Operation Iron Swords - Day 76 - 21 December 2023

Ccontents

NEW - Operations NEW - Operations Maps NEW - By-Standers NEW - Axis of Resistance NEW - Allied for Democracy UPDATED - Oasis of Martyrs UPDATED - Hostages

Army Radio said that today's missile attack on Tel Aviv and its suburbs is the largest since the start of the latest escalation on October 7th. The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the last salvo fired from Gaza towards Tel Aviv consisted of 30 rockets.

On the 76th day of the war in Gaza , the Al-Qassam Brigades bombed Greater Tel Aviv with a large missile barrage, and announced the killing of 17 Israeli soldiers in two operations in the Strip, while its spokesman, Abu Ubaida, confirmed that the occupation’s goal of eliminating the resistance was doomed to failure, and that it would not recover its prisoners unless If the aggression stops.

The Israeli army continued to bomb residential areas, leaving more martyrs and destruction. At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would continue the war until the “liquidation” of the Hamas movement. On the humanitarian front, the World Food Program has warned of an impending famine in Gaza.

Palestinian ambassador to Austria and permanent observer to the United Nations (UN) in Vienna Salah Abdel-Shafi on Thursday said that Hamas may recognize Israel as a state, reported Russia Today. According to the claim, the terrorist group may shift towards the two-state solution shared by the the Palestinian factions Fatah. The statement came as reports suggest at least a part of the Hamas leadership in Qatar holding secret negotiations with the Fatah. If such talks are to result in reconciliation of the two, Hamas would need to recognize Israel. The secret Hamas-Fatah negotiations in Qatar are said to have caused tensions within Hamas as its political wing in Doha and the military wing in Gaza do not share the same perspective on the post-war governance of the Strip.

The Jerusalem Post newspaper said that Israel informed Qatar that it was ready for a truce for at least a week, in exchange for the release of 40 detainees held by Hamas. The newspaper quoted senior Israeli officials and a foreign source as saying that Israel sent a proposal via Qatar to Hamas to reach a new agreement to release the “hostages.”

According to the Jerusalem Post, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani informed Mossad chief David Barnea that Hamas' condition for renewing negotiations is to stop the war. Barnea said in response that the war will not end until Hamas lays down its weapons and hands over all those responsible and involved in the “October 7 massacre.”

Al Jazeera learned from sources close to the prisoner exchange negotiations between Israel and Hamas that the latter informed the mediators that it is not ready to discuss any humanitarian or comprehensive deal without a ceasefire. The sources also confirmed that the current visit of the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh , to Cairo does not fall within the framework of prisoner negotiations, but rather within the framework of seeking to lift the siege on Gaza and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid, especially since Ghazi Hamad, who is responsible for the crossings in the Gaza Strip, is among the delegation. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that Hamas refused to discuss the Israeli offer before a complete ceasefire in Gaza.

Israeli media said that the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) insists that the upcoming prisoner and detainee exchange deal include the release of 3 prominent Palestinian leaders from Israeli prisons. Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper explained that these three are: Member of the Central Committee of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement ( Fatah ) , Marwan Barghouti, Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Ahmed Saadat , and Hamas leader Abdullah Barghouti , according to what was reported by Anatolia Agency.

Anatolia reported that Palestinian public opinion polls indicate that Marwan Barghouti (64 years old), who has been detained since 2002 and sentenced to 5 life sentences and 40 years in prison, is the most popular among Fatah leaders to head the Palestinian Authority after President Mahmoud Abbas. Yedioth Ahronoth also considered that the release of Marwan Barghouti "is capable of changing the face of the Palestinian Authority."

An investigation by the American newspaper The Washington Post revealed that Israel's evidence does not rise to the level of showing that the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) used Al-Shifa Hospital as a command and control center. The investigation added that none of the five buildings in Al-Shifa Hospital identified by the Israeli army are connected to the tunnel network. The investigation also confirmed that there is no evidence of the possibility of entering the tunnels from within the corridors of the Al-Shifa Medical Complex.

The Washington Post explained that its detailed investigation was based on an analysis of open source video clips, satellite images and all materials published by the Israeli army, and stated that legal experts and human rights activists confirmed that the results of this investigation raise critical questions about the bombing of the Shifa Medical Complex.

The newspaper said that the administration of President Joe Biden had declassified the US intelligence assessment that supported Israel's claims, and quoted a senior American official as saying that they were confident of the veracity of the intelligence information that spoke of Hamas' use of the hospital as a command and control center.

But the US government - adds the Washington Post - did not publish any of the declassified materials, nor did any official share the intelligence on which the assessment was based. It quoted an Israeli army spokesman as saying that the army had published extensive “irrefutable” evidence indicating that Hamas used the Shifa complex for military purposes, but he assured the newspaper that they could not provide other additional evidence.

A prominent member of the US Congress explained to the Washington Post that he was initially convinced of Israel's allegations that Hamas used the Shifa Medical Complex as a control center, but now he doubts that, and stresses that Israel must have more evidence about this matter. The American newspaper added that the United States' ally bombed the complex - which includes hundreds of patients and thousands of displaced people - in an unprecedented manner, causing the hospital services to collapse and stop service as fuel ran out, and ambulances were unable to collect the wounded from the streets.

The Washington Post quoted Jeffrey Korn, a law professor at Texas Tech University, as saying: “If in the end you do not find what you said you would find, that justifies doubts about whether your assessment of the military value in conducting the operation was legitimate or not.”

Experts also warned of the precedent that targeting the Shifa Medical Complex would set. Brian Finucane, a former legal advisor to the US State Department who now serves as a senior advisor to the Crisis Group, stressed that searching for pretexts to justify targeting the hospital will set a precedent for future operations against hospitals during wars. He stressed that there should not be an assumption that hospitals can be targeted in general based on what Israel put forward regarding the Al-Shifa Complex.

Operational Update

The New York Times newspaper said that Israel has not yet been able to locate the leader of the Hamas movement in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, and other senior Hamas leaders, more than two months after the outbreak of war in the Strip. Israel placed Sinwar and three other Hamas leaders on its most wanted list for their role in planning the October 7 attack on towns in southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and dozens more were taken hostage.

The Israeli authorities have offered huge financial rewards to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of Hamas leaders in Gaza. The leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, topped the list in exchange for receiving a reward of $400,000, more than 1,500 times the average monthly wage in Gaza, according to the newspaper. Israel is also targeting Sinwar's brother, Mohammed, who has not been seen since the war began, although the Israeli military this week released a video taken by Hamas in Gaza, which it said showed him riding in a car through an underground tunnel in Gaza.

The leaflets dropped by the Israeli army over Gaza earlier offered $300,000 to anyone who provided information leading to his arrest. The posts also mentioned Rafi Salama, the military commander of Hamas, and Muhammad Deif, the leader of Hamas' armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, who is believed to have lost an eye and been seriously injured in previous Israeli attempts on his life. Israel offered $200,000 for information about Salama and $100,000 for Dhaif.

