Operation Iron Swords - Day 117 - 31 January 2024

Contents

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

War Termination

The Israeli newspaper Maariv unveiled a three-stage Israeli plan for the day after the war on the Gaza Strip . Maariv indicated that the multi-stage plan formulated by a group of businessmen for the future of the Gaza Strip is a trial balloon for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . Netanyahu had refrained from discussing plans for the “day after” the war, claiming that what was required of Israel was to focus on the war itself.

The newspaper said that the first phase requires the establishment of a full Israeli military administration in Gaza, which will manage the transfer of humanitarian aid and assume responsibility for caring for the civilian population in Gaza during the transitional phase. It explained that in the second phase, which will occur at the same time, an international coalition of Arab countries will be established in which Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and other countries will participate.

While there was no immediate comment from the aforementioned Arab countries on what was reported by the Israeli newspaper. Maariv pointed out that this alliance will be part of the regional normalization agreement that will be signed later, and will stand behind the establishment of a new body called the new Palestinian Authority. It stated that the new Palestinian Authority will include officials who are not linked to the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas) , nor directly linked to (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ) Abu Mazen, and they will take over from Israel responsibility for Gaza, and thus the military government will also be abolished.

The newspaper continued: “Israel will reserve the right to act at the security level in Gaza, in the same way it does in the West Bank, whenever needs arise to thwart operations.”

Regarding the third stage, the newspaper explained that it will not occur until the stability of the Gaza Strip and the success of the new body, that is, the new Palestinian Authority. A comprehensive reform will also be implemented in the work of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, including the curriculum of the Palestinian education system.

It added: If this phase also goes well, and within a timetable that will be determined in advance, from two to four years, Israel will agree to recognize a demilitarized Palestinian state in the territories of the Palestinian Authority , and will even discuss the possibility of transferring additional areas that do not require the evacuation of settlements to that country.

According to the newspaper, this plan was secretly formulated in Israel by a body in Israel that includes a group of businessmen, and it was also presented to official American officials. It said that among these businessmen are some close to Netanyahu, one of whom is a real close friend. The newspaper considered that this is Netanyahu's trial balloon that is compatible with the American initiative for a comprehensive settlement of the Middle East.

It added: Netanyahu does not make these contacts directly, but only through his close friend (Minister of Strategic Affairs) Ron Dermer, but he promotes ideas and manipulates them in a way that he can always deny a direct connection to them. The newspaper pointed out that in addition to this plan, they are working in Israel at the same time on several other programs for the “day after” the war on Gaza.

Maariv said: There is a work headquarters for the coordinator of Israeli army operations in the territories (the Palestinian territories), Colonel Ghassan Alian, and the Israeli army is working on its own plan, and the General Security Agency (Shin Bet) is preparing recommendations for a detailed plan for the next day.

Maariv added: “The businessmen’s plan is the real plan that Netanyahu is thinking about.” The authorities in Tel Aviv did not issue an immediate official comment on what was reported in Maariv.

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani affirmed that his country's goal is to end the talks and mediation efforts between the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) and Israel as soon as possible, put an end to the war on Gaza , and return the detainees. In a statement to US National Radio "NPR", the Qatari Prime Minister said that he hopes "that nothing will happen that will undermine our efforts, or jeopardize the process."

He pointed out that "the speed of progress in negotiations to release detainees cannot be guaranteed," and that the matter "depends on the two parties." He pointed out that any attack on American forces might expand the scope of the war. The Qatari official said: “I think we must all unite to stop this war, save those lives, save these children and women from being killed and chased and bombed with air strikes and tanks and everything,” and warned that if the conflict between Hamas and Israel does not stop soon, the dangers of a regional war would arise. It increases.

But in this case, he explained that he did not know when a breakthrough might occur between Hamas and Israel, and said, "It all depends on both parties." "Our goal is to end this as soon as possible and return the hostages, but also to put an end to the war." The Qatari Prime Minister added that the Qatari mediation achieved results that the fighting did not achieve, including the release of more than 100 detainees, explaining that "the operation proved successful. The military operation did not do that, it was the opposite. In fact, some of them were killed."

In an interview with the American Fox News network, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani said that the focus must be on putting an end to the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, returning the detainees to their families, and finding a way to prevent a recurrence of what happened last October 7. He stressed that this would only be achieved through negotiations.

In turn, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid Al-Ansari told the American “PBS” network today that the negotiations between Hamas and Israel “are at a good moment now,” and the parties have reached many matters that have eluded the mediators for two months. The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman added that Hamas announced that it had received a draft and was discussing it, noting that this matter was two weeks ago.

Earlier, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani discussed yesterday with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan the necessity of finding a just solution to the Palestinian issue. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said - in a statement - that the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister discussed with Sullivan ways to reduce the escalation in the Gaza Strip, during their meeting in Washington, DC. The Qatari Prime Minister stressed to Sullivan the necessity of finding a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue, and stressed the need for continued entry of aid into the Gaza Strip.

