longer Israel's military campaign in Gaza continues, the greater the chance of the war expanding in the region.

On the other hand, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant confirmed that the war would continue until the overthrow of Hamas and the release of detainees, he said. During a press conference, Gallant pledged to reach all those who killed Israelis in the attack of last October 7. International criticism and demonstrations are escalating in Western capitals against Washington's unlimited support for Israel and its rejection of any ceasefire.

The Israeli army announced the entry of 760 aid trucks into the besieged Strip since the beginning of the war, while 500 trucks of food and other products entered the Strip daily before the war.

Bystanders

Palestinian News Agency (Wafa) quoted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the State of Palestine, expressing his readiness to assume full responsibilities within the framework of a comprehensive political solution for both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Abbas affirmed - in a statement issued on the 19th anniversary of the death of his predecessor, President Yasser Arafat , that he would not accept the re-occupation of the Gaza Strip or the truncation of any parts of it, under any name.

Abbas warned against displacing the Palestinian people outside Gaza, the West Bank, or Jerusalem, indicating that he would not accept a repeat of the 1948 catastrophe or the 1967 exodus. Abbas also reaffirmed that the Palestine Liberation Organization is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and is the independent national decision-maker.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman condemned the Israeli military aggression and targeting of civilians in the Gaza Strip , and violations of international humanitarian law by the Israeli army. In a speech before the Saudi-African Summit held in Riyadh, the Saudi Crown Prince stressed the necessity of stopping the bombing and forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza. This call comes ahead of an emergency Arab summit being held tomorrow, Saturday, in Riyadh, chaired by Saudi Arabia, to discuss the Israeli aggression against Gaza.

The Omani News Agency reported that Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq and US President Joe Biden discussed in a phone call regional issues and developments in the Palestinian arena. The Sultan of Oman stressed to Biden the importance of stopping military operations in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, protecting civilians, giving the humanitarian aspect the highest priority, and emphasizing the importance of resorting to the resolutions of international legitimacy and international humanitarian law. Last Saturday, the Sultanate of Oman called for the formation of an international court for war crimes committed against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

The United Nations Development Program announced that 50% of the housing stock in Gaza was destroyed in one month as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression since last October 7, which led to the death of more than 11,000 people, most of whom were women and children. This came in a press conference held by Abdullah Al-Dardari, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, Director of the Regional Office for Arab States at the United Nations Development Programme, and Rula Dashti, Secretary-General of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA )

The conference was held under the title "The Gaza War...The expected social and economic repercussions on the State of Palestine." Al-Dardari reported that 50% of the housing stock in Gaza was destroyed in just one month, and pointed out, for comparison, that Syria lost this percentage of housing stock in its fourth year of war. In turn, Dashti said that the destruction in Gaza has reached an unprecedented level, and pointed out that 96% of Gazans who cannot access basic services are now suffering from multidimensional poverty. Dashti stressed the need for the international community to come together to establish lasting peace.

The program pointed out in a recent report that approximately 390,000 job opportunities have been lost since the start of the war, and it also stated that GDP losses may range between 4 and 12% in 2023 and between 4 and 9% in 2024 compared to pre-war estimates, depending on how long the war will last. The program report expected that the poverty rate would record a sharp increase, ranging between 20 and 45%. It also expected that the Human Development Index would record a sharp decline, which would set the State of Palestine back between 11 and 16 years, depending on the severity of the war.

In a statement to i24NEWS by the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the Secretary-General reiterated his condemnation of the horrific acts of terror committed by Hamas on October 7th. The statement was given to i24NEWS in order to clarify any misunderstandings of his speech at the UN at the of onset of the crisis. The statement clarifies that Guterres has consistently called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages taken into captivity in Gaza.

Axis of Resistance

The Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) said that the Israeli occupation, with American cover, openly rejects a ceasefire, and called on Arab and Islamic countries to put pressure on Washington to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and open the crossings. The leader of the movement, Osama Hamdan, confirmed during a press conference in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, that there are efforts and contacts with Qatar and Egypt aimed at reaching a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons, but the American-backed occupation is obstructing these efforts so far.