The newspaper quotes Israeli officials and analysts as saying that killing Sinwar would constitute a symbolic and operational blow to Hamas. It adds that Sinwar still has some control over Hamas' operations despite the destruction of a large part of the movement's infrastructure in Gaza, including the hostage exchange with Israel last month.

Israeli officials insist that they have made progress in weakening Hamas by killing thousands of its militants, including important leaders, and destroying parts of a vast tunnel network that the group built to secretly transport militants and weapons into Gaza, according to the newspaper. The newspaper notes that Sinwar's whereabouts are still a mystery, as are his thoughts about the war and the future of Hamas. She adds that people who met him said that any hope that he might surrender in exchange for an end to the war was unlikely, regardless of what it meant for civilians in Gaza.

Abu Ubaida, the official spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, said "the aggression continues to commit war crimes in Gaza. Our mujahideen are still in the field confronting the aggression and inflicting heavy losses on it. The number of vehicles we have targeted since the start of the ground aggression has reached 720 vehicles. During the last week, our mujahideen carried out more than 15 successful sniping operations. Our targeting of the enemy was distributed among all axes of the Zionist incursion. What the enemy army is busy with is searching for an image of victory and achievement."

Abu Ubaida, the military spokesman for the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, stressed that Israel must stop its aggression and fulfill the demands of the Palestinian resistance to release its prisoners in Gaza. Abu Ubaida stated in a recorded speech obtained by Al Jazeera that if Israel wants its prisoners alive, it has no choice but to stop the aggression, stressing that "the continuation of the aggression does not allow the release of the prisoners."

He pointed out in his short speech that the occupation's goal of eliminating the resistance is doomed to failure, explaining that "the lost and crisis-ridden enemy has not learned from the experiences of history, and continues to repeat its follies and historical mistakes because it is disconnected from the reality of our people and ignorant of its civilization."

Abu Ubaida touched on the operations of the Al-Qassam Brigades during the last week, where they carried out more than 15 successful sniper operations, and the number of occupation vehicles they targeted since the start of the ground aggression reached 720 vehicles. He pointed out that Al-Qassam fighters are targeting "the enemy on all fronts of the Zionist incursion," and that they "continue to destroy its vehicles and trap its soldiers into deadly traps and ambushes."

Al-Qassam revealed that it had killed 6 soldiers and wounded others in a house where they had barricaded themselves in the Yarmouk area of Gaza. The Al-Qassam Brigades said that its members targeted 7 Israeli vehicles on various fighting fronts, confirming that certain casualties had occurred.

The Al-Qassam Brigades said that they targeted an Israeli special force in the Al-Tawam area, north of Gaza City, and clashed with them with heavy machine guns. Al-Qassam confirmed the killing of 11 soldiers from the Special Forces, and also announced the detonation of an anti-personnel device in its support force.

After the Israeli army carried out strong strikes in southern Lebanon, and sirens sounded in Kiryat Shmona, there were fears in the north about the possibility of the fire expanding, according to the Hebrew media. Lebanese sources reported that the intensity of these intense Israeli attacks in the south of the country had not been witnessed in the region since the July War.

Alarm sirens sounded in the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Shmona, after a missile salvo was fired towards the city and its surrounding towns. Five of the missiles were intercepted, and the others landed in open areas. The Israeli police announced that the strikes did not cause injuries, but caused damage to property.

According to the Hebrew media, the talk here is about an unusual missile attack that came a day after the escalation in intensity on the northern border, and included “an infiltration attempt by an armed cell that was confronted at the border fence near Metulla, an attempt to launch surface-to-air missiles, and an attempt to target an army helicopter.” “Israel, and opened fire on Israeli towns whose residents had not been evacuated (Ma’alot and the surrounding towns),” which raised the question of whether Hezbollah would fire missiles toward the city of Haifa and expand the scope of the confrontations.

Thursday, the Lebanese Hezbollah announced the targeting of Israeli soldiers, sites and settlements with various types of missiles and weapons, confirming that they had caused direct hits.

Hezbollah stated in two separate statements:

"At 11:15 a.m. today, Thursday: “In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their valiant and honorable resistance, and in response to the Israeli enemy’s attacks on villages and civilian homes and the martyrdom of citizen Nihad Musa Muhanna and the wounding of her husband, the Mujahideen rose to The Islamic Resistance targeted the settlements of Doviv and Avivim (the occupied Lebanese village of Salha) with appropriate weapons, causing confirmed casualties. The Resistance reiterates that it will not tolerate harm to civilians at all, and will not allow our villages and towns to be invaded, and will respond to any attack by striking the settlements in northern occupied Palestine.” .

"At 12:15 a.m. today, Thursday: “In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their brave and honorable resistance, and in response to the Israeli enemy’s persistent targeting of villages and civilian homes, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance bombed the Kiryat Shmona colony (the occupied town of Khalisa). ) fired Katyusha rockets, and reaffirmed that it will never tolerate harming civilians and will not allow the invasion of our villages and towns."

Russian political analyst Alexander Nazarov said that sooner or later Israel will force the Lebanese Hezbollah to engage in fighting “seriously.” Nazarov wrote in his post: “Tonight, the Israeli Defense Forces advanced deeper and attacked Hezbollah’s headquarters in Jabal al-Safi, about 50 kilometers from the border with Israel, and casualties were reported as a result of the attack.” He added: "I said from the beginning that the initiative in the regional war would be Israel's... Sooner or later Israel will force Hezbollah to fight seriously."

Lebanese media reported that “Israeli warplanes bombed the triangle of Iqlim al-Tuffah - Jezzine - the eastern outskirts of Sidon, where they raided the forests between the areas of Basalia and Sinia near Jbaa and Kafr Malki with a number of missiles, the explosion of which caused a sound that resonated in most areas of Nabatieh and even the coast of Zahrani and Sidon.” . In turn, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari posted a video on his X account, which he said was of a bombing that targeted the Hezbollah operations command center in southern Lebanon.

Military expert Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi said that the Israeli occupation army reached the peak of its escalation during the past two days in order to put pressure on the Palestinian resistance, stressing that it did everything it could do, and that the resistance faced the harshest thing it could possibly face.

He added that the resistance, led by the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), showed steadfastness despite all this violence, and destroyed more than a thousand vehicles, that is, more than two military divisions, and left about 8,000 dead and wounded, without talking about sniping, shells, and zero-range clashes. The military expert confirmed that Israel “paid a heavy bill that it cannot continue to pay,” and that the situation “has entered the most painful stage of finger-biting.”

He concluded that “whoever endures more will win more,” and that 35 missile salvos were fired at Tel Aviv alone in the air cover and the density of vehicles on the ground means that the resistance is cohesive, and that its corner body is working strongly.