In turn, Strategic Communications Coordinator at the US National Security Council, John Kirby, said that President Joe Biden is personally working on a deal, and that Washington is discussing with Israel and Qatar ways to ceasefire, bring in aid, and reduce escalation. Kirby added that progress is being made in talks on reaching an agreement to release the “hostages” and a long-term truce in Gaza. He added that the United States sees an opportunity for a long cessation of fighting in Gaza, allowing the release of “hostages.” He said that the work that was accomplished was constructive, and that he met with Qatari officials to discuss the issue of detainees in Gaza. He expressed the White House's desire to see a Palestinian state, and said that there is a lot of work that needs to be done to achieve that.

In the same context, the head of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh , said that the movement received the proposal that was circulated at the Paris meeting (including the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Israel), and pointed out that the movement is in the process of studying it and submitting its response to it, on the basis that the priority is to stop the aggression against Gaza. And the withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip. Haniyeh also said that the movement is open to discussing any serious and practical initiatives or ideas, provided that they lead to stopping the aggression, providing shelter for the people of Gaza, reconstruction, lifting the siege, and completing a serious prisoner exchange process.

Haniyeh appreciated the role of Qatar and Egypt in reaching an agreement for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza on the path to ending the aggression, and urged the world to put pressure on the occupation “to stop the massacres and war crimes,” including the policy of abuse against the Palestinians in the West Bank. He also appreciated Egypt's position, which is identical to the Palestinian position, by rejecting the presence of the occupation on the border with Egypt, and thwarting the displacement plan.

Haniyeh denounced the position of the United States and some Western countries towards the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees ( UNRWA ), and the suspension of its contributions instead of increasing them. He expressed the movement’s appreciation for South Africa’s position, which he described as historic, by filing a lawsuit in the International Court of Justice against Israel and its victory for the Palestinian people. He also expressed Hamas' "pride" in the qualitative developments taking place on the "resistance" fronts supporting Gaza, which he said were aimed at stopping the aggression and lifting the siege. He also denounced the attacks on Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq, and the continuing threats from Iran.

Israeli Channel 13 quoted an Israeli official as saying that Tel Aviv has not yet received a response from Hamas regarding the exchange deal. He added that he expected a response from Qatar within hours. He added that there is optimism about the possibility of moving the deal forward. For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his government would not release those he described as “terrorists” from Israeli prisons, in reference to Palestinian prisoners. He added that the army forces will not withdraw from Gaza until the goals of the war are achieved, most notably the elimination of Hamas and the return of all detainees in the Strip.

During his meeting with representatives of their families, Netanyahu said that his government is making every effort to return the detainees, and noted that “the more the efforts are kept secret, the greater the chance of their success,” as he put it. For his part, the leader of the opposition in Israel, Yair Lapid, expressed his readiness to join the government in order to release the prisoners.

Despite the mounting criticism directed at him from inside and outside Israel, Netanyahu insists on refusing to stop the war until the goals he set are achieved, and he has failed to date in achieving any of them.

The Axios news website reported that Jewish members of the Democratic Party in the US House of Representatives discussed possible alternatives to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA ), to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip. The site learned in a report by a congressional correspondent , Andrew Solander, that the Jewish parliamentary group discussed these alternatives in a meeting they held with the coordinator of liaison with Palestinian civilians in the Israeli army.

The meeting came after the United States and 8 other countries stopped their funding for UNRWA after Israel accused dozens of UNRWA employees of involvement in the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) attack on Israel on October 7th. UNRWA had been the main channel for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza since Israel began its aggression against the Strip.

The Axios website, quoting legislators, explained that between 8 and 10 Democratic Jewish representatives met with Israeli Army Colonel Elad Goren, head of the civilian section of the Government Coordination Unit in the Palestinian Territories, who presented to them 6 possible alternatives to UNRWA, including the United Nations Children’s Fund. ( UNICEF ), and the United Nations World Food Programme.

On the other hand, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement on Saturday that it was “appalling” to see 9 countries withdrawing their funding under the pretext of allegations against “a small group of employees.” He added that the decision was surprising, because the agency took immediate action to dismiss the accused from service and initiated an investigation into the charges. Lazzarini added, "It is reckless to punish UNRWA and an entire community it serves, because of allegations against some individuals of committing criminal acts in a time of war in which the region is witnessing displacement and political crises."

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz reiterated the desire to retain security responsibility in the Gaza Strip for at least several years. Katz indicated - in his statement to the German newspaper Bild and other Axel Springer publications, including Politico - that this approach will be followed to ensure that Israel is not subjected to attacks from Gazans in the future. Katz stated that it is "absurd" to ask Israel now to consider a two-state solution after what happened on October 7, in reference to advice from Washington and Berlin that the two-state solution is necessary to stop the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli minister added that the Palestinians killed Jews, and because of him, the Palestinians will not be given the task of being responsible for the security of the Jews in the future. At the same time, he rejected calls, including from within his own government, to reoccupy the Gaza Strip after the end of the war. He stressed that Israel will not rule Gaza or make decisions about it. He stressed, "This will not happen. The government's policy is clear, and it will remain so, even if some ministers declare otherwise."