He added that the movement calls on the participants in the Arab summit to take decisive decisions that go beyond the stage of denunciation, and rejects any external interference in the Palestinian issue, in addition to activating forms of boycott of the “Nazi terrorist entity.” He stressed that Arab and Islamic countries possess the cards and tools that enable them to confront American pressure.

"Osama Hamdan, leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), said: "We confirm with confidence that the number of deaths in the Israeli army is many times greater than what is announced. Al-Qassam fighters are still in the midst of the confrontation with the occupation, and their morale in the field is high.

"There are efforts and contacts with Qatar and Egypt aimed at reaching a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons. The Israeli occupation, with American cover, openly rejects a ceasefire. We call for escalation of resistance against the criminal enemy who only understands the language of force. The Israelis brazenly admit that telling the truth serves Hamas, so they lie.

"The American administration's attempts to impose guardianship over the Palestinian people are rejected. Our Palestinian people have begun the process of liberation and return to regain their full, undiminished rights. We call on the participants in the Arab Summit to take decisive decisions that go beyond the stage of denunciation. We call on the participants in the Arab Summit to reject any external interference in Palestinian affairs. We call on the participants in the Arab Summit to activate forms of boycott of the Nazi terrorist entity.

"Arab and Islamic countries have the cards and tools that enable them to confront American pressure. We will continue our jihad and affirm our high appreciation for the Arab and Islamic peoples in solidarity with Gaza."

Earlier in the day, the media advisor to the head of the Hamas political bureau denied that a truce agreement had been reached with the occupation so far. Strategic Communications Coordinator at the US National Security Council, John Kirby, said that Israel had agreed to humanitarian truces lasting 4 hours a day, starting yesterday.

Hamas leader Bassem Naim called on Arab and Islamic countries to put pressure on Washington to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and open the crossings. Naim held the American administration responsible for the martyrdom of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, as a result of the legitimization of genocide crimes against the Palestinian people and the supply of weapons and bombs to the occupation forces.

He stressed that thousands of Palestinian children are at risk of certain death due to hospitals being out of service, pointing out that the Israeli occupation forces targeted more than 135 health centers and public and private hospitals during their war on Gaza. Naim accused the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees ( UNRWA ) of abandoning its responsibilities in the northern Gaza Strip in submission to the occupation's demands to displace its residents. The Hamas leader pointed out that the occupation has so far committed more than 1,130 massacres against the displaced, the latest of which was on the Salah al-Din Road.

He stressed that the Palestinian people will force the world to recognize their rights, principles, and independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The HAMAS government media office in Gaza called on the countries of the world to stop the ongoing occupation army massacres in the Gaza Strip, and to open the Rafah crossing urgently and permanently for the entry of humanitarian and medical aid and fuel to hospitals so that they can continue their work. Aid trucks on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing are waiting for permission to enter the Gaza Strip from Israel, which inspects all trucks before entering the Strip.

The head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Radio and Television Corporation, Dr. Peyman Jabali, and the accompanying delegation visited Al-Manar Channel in the southern suburb of Beirut, where they were received by the channel’s general director, Ibrahim Farhat, where strategies for resistance media were discussed, especially at the current stage.

Jabali considered that the media resistance in the Al-Aqsa Flood battle defeated the major media power in the world and prevented the distortion of reality and facts. Jabali said: “This battle is different because it began with the Battle of Al-Aqsa Flood and the historic victory that is unparalleled in the history of the Palestinian resistance, whether the resistance or the movements that return the land from the Zionist entity.” In the same context, Dr. Jabali stressed the importance of solidarity among the resistance media in conveying events to local and international public opinion.

For his part, Director General of Al-Manar Channel, Ibrahim Farhat, welcomed the Iranian delegation, and thanked the Radio and Television Corporation for its support and standing by the channel, stressing the importance of showing the victories of the resistance in the Battle of Al-Aqsa Flood. Ibrahim Farhat said: “We thank you for this visit, and this indicates something that indicates the keenness of the officials, including you, on the relationship with the Resistance Front, with Hezbollah, and with the resistance in Lebanon, and this is not strange to you and to the responsible brothers in Iran.”

