Operation Iron Swords - Day 132 - 15 February 2024
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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 |
The newspaper "Haaretz" said that the Television Regulatory Authority in Israel opened an investigation against Channel 13 due to a comment by one of its analysts in which he asserted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "does not want the hostages (held in the Gaza Strip ) to return alive." The newspaper explained that the decision of the authority - which regulates and supervises commercial broadcasting in Israel - came after a comment by analyst Gil Tamari yesterday, Monday, on Channel 13’s morning newscast, during a discussion about negotiations on a new prisoner exchange deal with the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ).
Tamari, who is known for his criticism of Netanyahu and his right-wing government, said, "I said a month ago that Netanyahu has no real incentive to release the hostages. He wants them to die as martyrs for his own reasons." He added, "We must remember that he opposes the deal that was actually approved by the head of the Mossad , and he is the one who allowed him to conclude such a deal... Netanyahu does not want to return the hostages alive. We have to understand this and accept it."
Tamari later appeared on the same channel and apologized for his previous comment, and said, “I want to retract what I said, in which I implied that the prime minister wants to kill the hostages. Despite the very harsh criticism I directed at Netanyahu and the government, and without detracting from that criticism, my choice of words was unsuccessful. No.” “I truly believe that Netanyahu wants the hostages dead, and I regret my statements.” The channel announced the suspension of the analyst for a few days because of his statements, but that did not prevent the Television Broadcasting Regulatory Authority from continuing its investigation, which may lead to imposing a financial penalty on the channel.
The newspaper "Haaretz" quoted a statement from the Likud Party led by Netanyahu, published after Tamari's apology, which said, "While Prime Minister Netanyahu has already released 110 hostages and is working to release the others, Gil Tamari dares to say that the Prime Minister wants the hostages to die. Hamas does not "It needs its own media if it has Channel 13."
A legal expert attributes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to stop the aggression on the Gaza Strip to his fear of holding elections in Israel that he would lose and that would end his life and political ambitions.
War Termination
The IDF's Military Intelligence Research Department confirmed in a report published on Thursday that even if Hamas is defeated as a regime, it will remain as a "guerrilla" organization and eliminating it is an unrealistic goal. According to Israeli Channel 12, the department explained in its assessment of the situation regarding the “expected achievements” of the war on Gaza, as well as the Palestinian arena in general, that “despite the maneuvers carried out by the army, the elimination of terrorists that took place and the defeat of the Phalange, real support for Hamas continues.”
The Israeli military intelligence report came as a kind of warning to the political echelon in Israel regarding the future of the Gaza Strip. Senior intelligence officials say that since there are currently no alternatives or practical steps to find an alternative to Hamas, “Gaza will become in a deep crisis.” Senior officers from the army, military intelligence, Shin Bet, and the National Security Council participated in preparing the report.
Sources in the Israeli army said that during the discussions it was agreed that overthrowing Hamas is not a realistic goal in the foreseeable future. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant previously confirmed that he is open to any solution that allows Israel to cut the umbilical cord from Gaza as long as it adheres to a simple formula, which is eliminating Hamas in the Strip. Yoav Galant added: “At the end of the war, Hamas will be destroyed, and there will be no military threat to Israel from Gaza, and Israel will not be in Gaza.”
In an article by writers Tony Carson and Daniel Levy, they concluded that Israel is in the process of losing the battle it is leading against Hamas in the Gaza Strip , considering that Hamas, despite its limited numbers and equipment, has become a rival to Tel Aviv. Carson and Levy pointed out in an article published by “The Nation” website that just thinking about this matter seems “a kind of absurdity,” especially since a group of irregular armed men, whose number does not exceed tens of thousands, are besieged and have little ability to... Having access to advanced weapons, they became a counterpart to one of the most powerful armies in the world, supported and armed by the United States of America.
Despite all these qualities that the Israeli army possesses , a growing number of strategic analysts in the military establishment warn that Israel may lose this war against the Palestinians despite the catastrophic violence it has unleashed since the “Al-Aqsa Flood” attack last October 7.
Netanyahu's office rejected any discussion at the present time about establishing a Palestinian state, considering that the priority at the current stage is "victory over Hamas." In a press conference, Avi Heyman, spokesman for Netanyahu’s office, said: “Now is not the time to talk about gifts to the Palestinian people... Israel is still living in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre committed against us by a Palestinian terrorist organization that practices genocide,” as he put it.
He added: "Now is the time for victory... complete victory over Hamas, and we will continue on the path to victory," repeating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's message that "all discussions about the next day for Hamas will take place the next day."
Earlier, the Palestinian Authority Foreign Ministry welcomed the efforts made to reach a political initiative leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, and criticized the Israeli ministers who rejected the idea. The ministry called for sanctions to be imposed on the ministers, especially National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who "pose a threat to peace, security and stability in the region."
The Foreign Ministry added: "The Ministry welcomes all regional and international efforts made to formulate a political initiative based on the strategic needs to establish a Palestinian state, and pave the way for an immediate ceasefire that protects Palestinian citizens and releases hostages in exchange for prisoners."
The Washington Post reported that the United States and several Arab partners are preparing a detailed plan to reach a comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and Palestine that includes “a fixed timetable for the establishment of the State of Palestine.” The war in Gaza has entered its 132nd day, while the specter of a humanitarian catastrophe looms over Rafah, which awaits an Israeli military operation, coinciding with negotiations in Egypt regarding a truce and the release of prisoners and hostages.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that his country is seeking to reach a temporary truce in Gaza as part of a possible prisoner exchange deal, while Israel witnessed protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to freeze talks on detainees. Sullivan added in statements he made yesterday, Wednesday, that the goal is to begin with a temporary truce and build on it in order to reach a more sustainable situation.