Katz explained the necessity of establishing a model, with Arab countries and others, that allows more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to improve their living conditions in a way different from before.

During a meeting in his office in Ramallah , Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh briefed a group of ambassadors, representatives and consuls of European countries on “the terms of the new phase of implementing the government reform program,” and said that they include the judicial, security, administrative and financial system. Muhammad Shtayyeh spoke about strengthening the judicial system and making structural changes in it, implementing the law and addressing the duration of litigation in the courts, appointing new governors, stopping extensions for those of retirement age, and approving laws to regulate the security sector, among others.

Before that, at the beginning of his government session last Monday, the Prime Minister spoke at length about the reform program, and said that he had presented it to many countries and donors, noting that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas “stressed the importance of holding general elections as soon as the conditions for that are available.” The Prime Minister added, "The reform program is for the sake of our children, and the prestige of Palestine and its image before the world, while we realize that the root of the problem lies in the occupation."

In light of what Muhammad Shtayyeh announced, Al Jazeera Net asked a group of Palestinian analysts about the seriousness of the announced reform program? Is it verifiable? Then what is the standard or reference to determine whether the action taken is a reform or a reproduction of reality? Finally: Where is the problem and what needs to be fixed?

The writer and political analyst, Suleiman Bisharat, points out that talk about reform in Palestinian institutions is not new, but rather preceded the government of Muhammad Shtayyeh, but none of the announced plans were implemented. He said, “Mohammed Shtayyeh’s announcement comes at a time when pressure is intensifying to bring about administrative reforms, and then reach what is called “renewed authority,” in preparation for the day after the war on Gaza, and to satisfy a European and Western demand, although it does not come within comprehensive Palestinian elections that could produce governments or regulatory bodies.

He added that the aforementioned reforms have a political aspect, which is a message to the Palestinian citizen that the government is paying attention to public files “in an attempt to restore lost confidence in the street and society, following a gap and crisis of confidence that deepened as a result of its weak position during the war on Gaza.” Suleiman Bisharat adds that the Palestinian Authority suffers from a state of internal administrative slackness, as a result of the cumulative state of general corruption in various positions and locations due to the failure to hold elections, the presence of institutions that have no role, and large numbers of employees in various state institutions, embassies and consulates.

Although the reform plan came to "strengthen the authority's position and its administrative structure," Suleiman doubts the seriousness of those reforms "for the main reason that they are not based on the references that are supposed to produce a democratic state, such as the Legislative Council." He added that any serious reforms are based on “activating the role of the Palestine Liberation Organization and oversight bodies over the government, but currently the government itself is putting forward a program to reform itself, and tomorrow when its president comes out and says: I carried out reform, what is the criterion or standard by which we measure reform? How will we hold it accountable or monitor it?”

With the absence of oversight bodies, Suleiman pointed to the marginalization of civil society institutions, which “are no longer an effective oversight tool for the government’s performance directly.” He concludes that the reform process lacks tools, legislation, references and standards, “and this is a dilemma.”

In turn, Issa Amr, a prominent Palestinian activist who has extensive relations with foreign activists who support the Palestinian cause and politicians from around the world, explains that among what the Europeans want from the authority is administrative reform within the institutions of the authority. He added that what is also required is to fight administrative corruption, nepotism, and mediation, involve young people in institutions, reform many dictato rial laws and systems, and hold elections.

Regarding whether the United States and the European countries supporting the authority accept the reforms announced by Muhammad Shtayyeh, Issa Amr said that there is no alternative for them to the authority, “which did not originally allow for an alternative, and remains a partner in maintaining the status quo.” He added that a corrupt person cannot bring about reform, accusing the Palestinian Authority system and the Fatah movement it leads of “corruption.”

Issa believes that reform begins with independent Palestinian bodies first investigating corruption charges, returning public money, restoring rights to their owners, and enacting laws with absolute transparency. He said that what is required of Palestinians is “Palestinian, Arab, Islamic and international pressure to reform the Palestine Liberation Organization and elect a legislative or national council that will lead the desired reforms.”

In his comment on the part related to judicial reform, former judge, lawyer Ahmed Al-Ashqar, says that the reforms required in the field of the judiciary are “lifting the hand of the executive authority from managing judicial affairs.” He referred to what he called "blatant interference" by the executive authority in the work of the judiciary in 2019 by issuing a decree law by President Mahmoud Abbas, "according to which the Sharia Supreme Judicial Council was dissolved, and a transitional Supreme Judicial Council was appointed."

The former judge added, "This was for reform reasons, and from that date until today the judiciary has become an integral part of the executive authority, and the appointment of the head of the Judicial Council became in the hands of the president, so the judiciary was taken hostage in the hands of the executive authority." Ahmed Al-Ashqar continued, “Now, after 5 years of alleged reform, the government comes out again and says that it wants to reform the judicial system, and this implicitly means failure and that what was done previously was not judicial reform.”