An indication that the head of the Iranian Radio and Television Corporation will visit southern Lebanon , where he will meet a delegation of media professionals and journalists. He will also tour the families of the martyrs of the Islamic resistance who rose on the Jerusalem Road on the northern border with occupied Palestine .

Allied for Democracy

i24NEWS sat down with Israeli President Isaac Herzog to discuss the ongoing war with Hamas. Its clear from Herzog's perspective that Hamas, as an Iranian platform, has stepped in during the crucial time normalization between Israel and more Arab countries than ever before. Even to the New York Times, a Hamas terrorist was quoted saying that their organization wants perpetual violence, and unrest in the Middle East.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the American Fox News channel that the Israeli air and ground attack, which lasted more than a month against Hamas, was taking longer than he had hoped.

The Israeli Prime Minister reaffirmed Tel Aviv’s intention to impose “full security control” on the Gaza Strip , including “complete disarmament,” while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that he would not accept the reoccupation of the Gaza Strip or cutting off any parts of it. Netanyahu said, in a written statement, that “after the elimination of Hamas, there will be complete Israeli security control over the Gaza Strip, including complete disarmament, to ensure that there is no threat from the Strip to the citizens of Israel.”

Netanyahu's statements came during his meeting with the heads of Israeli municipal councils in the towns surrounding the Gaza Strip, which are the settlements that were the first target for fighters of the "Al-Qassam Brigades" - the military wing of the Hamas movement - when the " Al-Aqsa Flood " operation began on October 7th. Netanyahu added, "There is a great determination here on your part (municipal council heads) and on the government's part to return to more than the way things were (before the war), first of all, restoring security - making sure that Hamas does not exist and does not return - but also to make sure “There will be strong life after that in the Gaza Strip.”

The Israeli media raised the idea of Tel Aviv holding negotiations with the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) regarding the prisoners it holds, and the opportunities for calm, which has been increasingly talked about in recent days. Some guests on Israeli television stations, including members of the Knesset (Parliament) and reserve generals, suggested that any process of calm or negotiations must be closely linked to the release of prisoners held by Hamas.

Knesset member Aryeh Adraee said that he did not want to deceive anyone that the defeat of Hamas would be quick, and the leader of the Shas movement added, “It will be a difficult and long task.” In a related context, Amos Malka, former head of the military intelligence unit, stressed that the goals of the war on Gaza need a longer time, “and the way the army operates requires a longer time.” Malka called on the political level to provide this sufficient time to the army and intelligence, claiming that they are "excellent in doing the rest." He believes that there will be certain calms, but he stressed the need for them to be linked to what he called the "kidnapped" in Gaza.

The former commander of the Negotiations Unit in the Israeli Police, Ofer Shahar, touched on the ongoing negotiations regarding the truce and the prisoners, and said, "We have not known anything like it. Over the previous years, Israel has conducted various negotiations." He pointed out that negotiations are a long process; It has successes and failures, as well as moments of despair, wondering what the authorities will say to the family of a prisoner or detainee at some point.

As for Uzi Dayan, former Deputy Chief of Staff of the occupation army, he demanded full control of the Gaza Strip similar to Area B in the occupied West Bank . He also demanded the isolation of the Philadelphia “Salah al-Din” axis, which extends 14 kilometers along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. "Then there will be time to put the remaining Hamas men on trial," Dayan claimed, adding, "We will get many Gazans who are considered the 'nuclear' family of Hamas men. These must be identified and arrested, and then they can be used as bargaining chips."

The Oslo Accords signed between the Palestinian Authority and the occupation government stipulates that the West Bank is divided into 3 areas “A”, “B” and “C”, each of which is subject to specific security and political sovereignty. Area “B” constitutes about 21% of the area of the West Bank and is subject only administratively for the Palestinian Authority and for the security of the Israeli occupation.

The head of the Eshkol Settlements Council said - during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - that they will not return to the “Gaza envelope” as long as the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) is on the border. This council is the first regional council for the “Gaza Envelope” region. It extends over an area of 380 square kilometers, and is inhabited by more than 13,000 people in 32 settlements. The Israeli army evacuated some of the “Gaza envelope” settlements following the “Aqsa Flood” battle, including Sderot, which has a population of 35,000.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that "far too many" Palestinians have been killed and suffered as Israel wages a relentless war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. "A lot is needed to protect civilians and ensure that humanitarian aid reaches them. Too many Palestinians have been killed, too many of them have suffered over the past weeks, and we want to do everything possible to relieve them of harm and increase the aid that reaches them."