For his part, Strategic Policy Coordinator at the US National Security Council, John Kirby, said that Washington believes that the Cairo negotiations on Gaza were constructive. He added in an interview with CNN that Washington is still involved and holds out hope that the talks will lead to a positive result.
In this context, the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) said that Secretaryr Lloyd Austin discussed yesterday, in contact with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant, negotiations to secure the release of what he described as the remaining hostages of the Hamas movement.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, the US ambassador to Qatar, Timmy Davis, said that his country views the ongoing negotiations in Egypt regarding reaching a humanitarian truce and ceasefire in Gaza with cautious optimism. Davis added that US efforts are currently focused on reaching a peaceful solution to the conflict and developing a plan that could lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
In developments in the same file, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said - in statements she made during her visit to Israel - that there is a need for a new humanitarian truce in Gaza, and that the Qatari-Egyptian proposal is an opportunity that must be seized.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Hamas must give up its conditions, adding that then negotiations can advance. Netanyahu added that the key to releasing the rest of the "kidnapped" is to continue military pressure on Hamas, which demands that any agreement lead to an end to the ongoing aggression against Gaza for more than 4 months.
Israeli media said that the Prime Minister ordered the Israeli delegation, which was supposed to travel today, Thursday, to resume prisoner exchange negotiations in Cairo, not to go there. In this context, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that Netanyahu made the decision without the knowledge of the two ministers in the war council, Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, indicating that they will demand full participation in decision-making in the war council today, Thursday.
As for the Israeli Channel 13, it quoted an unnamed Israeli official that a dispute broke out between the political and security elite in Israel regarding the delegation’s participation in the Cairo talks. According to Tel Aviv estimates, there are still about 130 Israelis detained in Gaza, and 30 of them are likely killed.
Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that the families of the Israeli prisoners demonstrated last night in front of the homes of Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant , and War Council member Benny Gantz after the negotiation delegation’s travel to Cairo was cancelled, demanding the immediate conclusion of an exchange deal. The families of the Israeli prisoners threatened to stage a sit-in in front of the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tel Aviv if Netanyahu continued to ignore them.
Also last night, dozens of demonstrators from the "Change Direction" movement stormed the headquarters of the Israeli Likud Party in Tel Aviv to protest the continued war on Gaza. The protesters demanded a no-confidence vote in Benjamin Netanyahu's government and a date for immediate elections, considering it an extremist government that sacrifices citizens for its political survival. The movement also called on members of the Likud Party to remove what it described as the extremist movement from the government.
The Washington Post quoted American and Arab officials as saying that the administration of President Joe Biden and some of its partners in the Middle East are working on developing a comprehensive plan to establish lasting peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis, but ministers in Benjamin Netanyahu ’s government renewed their rejection of the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The newspaper said that the peace plan includes a timetable for establishing a Palestinian state that can be announced as soon as possible. It quoted an American official who participated in the discussions as saying that the key to the Middle East peace plan is the “hostage deal,” referring to a possible prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and the Palestinian resistance.
The Washington Post also quoted the European Union's Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process, Sven Koopmans, as saying that the Union is communicating with the various parties to develop a plan that actually focuses on reaching the end of the conflict. Koopmans indicated that the plan aims to reach an independent and fully recognized Palestinian state, and a safe Israeli state fully integrated into the region.
Recently, there have been repeated American statements calling for the implementation of the so-called “ two-state solution ,” which would lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, after the end of the war on Gaza, but this was met with rejection from the highest political levels in Tel Aviv. European countries also announced that they are considering recognizing an independent Palestinian state in a proactive step that would pave the way for the implementation of the two-state solution.
In what appeared to be a direct response to the Washington Post report, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that he would under no circumstances agree to a two-state solution. Smotrich added that the Palestinian state poses an existential threat to the State of Israel, as was proven on October 7, in reference to Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
The Israeli Finance Minister continued that he will demand today, at the Political and Security Ministerial Council meeting, a clear and unambiguous decision stating that Israel opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state, saying that he expects clear support from Prime Minister Netanyahu, members of the War Council, Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot , and all ministers.
For his part, Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir said that the world wants to give the Palestinians a state, and that this will not happen, as he put it. The Times of Israel newspaper quoted Diaspora Minister Amichai Shikli as saying that Israel must resist the American plan and threaten to take unilateral steps, such as canceling the Oslo Accords.
In this context, Zeev Elkin, head of the State Camp bloc in the Knesset - led by Benny Gantz - said that the establishment of a Palestinian state would lead to the risk of repeating the events of last October 7 in all of Israel, as he put it. Elkin considered that the establishment of a Palestinian state means that Hamas will win every election that will be held, saying that no one suggested to the United States the establishment of a state for Al-Qaeda after the events of September 11, he said.
In contrast to American statements about the necessity of implementing the two-state solution as soon as possible after the war on Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly announced his rejection of the establishment of a Palestinian state, and said that Israel will not give up its full security control over the West Bank.
An article in the British newspaper “The Guardian” warned that what US President Joe Biden is promoting regarding a Palestinian state does not contain any mention of Resolution 242 , but rather may be limited to a statelet similar to the Bantustans in South Africa during the apartheid regime , stressing that 3 things must be the basis for the prospective state.
The newspaper - in an article written by H. A. Hellyer, who is an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace - drew attention to British Foreign Secretary David Cameron’s surprise announcement of the possibility of the United Kingdom recognizing a Palestinian state before the end of the peace process with Israel, and the United States also saying that it would It could recognize the Palestinian state after the war in Gaza.