He said that what is required for reform to become serious is “to dissolve the current Transitional Supreme Judicial Council, cancel the amendments to the Judicial Authority Law (2019), dissolve the Supreme Constitutional Court, and rebuild the administrative judiciary system, and without that there can be no reform.” He pointed out that legal amendments have taken place in recent years, "the aim of which is to place judges under the sword of the executive authority's sanctions. Some of them were referred to retirement, and others were subjected to the wishes of the executive authority." He concluded that any effective reforms "will not take place unless there is a parliament for the Palestinian Arab people that decides and implements what it wants, because judicial reform cannot come from the womb of an executive authority."

Operational Update

International newspapers and media sites highlighted the Israeli army's losses in the Gaza Strip , the Palestinian resistance's ability to launch rockets. The Financial Times newspaper wrote, “Israel is struggling to achieve its declared goals.” It quoted a source familiar with Israeli war plans as saying that the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) still maintains the ability to launch rockets, especially from areas that Israeli ground forces have not yet reached, and perhaps She chooses to preserve her arsenal.

In the same context, the Telegraph newspaper quoted Colonel Avi Panov, a senior medical official in the Israeli army , as saying, “The number of victims who fell in the past four months is greater than what Israel has witnessed in the past four decades.” It added that soldiers lose limbs and suffer eye and face injuries, and that most of the injuries sustained by Israeli army soldiers in Gaza are caused by explosive weapons such as explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenades, which cause more damage.

The Israeli army withdrew one of its reserve brigades from the Gaza Strip , while deciding to reduce its forces stationed in the areas adjacent to the Lebanese border, according to what was reported in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. Israel Army Radio said that the Fifth Reserve Brigade left the Gaza Strip last night and completed its mission, and explained that the withdrawal comes within the framework of reducing the number of forces in the Strip.

In the context of reducing forces on the battle fronts, the Israeli newspaper said that the army decided to reduce its forces stationed in the areas adjacent to the Lebanese border, and that local security teams would undertake the process of responding to security incidents in these areas. Last Sunday, the occupation army announced the withdrawal of two reserve brigades from the Gaza Strip, and the Kan channel, affiliated with the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, said that the army withdrew the two brigades after the end of their mission.

According to this channel, the First Kiryati Brigade left southern Gaza last Saturday evening, after thousands of its members participated in fierce battles against the Palestinian resistance in Khan Yunis. The second is the Paratroopers Brigade, which is known as the “Tip of the Spear” and consists of 5 battalions, according to the Kan channel.

Within less than a month, the occupation army withdrew several brigades from its forces in Gaza, including Battalion No. 7107, Division 36, and Battalion 13 of the Golani Brigade.

The Israeli army announced the withdrawal of a new brigade from the northern Gaza Strip , as part of reducing the number of its forces there, and as a translation of its transition to the third phase of the war, which is approaching its 120th day. According to an interactive map broadcast by Al Jazeera, the total number of combat brigades withdrawn from the Gaza Strip reached 11, compared to 10 brigades still fighting, half of which are in the city of Khan Yunis in the south, according to the Institute for War Studies.

In this context, the military and strategic expert, Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi, said that the occupation announced 3 weeks ago that its war had entered the third phase in the northern Gaza Strip, where vehicles were withdrawn over a period of days, while aerial bombardment operations continued. He explained during his analysis for Al Jazeera that the entry of the occupation forces into the north is limited to the appearance of Palestinian resistance fighters, or obtaining information about detained prisoners, etc.

He pointed out that the third stage means selective surgical operations to achieve limited goals, indicating that the withdrawal of the brigades came after they were exhausted and inflicted great losses on them, at a time when there is conflicting information about where they will go, either in the Gaza envelope or the northern front with Lebanon.

However, the strategic expert confirms that the third phase has not been entered from Wadi Gaza until Rafah in the south, stressing that the main battle is taking place in the city of Khan Yunis with the presence of 4 Israeli brigades, in addition to a fifth brigade in its eastern region. He pointed out that Khan Yunis camp is small in area, and the maximum entry into it reached 200 meters after 10 days of fighting, stressing that this gives an idea of the nature of the battle in the south, describing the battle as an open war. He stressed that the biggest challenge for the occupation is the human losses and the cost of reaching the precious catch, “if he can reach it,” according to Al-Duwairi.

Al Jazeera broadcast new exclusive scenes of ground battles between the Al-Qassam Brigades - the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) - and the Israeli occupation army, in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood, west of Gaza City. The Israeli army also announced the killing of a second officer, with the rank of major, from the elite “Shaldag” unit, bringing the death toll to two officers and two soldiers, and 10 wounded in the battles taking place during the past 24 hours.