Blinken said at the end of his tour, which included the Middle East and Asian countries, that Washington's vision includes rejecting the forced displacement of civilians in Gaza, and rejecting the use of the Strip as a platform to launch attacks on Israel. In a press conference before leaving the Indian capital, New Delhi, Blinken stressed that there is a need to do more to protect civilians in the Gaza Strip. He pointed out that there are concrete and practical plans to allow the entry of more aid trucks into the sector.

Blinken began his marathon tour in Israel with talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He then visited the occupied West Bank, Jordan, Cyprus, Iraq, Turkey, Japan (to participate in a G7 meeting) and South Korea. On the other hand, Blinken affirmed the United States’ support for a future solution based on two Israeli and Palestinian states, considering this the only way to achieve a “lasting and just peace.”

While the US Secretary of State welcomed Tel Aviv’s agreement to daily “truces” in its war to allow residents to leave its north, he sent a message to Israel that “many Palestinians have been killed and many have suffered in the past weeks, and everything possible must be done to protect them from harm and deliver as much as possible.” of aid to them.”

“The war in Gaza is much more than just a conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. It is part of a broader Iranian plan to undermine the US-led security system in the Middle East.” This was the summary of what former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said about Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. In an event after his return from a visit to the Middle East attended by Al Jazeera Net, the Middle East Peace and Security Program at the Hudson Institute, a conservative and right-leaning think tank, hosted Mike Pompeo, who was Secretary of State and Director of the CIA under President Donald Trump.

In his introduction to Pompeo, Michael Doran, a former White House official and expert at the center, pointed out that following the Hamas attacks that resulted in the killing of at least 1,400 Israelis, the Lebanese Hezbollah - which is sponsored by Iran - increased its pressure on the northern border of Israel. He added that when Israel began its ground incursion into the Gaza Strip, the Houthis - who are sponsored by Iran - launched drones and missiles towards Israeli cities. At the same time, Iranian-affiliated "militias" in Iraq and Syria have attacked American bases there at least 40 times since October 7.

Pompeo said that Israel must fight until it is victorious over Hamas, in his opinion, accusing the administration of US President Joe Biden of following a policy of "appeasing Iran," which demonstrated Washington's weakness, which paved the way for Hamas' attacks on Israel. Pompeo expressed his fears that “the Biden administration will slow down the Israeli Prime Minister’s government in its quest to completely eliminate Hamas,” and added, “These will be long weeks, and some of the images that emerge from Gaza will be tragic. But make no mistake about it, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a duty to defend his people in the same way that the United States has this duty.”

Pompeo warned that if the Biden administration did not agree with Israel, it would risk more American lives. Pompeo accused Biden of failing to specifically warn Hamas of the consequences if Americans were exposed to further harm, and said, "We now have Americans being held hostage by Hamas, Iran's puppet, and it is threatening to kill them, and it has already killed nearly 30 Americans so far."

Pompeo warned that if the Biden administration does not agree with Israel, “and if we do not give them the tools they need to continue fighting until the end, until Hamas is eliminated, and the Iranian regime understands that the Israelis are decisive, and they have American support, then we will risk more American lives.” The former US Secretary of State called for the necessity of restoring Israeli deterrence in the Middle East region after the foundations of this deterrence were shaken following the success of the Hamas movement in the Al-Aqsa Flood operation.

Pompeo was surprised that the attacks occurred, and said that he had "many questions for the Israelis about how what happened, and how the Israeli army was late in responding? And another question about how Iran took advantage of this American decline since Biden came to power?" He stressed that it is not possible to talk about the Hamas movement, the Houthi group, Hezbollah, or the militias in Iraq and Syria, without pointing out that the source of funding, training and arming is the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Pompeo asked questions related to what he called “Biden’s distancing of Iran from any responsibility or participation in the attacks of last October 7,” and how senior American military officials confirmed that “Iran has no operational role in the Hamas attacks, and that Iran and its leaders were surprised.” Operation,” warning the Biden administration against “imposing restrictions on Israel’s military movement, which would mean blaming the victim.”