The writer believed that this trend towards recognition of the Palestinian state, if it is based on Security Council Resolution No. 242, which is based on the principle that Israel’s withdrawal from the lands it occupied in 1967 is a precondition for peace, then it will be consistent with other moves that have been taken in this direction, Most notably, the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002 was accepted by all members of the League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, including Iran, confirmed its support for it, although Israel still rejects it.
However, the state that Washington is talking about - according to Hellyer - may not contain any mention of Resolution 242, and what the US President is promoting appears to be a state similar to the Bantustans in South Africa during apartheid, or Russian puppet states in eastern Ukraine, which means that it is not country at all.
This is why the writer says that the new Palestinian state must be based on three foundations, which are that the land cannot be seized by force, the necessity of removing and rejecting the extreme right in Israel, and carrying out real reform of the Palestinian National Council .
If such a Palestinian statelet is established, it will not be viewed by the Palestinians, the surrounding region, or even the international community as Israel’s fulfillment of its obligations under international law, nor as recognition of the Palestinians’ aspirations to establish a state, according to the writer, who believes that this step will be seen as an endorsement of the legitimacy of the occupation, and this will not help Israel and its allies obtain support within the region.As for the path to progress, it is based on three indispensable pillars, according to Heller, the first of which is that Resolution “242 in 2024” remain the cornerstone, not only for addressing the Palestinian issue, but also for preserving the principle of rejecting force as a means of seizing land, because the international community He watches what the West is doing in Israel and Palestine, and compares it to what Russia and Ukraine are doing, and we cannot allow contradiction to be the prevailing norm today.
The second pillar is to undertake real reform of the Palestinian National Council, the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization, to make it accountable, more democratic and more representative.
Finally, the Israeli extreme right represented in the current government must be rejected, “to ensure that our behavior reflects our values, and therefore the West must work to marginalize and isolate the Israeli political forces that work to undermine the safety of the people of Israel, as well as global interests in the region.”
Operational Update
Haaretz newspaper said that soldiers from the Givati Brigade refused to obey orders and carry out military missions inside Gaza City, due to the deterioration of their psychological and physical conditions. Earlier, the Israeli government broadcasting authority reported that about 3,000 regular and reserve soldiers have been examined by mental health officers since the beginning of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023.
Rafah includes a military presence of various Palestinian resistance factions, and the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas, form its backbone. The Rafah Brigade is considered one of the five brigades that constitute the strength of the Al-Qassam military effort in the Gaza Strip. It includes 4 military battalions: “Yabna, Al-Sharqiya, Al-Shaboura, and Al-Gharbiyah,” which cover the neighborhoods and areas of Rafah Governorate, and the number of its fighters is estimated at approximately 10,000 fighters.
Rafah formed an advanced confrontation point with the occupation army in the Gaza Strip, and dozens of specific operations were launched from it during the years of the occupation and then the Al-Aqsa Intifada, including the bombing of a Merkava tank in 2004, claimed by the Al-Quds Brigades, which at the time killed 6 occupation soldiers.
Following the occupation’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005, Operation “Shattered Illusion” was launched from Rafah, which resulted in the capture of soldier Gilad Shalit from inside the Kerem Shalom military site. The year 2014 also witnessed the capture of officer Hadar Goldin.
Rafah contributed to supporting the Palestinian resistance with a number of its most prominent military leaders, including Raed Al-Attar, commander of the Rafah Brigade in the Al-Qassam Brigades, and Muhammad Abu Shamala, head of the Brigades’ Supply and Equipment Department. Likewise, Jamal Abu Samhadana, leader and founder of the Al-Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades, Khaled Mansour and Muhammad Sheikh Khalil, leaders of the Al-Quds Brigades, and Majdi Al-Khatib, one of the leaders of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.
The region gained an additional advantage by being the main supply point for the resistance factions with equipment and weapons, through border tunnels, which date back to the 1980s. The process of building tunnels developed over the years to form the main weapon artery of the resistance until 2014, which witnessed the Egyptian army launching a campaign against the border tunnels and forming a buffer zone in Sinai.
The tunnels were - and still are - the password and title of the confrontation in Rafah, which placed it at the top of the list of Israeli military targets since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada, as it was subjected to dozens of invasions and military operations before the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and later in the 2008 operation.
Since the beginning of February, the pace of statements made by the Israeli Prime Minister about his intention to deepen the aggression against Gaza towards the city of Rafah has accelerated, as he confirmed that he had instructed the army to prepare the necessary military plans to expand the attack and to prepare field plans to transport hundreds of thousands of displaced people from Rafah.
Despite the official political statements that successively warned against expanding the aggression towards Rafah, whether by Arab or European countries, and the conservative Egyptian position, Netanyahu does not seem to care about the extent of international condemnations. He is moving forward with promoting the expected attack on Rafah, armed with the American position that does not oppose the operation but It requires the “safety of civilians,” according to President Joe Biden’s statements.
Israeli statements are based on 4 main facts to justify the expected attack on Rafah, which are:
1 - Completing the mission "Eliminate the military force of Hamas" - The Rafah Brigade constitutes one-fifth of the fighting force of the Hamas movement, and after 130 days of aggression, it still maintains a large part of its human and material military capabilities. The brigade, with its four battalions, did not enter into any direct confrontations with the occupation army on the ground after the “Al-Aqsa Flood” on October 7, 2023. Although no evidence has been documented of the existence of tunnels for smuggling weapons into the Gaza Strip in Rafah, Egyptian military operations targeted the border area to destroy the tunnels and impose a buffer zone on the border with Gaza, in which Hamas participated at some stages under the title of “controlling the borders.”