In this context, the military and strategic expert, Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi, while commenting on the new Al-Qassam video, said that the Tal Al-Hawa area was where the occupation was present in the first weeks of the broad ground attack before the temporary truce, stressing that the occupation failed to control it, but rather succeeded in entering and establishing itself in it. Before being forced to retreat.

He added that the video gives a clear and accurate indication that the Al-Qassam Brigades has reorganized its force in the northern sector, noting that this area is supposed to be safe for the occupation army after its officials claimed to have destroyed the organizational structure of Hamas fighters and killed thousands of them, but “but reality says the opposite.” He pointed out that the occupation entered western Gaza 48 hours ago - according to the third phase of the war - through the Sheikh Ajlin and Tal Al-Hawa neighborhoods, suggesting that the Qassam footage was taken yesterday, Tuesday, or today, Wednesday.

Regarding the losses in the Shaldag unit, Al-Duwairi confirms that the occupation had deployed a large armored force at the beginning of the ground campaign, which was not specialized in fighting cities, before strengthening the infantry forces at the expense of the armored forces in an attempt to change the shape and course of the battle. He stated that the occupation maintained 3 combat brigades and a battalion north of Gaza, noting that the region cannot accommodate more than one brigade - according to the military perspective - so it withdrew a reserve brigade and kept two brigades.

In a related context, the strategic expert criticized the occupation army's videos and said that they are being filmed in an area where operations have ended and cover one side of the battle, and do not present the truth, believing that they are being presented to the extreme right wing, represented by the Ministers of Finance Bezalel Smotrich and the Ministers of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir. He pointed out that the occupation videos are different from those broadcast by Al-Qassam or the Al-Quds Brigades , the military wing of the Islamic Jihad movement , stressing that they spread the spirit of hope and provide a miniature picture of the reality of the battles taking place.

The Israeli army and settlers stormed - before dawn - areas in the West Bank , while the Palestinian resistance vowed to respond to the assassination of 3 of its members by Israeli force fire inside Jenin Hospital. Al Jazeera's correspondent said that a group of settlers stormed the village of Sinjil, north of the city of Ramallah, which had previously been subjected to numerous Israeli incursions. Palestinian press sources also reported that settlers stormed the home of the family of the martyr Jalal Shahwan in the village of Bitello, northwest of Ramallah, and beat the residents of the house and targeted cars.

Settlers' attacks have increased in the past few weeks with the escalation of operations carried out by the occupation forces in the West Bank since the resistance launched the Al- Aqsa Flood Battle operation on October 7th.

In the northern West Bank, the Palestinian Red Crescent announced that a young Palestinian man was injured late Tuesday evening by bullets fired by the occupation forces as they stormed the town of Qaffin, north of Tulkarm. The Israeli army stormed the village and deployed in several neighborhoods, assaulting a group of young men and raiding homes. It also stormed the old village mosque, leading to confrontations with Palestinians that led to one of them being injured in the back before being transported to the hospital.

Before dawn, Israeli forces also stormed neighborhoods in the city of Nablus, accompanied by a bulldozer and military vehicles. The occupation forces also raided the new Askar camp, east of the city, amid gunfire by resistance fighters towards occupation vehicles and soldiers. Local sources reported that the occupation forces surrounded the camp and deployed sniper teams in several locations overlooking it. The forces also stormed the city of Qalqilya and the town of Jaba, south of Jenin, according to Palestinian sources. According to Al Jazeera's correspondent, the occupation forces stormed Qalandia camp, north of occupied Jerusalem, closed its entrances, and arrested a number of young men.

Meanwhile, the West Bank is witnessing a state of anger after an Israeli force assassinated 3 Palestinian resistance fighters inside Ibn Sina Hospital in Jenin, claiming that they were members of an armed cell affiliated with the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) and were planning attacks. In an operation that was the first in about 8 years, a force of 10 people in civilian clothes, including some wearing doctors’ uniforms and some wearing regular civilian clothes or women’s uniforms, infiltrated the hospital, headed to the third floor, and executed the 3 young men, including a wounded man lying in the hospital receiving treatment.

Among the three martyrs were Muhammad Walid Jalamneh, one of the most prominent field commanders in the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades - the military wing of the Hamas movement - in the Jenin Governorate, and Basil Ayman Ghazawi, one of the leaders and founders of the Jenin Brigade in the Al-Quds Brigades , the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement , and among the field commanders in the Jenin Governorate.

The Al-Qassam Brigades - Jenin Brigade mourned the three resistance fighters and said, “Blood will be met with blood, and these sacrifices will not be in vain.” The Al-Quds Brigades also mourned them and said that they would continue fighting to restore the rights of the Palestinian people, and added that their weapons would be lawful in all arenas.

The Hamas movement denounced the assassination and described it as a full-fledged war crime, while the Islamic Jihad movement said that the operation was a new violation of humanitarian norms and international laws, noting that it amounted to a war crime. For its part, the administration of Ibn Sina Hospital considered this raid to be a dangerous precedent and a new chapter in the escalating targeting of medical institutions and the patients inside them.

