Operation Iron Swords - Day 97 - 11 January 2024
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NEW - Operations NEW - Operations Maps NEW - By-Standers NEW - Axis of Resistance NEW - Allied for Democracy UPDATED - Oasis of Martyrs UPDATED - Hostages |
A Houthi official confirmed that "hostile raids" had occurred on Sana'a, while witnesses told the agency that they heard "3 explosions in Sana'a," and sources reported hearing explosions in the city of Hodeidah. John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said earlier Thursday: "The Houthis must stop these attacks... and they will bear the consequences of not doing so."
Sanaa warned that the United States and any other party that gets involved in an aggression on the country would "regret their action," reaffirming that Yemen will not allow "anyone to prevent it" from "carrying out its humanitarian, ethical and religious duty toward Gaza" and will continue with its ban decision "no matter the challenges."
Yemen will not suffice with its initial response to the American aggression on promising further action, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said. The Yemeni leader warned countries around the world from joining in on the US-led Naval coalition and "Operation Prosperity Guardian". The leader of the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement, said that the country will exert all efforts to confront the US aggression on Yemen, adding that no American violation will be left with no response. He urged nations to safeguard themselves and not be drawn into the US-led coalition while addressing Arab and Islamic nations specifically. "Let the Americans and the British implicate themselves alone," Sayyed al-Houthi stated.
Singling out Bahrain, the leader lambasted its government's participation in the US-led coalition, stressing that such actions have proved that its ruling family are "slaves" to "Zionism," pointing to their embarrassing record in this regard. However, he emphasized that such actions do not represent the oppressed Bahraini people.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held a video meeting with members of the Cabinet during which they discussed the Western coalition’s possible response to the actions of “Ansar Allah” in the Red Sea. Times journalist Stephen Swinford said on the X platform that the topic of the meeting was expected to be "British and American military strikes against the Houthis in Yemen." He pointed out that the British Air Force and Navy could participate in the operation. He added that on the morning of January 11, a meeting of the government's emergency committee "Cobra" was held, and later a meeting of the British National Security Council was held. He added: "Events seem to be developing rapidly."
The Wall Street Journal said that the Middle East is preparing for US-led coalition strikes on Houthi sites after the group defied an ultimatum to stop its attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The American newspaper reported that Western diplomats told naval executives that the targets would likely include missile launch sites, drones, radars and weapons depots around the Yemeni cities of Hodeidah and Hajjah. Infrastructure in the capital, Sanaa, is also on the list of potential targets, the executives said.
In early November 2023, the United Nations said that the Houthis' new naval presence on Kamaran Island near Hodeidah and an offshore base in the Zubair Archipelago posed a threat to international shipping. An American defense official and a person close to the Houthis said that Ansar Allah forces had transferred some weapons and equipment and fortified others in anticipation of a strike from the United States and its allies. The person close to the Houthis reported that the latter stored their missiles in bunkers built by former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sanaa, a densely populated area.
The American newspaper explained that there are also indications that the Houthis and their Iranian allies are preparing for escalation, noting that the Behshad, an Iranian spy ship, has left the Red Sea and is now on its way to the port of Bandar Abbas in Iran. Security officials said earlier that the Behshad ship was likely to be targeted for its role in helping the Houthis in their attacks on ships in the Red Sea, according to their claim. The newspaper indicated that the Iranians provided intelligence information about ships linked to Israel sailing outside Turkey, according to a person close to the Houthis.
The newspaper says, "If a coalition attack occurs Thursday night into Friday, it will be one week after the United States, Britain and major allies issued what officials described as a final warning to the Yemeni Houthi group to stop its attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea." Western security officials and advisors previously stated that the Biden administration and the US-led coalition have so far been reluctant to respond too forcefully to the Houthis for fear that they will spark a war in the region. US defense officials said the coalition-led strike plan aims to solve the problem by limiting Houthi attacks in the Red Sea without provoking more conflicts in an already volatile region. The Houthis had carried out at least 26 attacks on commercial ships since mid-November, according to US Central Command, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East. From December 16 to January 4, the US Navy said it shot down 61 missiles and drones, while 1,500 commercial ships safely crossed the Red Sea.
Yesterday, the United Nations Security Council approved a a US-proposed resolution calling on the Houthis to “immediately cease all attacks that impede global trade, navigational rights and freedoms , as well as regional peace.” The resolution, presented by the United States and Japan, was approved by a vote of 11 votes to 0, and Russia, China, and Algeria abstained. Mozambique abstained from voting.
Today, hearings began at the International Court of Justice in The Hague , Netherlands, in a lawsuit filed by South Africa against Israel on December 29, on charges of committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip, demanding an end to the Israeli war on Gaza. In the 84-page lawsuit, South Africa states that Israel failed to provide basic food, water, medicine, fuel, shelter and other humanitarian assistance to the residents of the Strip.
South Africa bases its claim on the fact that thousands of Palestinians were killed, displaced en masse, and their homes were destroyed, in addition to the inflammatory statements made by a number of Israeli officials, which portray the Palestinians as subhuman and that they must be subjected to collective punishment, which represents genocide and evidence of the intention to commit it.