The Israeli army announced that its forces had ended their military operations in the southern part of Gaza City and expanded the fighting to the central part of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army announced the expansion of its operations into the central Gaza StripAn upcoming truce or a permanent ceasefire? Developments in the war on Gaza on its 76th day, moment by moment.

The Israeli army said in a statement that “the 99th Division completed its operations in the southern part of Gaza City and expanded the fighting to the center of the Gaza Strip,” claiming that the division “was able, during its operations, to eliminate hundreds of Hamas fighters... and destroyed military infrastructure belonging to of the movement, in addition to confiscating a large group of weapons and explosives, as well as motorcycles,” the statement said. The statement said that "the tunnel corridors were destroyed during the operations, and some of them contain infrastructure for electricity and water supplies," noting that "the goal of the 99th Division's work is to impose operational control over the area between the northern Gaza Strip and its central regions." Israeli forces forced Palestinian citizens to forcibly displace a large area in the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.

The fighters of Yalam and the 401st Army destroyed the strategic network of tunnels. After Hamas's "Senior Quarter" was revealed last night in Gaza City, a complex that includes a network of branched tunnels connecting hiding apartments, bureaus, offices and living apartments of senior members of the military and political wing of Hamas, the route of the tunnels was destroyed.

The IDF will continue to train in the training areas (fire areas) throughout the country during the weekend, we emphasize that entering the training areas is prohibited and poses a danger to life and harms the activities of the forces. In addition, gunshots and explosions may be heard in the nearby settlements. The IDF asks in every language of request from the public not to enter the prohibited areas, and to allow the security forces to continue to carry out their tasks - this is a life-threatening situation.

A platoon of fighters of the Lotr unit from the Marom Brigade is fighting for the first time in Gaza as part of the brigade combat teams and is also making use of its operational capabilities that include hacking, sabotage and sniping. The forces of the 36th Division gained an operational hold in the Shejaiya neighborhood. IDF forces will continue to occupy the area and carry out targeted operations in the neighborhood according to operational need.

Forces of the "Bazek" division (99) are maneuvering for the first time. The fighters completed a divisional operation in the area south of Gaza City, during which they expanded the IDF's area of activity in the center of the Gaza Strip.

Air Force fighter jets attacked a series of military targets of the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanese territory, among the targets attacked were launching positions, military buildings and terrorist infrastructures of the Hezbollah terrorist organization. Also, the IDF attacked military infrastructures of the terrorist organization Hizbullah in Lebanese territory using aircraft and helicopter gunships of the Air Force, tanks and artillery fire.

In addition, the IDF attacked with artillery fire a number of areas in Lebanese territory. A, a number of launches were detected towards the areas of Dobb, Avivim and Har Dov, the IDF attacked the sources of the fire with fire. In addition, a number of launches were detected towards the area of Arab al Aramsha, the launches did not cross towards the territory of the State of Israel, an Air Force aircraft attacked the unit that carried out the the shooting.

Following the warning about the infiltration of a hostile aircraft in the north of the country, the air control unit identified a number of aerial targets that crossed the territory of Lebanon into the territory of the State of Israel. During the event an interceptor was launched and the event ended.

During an attack by the Dovdevan unit, which operates under the commando formation, in the heart of the city of Khan Yunis, the late Colonel Liav Alosh, Major (res.) Eitan Naa from the Dovdevan unit, and Major (res.) Tal Filiva a fighter in the Yalam unit were killed. The fighters of the unit returned in recent days to the place of the encounter and to the building from which the terrorists fired and used charges against the force. In cooperation with the engineering forces, they blew up the shafts found inside the building, from which the terrorists came out who shot at the IDF forces.

IDF forces, the Shin Bet and the Israel Defense Forces arrested during the night 20 wanted persons throughout Judea and Samaria, eight of whom are associated with the terrorist organization Hamas. The fighters arrested a wanted man in the village of Tsida in Menasha. Improvised charges, and materials for making charges were located and destroyed on the spot. In Deir el Atsun, in the division of the brigade, they found parts of weapons and ammunition.

In Rojiv village in Samaria, the fighters arrested two wanted men, located and confiscated two pistols, an M-16, ammunition and weapon parts. In addition, ammunition was found in the city of Hebron and 11 illegal vehicles were found and confiscated in the village of Dahriya in Yehuda.

The wanted persons who were arrested were transferred for further investigation by the security forces, there are no casualties to Israeli forces. So far, since the beginning of the war, approximately 2,420 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, approximately 1,210 of whom are associated with the terrorist organization Hamas.

An Air Force fighter jet and an IDF aircraft attacked terrorist infrastructures of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, and a launcher from it was fired at Israeli territory last night. Also, the forces attacked with artillery in Lebanese territory. Following the warnings in the north of the country last night, a number of launches were detected from Lebanese territory towards Israeli territory. The IDF attacked the source of the shooting with artillery.

Dozens of Air Force aircraft attacked about 230 targets of the terrorist organization Hamas in the last day in the territory of the Gaza Strip.

The fire complex of the 7th Brigade identified terrorists in a building in the Khan Yunis area. An Air Force fighter jet destroyed the building and eliminated the terrorists. Later, the assembly identified and destroyed a launcher that contained rockets aimed at the territory of the country. As part of the ground activity of the reserve fighters from the 551st Brigade Combat Team in Jabalia, the forces acted for the orderly evacuation of a population south of the area of a school complex. The fighters conducted searches in the school and found many weapons in the area.

In a night operation, naval forces attacked vessels intended for use by the naval forces of the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip. The fire assembly of the 14th reserve brigade identified terrorists in Shatti area. The reserve soldiers directed air force aircraft that eliminated the target.

Yedioth Ahronoth / Ynet said Khan Yunis may be the last stop in what the Israeli military calls the "difficult phase" of the war, as it tries to make more achievements before declaring a ceasefire. The Israeli website pointed out that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday, Wednesday: “We will continue the war until the end, and it will continue until Hamas is eliminated - until victory,” considering that “from a historical perspective, he (Netanyahu) may be right. The war is between Israel and jihadist organizations.” "It may last for years, perhaps even generations."

Ynet believed that “talk about future wars aims to hide the gloom of the present. Khan Yunis may be the last stop in what the army calls the “difficult phase” of the war, and the next step will be more modest,” noting that “the news published in the last two days about expanding the scope of activity "The Israeli army's wildcard indicates two things: First, the northern gates of the Gaza Strip have not yet been cleared: terrorists emerge from columns and buildings from time to time and chase army personnel. Second, the army smells the end, and is trying to achieve more achievements before declaring a ceasefire ."

Ynet considered that "these days can be called final arrangements in Gaza, and the goal is to facilitate the presence of the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip in the next stage, which should happen in the first half of January," adding: "It is likely that a large portion of the soldiers will return." "The reserve forces will return to their homes. The army will be busy training a security strip separating the Strip from the surrounding settlements, which will be approximately one kilometer wide."