Maps

All maps are lies. “Not only is it easy to lie with maps, it is essential,” wrote cartographer Mark Monmoneir in his book How to Lie with Maps. He showed that condensing complex, three-dimensional spaces onto a two-dimensional sheet of paper [in old days] is bound to be reductive. 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. Indeed, by late January 2024 mappers were rather less exuberant in their depictions of IDF advances. While by the end of 2023 maps suggested that it was "mission accomplished" in North Gaza which was depicted as entirely pacified, by late January 2024 enclaves of IDF elements were depicted at the margins of Gaza City, much of North Gaza was now depticted as either HAMAS-controlled, or "contested". Another noteworthy cartographic ambiguity was found to the south of Khan Yunis in the stretch of Salah Al-Deen avenue running north from Al-Nasr through al-Fukhari to the vicinity of Tawhid Mosque in the environs of Khan Yunis proper. By the end of 2023 some cartographers indicated that a large swath of territory centered on this avenue had been liberated by the IDF, while other cartographers professed no knowlege of an IDF presence in that part of the Strip. By late January 2024 there are suggestions that while the avenue itself was an IDF permissive corridor for nearly the full length of the Strip, much of adjacent territory was not. By 29 January 2024 Al-Jazeera had finally come around to some of the cartographic conventions of other mappers, indicating "occupied areas", and even providing a map of IDF ORBAT in the Strip.

Bystanders

Sikhrid Kach, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator in Gaza, stated that no body can replace the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees ( UNRWA ) in the Gaza Strip . This came in a statement to journalists after a closed session held yesterday evening, Tuesday, in the Security Council , to discuss the latest developments in the Gaza Strip.

Kach explained that the main issues discussed in the session related to providing means of transporting aid to Gaza, and providing an appropriate environment for distribution operations. She added that no other organization can take the place of UNRWA, as it has enormous capabilities, capabilities and structure, and also possesses great knowledge of Gaza society.

UNRWA was established by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in 1949, and was mandated to provide assistance and protection to refugees in 5 regions: Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Its work aims to reach a just solution to the refugee problem.

Since January 26, 18 countries and the European Union have taken a decision to suspend their funding to UNRWA, based on Israel’s allegations that 12 employees of the agency participated in the “ Al-Aqsa Flood ” operation carried out by the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) on October 7, 2023, against Israeli military bases and settlements around the Gaza Strip.

According to the United Nations, the countries that decided to suspend their funding to UNRWA until yesterday evening; They are: the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Italy, Britain, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, New Zealand, Iceland, Romania, Estonia, and the European Union.On the other hand, Spain, Ireland and Norway announced that they would not cut aid, but expressed their willingness to support an investigation into Israel's allegations.

The Western countries' announcements came hours after the International Court of Justice in The Hague rejected Israel's demands to drop the genocide lawsuit in Gaza, which South Africa filed against it, and issued a temporary decision requiring Israel to take measures to stop the genocide and bring in humanitarian aid within a month.

UNRWA announced the opening of an investigation into allegations indicating the involvement of an unspecified number of its employees in the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation. The Israeli accusations against the agency are not the first of their kind. Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, Israel has accused the agency’s employees of working for the benefit of the Hamas movement. According to observers, this accusation is a prior justification for targeting UNRWA schools and facilities in the Gaza Strip, which host tens of thousands of displaced people, most of whom are children and women.

Axis of Resistance

A writer in the Turkish Yeni Safak newspaper says that the Palestinian resistance, which lasted 17 years, with modest capabilities, will be written in golden letters in history books, and the Palestinian people will be the winners of this war. Writer Sadiq Abdullah stated in an article in the newspaper that the resistance carried out a rare operation in its history. As for the Israeli occupation, it was unable to do anything except kill civilians in Gaza and destroy civilian infrastructure. The occupation army is facing unprecedented resistance that has prevented it from achieving any military success. In fact, the failure and defeat that Israel experienced on October 7 is multiplying day after day, and it is moving step by step towards a new defeat.

Abdullah described the perseverance, determination and resistance of the Palestinian people as “an exceptional spiritual discipline that no material force can conquer.” He said about the West Bank , which has provided about 400 martyrs since the beginning of the war, that it will enter a stage that the Israeli occupation never expected, and it will suffer the same defeat it suffered in Gaza.

The writer talked about the causes of the “ Al-Aqsa Flood ” and attributed it to the continuous persecution to which the Palestinian people have been subjected for years, the violent and brutal siege of Gaza for 17 years, the attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque , and the Zionist regime’s attempts to gradually destroy the mosque, annex nearly the entire West Bank, and build new settlements every day. The writer reported that the occupation army, which was considered one of the strongest armies in the world and the region, was incapacitated within a few hours of the start of the “Al-Aqsa Flood,” even though it was equipped with the latest advanced technology.