Israel believes that there are tunnels for smuggling weapons, despite its failure to estimate the size and quality of the tunnel networks in Gaza, and the clear gap in information and facts on the ground revealed by the ground incursion into Gaza. The political level, through Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, accused Egypt of involvement in the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, and said at a meeting of his party’s parliamentary bloc, “The Egyptians bear great responsibility for what happened on October 7. Hamas’ arming passed largely through Egypt.”
2 - Imposing control and siege on the Gaza Strip - The occupation army has fire control over the northern Gaza Strip, separating the north from the central region and the south by stationing itself in the south of the Gaza Governorate. It has taken its southern neighborhoods and the site of the former “Netzarim” settlement as points of concentration for its forces, which from time to time launch ground incursions deep into the western neighborhoods of Gaza City. In addition to its presence in the northeast and west of the sector.
With the start of the ground invasion towards the city of Khan Yunis, the occupation partially cut off the road connecting the Central Governorate to Khan Yunis Governorate, which penetrated into the eastern, southern, northern and western parts of it, and cut off with fire the road connecting to the city of Rafah via Salah al-Din Street, east of the governorate.
By controlling the Philadelphia axis, the Israeli army has divided the Gaza Strip into 4 separate parts, completely besieging it from its four sides, and thus becoming directly in control of the movement of individuals and humanitarian aid to and from the Gaza Strip, and within the Strip’s governorates in the north, south, and center.
3 - Field pressure to impose conditions in the truce talks - The idea of the IDF developing its attack on the Gaza Strip towards the city of Rafah, after more than 130 days of aggression, may be viewed as primarily a political tactical step, seeking to impose a state of direct pressure on the Palestinian resistance, and drag it into the category of giving up its demands that it had previously presented during rounds of discussions. The truce is taking place under Egyptian and Qatari sponsorship and American knowledge in Cairo.
4 - Attack on Rafah - Recalling the number of surprises presented by the “Al-Aqsa Flood” battle since its beginning, the option of invading the city of Rafah does not seem far-fetched, despite its high political and military cost to the occupation before the world. This comes in light of the clear consensus on the threat that this attack poses to the lives of hundreds of thousands of displaced people, and in light of an Egyptian position that is officially wary of the idea of directing this human mass towards the border, or the idea of violating the Camp David Accords by launching a military operation in the area that the agreement stipulated was devoid of Weapon from both sides.
Between the two sides of optimism and pessimism, the idea of the IDF launching a local operation in Rafah is likely, which may be by seeking to penetrate the city from its southeast and positioning itself on the ruins of Gaza International Airport, and starting from there to penetrate the separation border and seek to isolate the Gaza Strip from Egypt, or launching rapid local operations to strike what They are believed to be military targets for Hamas and the resistance factions.
Scenarios of invasion - With the Israeli threat of launching a military operation in Rafah, Egyptian officials repeatedly made statements threatening to suspend the peace treaty with “Israel,” according to what was reported by the Associated Press. These statements coincided with the Egyptian army moving 40 tanks and troop carriers towards North Sinai, and accelerating the operations of fortifying the border wall separating Gaza strip.
The Egyptian position and the scenario of canceling the Camp David Treaty may not seem like a serious option at the present time, especially if it is connected to a long history of Israeli violations of the treaty, but despite its consequences for Egypt as well by depriving it of the annual American aid imposed by the treaty, it constitutes a pressure card in terms of accelerating reaching a halt. Fire, or curtailing the planned military operation in Rafah.
The Rafah invasion operation, once launched, will constitute a military and humanitarian dilemma for the Gaza Strip, and will open the doors wide to scenarios of forced displacement and a new catastrophe for the residents of the Strip. This is what Hamas and its allies in the region are well aware of, and which may require them to escalate the level of confrontation with the occupation on the Lebanon and Yemen fronts to avoid the consequences. Disastrous attack.
Given the current data, and with our inability to predict the limits of communications and coordination between Hamas and the pillars of the “Axis of Resistance,” this scenario for expanding the scope of the confrontation seems possible and capable of shuffling the cards in the region, curbing Israel’s intentions to invade Rafah, and obliging its allies to intervene to prevent the region from being dragged into a wide-ranging regional war.
Despite American media statements and press reports about the Biden administration’s annoyance with the uncompromising Israeli position, Washington seems to be far from taking a different position towards the occupation, while the Arab and European position continues to issue official statements warning of the consequences of the attack on Rafah.
The escalation of demonstrations and popular events in countries around the world, and the political and legal consequences of the decision of the International Court of Justice, the most recent of which was the decision of a Dutch court to stop the export of F-35 aircraft parts to “Israel”, are cumulatively creating a state of pressure that may reach the point of no return, and cause... International resolutions against Israel force it to stop the aggression.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said that it had not received any aid through the Rafah crossing for about a week; Due to the continuing Israeli demonstrations that obstruct the inspection of trucks by the occupation authorities at the Al-Auja crossing. Dozens of Israelis closed the Al-Auja crossing, located on the Israeli-Egyptian border, and prevented humanitarian aid trucks from reaching the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, the Kerem Shalom crossing is still operating to bring in aid for United Nations organizations and other aid. Demonstrations have been continuing for weeks in front of the Kerem Shalom and Al-Auja crossings near the Gaza Strip, in order to prevent the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip, and to pressure Hamas to release Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip.