The website stated, “Even before the evacuees from the besieged settlements decide whether it is safe to return to their homes, hundreds of thousands of Gazans will have to face an impossible situation: a large portion of them will not be allowed to return, because their homes were in the security zone and others have lost their homes.” and the physical and social infrastructure in the neighborhoods and cities in which they live.”

“If we are lucky, there will be another batch of hostage exchanges ,” he said. “More people will emerge from captivity injured, but alive. Another deal will have another advantage: it will allow the Israelis to move more smoothly from the major war phase to the maintenance phase.”

According to former Israeli Intelligence Official and regional analyst Avi Melamed, “The next major test for the Israel-Hamas conflict will come with the U.S.-led coalition’s efforts to combat the Houthi threat on Red Sea commercial shipping lanes.

"There are two scenarios that can be the outcome of the U.S. announcement- the first is that the Houthis continue to launch their attacks and harassment on commercial ships – which is bad for the U.S., its allies and the world but a major win for the Houthis and by affect their controllers in Tehran. The second scenario is that that the Houthi threat ceases – either by negotiation or more likely by a U.S. led attack on the Houthis showcasing the overwhelming strength that the U.S. and its allies will constantly bring to bear in response to Houthi attacks.

"What the Houthis, Tehran, and the wider region needs to see if the U.S. is to complete its rehabilitation of its strength in the region, is proactivity by U.S. forces and its allies in prosecuting attacks against Houthi targets and ultimately — like it did in Iraq last month with Iranian Militias there — the U.S. will come around to understanding that in the Middle East of today, the best defense is a strong offense.”

The Guardian newspaper reported that in light of the turmoil in the Red Sea due to Houthi attacks on ships, more than 100 container ships changed their course from the Suez Canal. The British newspaper said that the travel is sailing through the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, avoiding the shortcut through the Suez Canal, indicating that the change in route leads to an increase of about 6,000 nautical miles to the usual commercial journey between Asia and Europe, which may add 3 or 4 weeks of delay to the journey. Goods delivery times.

The Guardian reported that about 19,000 ships sail through the Suez Canal every year, making it one of the main routes in the world, especially for fossil fuels and goods moving between Asia and Europe, noting that these disturbances in the path of ships contributed to the rise in oil prices, as contract prices jumped. Brent crude futures rose by 1.2 percent yesterday, Wednesday, above $80, after it had fallen to less than $74 the previous week.

The newspaper explained that it is possible that additional price increases could eventually lead to consumer energy tariffs, which increases inflation, noting that this disruption coincided with a period in which many factories temporarily closed their doors on the occasion of Christmas, which gave companies some additional time to receive supplies. Vitality.

On Wednesday, the Swiss-based transportation and logistics company Kuehne and Nagel said it had identified 103 ships that had already changed course, with more tankers expected to cross the Cape of Good Hope route in South Africa. “Long-haul voyages are expected to impact 20 percent of international sea freight traffic, leading to potential delays,” said company board member Michael Aldwell.

Oil and gas tankers were also diverted, with British Petroleum (BP) publicly confirming that it had done so. The Norwegian transport company Hoegh Autoliners announced the suspension of transport operations through the Red Sea, after the Norwegian Maritime Directorate raised the threat level in that region to the highest level.

Many companies have also announced their intention to temporarily avoid routes through the Red Sea, and among these companies are the Danish shipping and logistics company Maersk, the Belgian shipping company Euronav, the French transport group CMA CGM, and the German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd.

The German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd said that it will change the course of 25 of its ships until the end of this year to avoid sailing in the Red Sea. A company spokesman told Reuters , “We will change the course of about 25 ships until the end of 2023, and other decisions will be made at the end of the year.”

The German company's decision came after a series of attacks launched by the Ansar Allah Al-Houthi group against ships that the group says are linked to Israel. The group vowed to target ships owned or operated by Israeli companies, in solidarity with Palestine , and called on countries to withdraw their citizens working on the crews of these ships.

The spokesman explained that a ship belonging to the company was attacked near Yemen on December 15, on its way to Singapore . In addition to Hapag-Lloyd, ships belonging to other operators, including competing companies Maersk and MSC, were also attacked.

The Houthi attacks on ships linked to Israel were the reason behind changing the course of ships from the Bab al-Mandab Strait to the Cape of Good Hope, which increases sailing for up to two weeks, according to the Suez Canal Authority.

The head of the Suez Canal Authority announced last Sunday that 55 ships had diverted their course through the Cape of Good Hope, instead of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, since last November 19, when the Houthis took control of a ship belonging to an Israeli businessman. It is noteworthy that about 40% of global seaborne trade passes through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Sea freight rates and shipping company stocks have risen due to ships changing their routes, which means that a large portion of trade between East and West will incur more costs given that ships will have to sail around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. Sea freight prices to Israel from various Chinese ports rose to more than $2,300 per 40-foot container by December 12, from $1,975 at the end of last November.

Shipping routes around the Cape of Good Hope are much longer - about 7,000 nautical miles and 10-14 days - compared to the Suez Canal, and this route also incurs higher fuel costs. Since the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip, ocean transport rates from China to Israeli ports have increased by 46%.

Maps

All maps are lies. But it is impossible to comprehend the war in Gaza without reference to maps, otherwise the entire conflict is reduced to an endless series of meaningless acts of random violence and the suffering of civilians. Evidently, different mappers have different ideas of how to depict the war in Gaza, notably those that seek to depict Israeli progress in the ground campaign. Part of the problem is latency. The news that forms the basis of the maps takes time to filter out to mappers, and the cartographers take time in crafting their maps, and it takes time to curate them. Thes processes are uneven among mappers, so their maps may differ in detail. Probably there is some ideological bias, or at least thematic apperception, which is understandable in wartime. It may come as no surprise that al-Jazeera maps depict rather less Israeli territorial progress than other sources. Finally, there remains the epistemological question of just exactly what are the colored in areas depicting. Naively, this might be understood as areas of Israeli control, that are no longer contested by the HAMAS. Or possibly these are areas of Israeli presence, in many of which the possibility of an RPG-wielding HAMAS militant popping out of a tunnel unexpectedly remains a live possibility. With the "zero-range" combat characterized by small unit tactics on both sides, maps may be prey to a fallacy of misplaced concreteness.

Bystanders

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that Israel's close friends are concerned about its military campaign in the Gaza Strip that threatens to jeopardize its long-term security. In an interview broadcast on Thursday, Trudeau explained, “Israel has the right to defend itself after the incursion of Hamas fighters into Israel on October 7.” But as the number of civilian deaths from Israel's violent response to air strikes increased, Trudeau gradually toughened his tone. Trudeau told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, "Israel's closest friends are increasingly concerned that the actions Israel is taking in the short term are jeopardizing its long-term security, and even its future support."