Abdullah said that as the war approaches its 115th day, the losses of the occupation army are estimated at more than a thousand military vehicles, and thousands of dead, wounded and disabled. He explained that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , who is currently flipping from one side to the other, and whose army has failed to achieve any gains so far, is rushing to commit more massacres against civilians. But in the end, he and his government will be forced to admit their failure, and that day will be a real crisis between him and his people. In the end, he will have to accept the terms of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas) and negotiate with them.

Abdullah denied some allegations about the October 7 operation, including that the operation was carried out with Israeli complicity, or was carried out on the orders of some countries in the region, describing this as a “ludicrous allegation” stemming from the influence of the psychology of defeat that the Israeli occupation was subjected to in order to diminish it. From the success of the Palestinian resistance.

He said that the Zionist regime is in a very difficult situation in its history, and has never been so disgraced around the world, and is trying to launch its false narratives to attract the attention of its international supporters and raise doubts about the legitimacy of the resistance. Abdullah stressed that the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation achieved great benefits for the Palestinian cause. This issue has now reached a stage that the forces that claim to be decision-makers in the world cannot ignore or forget.

He said that what is expected of Islamic countries and their people is to join the resistance. The occupation has become a threat to all the peoples of the region, and it invades Arab lands relentlessly, and participates in activities that conflict with the interests of Islamic countries, as is the case in the eastern Mediterranean.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for the formation of an international field team to investigate the Israeli massacres and the conditions of missing persons and detainees from the Gaza Strip , noting the discovery of mass graves containing dozens of bodies. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said - in a statement - that according to testimonies of Palestinian citizens, more than 30 decomposed bodies of Palestinian martyrs were discovered buried in the northern Gaza Strip. They were killed while they were handcuffed and blindfolded.

The statement considered this to be clear evidence that the martyrs were executed on the ground, noting that there are "other stories that speak of a larger number than that, in the most heinous forms of genocide committed by the occupation forces against our people in the Gaza Strip without accountability or oversight." The Palestinian Foreign Ministry confirmed that the discovery of this mass grave; This brutal form reflects the scale of the tragedy to which Palestinian civilians are exposed, the mass massacres and executions of even detainees.

It described these Israeli practices as “a blatant and gross violation of all relevant international norms and laws,” adding that “this cemetery may be one of a number of other cemeteries that have not yet been discovered.” The statement called for "the necessity of forming an international investigation team to visit the Gaza Strip and conduct an examination and inspection of all areas to find out the truth and dimensions of the genocide to which the Palestinian people are exposed, and to work to follow up on the conditions of all missing persons and those detained by the occupation authorities."

Al Jazeera obtained pictures of the operations to recover the decomposed bodies of martyrs, who were found handcuffed and blindfolded in the Hamad School in the northern Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Prisoners' Club said in a statement issued today, Wednesday, that the discovery of the bodies of 30 martyrs - bound - is clear evidence of a "Zionist execution crime" against them, and that there is increasing data indicating that detainees from Gaza have been subjected to executions as the genocide in the Strip continues. He added that witness accounts show that the martyrs were handcuffed and blindfolded, which confirms that they were under arrest, which clearly shows that the occupation committed a field execution against them.

Allied for Democracy

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that certain steps must be taken before recognizing a Palestinian state, while an American website reported that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken asked his department to review options related to recognizing that state.

Sunak explained that the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) must be removed from Gaza first, and a Palestinian government must be established in Gaza and the West Bank. It is also necessary to develop a concrete plan to reform and support the Palestinian Authority, and develop a plan to rebuild Gaza, in addition to the two-state solution.

The British Prime Minister stressed his country's support for Israel and the need to remove what he described as a "terrorist threat" against it and ensure its permanent security. Regarding the war in Gaza, Sunak expressed Britain's deep concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and said that his country is working to bring in more aid.

In a related context, Axios quoted an American official as saying that reviewing options related to recognizing a Palestinian state was one of the issues that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken asked the department to consider. The American website added that Blinken also requested a review of the form of a demilitarized Palestinian state based on other models in the world. The US official said that the purpose of the review is to consider options for how to implement the two-state solution in a way that “ensures Israel’s security.”

He stressed that the White House is aware of the ongoing reviews, and that Blinken has not signed any new policy and that the Foreign Ministry is in the process of developing a large list of options.

Axios also quoted a spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House as saying that the long-standing US policy is that any recognition of a Palestinian state must come through direct negotiations between the two parties, and not through unilateral recognition in the United Nations, and that this policy has not change.

The website reported, citing a senior American official, that officials in the administration of President Joe Biden believe that recognition of a Palestinian state should be the first, not the last, step in negotiations to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Efforts to find a diplomatic way out of the war in Gaza have opened the door to rethinking many old American policies.

Butcher's Bill / Oasis of Martyrs

On 7 October 2023, Hamas and other armed groups present in the Gaza Strip carried out an attack in Israel, killing more than 1,200 persons, injuring thousands and abducting some 240 people, many of whom continue to be held hostage. It was the second largest loss inflicted on the Israeli forces after the 1973 war. Palestinian armed groups launched thousands of missiles at Israel Following this attack, Israel launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza, by land, air and sea.