In turn, Michael Doran believed that the relative calm on Israel's northern front was due to Hezbollah keeping its options open, at a time when Hezbollah believed that victory would come "with steadfastness, patience, and the ability to withstand. This is what the enemy does not have." This focus on slowly wearing down the enemy was good news for Israel, according to the spokesman. Duran added that when the war broke out again on October 7, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu feared that Iran had delivered a strong blow from Gaza to prepare Israel for a greater carve-out of Hezbollah, which is much stronger than Hamas, noting that the publication American forces in the Middle East, coupled with the massive mobilization of the Israeli army, deterred both Iran and Hezbollah “or perhaps Iran never had a plan to expand the war.”

For his part, Jonathan Schachter of the Hudson Institute's Center for Middle East Peace and Security, a specialist in international security, strategy and diplomacy, believes that Washington has lost the ability to deter Iran. Schachter recalled what Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the Senate last March, that Iran or its proxies had attacked American sites in Iraq and Syria 83 times since January 2021, and that the United States responded with force only 4 times.

Now, according to Schachter, the administration is trying to deter Hezbollah and Iran from joining the fight between Israel and Hamas. Washington deployed two aircraft carrier strike groups in the region, and conveyed public and private messages to Tehran urging the Islamic Republic to cease fire. But after nearly 3 years of neglect, the American deterrent threat has weakened severely.

Schachter believed that Washington setting a noble goal of preventing the war from expanding is a good thing, but instead of sending a consistent and strong deterrent message to achieve this goal, Washington showed a fear of escalation. Until the Biden administration shows its willingness to escalate and impose costs on Iran for its aggression, Tehran and its “terrorist proxies” will continue to attack US forces and Israel, and perhaps expand the scope and scale of the war in Gaza, which is the “scenario” that the Biden administration is trying to avoid.

The American CBS News network said that senior officials in the State Department held listening sessions for diplomats working in 6 American embassies in the Middle East and North Africa, amid an ongoing internal protest against the approach of President Joe Biden’s administration in the war on Gaza, at a time when the Department is accelerating To address the criticism it faces from its employees in Washington and abroad.

The network explained - in a report written by Olivia Gazis and Camila Schick - that these sessions came amid protests by diplomats and Department employees as the war on Gaza entered its second month, and the rate of “civilian casualties in Gaza increased as a result of Israeli retaliatory military operations.”

In this context, a memorandum was submitted to the Department’s dissent channel. The Department refused to comment on it, but Secretary of State Anthony Blinken personally met with its presenters, noting that the opposition channel was a mechanism established during the Vietnam War for diplomats to present their opinions to senior officials, without fear of retaliation or negative effects on their Professional lives.

“We are proud that the department has an established procedure for employees to express political disagreements directly in this building without fear of retaliation,” said Vedant Patel, deputy spokesperson for the State Department.

Sources told the network that virtual meetings were held with US embassy staff in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq and Oman, and that additional courses will be held soon for staff working in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region, in order to address the concerns of diplomats working in this field, as well as to disseminate the mental health resources it provides.

In Washington, both Blinken and his acting deputy, Victoria Nuland, met several times with employees from across the Department, and two informed sources said that the meetings were emotionally charged and included frank exchanges. Blinken also met with groups in the Department, including: Jewish, Muslim and Arab Americans in the agencies. Foreign Affairs, according to the network.

CNN revealed that US President Joe Biden received stark warnings from American diplomats in the Arab world that Washington's strong support for the devastating Israeli war on the Gaza Strip "makes it lose the Arab masses for an entire generation." The network said that it had seen diplomatic cables that highlighted the deep concern among American officials about the growing anger against the United States in the Arab world since the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza on October 7.

One of the cables - mentioned in the CNN report - came from the American embassy in the Omani capital, Muscat, the day before yesterday, Wednesday, and warned that the United States was “losing badly in the battle of messages,” and indicated that this assessment came after conversations with “a wide group.” From reliable and sober sources in the Sultanate of Oman. The cable - written by the second-highest American official at the Washington Embassy in Muscat - warned that the United States, with its strong support for what Israel is doing in Gaza, is seen as bearing “material and moral responsibility for what they consider to be potential war crimes” against the Palestinians.