In a joint statement last week, the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand expressed their support for urgent international efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, expressing their concerns in coordination among themselves, shortly after the United States warned Israel of the decline in international support.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on Wednesday that Malaysia will prevent the Israeli shipping company ZIM from docking in any of its ports. The Prime Minister said in a statement, “This decision is a response to Israel’s actions that violate basic humanitarian principles and international laws.”

He pointed out that in 2002, the Council of Ministers allowed ships owned by this company to dock in Malaysia, and in 2005, the Council of Ministers at that time granted permission for the ship to dock in Malaysia, but the current government decided to cancel all previous Cabinet decisions.

The Prime Minister stressed that Malaysia is confident that these decisions will not negatively affect Malaysia's commercial activities. ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd, also known as ZIM, is a listed Israeli international shipping company and one of the top 20 global shipping companies.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a report titled "Meta's Broken Promises: Systemic Censorship of Palestine Content on Instagram and Facebook," which reveals how moderation rules and algorithms have progressively repressed voices in support of Palestine on Instagram and Facebook and suppressed protected speech, including nonviolent communication in favor of Palestine and public discussion about Palestinian human rights.

According to HRW, an overreliance on automated technologies to monitor material and disproportionate government control over content deletions contribute to censorship. Deborah Brown, acting associate technology and human rights director at HRW, said the censorship added "insult to injury at a time of unspeakable atrocities and repression already stifling Palestinians’ expression." Brown notes that social media is a tool to witness this abuse and speak out against it and that censorship only furthers the suffering of Palestinians.

These patterns include content removals, account suspension or deletion, inability to engage with content, inability to follow or tag accounts, restrictions on the use of features, such as Instagram/Facebook Live, and "shadow banning", which refers to a significant reduction in the visibility of an individual's posts, stories, or account without notification.

Meta used its "Dangerous Organizations and Individuals" (DOI) policy in hundreds of documented incidents, which fully includes the United States-recognized lists of "terrorist organizations". Meta has invoked these lists and used them broadly to limit the legal expression of pro-Palestine voices. Meta's restrictions against violent and graphic content, violence and incitement, hate speech, nudity, and sexual activity were also misapplied. It has enforced its "newsworthy allowance" policy inconsistently, eliminating scores of pieces of content showing Palestinian injury and death that had news value.

Axis of Resistance

The issue of Palestine is the number one issue in the world, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi underlined. Palestine is the most essential issue of the region and the entire world, the president said in a Wednesday phone call with Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Mishal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah. "The Islamic Republic is prepared to cooperate with other countries towards restoration of the Palestinian nation's legitimate rights," Raisi added.

The Israeli attacks on Syria and the clashes on the Lebanese border threaten to drag Damascus into a wide confrontation. Syrian soldiers were injured and material losses were incurred in an Israeli attack targeting the vicinity of the capital, Damascus.

The First Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyansky, said: “The escalation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict area, which is unprecedented in terms of the number of casualties, raises additional tension in friendly Syria, against the backdrop of the bloody Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip and the ongoing raids in the West Bank. He added, “The increasing attacks by the Israeli Air Force on Syrian targets... in addition to the increasing exchange of strikes on the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel, threatens to drag Syria into a large-scale regional confrontation, and this cannot be allowed in any way.”

He added: "The suffering of the Syrians, as well as the suffering of the people of Gaza, is not important at all to our Western colleagues. All they care about is geopolitical games, and supporting their agents in the region no matter how heinous the crimes they commit."

Earlier, Syrian official television reported that Israeli "aggression" was targeting the vicinity of the capital, Damascus, and that Syrian air defense forces were confronting the aggression's missiles and shooting down some of them.

For his part, the Sham FM correspondent in Damascus reported renewed explosions in the vicinity of the capital and its countryside, indicating that preliminary information indicates an Israeli aggression targeting points in Damascus and its countryside.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the West does not show any willingness to make the necessary efforts to establish a Palestinian state, and is trying to "drown" this issue in suspicious initiatives. Following his meeting with President Kais Saied in Tunisi, he said: “Russia, Tunisia, the League of Arab States, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in general aim to strive continuously and sustainably to create conditions for the implementation of decisions regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state. But we have the impression that Western colleagues are not ready at all to strive for that.”

He stressed that the United States "is obstructing even the simple resolution currently being discussed in the Security Council, to cease fire and provide humanitarian aid, and this is not the first time." He said: "They are trying to drown out the issue of establishing a Palestinian state in various suspicious initiatives to hold one conference after another on the basis of principles that depart from the principles stipulated in Security Council resolutions."

He indicated that he discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip in detail with the Tunisian President, as both parties agreed on the need to urgently stop the violence and create conditions to resolve the “extremely deteriorating” humanitarian situation in Gaza. He added: "In the long term, and in order to exclude the possibility of a recurrence of such crises, it is necessary to resolve the issue of the Palestinian state once and for all."

Ansar Allah group in Yemen (the Houthis) sent a message to members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation “those who have relations with Israel” regarding relations with it. In his account on the “X” platform, the spokesman for the Yemeni “Ansar Allah” group, Muhammad Abdel Salam, wrote: “The normal people who live human values strongly reject the Zionist enemy entity’s continuation of its massacres against the people of Gaza, and this is what should raise the world’s concern.”

He added: “As for Yemen’s naval operations, they are not a source of concern for anyone except the Zionist entity to push it to stop its aggression and lift its siege of Gaza, and the whole world must stand this position and not allow this entity to cross all borders, violating all values ??and sanctities, and our Islamic religion considers the killing of a person unlawful.” A right as if it were the killing of all people, so how can someone who commits genocide kill hundreds of civilians in one raid? How long will this international silence regarding this Israeli brutality last? And who gave America the right to give Israel all the time, weapons and political cover to continue its crimes against defenseless civilians in Gaza? "

Abdel Salam added: “Then let the world be wary of Israel’s efforts to implicate it in expanding the conflict, especially the Arab and Islamic region, which must do a lot to support Gaza and not give Netanyahu a lifeline from his predicament.”

He continued: "Everyone must raise their voices loudly for an immediate halt to the aggression and lift the siege on Gaza. Malaysia's position of not receiving Israeli ships is commendable and appreciated. We hope that all members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation who have a relationship with the Zionists will break with them, denouncing their massacres and rejecting their crimes."

Alexander Karpov, Yekaterina Kieko, and Vladimir Doun wrote an article on the Russian-language RT website that addressed the repercussions of the Houthis’ announcement in Yemen of mobilization to provide possible aid to the Gaza Strip. The article stated :

"The Houthis in Yemen announced a general popular mobilization to prepare fighters to participate alongside the Palestinians in the conflict with Israel. This came quoting a statement by the Political Bureau of the Ansar Allah movement , which stated that the fighters would participate in the conflict “if conditions and opportunities are available to reach the Gaza Strip and participate in military operations.”