The president of the court, American Judge Joan Donoghue, read out a list of procedural issues that the court will take in considering the case, with the participation of two judges from South Africa and Israel, in order to ensure integrity and transparency, as she put it. Although the rulings of the International Court of Justice are final and not subject to appeal, there is no way to implement them or oblige them to be respected, but issuing a ruling against Israel would set a legal precedent, deepen Israel’s isolation, and harm its reputation internationally.
This is the first time that Israel has accepted to appear before the International Court of Justice after it refused in 2004 to attend litigation proceedings regarding the procedures of the apartheid wall in the West Bank , and then ignored the final ruling, citing its lack of recognition of the court’s authority.
According to media reports, the South African side is represented in the case by lawyers led by South African international law professor John Dugard, while the Israeli side will be represented by British lawyer Malcolm Shaw.
In accordance with the precautionary measures, the court should first consider whether it has jurisdiction to hear the case, and whether the actions of which Israel is accused violate the Genocide Convention. The first part of the case focuses on an urgent request from South Africa to the International Court of Justice to order the Israeli army to immediately leave the Gaza Strip and stop the indiscriminate bombing of civilians there. This request is considered exceptional, given that the rules of operation of the International Court of Justice allow states to demand that interim measures be taken before the start of consideration of the case if one of the parties believes that the violations that formed the basis for consideration of the case still exist, as is the case in Gaza.
The court, composed of 17 judges - including two judges representing South Africa and Israel - will consider the accusation that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and set the dates for the start of the trial, as well as the dates for deciding on the temporary (emergency) measures requested by South Africa in order to protect the Palestinians in Gaza, including the cessation of operations. Military and allowing the "forced" return of displaced persons and the immediate entry of humanitarian aid.
If the request is approved, the International Court of Justice could issue an order within weeks. In Ukraine v. Russia, the International Court of Justice responded to Kiev's requests for an emergency order against the "invasion" of Moscow in less than 3 weeks. On March 16, 2022, the court ordered Russia to “immediately suspend military operations.”
Michael Baker, a professor at Trinity College in Dublin, believes that the specificity of the issue raised by South Africa makes the matter difficult. He explains, "The case of Ukraine is different because the two parties are the parties involved in the conflict. While Hamas is not a party to the case, the International Court of Justice may be reluctant to say that Israel must stop its actions, while it cannot ask Hamas to do the same." himself," adding that the court may instead ask Tel Aviv to show more restraint.
Observers expect that it will take several years to issue a full ruling, in which the court will determine whether Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. An example of this is taken from a case filed by Gambia against Myanmar in 2019 due to its military campaign against Rohingya refugees, which the trial is still continuing, more than 4 years after it began.
Operational Update
The Izz al-Din al -Qassam Brigades - the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) - announced that its fighters, in conjunction with the Al-Quds Brigades - the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement - were able to target an enemy command room with heavy-caliber mortar shells east of the city of Khan Yunis. Al-Qassam explained that its fighters were able to target an Israeli foot force stationed in a house, killing and wounding its members.
Al-Qassam also announced the targeting of 8 Israeli vehicles, including two Merkava tanks, a bulldozer, and a troop carrier, and the destruction of one of them, in areas east of Khan Yunis and east of the Nuseirat camp. Also in Khan Yunis, Al-Qassam fighters were able to target an Israeli special force holed up in a building, with an “Al-Yassin 105” shell, and clashed with it with machine guns, killing and wounding its members.
The Al-Quds Brigades announced the bombing of a gathering of occupation soldiers with mortar shells in the vicinity of Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Yunis. The brigades said, "its fighters targeted an Israeli Merkava tank with a Tandom shell, in the Jabalia al-Balad area, north of the Gaza Strip." They also took control of an Israeli Skylark drone in Jabalia.
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said that army forces in the cities of Al-Maghazi and Khan Yunis killed 18 militants during their military operations in the region. The military spokesman confirmed that 300 tunnel openings were found in Khan Yunis, and that dozens of tunnels were also destroyed.
Israeli forces repositioned themselves from south of Deir al-Balah to north of Khan Yunis after fierce battles with resistance factions, and were subjected to a barrage of mortar shells.
Israeli Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy said that the fighting in Gaza is very complex due to several factors. Among them: the high readiness of those he described as enemies, and Halevy described the deaths and injuries resulting from the explosion of an ammunition truck as a bad event.
As part of another operation in the Al Ma'azi area, fighters of the Yeftah Brigade (11) identified eight terrorists moving towards a school used for terrorist activities and eliminated them through sniper fire. In Khan Yunis, the fire assembly of the Givati Brigade combat team identified three terrorists coming out of a building where weapons were located, and in cooperation with the fighters, directed the Air Force aircraft assembly that attacked them and eliminated them.
The fire assembly of the commando formation detected two terrorists placing a bomb on the ground, and by targeting an aircraft, the terrorists were eliminated. Later, the fire assembly detected two more terrorists entering the building, when one of them went up on the roof to observe our forces. The two terrorists were killed by a fighter jet.