Another cable received by the Biden administration from the US Embassy in Egypt referred to what was stated in an article in an official Egyptian newspaper, which stated that “President Biden’s cruelty and neglect of the Palestinians exceeded all previous American presidents.” CNN indicated that the cables were sent to several government agencies, including the National Security Council in the White House, the CIA, and the FBI, in addition to others, to inform them about the wave of anti-American anger sweeping the Middle East, according to the network.

The Chairman of the US Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Mark Warner, said that Israel "is losing global public opinion, and this is demonstrated by the protests everywhere." At the same time, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said that the civilian death toll in Gaza is “very large,” and that the Israeli army must be “more precise” in targeting fighters in the Strip, as he put it. Murphy - a member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee - added, "I fear that if Israel's strategy and ultimate goal is to defeat (the Islamic Resistance Movement) Hamas , then this pace of civilian casualties - which certainly has a moral cost - will also entail a strategic cost." Murphy and about 20 of his colleagues sent a letter to President Biden urging him to demand that Israel “respect the laws of war” and “learn from the mistakes” made by the United States in its war against terrorism, as he described it.

American journalist Chris Hedges acknowledged that Washington fears the consequences and consequences of the war launched by Israel on Gaza, stressing that the American administration “does not have the ability to influence and deter Israel.” Because of the strength of the Israeli lobby in the United States. He said that prolonging the war in Gaza would cause regional and local harm to the United States, and it was concerned about matters in the region getting out of control, which could lead to creating a conflict with Lebanese Hezbollah or even with Iran. He also pointed out that "blind American support for Israel in the last decade is not in the interest of the United States."

However, the American journalist admitted, however, that the United States and Israel are “participating and fully involved in perpetuating the war on Gaza,” noting that the “humanitarian aid” that is being talked about is aimed at emptying the northern region of the Gaza Strip of residents who are being transferred to the region. South. He stressed that the Americans know what Israel wants to do, and said that their focus at the present time is on exerting influence on what Gaza will look like after the war.

Despite his talk about Washington and Tel Aviv's partnership in the war of extermination in Gaza, Hedges confirmed to Al Jazeera as part of the daily analytical pause, "Gaza...what next?" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "fully accepts that US President Joe Biden will suffer collateral damage," explaining that if Biden is influenced politically during the upcoming presidential elections, former President Donald Trump will come , which is what Netanyahu wants.

He recalled that the Israelis had insulted Biden when he was Vice President, during a visit he made to occupied Jerusalem in which he called for not expanding settlements, and said that the insult was directed directly at Biden.

“Why am I fighting AIPAC ? Because it is a cancer in our democracy, and a front for the Republican Party.” These were the words of Mark Pocan, the Democratic representative representing the 2nd District of Wisconsin in the US House of Representatives , which he tweeted on the “X” platform to refer to an interview with the Slate website. Buchan added in his meeting, "I do not care or fear AIPAC. I believe that they represent a cancerous presence in our democracy and politics in general, and if I can become a surgeon and eliminate them, that is wonderful." Following Buchan's attack, a small number of Democrats in Congress were encouraged and publicly accused the organization of spreading lies and distorted information since the start of Operation " Al-Aqsa Flood " on the seventh of last October.

AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) is the largest and most important Jewish lobby organization in the United States and the world. Many see it as one of the most terrifying entities in American politics. It is an influence machine that possesses millions of dollars and influences it in various ways in the heart and details of everything related to American policy towards Israel and the Arab-Israeli conflict in its broader form.

Government data indicate that it is the largest financial donor to the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, and to the Republican leader and Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson. The organization donated more than $50 million to members of the House of Representatives in the last election cycle.

During the last decade, AIPAC has been closely linked to the Israeli Likud and the Republican Party. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expects that Republicans will dominate American politics in the foreseeable future, while the majority of American Jews remain Democrats. This organization, in particular, strongly supports the Netanyahu government, and does not hesitate to spend heavily to defeat any American politician it deems critical of his policies. Therefore, many members of Congress fear angering AIPAC, and cannot bear to be seen as challenging the Israeli “lobby” in any way.