"The United States , amid the Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea , had previously announced the launch of Operation “ Prosperity Guardian ” to ensure safe navigation, in which Britain , Bahrain , Canada , France , Italy , the Netherlands , and Norway participate alongside the United States . Seychelles and Spain , while experts indicate that there is a risk of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict escalating into a large-scale regional confrontation.

"In northern Yemen , under the control of the Houthis (Ansar Allah movement), a popular general mobilization was announced to train fighters to participate in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, according to what Khuzam al-Assad, a member of the movement’s political bureau, said: “As for the general popular mobilization to support... Our people in the Gaza Strip. It was launched in all governorates, training camps were opened, and tens of thousands of young people volunteered to learn military skills, and several groups have already graduated in various Yemeni governorates.”

"According to a member of the Political Bureau, the fighters will participate in the conflict “if conditions and opportunities are available to reach the Gaza Strip and participate in military operations.”

"The Houthis announced at the end of last October the start of military operations against Israel in support of the Palestinians. By then, several drones and ballistic missiles had been launched at Israel from territory under their control. Representatives of the "Ansar Allah" movement also made threats against the United States, which supports Tel Aviv, and the Houthis later announced their intention to attack any ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea, describing their actions as a response to "Israeli-American aggression" in the Gaza Strip.

"After reports of mobilization, representatives of the movement once again repeated threats against the United States, declaring their readiness to attack American ships if they continued to interfere in the country’s affairs or attack Yemen. Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said : “We will make American ships a target for our missiles, and we should not be afraid of these threats.”

"Commercial ships in the Red Sea were subjected to repeated attacks from Yemeni territory, and a number of them were seized. For its part, warships that arrived in the region with US aircraft carrier strike groups to support Israel several times intercepted drones and ballistic missiles launched from Yemen.

"Maersk , one of the largest logistics companies in the year, also suspended transportation in the Red Sea due to the ongoing bombing and seizure of ships by the Houthis, and a number of companies followed suit. In particular, the oil and gas giant BP also refused to transport oil through this region.

"In response to the Houthis' actions, the United States announced, on December 18, the start of Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea. A statement issued by the Pentagon in the name of its chief, Lloyd Austin, stated that “the recent escalation of reckless Houthi attacks from Yemen threatens free trade flows, puts the lives of innocent sailors at risk, and contravenes international law.” The statement stressed that the Red Sea is one of the most important and unimaginable maritime routes. Freedom of navigation without it, as it is a major trade corridor that guarantees international trade, and this is “an international challenge that requires joint action,” in the words of the statement.

"To implement this operation, the United States formed an international coalition that included Britain, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain. It is worth noting that the Pentagon statement did not indicate any specific military goals that this coalition and its forces will achieve. At the same time, White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby made it clear during a press conference that they would not constantly escort civilian ships through the Red Sea to ensure security.

"Kirby continued: “There is no need to draw parallels here with the unification of fleets during World War II. These ships will operate as elements of a single formation within a special group. But their deployment in the Red Sea will be proportional to the presence of commercial ships and the threat posed by Yemen.” At the same time, Kirby avoided directly answering the question of why Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which previously fought against the Houthis in Yemen, did not participate in Operation Prosperity Sentinel.

"Andrei Koshkin, head of the Department of Political Analysis and Social and Psychological Processes at the Russian Plekhanov University of Economics, said that the Houthis’ statement about their intention to send their fighters to Gaza indicates that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has begun to expand its borders.

"Koshkin continues: “The Houthis wanted to play an active role in the conflict before, but the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia did not allow them to pass through their territory. Then they started launching missiles and drones and attacking container ships and dry goods carriers. A month later, the United States began its operation.” "But Yemen continues to attack all ships that approach. We now see how the conflict between Palestine and Israel has begun to expand geographically with the participation of other parties."

"Koshkin added that it is clear that the current situation worries the United States, but it is not clear how the Americans and their allies will be able to neutralize the Houthis. He continued: "Merely ensuring the safe passage of dry cargo tankers and civilian container ships is ineffective. It is necessary to conduct a ground operation, but it is unlikely that the United States will decide to do so."

"The expert pointed out that the Biden administration now cannot agree on military financing for Ukraine and Israel, and the situation in Yemen has become an emergency, and there is no money for a ground operation like this, and “other members of the coalition will also not want to bear such expenses,” according to Koshkin.

"At the same time, the expert stressed that the situation in the Red Sea may already directly affect the economic well-being of Western countries. According to Koshkin, “oil and gas prices have risen so much that ships transporting them are now forced to circle around Africa to go to Europe, which lengthens the sea route.”

"In turn, Yelena Soponina, a specialist in Middle East affairs and an expert at the Russian International Affairs Council, suggested in an interview with RT that the "Ansar Allah" movement would not be able to participate directly in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the front line. Suponina added: “The Houthis make these statements for local use, as well as to strengthen their regional relations. They do not have the material ability to send fighters to the Gaza Strip, and this part of the Palestinian territories is now under complete siege by the Israelis, and it is also impossible to enter the Strip from the Egyptian side.” "The most the Houthis can do is launch missile attacks. However, the symbolic importance of this solidarity with the Palestinians is of course very great."

"According to military expert Ivan Konovalov, the mobilization announced by the Houthis and the start of the US naval operation indicate that the situation in the Middle East has become tense and this escalation is not abating. Konovalov continues: “This is of course largely due to the fact that the conflicting parties cannot find common ground, and their allies from different sides are not trying to do so either. The parties are irreconcilable, and serious measures must be taken to direct the situation in a negotiating direction. There are possibilities "Therefore, it is necessary for someone other than Russia to insist on this. However, the United States is still making efforts to ensure that the conflict does not end."

"Konovalov is skeptical that the United States will be able to somehow influence the Houthis through military means. “The war in Yemen has been going on for a long time, and it is being fought by a coalition led by Saudi Arabia, within which strikes against the Houthis are regularly carried out,” he said. This did not change anything, so the question arises: How will the US strikes change the situation?

"In turn, Yelena Soponina believes that the risk of a major conflict in the region still exists, as she says: “Everyone has now moved a little away from the abyss after which a major regional war begins, but they have not moved far. October was the most dangerous stage in the conflict. But the round The new confrontation, now linked to the Houthis, brings us once again closer to that brink. The specter of a major war between Iran on the one hand and Israel, the United States and their allies on the other looms in the near future. However, there is a sense that many, including Washington, want to avoid that "The situation is very serious, but there is still a chance to avoid the most serious consequences.""

Allied for Democracy

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed that Tel Aviv will not stop its war on the Gaza Strip until it achieves all its goals. Netanyahu said in a video speech , which he posted on his official account. He added that Hamas has two options: surrender or death, as he described it, and that Gaza will no longer pose any threat to Israel. Netanyahu repeatedly stressed that the war on Gaza will not stop except by eliminating Hamas and releasing all prisoners detained in the Strip.