The fighters of the 4th Brigade Combat Team fighting in Khan Yunis closed a rapid circle and attacked terrorist infrastructures from which anti-tank missiles were detected firing at the brigade's forces shortly before.
Observers from Unit 636 in the evening identified two suspects in the area of the Bekaa and Emekim Brigade in possession of 49 pistols and an M-16 rifle. Fighters of the Methylene Unit from the Iosh Police Force, the IDF reserve forces from Battalion 5035 and the YTR unit were prepared for this in the last two weeks, using intelligence information from the Yehuda Defense Force and the Shin Bet.
Soldiers of the IDF, the Shin Bet, the Mageb and Mesada worked tonight to arrest 24 wanted persons throughout Judea and Samaria and in the Bekaa and Emekim Brigade.
In the city of Ramallah, in the Binyamin Brigade, the fighters targeted the home of another terrorist from the attack that happened earlier this week near the British police intersection. In the village of Kiryot in the area of the brigade, the fighters arrested a senior activist in the student cell of Hamas. In the village of Anbata in Menasha, the fighters arrested two wanted men and located military equipment and explosives that were destroyed.
The IDF attacked a series of targets of the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon using air force fighter jets and artillery fire. Among the targets attacked were military buildings, a military position and terrorist infrastructure of the organization. In addition, the IDF attacked several areas in Lebanon with artillery fire. Following the warnings in the areas of Kiryat Shmona and Margaliot, about 10 launches were detected that crossed Lebanese territory, three of which were intercepted. Also, a number of launches were detected during the day towards the territory of the State of Israel, the IDF attacked the sources of the fire.
The Lebanese Hezbollah announced that it bombed Kiryat Shmona with dozens of missiles in response to the Israeli attacks, which today, Thursday, killed medics in a health authority affiliated with the party, at a time when the American envoy Amos Hockstein was holding discussions in Beirut during which he called for calm.
Hezbollah said that it targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers at the Tal Shaar site with missile weapons and achieved direct hits. It also targeted with missiles Israeli enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the Birkat Risha site and caused deaths and injuries among their ranks, according to the party. Earlier, Hezbollah said - in a statement - that it bombed Kiryat Shmona in the Upper Galilee, near the border with Lebanon, with dozens of missiles "in response to Zionist attacks on civilians."
On the other hand, Israeli media reported that 30 rockets and shells were fired from Lebanon towards towns in the Upper Galilee, including Kiryat Shmona. Since this morning, the party announced a series of operations against Israeli positions and soldiers' concentrations, which it said left people dead and wounded. The party explained that its fighters targeted Israeli soldiers with missiles in the vicinity of Al-Tihat Hill and Jabal Nadhar, killing and wounding them. The party also targeted the Ramta site in the occupied Shebaa Farms and the Al-Malikiyah site, confirming direct casualties. Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that missiles were launched from southern Lebanon towards Kiryat Shmona, Margaliot and Metulla in the Upper Galilee, where sirens sounded.
Hezbollah announced that Israel targeted a civil defense center affiliated with the “Islamic Health Authority” in the town of Hanin, southern Lebanon, killing two people and wounding a number of people who were in the center. The party added - in a statement - that what happened was “a blatant attack on a center that serves Lebanese citizens, provides relief, and provides care to the wounded and wounded as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression against our country and our people.”The Islamic Health Authority said that the Israeli raid also destroyed an ambulance.
Al Jazeera's correspondent said, "Israeli artillery bombed the vicinity of the towns of Hula, Markab, Mays al-Jabal, Blida, Aitaroun, Maroun al-Ras, and Yaroun in the eastern and central sectors of the border region."
US Special Envoy Amos Hockstein held discussions with Lebanese officials in Beirut, during which he called for action to avoid the situation on the border deteriorating to the worst. Hockstein stated, "We prefer a diplomatic solution, and I believe that Lebanon and Israel want that." During his meeting with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib, the American envoy stressed “the necessity of working to calm the situation in southern Lebanon, even if it is not possible to reach a final solution agreement at the present time.” Hockstein called for working to reach a "temporary compromise, so that things do not deteriorate for the worse," according to a statement issued by Mikati's office.
For his part, Mikati stressed "the priority of a ceasefire in Gaza, and stopping the Israeli attacks on Lebanon, and the repeated violations of Lebanese sovereignty."
Bloomberg said that the European Union is studying the possibility of launching a new naval operation in the Red Sea to re-establish security and freedom of navigation as Houthi attacks continue despite Washington’s warnings. The agency quoted sources familiar with the discussions as saying, “European Union member states will discuss the plan this week to determine whether there is a desire on the part of the countries to cover the costs and provide ships for the new operation.”
The sources added that it is possible that the European Union will put the final touches on the plans as soon as the foreign ministers’ meeting is held in Brussels on January 22. Bloomberg reported that it is still unclear how the European Union process will complete the current mission led by the United States, which it called “Guardian of Prosperity” and joined by many European Union countries, including France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. Two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Germany is among the member states willing to participate in the new EU mission.