An article in the Financial Times questioned the reason behind the failure of aid to reach the residents of the Gaza Strip, who are in dire need of it. The report said that inspections and security problems impede the arrival of food supplies, despite the looming famine in the besieged Strip. The newspaper pointed out that the aid shipment, which could have fed more than a million Palestinians for a month, remained stagnant in the Israeli port of Ashdod for weeks, and then the Israeli authorities said they would not release it.
One of the field commanders of the Al-Qassam Brigades - the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) - said in a video clip that the occupation is delusional and is looking for a mirage with its talk of dismantling Hamas’ military capabilities, stressing that the Qassam is an idea that will never end, “and our fighters are still safe and sound.”
In this context, the military and strategic expert, Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi, commented on the words of the Qassami Commander, saying that the video differs from all previous videos, as it sent messages to supporters of the resistance, as well as messages of challenge to the occupation. Al-Duwairi confirmed during his analysis for Al Jazeera that the speaker’s words are consistent with the content of the video, after it included a specific resistance operation within a distance of no more than 800 meters from the border fence, even though the occupation army’s operations have entered their third month east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.
He pointed out that the video confirms that the offensive resistance tunnels still exist and have not been destroyed or discovered, adding that most of the occupation's painful operations occur deep in the areas it entered, as happened in Bureij, Juhr al-Dik, and Khan Yunis. Al-Duwairi warned that he would not be surprised if the Al-Qassam Brigades bombed central occupied Palestine at any moment, attributing this to the fact that whoever is managing the battle takes into account the worst scenario, “and the Al-Qassam cannot divest itself of its strategic weapons, because the duration of the battle is unknown.”
The strategic expert did not deny the resistance’s suffering and loss as a result of the Israeli bombing, but at the same time he asked, “Did these strikes lead to a disruption in the defensive battle?”, to which he answered categorically in the negative. He added, asking, “Has the occupation condemned control over one square kilometer of the total area of the Gaza Strip?” He responded by saying, “The resistance is still active, cohesive, and managing its battle effectively, and in many cases it has the upper hand.”
Regarding developments on the Lebanese-Israeli front, Al-Duwairi stressed that what is happening is a “gradual but controlled escalation,” reviewing the development of the escalation in the region, and the expansion of its geographical scope since last October. He added that both sides "do not want to go to open war; it is costly for Lebanon, as well as for the occupation army, which has been exhausted in Gaza." He concluded that the equation between Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel is similar to Newton's third law of motion, as "for every action there is a reaction equal in magnitude and opposite in direction."
The Israeli army carried out a raid on the Labouneh area in the western sector of southern Lebanon. For its part, Hezbollah said that it targeted with missiles a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Zarit barracks and achieved a direct hit. Hezbollah also targeted the Birkat Risha site with missile weapons. Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that sirens sounded in Kiryat Shmona in the Upper Galilee. The correspondent stated that 8 missiles were launched from southern Lebanon towards an Israeli site in the Upper Galilee.
Al-Monitor newspaper quoted a French diplomatic source as saying that Paris is working with the administration of President Joe Biden to avoid the outbreak of an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah. The source added that we should not wait for a ceasefire in Gaza to begin calming tensions between the two sides. He explained that the French proposal to reduce the escalation includes deploying thousands of Lebanese soldiers on the border.
The Wall Street Journal said that the US State Department is investigating allegations that the Israeli Air Force used white phosphorus in its raids on the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon. The newspaper, which quoted American officials, explained that the investigation aims to determine whether the weapons provided by the United States to Israel were used incorrectly to kill civilians. It added that the authorities are investigating the air attack on Jabalia refugee camp (northern Gaza Strip) on October 31, which led to the death of more than 125 people.
The American newspaper pointed out that investigators suspect that Israel may have used a bomb weighing about 907 kilograms in that raid. Last October, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry accused Israel of using white phosphorus to bomb densely populated areas in the Gaza Strip. The founder and head of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Observatory, Rami Abdo, also published the same clip.
Human Rights Watch had mentioned in previous reports that Israel had used white phosphorus in several wars, especially in the Gaza Strip. According to the organization, “white phosphorus is a chemical substance that is dispersed by artillery shells, bombs, missiles, and mortar shells, and is primarily used to camouflage ground military operations.” It explained, "Its use in open areas is permitted under international law, but air-explosive white phosphorus over populated areas is illegal as it exposes civilians to dangers."
Maps
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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.
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Bystanders
International warnings continued about the dangers of Israel launching a military operation in Rafah , south of the Gaza Strip , and the disastrous consequences that would result from that. Spain and Ireland called on the international community to quickly intervene to prevent this looming catastrophe.
In a rare joint statement from Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the countries warned members of the Commonwealth on Tuesday that any Israeli military operation in Rafah would be disastrous for Palestinian civilians. The leaders of the three countries allied with the United States expressed their "deep concern" about the existence of indications of a planned Israeli ground attack on Rafah. In its joint statement, it urged the Israeli government “not to take this path.”
The statement said, "A military operation in Rafah would be disastrous. There are about 1.5 million Palestinians who have taken refuge in this area, and civilians have no other place to go." Adding that there is "an urgent need for an immediate ceasefire for humanitarian purposes and a need to negotiate a political solution to achieve lasting peace."
For their part, Spain and Ireland called on the European Union to conduct an urgent review of the extent of Israel’s compliance with its human rights obligations in the Gaza Strip, and the need for urgent intervention by the international community to stop the expanded Israeli operation against the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said, in a post on the If the occupation authorities fulfill their obligations and respect human rights in the Gaza Strip.