Netanyahu, said: "We are fighting until victory. We will not stop the war until we achieve all of its goals: Completing the elimination of Hamas and releasing all of our hostages. The choice I propose to Hamas is very simple: Surrender or die. They do not have – and will not have – any other choice. And after we eliminate Hamas, I will use all my power to ensure that Gaza never again threatens Israel – neither Hamastan nor Fatahstan."

The extremist Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, threatened to withdraw his party from the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, if the war on Gaza was stopped before the Hamas movement was eliminated. He said that the endowment had come to dismantle the narrow ruling coalition and the war government and return power to the expanded military-political government.

He wrote on the “X” platform: “If there is someone who intends, God forbid, to stop the Israeli army before defeating Hamas and returning all the kidnapped people, let him take into account that the Jewish Power Party will not be on his side. Reducing Israeli military activity in Gaza represents the failure of the war government.”

"The shortcomings in the management of this war must be resolved immediately, and the time has come to return the reins of power to the expanded government." Ben Gvir said, "The idea of reducing military activity in Gaza is a failure in the management of the war by the limited government (the Military Ministerial Council) and must be dismantled immediately."

Ben Gvir's comment came after the spread of a group of reports indicating that the Palestinian and Israeli sides are preparing to conclude a new truce aimed at releasing Israeli hostages from the Gaza Strip in exchange for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.

Political analyst Yoav Stern explains that "the recent Israeli intention was to first reach a two-week ceasefire and release the largest number of kidnapped persons, and then return to another type of operations." But until this moment, “the intention has not been implemented due to the failure to agree on a formula for a ceasefire with Hamas,” according to what Stern told the Al-Hurra website.

Although America is demanding a change in the pattern of war, in return, it is “closely following what is happening in the battle and what Hamas is doing in Gaza,” according to the Israeli political analyst. He added: "Hamas is fighting continuously and does not release the hostages. The United States knows very well that stopping the war means the return of movement to the entire Strip," and therefore it still gives Israel "the green light to continue."

Richard Weitz, a political-military analyst at the Hudson Institute in Washington, does not see any "complete" indicators regarding Israel's intention to change its fighting style in the Gaza Strip. He told Al-Hurra website that it is not clear when and whether the Israeli army “will follow the strategy” advised by the United States.

The "new strategy" is based on the Israeli army reducing its large-scale operations and focusing more on smaller, targeted attacks. This is done by “using special forces and limited air support against specific targets such as terrorist leaders, weapons stockpiles and hostages,” explains analyst Weitz.

Alexander Langlois, an American researcher who focuses on Middle East affairs, believes that "Israel is gradually moving towards the new phase of the war, albeit very slowly." Langlois believes that the so-called “elimination of Hamas” requires, in the eyes of Israeli leaders, a large-scale operation, which will prolong the conflict in a way that helps Netanyahu get out of his current political impasse. “Netanyahu needs to prolong the war in order to survive politically and get rid of criminal cases,” according to the researcher. He added to the Al-Hurra website that the American role now comes “at a time when Washington’s political capital is running out in defense of Israel,” in connection with the existence of a conviction “to prevent the outbreak of a regional war.”

For his part, analyst Weitz points out "several motives behind American advice to change the course of the war, the first of which is the desire to limit civilian casualties and reduce the possibility of regional escalation." In addition to “increasing the possibility of liberating hostages, reducing international and domestic criticism of the United States and Israel, and improving the prospects for a post-war settlement,” according to Weitz.

Deliberations in Israel are focused on the issue of when the appropriate time will be to implement the change in operations, whether in the middle of January or at the end. However, there is still a major political obstacle to moving to the next stage, which is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fear that his coalition will collapse under the pressure of the angry right, according to an article by Amos Harel in “Haaretz.” It also stated that "another obstacle facing Israel relates to the unprecedented demands placed on the army's reserve system, and the long-term effects on the economy."

Palestinian researcher and political analyst, Dr. Majid Azzam, believes that what is being talked about in Israel now is “a third phase of aggression, after a first that began with the reoccupation of settlements around the Gaza Strip and a second with air strikes, a war of extermination, crimes against humanity, and a ground incursion.” In an interview with Al-Hurra website, it is expected that “the Israeli occupation army will move to the third phase at the beginning of February, and will continue until the end of 2024.”

The shift in the pattern of military operations is linked to “Israel’s failure to impose its full control over northern Gaza and the same in the southern Gaza Strip,” according to Azzam. He continues, "The failure led to a split in the Israeli consensus on the war, and paralyzed the economy. Therefore, Israel had to change its military style without ending the war. It will continue the war of extermination."

Although "the new model aims to reduce civilian casualties," Israeli analyst Stern believes that there are difficulties "obstructing its translation on the ground." Regarding Netanyahu's partners, Stern says that they "demand not to care about what the world and even Washington say, and they stress the necessity of continuing the battle until the end of who Israel is negotiating with, that is, the complete elimination of Hamas." But he explains that they are “on the margins of decision-making in Israel,” and that “the central movement in Israel is in contact with Washington, and they listen to what American officials say.”

“The vote of Netanyahu’s partners is marginal and they have no alternative but to go to early elections,” Stern said. He adds: "They criticize the government as if they were the opposition. Things will continue without any change they may try to impose."

A Quinnipiac University poll indicates that two months after Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, American voters are divided on whether the United States should send more military aid to Israel, with 45 percent of respondents saying yes compared to 46 percent who are opposed. A previous poll published on November 16 showed majority support around the same point, with 54 percent in favor of American aid to Israel compared to 39 percent who were opposed.

The data shows that a majority of Americans consider that aid to Israel serves the interests of the United States, with 69 percent supporting this idea compared to 23 percent who do not approve. "Feelings are changing as casualties in Gaza mount," commented Tim Malloy, a polling analyst at Quinnipiac University. "While respondents clearly indicate they have a personal interest in supporting Israel, they are less enthusiastic about strengthening the country's arsenal," he added. He also notes that the differences in opinion are very marked depending on the age and political affiliation of the people questioned.

The strongest opposition is expressed among the youngest panel, those aged 18-35, with 72 percent saying they are opposed to supporting Israel. The poll also shows that the majority of white voters (51 percent) favor military aid to Israel, while the majority (56 percent) of black voters oppose it.

Amid escalating tensions surrounding the brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza, Representative Summer Lee (D-Pa.) accused the pro-Israeli group AIPAC of "textbook racism" and being "a significant threat to the Black community" in private Facebook posts last month, Politico reported. Known for her criticism of the current Israeli government, Lee was targeted by AIPAC in the previous year's elections and remains a focus for the upcoming one.

In the wake of the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, she was among the first lawmakers to advocate for a ceasefire, drawing criticism from some Facebook followers who argued that AIPAC withdrew support due to her perceived pro-Palestinian stance. In response to a comment, she expressed the following, “I understand that faces don’t always matter to you and the Black community’s needs definitely don’t matter to you ... but what AIPAC does to me is textbook anti blackness.”