On the other hand, the agency says that EU member states must still precisely define the mandate of the new operation and the areas covered by it. The agency added that the European Union is looking to expand the scope of the current mission, which is Operation Atalanta, which aims to prevent Somali pirate attacks carried out by a Spanish warship.
It indicates that Spain prevented the expansion of the current mission because it believes that it has nothing to do with the conflict in the Red Sea. According to Bloomberg, the European Union is also considering taking punitive measures against Hamas leaders and Israeli settlers in response to the violence resulting from the war between Israel and Hamas, steps that would bring the European Union into line with the steps already taken by the United States. The agency confirmed that the European Union had not finalized these plans yet.
A new analysis of satellite images conducted by Al Jazeera Network in cooperation with specialists, based on images from the “1 Sentinel” satellite, showed the expansion of the total destruction of buildings and facilities in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the Israeli war on the seventh of last October. The percentage of destruction reached approximately 44% of the total buildings and facilities in the Gaza Strip as of January 4th, while the percentage was 35% at the beginning of the truce. This percentage does not include the number of buildings that were partially damaged by the bombing.
Khan Yunis governorate, south of the Gaza Strip, was the most destroyed governorate after the truce, as Israeli air and ground attacks were concentrated on it. According to an analysis of photos taken on January 4, the percentage of destroyed buildings in the governorate increased to 37%, after it was approximately 22% before the truce. The total number of completely destroyed buildings in Khan Yunis reached approximately 28 thousand buildings, while the total number of destroyed buildings in the Gaza Strip increased to about 118 thousand buildings after it was 95 thousand buildings before the truce.
The percentage of destroyed buildings in the Gaza and northern governorates reached 68%, and in the central governorate, the percentage of destruction in the city of Deir al-Balah rose to 26%. High-quality satellite images show widespread destruction in the Central Governorate, including the Bureij camp, where the destruction rate exceeded 65%, as these areas are the epicenter of bombing and ground battles after the truce.
Al Jazeera's analysis shows the Israeli destruction of approximately 20 medical facilities, 75 educational facilities, and 127 mosques. These are preliminary numbers for only the damage that appeared in the images analyzed and do not represent the final numbers for these facilities. Since last October 7, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war on Gaza, which as of Wednesday has left 23,357 martyrs and 59,410 wounded, most of them children and women, massive destruction of infrastructure and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, according to the Gaza Strip authorities and the United Nations.
The suffering of the displaced is worsening in various areas of the Gaza Strip, after the heavy rains that fell flooded the tents that were randomly erected in unprepared and unequipped areas.
With tensions escalating on the fastest and least expensive maritime shipping route between Asia and Europe, the West's options for responding to Yemeni rebel attacks in the Red Sea appear limited, according to experts who confirm that a military option against the Houthis in Yemen may not lead to the desired results.
Following the deployment of American, British, and French warships in the region, the United States hastened to form a naval coalition that includes more than 20 countries to protect shipping traffic, while Western countries intensified their warnings to the Yemeni rebels supported by Iran, without specifying the nature of their possible steps.
Western media, including the New York Times , reported that the United States and its allies are studying how to confront the attacks. Military officials said that the Biden administration and a number of international allies reported last week that they would hold the Houthis responsible for the attacks, a warning indicating that the government may be considering launching “retaliatory strikes” on Houthi territory in Yemen.
For its part, the British Broadcasting Corporation " BBC " reported , that the United States and the United Kingdom hinted that they might take military action against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, after they repelled, on Tuesday evening, the largest attack so far on shipping in the Red Sea. In the same context, The Telegraph newspaper reported that Britain was considering, on Wednesday, launching strikes on ground targets in Yemen, in response to the attacks.
Over the past seven weeks, the Houthis had launched more than 25 attacks targeting commercial ships they suspect of being linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports, near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been witnessing a war with Israel since October 7.
Houthi attacks are impeding navigation in the Red Sea, through which 12 percent of global trade passes, according to the International Chamber of Shipping. It caused a doubling of the cost of transportation, as a result of at least 18 shipping companies changing the route of their ships around South Africa, according to the United Nations.
This situation prompted the United States in December to form an international maritime coalition under its leadership, which would conduct patrols in the Red Sea to protect maritime traffic from Houthi attacks.
Thomas Juneau, associate professor at the Canadian University of Ottawa for Public and International Affairs, considers the maritime alliance “the best of the bad options at this stage.” Director of the Arabian Peninsula Affairs Department at the Middle East Institute, Gerald Feierstein, believes that "the best option is to continue defensive operations... until the end of the conflict in Gaza."
During a press conference in Manama, Bahrain, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken refused to specify what measures might be forthcoming. “What I can tell you is that, as we have made clear, and as many other countries have made clear, there will be consequences for the Houthis’ actions,” he said.
British Defense Minister Grant Shapps sent a similar message, hinting at further measures, saying in statements to British media: “This cannot continue and cannot be allowed to continue.” If this does not stop, action will be taken. So I'm afraid the simplest thing would be to say, "Watch this space."