The joint letter stated that if it becomes clear that Israel is violating the Association Agreement with the European Union, which makes respect for human rights and democratic principles an essential element of their relationship, the Commission must propose appropriate measures for the Council to consider. The two ministers expressed their “deep concern about the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip,” noting that the expanded Israeli attack in the city of Rafah, south of the Strip, “constitutes a serious and imminent threat that the international community must address urgently.” They also called for an immediate ceasefire in the Strip to facilitate the arrival of supplies. Humanitarian and relief assistance needed for the residents there.
On the same level, the International Committee of the Red Cross warned in a statement yesterday, “that the increasing and continuing Israeli hostilities in Rafah pose a catastrophic threat to the lives of civilians and infrastructure.” Director of the Middle East Branch of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Fabrizio Carbone, said in the statement: “We renew our call to save and protect lives.” Civilians and infrastructure.
The statement added that under international humanitarian law, the provision of basic necessities for life must be guaranteed and the necessary guarantees taken to preserve the lives of the civilian population, and stressed the need to preserve the basic principle of humanity, speaking of indications that the war is entering a new phase.
The statement pointed out that Israel, as the occupying power, bears the responsibility under international law to ensure that the basic needs of the civilian population are met. The organization stressed in its statement that forced displacement is explicitly prohibited under international humanitarian law, as well as the use of human shields and indiscriminate attacks that cause the death, injury, and destruction of disproportionate numbers of civilians. It pointed out that evacuations must ensure the safe arrival of civilians, must provide satisfactory conditions in terms of hygiene, health, safety and nutrition, and not separate family members, noting that they must also be able to return to their homes when hostilities stop.
The visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Cairo ended nearly 10 years of estrangement between the two countries, following Ankara’s refusal to overthrow the late President Mohamed Morsi , and tensions escalated until the two countries were on the verge of a direct military confrontation in Libya following Turkey’s intervention to prevent the fall of the capital, Tripoli, into the hands of the general. Retired Khalifa Haftar, supported by Egypt and the UAE.
Observers believed that this visit opened promising cooperation and spread an atmosphere of optimism in the two countries, pushing relations forward. It also came at a pivotal moment of regional tension, in light of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, to constitute support for Egypt’s position in the face of Israeli threats to Egyptian national security.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will respond to Erdogan’s visit, which he described as “a new page in relations between the two countries,” by accepting the invitation to visit Turkey next April, to participate in the sessions of the Strategic Cooperation Council.
Analysts in Egypt believe that rapprochement with Turkey has positive effects on Gaza, based on the weight of the two countries, as their rejection of war, the displacement of Palestinians, and launching an operation on the city of Rafah will constitute a clear message that is difficult for Washington and the European Union to ignore, in addition to that this rapprochement will seek to besiege Israeli positions in international organizations.
Erdogan’s speech regarding the aggression on Gaza came to confirm that seeking to deliver aid to Gaza is one of the most important priorities of the two countries, expressing his appreciation for Egypt’s role in rejecting forced displacement, and the two presidents agreed on the necessity of an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip , and to calm tensions in the West Bank , in order to achieve peace, Erdogan also stressed that his country will continue to cooperate with Egypt to reconstruct Gaza.
Ambassador Masoum Marzouk, the former Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister, believes that this visit will resolve the differences between the two countries, and overcome the pitfalls over the past years, while acknowledging the existence of differences in viewpoints on many issues, adding in his speech to Al Jazeera Net that they are “disagreements that can be settled according to the highest interests of the two countries, and reaching "For compromise solutions between the two capitals."
The ambassador stressed that Erdogan's visit to Cairo "may be in favor of the existence of a regional security system that brings together many important regional powers, in light of the threats besieging the countries of the region, in a way that necessitates the need for coordination between these major powers, to launch a system that confronts the threats, especially towards the situation in Gaza."
He also said, "It is certain that the visit is considered a qualitative shift in the relations of the two countries, but this development will not happen overnight. Rather, it will require some efforts, especially if the intentions of the two countries are achieved."
The state of stalemate and political tension between Cairo and Ankara over the past decade did not negatively affect their economic relations, as trade exchange numbers between them reached $10 billion in 2022, primarily to the benefit of Turkey. During the meeting, Sisi confirmed that Egypt will raise the level of trade exchange with Turkey to $15 billion through several agreements, which President Erdogan confirmed in his speech in turn.
Egyptian economic expert Hani Adel considered that "Erdogan's visit and the momentum surrounding it will be positive for cooperation to support the Egyptian economy, which is suffering from severe difficulties, and increase the rates of trade, especially since Turkey's economic weight may constitute support for Egypt."
He expressed his expectations that the improvement in political relations would double Turkish investments in Egypt, which exceed two billion dollars, and may expand to include new areas such as the wealth of the Eastern Mediterranean and the textile and petrochemical sectors, as well as removing any obstacles to Egyptian exports to Turkey, in a way that balances trade exchange.
The economic expert pointed out the need for the two countries for intensive rounds of negotiations in order to exchange local currencies in commercial transactions, pointing out the absence of the governors of the central banks in the two countries from attending the visit ceremony, which means postponing this file.
A similar state of satisfaction appeared for the visit within Turkish circles, as Turkish observers considered it “historic” and would constitute a new page for relations with Egypt, opening the door to positive paths for it at all levels, building on a broad history of cooperation between them over the past decades, and benefiting from the rapprochement it had established. The visit to improve relations at all levels, politically, economically and militarily, in light of negotiations to supply Egypt with Turkish drones.