In a separate post, she remarked, “AIPAC is not supporting those Black candidates to be supportive of their community’s needs if the only issue it cares about is their own. That’s textbook racism actually.” In mid-November, she provided a status update on her personal Facebook, sharing an article indicating that AIPAC was targeting her and other members who share common beliefs. In her comment, she asserted, “Since no one else will say it, I will: AIPAC is an existential threat to the Black community and its right to self [determination].”

Lee referred to AIPAC as “an existential threat to all of democracy.... Any Republican-funded Super PAC that endorsed over 100 January 6-supporting Republicans who voted to overturn our election and shared a goal with a mob of armed white supremacists while spending $5 million in attack ads darkening my face and labeling me as a Trump/[Marjorie Taylor Greene] supporter in order to keep Black folks from showing up to vote … is racist,” she added.

AIPAC spokesperson Marshall Wittmann labeled Lee's remarks as "slanderous" and a “transparent attempt to hide her strident anti-Israel record.” He claimed that AIPAC has consistently backed candidates from diverse racial backgrounds, including a majority of the Congressional Black and Hispanic caucuses in 2022.

AIPAC has lately argued openly with many congressional critics, including Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin), Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), and affiliated groups that the organization is likely to spend more than $100 million on primary elections next year in a bid to unseat Democratic members they believe are too loud about Palestinian rights.

Butcher's Bill / Oasis of Martyrs

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.

The HAMAS Ministry of Health in the besieged sector announced that the number of victims of the Israeli operation its beginning had risen to about 18,787 martyrs, including at least 8,000 children and 6,200 wome. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The number wounded was 50,897. The Palestinian Government Media Office in Gaza had said many days earlier that the number of missing people had risen to more than 7,500 [double the 3,750 previously reported], including 1,800 children still under the rubble, including 4,700 children and women.

Palestinian Ministry of Health has announced that the total number of Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank by the Israeli occupation this year has reached 505 people, including 111 children. The Palestinian Ministry of Health earlier explained that the death toll in the West Bank since the beginning of this year has risen to 465, including 257 martyrs since last October 7.

Israelis sourcs setimate that 6,230 HAMAS combatants had been killed by 21 December 2023. The Israeli army said it had killed more than two thousand militants in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of this December, as part of the war it is waging with Hamas. Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a press conference: “Since the end of the truce, our forces have eliminated more than 2,000 terrorists through the air, land and sea.”

Lebanon’s Health Ministry released an official casualty numbers in fighting, saying 77 people were killed and 251 wounded since the start of the war on Gaza.

Israel revised down the death toll from the October Hamas attacks in southern Israel from 1,400 to 1,200. IDF had said previously it was holding 1,500 bodies of terrorists, a total that now would increas to about 1,700.

The IDF acknowledged the death toll to 137 between officers and soldiers since the start of the ground incursion, while the number of wounded since the beginning of the ground operation rose to 653, including 146 seriously injured. This brings the total number of dead officers and soldiers whose names the Israeli army allowed to be published to 469 since the Palestinian resistance launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7th.

At least 11594 Israelis were wounded, according to i24 TV. The IDF updated the number of soldiers injured in the war and attacks on October 7 to 1,683.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper had reported that 5,000 soldiers had been wounded since the beginning of the war on October 7, and that the Ministry of Defense had recognized 2,000 soldiers as disabled so far.

Hostages

The American news site Axios quoted Israeli officials as saying that Tel Aviv had made an offer regarding a new prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian factions and expected a response from the Qatari mediators within a few days. Israeli officials denied that there were ongoing talks on a prisoner exchange, saying they had not actually begun.

The Israeli press reported details of an offer made by Benjamin Netanyahu's government to the mediators regarding a temporary truce in Gaza and a prisoner exchange deal, while Hamas refused to enter into negotiations before the ceasefire. The Israeli Channel 13 reported that the Netanyahu government had presented a deal that included the release of 30 to 40 Israeli detainees held by Hamas, in exchange for the release of prominent prisoners and a partial withdrawal from some areas, with a calm for a period of two weeks to a month.

The officials indicated that if the deal is completed during the transition to the next phase, Israel may change some of the military arrangements inside Gaza. These officials said that Israel has no problem with Hamas linking the “military change” to the deal and considering it an achievement.

For its part, the White House said that the talks on a new truce in Gaza are very serious, and stressed that Washington is pressing for the release of Israeli detainees.

Israel estimated there were 116 living hostages in Palestinian custody. Israel declared 19 out of 135 people in Gaza captivity dead in absentia, after announcing its forces had recovered the bodies of two hostages. Israel considers those still held by Hamas to be hostages regardless of whether they are dead or alive.

Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy earlier had told reporters that Hamas still held 137 captives. The resistance released 10 Israeli detainees, 4 Thais and 2 Russian women, who were released outside the agreement. Over the course of 6 days, Israel has received 102 detainees, women and children, including 78 Israelis, in exchange for the release of 234 Palestinian prisoners, women and children.

Eylon Levy, the Israeli government spokesperson, told reporters 01 December 2023:

• Hamas still held 137 hostages from the October attacks, in addition to four others who went missing before the war
• The hostages include two children aged four and 10 months, who, Hamas now claims, are dead
• 117 male hostages are still kept in Gaza, including the two children, as well as 20 females
• 126 hostages are Israelis, and 11 others are foreign nationals
• Foreign nationals are eight Thais, one Nepalese, one Tanzanian and one French Mexican citizen
• Ten of the remaining hostages are 75 and older.
• There are seven missing people since the October 7 attack
• Hamas had released 110 hostages so far – 86 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals.

Some of the rest are soldiers, seized when Hamas raided military bases in Israel. They may end up being held the longest. The Israeli military had not specified how many soldiers were captured, nor their ranks.

According to some estimates, Hamas was initially holding nearly 210 of the 240 hostages, while Palestinian Islamic Jihad was holding the remaining 30. About 40 Israelis remained missing. More than 40 hostages taken from Israel into Gaza on October 7th are not currently in the custody of Hamas, the group responsible for the attack, according to a CNN report based on a diplomatic source briefed on the negotiations, CNN's prior reports had indicated that an estimated 40 to 50 hostages were held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad or other unidentified groups or individuals.

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.

Palestinian institutions concerned with prisoners’ affairs announced that the Israeli authorities have arrested 4,655 Palestinians in the West Bank and the 1948 territories since last October 7. Some 150 women have been arrested thus far, both from the West Bank and the Palestinian territories occupied in 1948. Additionally, more than 255 children have been arrested. Israel had earliers aid that, since the beginning of the war, about 2,100 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the IOS Division and the Bekaa and Emekim Brigade, about 1,100 of them are affiliated with Hamas.