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

The HAMAS Ministry of Health in the besieged sector announced that the number of victims of the Israeli operation its beginning had risen to 26,900 martyrs, 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 65,949. The Palestinian Government Media Office in Gaza had said much earlier that the number of missing people had risen to more than 8,000, including including 4,700 children and women, amid expectations that the toll will be double thi figures.

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 380 Palestinians, the injury of about 3,950, and the arrest of 5,780, according to official HAMAS sources. As of 17 January 2023, the Israeli escalation in the West Bank led to the death of 360 Palestinians, the injury of nearly 2,200, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and the arrest of about 6,000, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club.

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.

Today, the army acknowledged the killing of an officer and two soldiers, and the serious wounding of others, in battles in the north and south of the Gaza Strip. The total number of Israeli deaths has risen to 559 [557?] since the start of the war on October 7, including 229 [220?] killed since the ground invasion as a result of the ongoing clashes with the Palestinian resistance [other sources report the total number of deaths of the army had risen to 222 since the start of the ground invasion]. Among them were at least 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.

It was announced that 26 soldiers were wounded within 24 hours in the Gaza Strip battles, confirming that the number had risen to 2,797 since the beginning of the war, including 1,283 who had been wounded since the start of the ground attack on October 27, 2023. The total number has reached 2,602 wounded since the outbreak of the war on the 7th of October.

The Israeli army reported that 2,771 officers and soldiers were injured since the seventh of last October, including 407 who are still receiving treatment for their injuries in the Gaza battles, and the condition of 48 of them is serious, while 405 were seriously injured, 692 were moderately injured, and 1,562 were described as having minor injuries since the start of the war. The Israeli army also said 26 January 2024 that since the beginning of the ground attack on Gaza, 258 soldiers have been seriously injured. There are 423 moderate injuries, compared to 577 minor injuries.

At least 13,599 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.

In an interview with RT, Military strategist retired Tunisian Brigadier General Tawfiq Didi said that the number of Israeli army deaths in the Gaza battles is much greater than what Israel announces. Didi explained in an interview with the “Best Saying” program on RT channel, “The number of people killed in battles can be easily known, as the equation in wars is that for every 3 wounded there is a dead person, and the numbers now in Israel hover around 12,500 wounded and disabled people, and when we divide by Three, we find that the death toll exceeds 4,000, especially after eliminating more than a thousand tanks and armored vehicles, and I know what happens when Kornet missiles hit a tank. Its ammunition explodes and no one is left alive.”

He added, "The Israelis announce their dead only of those of Jewish origin and of the first race, meaning all Arabs, Falash, and those who are among them. They are not counted because they are of the second category. So I am sure that the number exceeds 4 thousand dead, and this is a very easy military calculation."

He pointed out, "The Palestinian resistance documented everything it did, unlike the Israelis. The resistance documented shooting at tanks and armored vehicles and destroying the houses in which the Israeli soldiers were holed up, and we saw them being killed... We saw the Kornet hitting the tanks, we saw Al-Yassin 105, so the difference is clear."

Hostages

Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed have been held as hostages in Gaza since 2014 and 2015, respectively. Unlike the roughly 240 people kidnapped in the Hamas October 7 terrorist attacks, the campaign for the release of Mengistu and al-Sayed has received little publicity. Mengistu is known to suffer from what HRW deemed "serious" mental health issues. "Avera crossed one of the safest borders in the world, under the eyes of the security services," recalled Gil Elias, a relative. "We're talking about a mentally ill person who got lost." The calls for the release of Mengistu and al-Sayed have been barely audible during the many years they have been held captive in Gaza.

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. By another count, 132 of them are still being held in Gaza, and 25 of them have been confirmed dead. 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 number of people arrested by the Israelis in the West Bank since that date has exceeded 6,305. The total number of prisoners in Israeli prisons is 8,800, as documented by the club until the end of December 2023. Palestinian prisoner institutions said more than 3,290 administrative detainees, which is the highest percentage since the years of the 1987 Intifada, and 661 who were classified as “unlawful combatants” from Gaza, and this is the number available only as a clear given. 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. The arrest campaigns affected all groups, including women and children, as the number of women who were arrested reached about 200, while the number of arrests among children until the end of last December exceeded 355 children.

Israel said on 14 January 2024 that, since the beginning of the war, over 2,960 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, over 1,350 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.

The institutions added in the statement that “the occupation arrested 210 women during the aforementioned period, and this statistic includes women who were arrested from the territories in 1948, and more than 355 children,” pointing out that “the outcome of the arrest campaigns includes all those who were arrested from homes, and through military checkpoints, Those who were forced to surrender themselves under pressure, and those who were detained.” It explained that "the number of arrests among journalists reached 50, of whom 35 remain in detention, and 20 of them were transferred to administrative detention."