Turkish observers saw that Ankara seeks through the visit to strengthen its regional influence, expand its influence on the African continent, and deepen its ties with the Arab world. It also aims to establish a stronger presence in the Palestinian issue and support political stability in Libya, in addition to protecting its interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Ankara also aims to expand export opportunities to markets that are already active for Turkey, and the partnership in the field of defense industries is expected to produce effects that enhance the military capabilities of both parties, which promises a strategic shift that may reshape the features of regional cooperation, in light of the good relations that Cairo has with Cyprus. And Greece.
Regarding the impact of the visit on the situation in Gaza, political researcher Ibrahim Ozgur pointed out in his interview with Al Jazeera Net that “Erdogan’s foreign policy, especially related to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, reflects a deep commitment to ideology that often goes beyond pragmatic geopolitics.” He considered that Turkish solidarity with the Palestinians is an essential element of their identity. Turkey's political stance, which greatly affects its position towards Israel and its aggression against Gaza.
He added, "Despite the history of volatile relations with Israel, Erdogan has taken a sharper stance against it in light of the recent escalation in Gaza, and affirmed his support for the Palestinian cause, a stance that is in line with his broader foreign policy vision, which positions Turkey as the protector of Muslims in the region, including... the Palestinians."
The researcher pointed out that "the visit supports a possible shift in regional dynamics, as Erdogan seeks to use relations with Egypt to play a more prominent role in mediating the Gaza conflict," and stressed that "the current political reality requires Turkey to strengthen its active role in the region," pointing out that Egypt represents a fundamental pillar for several issues that Turkey aspires to get involved in, which prompts the Turkish leadership to seek to strengthen ties with Cairo.
Axis of Resistance
The ongoing genocidal war on the Gaza Strip demonstrates the necessity for the replacement of the unjust global structure with a just one, Iran’s president said. The situation in the Gaza Strip, which is enduring a genocidal Israeli war, is symbolic of the unjustness of the governing, Ebrahim Raisi said during a meeting in Tehran on Wednesday with the visiting head of Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov.
"The genocide and crime against humanity that is taking place in Gaza has necessitated replacement of the current unjust (global) structure with a just order more than ever," Raisi said. "Disapproval of unilateralism, preservation of independence, and confrontation against the imperial system are among Iran and Russia's common approaches, and an appropriate platform for (further) convergence of the countries' relations," he noted.
Hezbollah’s Secretary General Seyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address that Lebanon’s resistance would only stop exchanges of fire when a full ceasefire is in place in the besieged Gaza Strip. “On that day, when the shooting stops in Gaza, we will stop the shooting in the south,” Nasrallah stated. “If they (Israel) broaden the confrontation, we will do the same,” Nasrallah warned in the televised address.
The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah vowed retaliation after Israel’s latest airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed two children. “Today’s offensive against southern Lebanon, during which a number of civilians were martyred, cannot pass without a response. There will surely be a response and it will be of the required level,” Hashem Safieddine, the head of Hezbollah’s executive council, said on Wednesday, according to Press TV.
It was the first reaction by Hezbollah to a wave of Israeli attacks in various areas in southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) said Israeli warplanes targeted a house in Sawwaneh with two strikes, “leading to its destruction” and the death of three members of the same family. It identified the dead as a Syrian woman and two children, aged 13 and 2.
The NNA also said an Israeli attack targeting south Lebanon’s Adshit killed one person, who Hezbollah announced was one of its fighters. The attack wounded 10 others, “completely destroying” a building and causing “great damage to commercial establishments, shops and homes” nearby. Israel said it had responded to rocket fire from Lebanon that killed a soldier and wounded at least eight people in the town of Safed in the occupied territories.
In a statement, the Palestinian factions called on the Arab and Islamic governments to take urgent action and exert political pressure to stop the aggression that has been ongoing for more than 4 months on the Gaza Strip. They called for tomorrow, Friday, to be considered an international day for supporting Palestinian rights, and for next Saturday and Sunday to be international days for supporting the Palestinian people in all European and Western countries, Latin American countries, and East Asia. They appealed to the Palestinian people "to unite against displacement projects and the liquidation of the Palestinian cause." They also praised the patience and steadfastness of “our legendary people and their support and embrace of the resistance and its heroic performance.”
Allied for Democracy
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority quoted sources as saying that tension within the War Council had reached its peak and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister in the War Council, Benny Gantz, rarely spoke to each other. The sources said that Netanyahu has doubts regarding Gantz’s communication with American officials.
The sources reported that Minister of the War Council, Gadi Eisenkot, criticized Netanyahu's decisions regarding the negotiating delegation in the deal for the detained prisoners. Eisenkot refuses for Netanyahu to make decisions on his own, as this is considered a violation of the war council agreement.
Yossi Klein opened an article in Haaretz newspaper, in which he said that the fighters in the Israeli army are neither absent from reality nor stupid, and they realize that the government is fighting on their backs and that they are its cannon fodder.
He added that these fighters see where the money is going, they see the extension of reserve service, the inefficiency in dealing with the displaced Israelis, and the indifference towards the detainees, and on top of that they see the goal of the war changing every week, from “overthrowing Hamas” in the past to “absolute victory” now.
What is this “absolute victory” for which they sacrifice their lives? -The writer wonders- Laird that the media knows, and the journalists who can analyze every second in the mind of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar , know what is happening in the mind of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , and they know that “absolute victory” means preserving Netanyahu’s rule, not “the next day.” “Neither overthrowing Hamas nor releasing detainees.
Journalists know this - according to the writer - but they do not convey what the public should know, but rather what the public wants. As for what the public does not want to know, it is that their children are fighting for Netanyahu. The evidence is that the most reliable Channel 1 - according to an opinion poll - is the least watched. Because the public would rather lie to him than to torture him with the bitter truth.