For his part, General Charles Brown Jr., Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed, on Wednesday, with his British counterpart, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, “the Houthis’ ongoing illegal attacks on commercial ships” in the Red Sea, according to a statement from General Brown’s spokesman. The toughening of the tone towards the Houthis opened the way for speculation about the possibility of launching strikes against them.
However, researcher Feierstein, a former US ambassador to Yemen, said in his interview with Agence France-Presse that “offensive military operations in Yemen will lead to adverse results.” He notes that the Houthis "believe that an open conflict with the United States in support of the Palestinians will gain them internal support and strengthen their image as an essential element in the axis of resistance" led by Iran in the region.
Juneau agrees, explaining that limited air strikes against Houthi military sites “will not cause significant damage” but will “significantly support the Houthis’ rhetoric of resistance” to the United States and Israel. As for the possibility of launching large-scale strikes, Juneau believes that “it would cause greater damage but could plunge the United States into a new, costly conflict.”
The non-resident Yemeni researcher at the Chatham House Institute, Farea Al-Muslimi, told the newspaper that a military strike on the Houthis would not be “useful,” noting that “Yemen is geographically huge” and the Houthis have “rather strong military capabilities.”
The New York Times reported that the United States has, so far, refrained from striking Houthi bases in Yemen, because it does not want to undermine the fragile truce in the civil war in Yemen. In Saudi Arabia, Blinken raised the issue of Houthi attacks during his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday. He said that Washington wants the Houthis to receive a message that "this must stop." The issue is particularly sensitive for Saudi Arabia, which has been conducting intermittent negotiations with the Houthis for months to put the Yemen war on the path to a solution.
Saudi Arabia, which is among the countries overlooking the Red Sea, remained silent about the Houthi attacks on ships and did not join the maritime coalition led by Washington.
Feierstein says that the Saudis do not want their hostile stance toward the attacks to “undermine their talks with the Houthis” or push them to launch “a new round of attacks... against Saudi targets.” Feierstein believes that Washington "understands the Saudi position and will not expect Riyadh to join" the maritime coalition.
Karim Bitar, professor of international relations at Saint Joseph University in Beirut, believes that the military option will remain on the table as a “last resort.” He pointed out that, in the meantime, the Americans are using to deter the Houthis "channels of communication through other regional powers, specifically the Sultanate of Oman," which plays the role of mediator in the Yemeni conflict. Feierstein asserts that the Omanis are "reluctant to put pressure on the Houthis now, because they do not want to be seen as supporting Israeli operations in Gaza."
But Bitar believes that "the bitter truth is that the threat to freedom of navigation and international trade in the Red Sea is more important to the international community than the killing of more than 20,000 people in Gaza."
Maps
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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. The first characteristic of guerrilla warfare is the loss of a front line. 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. These 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
South Africa's legal team expects a decision from the International Court of Justice to halt Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip ; He believes that it is difficult for the court to overcome the legal facts that were presented, which prove the existence of prior intent to genocide , according to what Lieutenant General spokesman Zein Dango said.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Dango confirmed that the team presented a detailed case, and included several matters, including the existence of genocide, adding, "We supported this matter with legal texts, and made it clear that the prior intention of genocide existed." According to the spokesman, the legal team “accurately explained the importance of the presence of annihilatory intent among the Israeli leadership, starting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, passing through the army commanders, and ending with the soldiers.”
The team also stated "the necessity of issuing the decision it requests to bring aid in urgently," according to Dango, who explained that the team "is moving in accordance with the law, and it is difficult for its case not to receive the green light from the court in view of similar previous cases."
If South Africa's request is rejected, "there will be political reasons, but the team does not believe that, because it made clear the importance of this issue on the future of international law and the court itself if it does not issue a decision in our favor," according to the spokesman. However, if the court approves the request, Israel and those who support it will be required to immediately stop their attacks on the residents of the Gaza Strip. Because they respect the law, Dango says.
The issuance of a court decision will be “an important step to restore peace to the residents of the Gaza Strip, obtain some justice for the Palestinian people, and lay the foundations for negotiation in order to find a just solution to the Palestine issue, which is what we request,” according to the spokesman for the legal team.
The team bases its case mainly on the presence of elements of genocide, especially prior intent stipulated in the Convention on the Prevention of Genocide, according to Dango, who added, "This is something we proved today, and it will be difficult for judges to ignore this evidence." He expressed his confidence that the court's judges will utilize their professional capabilities and experienced lawyers, and that they will adhere to objectivity, noting that two members of the judiciary took an oath to be objective, which reinforces the team's belief that the decision will be legal and not political, he said.
Regarding the Israeli position in the court, Dango said that they may try to focus on matters such as those that Netanyahu spoke about today, but he believes that the court will not ignore all the evidence presented to it of the existence of genocide, and engage in political conversations. He concluded that Israel may be trying to use politics as a tool in this trial.
Dango said that the legal team is highly efficient, noting that it includes experts and judges from South Africa and others based in Britain. He explained that the issue still concerns South Africa, but he expected more countries to join, especially the countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation , the Arab League , and Cuba.
Arab experts and analysts said that Israel's habit of not being held accountable has made it lose its nerve due to the lawsuit filed against it by South Africa at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, and that it fears that merely opening the discussion about its crimes in the Gaza Strip will expose and expose it. The International Court of Justice adjourned its first session after hearing South Africa's plea against Israel on charges of committing genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
According to the lawyer and expert in international law, Dr. Saad Jabbar, Israel is accustomed to not accepting any external censorship or criticism of it, and is accustomed to protection by major powers, in addition to that it has always used the Jewish Holocaust to show that the Jews are the only victims in the world, and therefore it resorts to To what he called the low and uncivilized method of insulting the judges of the International Court of Justice, which was formed in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, its body is elected by the international community, and its judges are known for their legal competence and professional conscience.
Jabbar pointed out that the Israelis are insulting the International Court of Justice and its body, even though the Convention against Mass Crimes was established and formulated as an embodiment of the Jewish victims during World War II, and that the international community wanted at the time to avoid a repeat of what happened to them.
Israeli signed the Convention voluntarily, thus accepting the jurisdiction of the court. Jabbar described what is happening in the Gaza Strip today as "a new Holocaust, which he said is not far from the Holocaust of the Jews, even if the numbers are different." The expert added, "Although Israel will attempt in its plea tomorrow, Friday, before the International Court of Justice to evade the facts and irrefutable evidence regarding the crimes it is committing in the Gaza Strip, the court will rule based on what it hears from the defense of both parties."
Jabbar stressed that South Africa formed a team consisting of the most senior jurists in international law, and that the performance carried out by the defense team today was a coordinated work that relied excellently on legal support and legal interpretations, and on sufficient information to present a solid file regarding this stage of the trial. Saad Jabbar expected that the International Court of Justice would rule in the first stage in favor of South Africa, because it had committed - as he said - to objectivity and professionalism.
For his part, the Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, described what is happening at the International Court of Justice as “extremely important,” because merely discussing the issue of Israeli crimes in the Gaza Strip would open the door to completely exposing Israel. Barghouthi added that if the court took a precautionary decision to stop the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian Strip, this would be a major achievement, noting that all the elements are available to condemn and expose the occupation.
Barghouti believed that what was happening was the beginning of the end of what he described as an arrogant regime outside international law and all international norms. He considered that the sweeping Israeli attack on South Africa reflects what he called the low intellectual level of Israeli politicians. He pointed out that Israel was considered the biggest ally of the apartheid regime in South Africa, and was conducting nuclear tests with it.
Barghouti went on to confirm that Israel - which feels that it is above international law and above accountability thanks to American protection - is being put to the test today, for the second time, after the Palestinians won in 2004 at the International Court of Justice a decision condemning settlements and the modern separation wall, in addition to its concern and fear of the step that... South Africa decided to do so because it felt it had failed and that it might be defeated in the International Court of Justice.
Amnesty International said the International Court of Justice hearings into Israel's violations of the Genocide Convention are a necessary step to help protect Palestinian civilians. According to the organization, the deliberations “can help protect Palestinian civilians, end the humanitarian catastrophe in the occupied Gaza Strip , and provide a glimmer of hope for achieving international justice.”
The organization said that although it did not reach the conclusion that the situation in Gaza amounts to genocide, “there are worrying indicators and warnings given the massive amount of death and destruction, as more than 23,000 Palestinians were killed within 3 and over months, and 10,000 others went missing.” Under the rubble, they too were likely killed, in addition to the horrific surge in racist rhetoric that dehumanizes Palestinians by some Israeli government and military officials.”
Axis of Resistance
The Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) said that "the administration of the Gaza Strip is a Palestinian national matter, and we will not allow the Israeli occupation and its supporters to interfere, or impose guardianship over us". The movement added in a statement that the Palestinian factions affirm their unified national position, that there is no agreement or exchange of prisoners except with a comprehensive cessation of the aggression against our people in Gaza.
Hamas also announced its full support for the efforts made to provide relief to the Palestinian people and alleviate their suffering, expressing its readiness to cooperate and partner with the relevant government agencies and institutions, within the framework of strengthening the steadfastness of the Palestinians and protecting the internal front from the plans of the Israeli occupation.
The head of Hamas's political department abroad, Sami Abu Zuhri, accused the United States of making contacts to prevent other countries from filing claims against Israel, similar to those filed by South Africa before the International Court of Justice. Abu Zuhri said in a press conference held in Istanbul , “The court began its sessions today, and we, as Palestinians, are counting on it, and we hope that it will issue a decision criminalizing the occupation and issue a decision to stop the war.”
Abu Zuhri stressed that what is happening in Gaza is a real, unprecedented war of genocide, carried out by the Israeli occupation with the support and partnership of Western countries. He continued, "60% of the homes and infrastructure were completely destroyed, and more than 30,000 people were martyred, including 23,000 who arrived in hospitals, and the rest are under rubble and rubble."