The commentators - as the writer says - do not tell the painful truth in front of the cameras, such as the fact that the detainees are under the barrel of a gun, but rather they present a false scene of reserve soldiers ready to serve for two or three years if that will achieve the goal, and at the same time they cover up the fact that the goal is deliberately ambiguous.
The writer concluded - sarcastically - that the brilliant minds who do not even know how to care for 100,000 Israeli refugees will “know” how to “transport” 1.4 million refugees from Gaza, and they have continued to bombard them with leaflets asking them to transfer themselves, and whoever remains “may God have mercy on them.”
At the conclusion of his article, Yossi Klein suggested to the pollster to check the extent of the public’s support for an action in Rafah during which 5,000 elderly people, women and children were killed, guessing that the public would support it, on the condition that they would not see it.
The Pentagon said it had reduced the Houthis' capabilities to attack ships and was focusing on ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. The Pentagon added that it is concerned about what is happening on the Lebanese-Israeli border and is intensifying efforts to prevent the expansion of the conflict outside Gaza. The Pentagon confirmed that it is helping Israel defend itself to defeat Hamas and restore calm to the region to move forward with the two-state solution. “We cannot be clearer with Israel that we do not want to see civilian casualties,” he said, stressing that he would continue to urge Israel to abide by the laws of armed conflict and international humanitarian law.
US Representative Jerry Nadler said in response to Netanyahu that the two-state solution is not a gift, but rather the only possible solution to the conflict. Nadler added that Israel's security will only be achieved through a solution that includes the reconstruction of Gaza and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
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."
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant considered 05 February 2024 that half the number of Hamas militants were killed or seriously injured by Israeli army forces.
The HAMAS Ministry of Health in the besieged sector announced that the number of victims of the Israeli operation its beginning had risen to 28,4730 martyrs, "including 12,300 dead children, 8,400 women, 340 medical personnel, 46 civil defense, and 124 journalists." He pointed out that "7,000 people are missing, 70% of whom are children and women, The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The number wounded was 68,146. 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 394 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.
The total announced number of Israeli officers and soldiers killed had risen to 569 since the start of the war on October 7, including 236 killed since the ground invasion as a result of the ongoing clashes with the Palestinian resistance. 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.
Haaretz newspaper quoted the Israeli Ministry of Defense as saying that the Medical Rehabilitation Department has treated more than 5,500 wounded since the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip on October 7. Israeli Army Radio reported that the Rehabilitation Department of the Ministry of Defense is preparing to receive 20,000 wounded this year, compared to 5,500 wounded received last year since the start of the war. It was announced that soldiers wounded in the Gaza Strip battles numbered to 2,864 since the beginning of the war, including 1,296 who had been wounded since the start of the ground attack on October 27, 2023.
The Israeli army reported that 407 who are still receiving treatment for their injuries in the Gaza battles, and the condition of 48 of them is serious. The number of injured among the Israeli army since the start of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip on October 27 included 602 minor cases, 430 moderate cases, and 264 critical cases.
The Israeli army published new data about those wounded in the military operation in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army announces that 540 soldiers were injured in the Gaza StripThe Gaza government announces that the Israeli army committed a “horrific massacre” in an area it claimed was safe According to army data, 540 soldiers, including 27 seriously injured, were injured in operational incidents since the start of the bombing of the Gaza Strip. There were also 21 accidental shooting incidents in the Gaza Strip, 54 bilateral shooting incidents and 31 traffic accidents. In addition, 388 incidents occurred, including ramming anti-tank rifles, anti-aircraft guns, weapons and machine guns.
At least 14,070 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
Israel announced 12 February 2024 that the total number of prisoners that the army was able to recover in exchange deals and through military operations was 126 people, including 91 Israelis, 11 bodies, and 24 foreign workers.
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.
Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari announced on 07 February 2024 that 31 hostages detained in Gaza had died. He added in a press conference, "We informed 31 families that their detained relatives had died, and thus we announce their deaths."
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 Al-Qassam Brigades announced on 11 February 2024 that the continuous Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip during the past 96 hours led to the death of 2 prisoners and the serious injury of 8 others.
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 7,000. The total number of prisoners in Israeli prisons exceeds 9,000 Palestinians. Palestinian prisoner institutions said 661 were classified as “unlawful combatants” from Gaza, and this is the number available only as a clear given.
The Palestinian Prisoners' Club said that there has been a significant increase in the number of Palestinian administrative detainees in Israeli prisons since October 7, with 3,484 detainees recorded, including children and women. The club added in a statement that "this number was not actually recorded even during the years of the 1987 uprising."
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."
The announced numbers of detainees do not include those who were detained from Gaza since the start of the operation in the Gaza Strip, as there is no accurate census of these numbers.
Israel has rejected international legal adaptations since 1967, and has treated the Palestinians as criminals, and tried them before military courts and not as prisoners of war. Because the POW is not tried, but is released when the war stops, or as a result of a political agreement.
But international humanitarian law sets clear conditions relating to the Palestinians, whether as prisoners of war or organized groups with one leadership and carrying a unified slogan, and these conditions apply to Palestinian resistance fighters, specifically armed groups. International law, through the Third Geneva Conventions, which relate to prisoners of war and armed conflicts, and the Fourth Geneva Convention, which relates to civilians under occupation; Provide full protection to Palestinian prisoners and groups, including resistance factions.
The obstacles imposed by the Israeli occupation authorities became very different after the seventh of last October. They decided to cancel all trials in order to double the sentences issued against detainees, and now The scope of arguments before lawyers is very limited, due to military orders, and not according to legal data.
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