He also stressed the ability of the Palestinian resistance to withstand no matter how long the fighting lasts, noting that it has "enough weapons to continue despite the siege." On the other hand, Abu Zuhri called for the continuation of providing relief and humanitarian support, support activities and events in Turkish cities, and the continuation of the boycott campaign.
The leader of the Ansar Allah group ( Houthis ) , Abdul-Malik al-Houthi , said that any American attack on the group’s members in the Red Sea will not remain without a response, stressing that the position of Washington and London will not prevent the group from continuing to stop Israeli crimes, as he put it.
He added that any such response would be greater than the recent response, in which the group's drones and missiles targeted an American ship in the Red Sea. He went on to say, "We are more determined to target ships linked to Israel, and we will not back down from that." He continued, "The Israeli enemy insists on committing crimes, imposing a siege, and practicing starvation against the Palestinian people." The Houthi group had previously vowed that any American coalition in the Red Sea would not provide security for Israeli ships.
Sayyed al-Houthi stated that the Israeli entity, over the course of 75 years, excelled in committing the worst atrocities against the Palestinian people. He added that targeting one of the holiest Islamic sanctities, the al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied al-Quds comes in the context of Israeli hostility towards our Islam and the Ummah, adding that the practices of settlers who have invaded the courtyards of the mosque are "abhorrent."
Sayyed al-Houthi condemned the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip for the past 97 days, noting the scale of the oppression endured by the Palestinian people for decades, as the occupation continues to impose a severe blockade on the Palestinian population, in the Gaza Strip.
On Sanaa's support to Palestine, the leader revealed that thousands of Yemenis have joined popular mobilization forces in most provinces. At the same time, he pointed to the mass protests held in the al-Sabeen Square in Sanaa, which continue to amass greater numbers, especially after the US launched its attack on the Yemeni Navy.
In this context, Sayyed al-Houthi called for a "million-man march" on Friday in al-Sabeen Square and other provinces, replicating what has become a normal weekly occurrence in Yemen.
The Yemeni Armed Forces will keep targeting Israeli-linked and Israel-bound vessels in support of the people of Gaza, the spokesman for the country’s Ansarullah popular resistance movement said. Mohammed Abdul Salam made the remark in a statement, vowing that any party opposing the Yemeni Armed Forces’ anti-Israeli naval operations in support of the Gaza Strip “will face a response.”
Allied for Democracy
"These days, it is important to remember that we are fighting a just war like no other - a war that the enemy started by choice and knowingly, when he committed crimes against humanity and brutal acts that have not been seen in the Western world for decades," said the IDF spokesman in his statement this evening , "We will continue to update you on all The information and in a continuous manner, even if I will not do so from now on in a daily statement, I will continue to appear here once every two or three days, update and answer any question. When required, I will stand up immediately."
In recent months, IDF fighters have been operating throughout the Gaza Strip with the aim of uncovering and destroying hundreds of kilometers of terrorist tunnels built by the terrorist organization Hamas. These tunnels are long and branching underground infrastructures, which the terrorist organization Hamas uses to transport weapons and terrorists, along with the removal of terrorist funds and many intelligence materials.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in the Egyptian capital to hold talks with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi about the repercussions of the Gaza war, in his last stop on his tour of the region aimed at what was called preventing the expansion of the war. Earlier, the American minister said that he was discussing with Doha and Cairo ways to conclude a deal between the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) and Israel, especially after their efforts to reach a temporary truce on November 24, which lasted a week.
Blinken visited several countries in the region before his visit to Israel, including Qatar, Turkey, Greece, the Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and he also met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank. The US Secretary of State said that he discussed with Abbas yesterday the importance of reforming the Palestinian Authority, its policies and its governance, so that it can effectively assume its responsibility in Gaza.
At the conclusion of his discussions in Tel Aviv, Blinken announced the agreement with Israel to send a UN mission to northern Gaza for what is called an assessment of the situation regarding the return of the displaced, stressing that Washington wants the war to end as soon as possible. The American Minister also assured Israel that it is not possible to eliminate the Hamas movement, but he stressed the need for Israel to achieve its goal in the war so that what happened on October 7 of last year would not be repeated, as he put it.
Blinken stressed - during his visit to the region - that the United States’ focus revolves around steps towards a “sustainable, peaceful and secure” future for all, while emphasizing the necessity of “avoiding a larger conflict” in the region. He pointed to the necessity of establishing a Palestinian state, stressing his country's "rejection" of displacing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. However, Israeli officials opposed Blinken's demands, especially regarding changing the method of warfare in Gaza and handing over tax money to the Palestinian Authority.
Human Rights Watch in its World Report 2024 asserted that the Biden administration's supply of arms to "Israel" violated domestic laws and policies in the United States, noting that the breach effectively violated international law.
"President Biden strongly criticized the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7 that resulted in the killing of hundreds of Israeli and other civilians. He committed increased support for Israel's defense beyond already approved annual military aid," the report stated. "Such security assistance and arms transfers violated US domestic laws and policies that condition US military aid on ensuring partners are not in violation of international law."
Following the October 7 attack, the Biden administration sought an additional $14.3 billion for arms to "Israel," supplementing the yearly $3.8 billion in military aid provided by the US, as highlighted by HRW. From October 7 until mid-December last year, 244 US transport planes and 20 ships delivered over 10,000 tons of armaments and military equipment to "Israel", according to the Israeli Channel 12.
The US has either transferred or expressed intent to transfer various weapons, including small-diameter bombs, Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kits, 155mm artillery shells, and 1 million rounds of ammunition. Notably, shipments of small arms were suspended due to concerns about potential redirection to settlers involved in violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
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 23,469 dead [down from 23,840 martyrs three days prior], and the killing of nearly 10,000 Palestinian children and 6,600 women killed. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The number wounded was 59,410 [down from 59,600 the previosu day]. The Palestinian Government Media Office in Gaza had said much earlier that the number of missing people had risen to more than 7,500, including including 4,700 children and women, and this number had not changes in recent weeks.
The IDF intensified its military operations in the West Bank, and increased the pace of incursions and raids into cities, towns, and camps, resulting in the martyrdom of 342 Palestinians, the injury of about 3,950, and the arrest of 5,780, according to official HAMAS sources.
More than 130 Hezbollah fighters were killed in Lebanon during exchanges of bombing operations with Israel.
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 officially announced number of deaths among the Israeli army since the start of the ground incursion on October 27th to 192, and 520 deaths since the Al-Aqsa Flood operation on the 7th of the same month. Among them are 56 with the rank of platoon commander, 43 with the rank of company commander, 9 with the rank of battalion commander, and 5 with the rank of brigade commander. These officers constitute 23% of the total deaths of the Israeli army in the war on Gaza.
Israeli media reported that 27% of the Israeli military casualties in the war were officers. In detail, the media highlighted that three brigade commanders, four battalion commanders, and other senior officers have been killed in the war so far.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that 29 of the army's deaths were caused by "friendly fire" and operational incidents since the start of the ground war in Gaza, late last October. The Israeli authority explained that "18 army soldiers were killed by friendly fire, two were killed as a result of gunfire (without explanation), and 9 Israeli soldiers were killed in ammunition, weapons, or run-over accidents." The Jerusalem Post newspaper revealed that 15 soldiers were killed in the Strip without their bodies being found.
According to some reports statistics indicate that 20% of the Israeli losses were due to friendly fire. Because the nature of the battle has become completely different from what was expected, and it lacks a front line.
According to the latest data published by the army, the number of wounded soldiers and officers has risen to 1,042 since the start of its ground attack on Gaza on October 27, including 228 seriously wounded, while the total number has reached 2,438 wounded since the outbreak of the war on the 7th of October.
The Israeli army reported that 2,438 soldiers - including 355 seriously injured - have been injured since the beginning of the war on Gaza, including earlier reports of 576 moderate, and 1,161 minor. The number of wounded since the start of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip on October 27 had risen to 1,042.
At least 12,957 Israelis were injured, according to i24 TV.
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.
An estimate by the Israeli Ministry of Defense expected that the number of soldiers with disabilities in the war taking place in the Gaza Strip since October 7 of last year would reach 12,500 soldiers. The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that the Soldiers' Rehabilitation Department of the Ministry of Defense has dealt with 3,400 soldiers who were classified as disabled in the army since last October 7.
The Israeli army revealed that about 9,000 of its soldiers have received “psychological assistance” since the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, and about a quarter of them have not returned to combat. This came according to a new statement revealed by the Army Medical Corps, according to Channel 12 and the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. According to the statement, nearly 9,000 soldiers have applied for psychological assistance since the beginning of the war, and approximately a quarter of them have not returned to combat.
The statement continued, "In total, about 13,000 regular and reserve soldiers required accompaniment or medical treatment at some level during the fighting, and thousands of them were injured in the battles."
Al Jazeera military and strategic expert Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi expressed his conviction that the numbers of dead and wounded announced by Israel “cannot represent the truth,” due to a discrepancy between the Israeli army’s data and the Walla website, which is close to the army itself.
Hostages
Israel had previously estimated there were 116 living hostages in Palestinian custody. Israel declared 20 out of 136 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.
The Palestinian Prisoners' Club revealed that about 11,000 arrests were carried out by the Israeli army during the year 2023 in the West Bank , including occupied Jerusalem , in addition to arrests from the Gaza Strip before the seventh of last October. The Prisoners' Club explained that arrests after the 7th of October amounted to more than 5,755, in contrast to the detainees in Gaza after the 7th of the same month. The Prisoners' Club stated that cases of arrest among women amounted to (300), and this toll includes women from the occupied interior detained after October 7, while the number of cases of children reached 1,085.
Israel said on 09 January 2024 that, since the beginning of the war, approximately 2,650 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, approximately 1,300 of whom are affiliated with Hamas. On 08 January 2024 it was reported that more than 1,350 wanted persons had been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, more than 870 of whom are associated with the terrorist organization Hamas.
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