Operation Iron Swords - Day 165 - 19 March 2024

Contents

NEW - War Termination NEW - Operations NEW - Operations - Gaza NEW - Operations - Judea-Samaria NEW - Operations - Lebanon NEW - Operations - Syria / Iraq NEW - Operations - Yemen NEW - Operations Maps NEW - By-Standers NEW - Axis of Resistance NEW - Allied for Democracy UPDATED - By the Numbers

Jared Kushner said that waterfront real estate in the Gaza Strip could be of great value, calling on Israel to displace its residents to the Negev Desert, south of occupied Palestine. "Gaza’s waterfront property could be very valuable … if people would focus on building up livelihoods," Kushner told Masoud, Harvard University's Middle East Initiative faculty chair. "It’s a little bit of an unfortunate situation there, but from Israel’s perspective I would do my best to move the people out and then clean it up," Kushner said with ease, as he suggested the ethnic cleansing of more than 2 million Palestinians.

He added that if he were an official in "Israel", his first priority would be to remove the Palestinians from Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, and "with diplomacy it may be possible to bring them into Egypt." These statements came in an interview with Kushner at Harvard University, on March 8. The British newspaper "The Guardian" confirmed that this amounts to the level of forced and illegal population displacement under international law. The newspaper pointed out that Kushner's words give a glimpse into the type of American policy towards the Middle East, which former US President Donald Trump could follow if he returns to the White House in the upcoming elections.

"But in addition to that, I would just bulldoze something in the Negev, I would try to move people in there," he said. "I think that’s a better option, so you can go in and finish the job." Kushner, seemingly aware of how ridiculous the idea is, said shortly after, "I do think right now opening up the Negev, creating a secure area there, moving the civilians out, and then going in and finishing the job would be the right move."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected American requests not to conduct a large-scale military operation in Rafah, under the pretext of the need to ensure the security of civilians there, saying: “We saw what the Americans did in the Philippines.” Netanyahu continued, according to Hebrew Channel 14: “The Americans fought in the Philippines in populated places that were less crowded than Gaza, and they killed 100,000 Filipinos.” He added: "They caused losses greater than what we caused in Gaza. There is no escape from a ground operation in Rafah." He noted that any other prime minister other than him would have listened to Washington, agreed to the two-state solution, and abandoned the attack on Rafah, and in return would have excellent relations with the Americans, but he would have lost Israel.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country’s stance on the Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip is identical with that of Iran, expressing Moscow’s readiness for cooperation with Tehran to settle that crisis. Russia and Iran have common views about the Israeli attacks on Gaza, the Russian leader said in a telephone conversation with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Tuesday, who contacted Putin to congratulate him on his election win.

Putin voiced Russia’s readiness for closer and more effective cooperation with Iran regarding the Gaza crisis. He also expressed gratitude to the Iranian president for his congratulatory message. Pointing to the comprehensive cooperation agreement between Russia and Iran, whose draft is anticipated to be finalized soon, Putin said a 77 percent rise in the trade exchanges bodes well for mutual cooperation. He described Russia and Iran’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS as a perfect opportunity for stronger interaction.

For his part, Raisi congratulated Putin on his re-election as the president of Russia, expressing hope that his new term would provide a suitable ground for the promotion of cooperation between the two states. Condemning the Zionist regime’s relentless attacks on the people of Gaza, Raisi called for effective international measures to stop the Israeli strikes, lift the blockade of Gaza, and send humanitarian aid into the enclave.

He also highlighted the common regional interests of Iran and Russia, as in the Caucasus. Raisi said the course of developments and incidents in the South Caucasus region is delicate, voicing Iran’s readiness to maintain regional stability and safeguard its strategic interests.

Last month, the Iranian president welcomed peace negotiations between Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, expressing Tehran’s readiness to guarantee strategic security in the Caucasus region. On Monday, the president of Armenia said his country could face a war with the Azerbaijan Republic by the “end of the week” if it does not compromise and return four Azerbaijani villages it has held since the early 1990s.

War Termination

“Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Hamas to keep the hostages, and for Hamas to keep its weapons and rockets so it can carry out another October 7,” Israel’s mission to the UN in Geneva said. “Israel has sounded alarm bells for years on Hamas, its diversion of aid, and its use of the Palestinian people as human shields,” the mission said in a statement.

Yahya Sinwar and Hamas are now placing at the center of the talks the issue of the northern Gaza Strip and the return of the residents who were evacuated from their homes, and not the issue of the release of the heavy prisoners - something that could thwart the negotiations, Israeli N12 TV reported. According to a senior Israeli official who spoke with News 12, the negotiation process "will be long and complex." According to him, the talks are moving to be conducted with Sinwar. "Even if there is Hamas abroad, they have zero mandate to make decisions. Each comma and each period will take between 24 and 36 hours. This is going to be a complicated process," the source added. In the talks, the parties will continue to discuss the major differences that are on the agenda, among other things, a complete return to the northern Gaza Strip - which Hamas demanded in the proposal it submitted.

Hamas demanded the final hours are to determine the names of the Palestinian prisoners who will be released, but the Israeli negotiators insist that they are the ones who determine these names, and this matter is unacceptable to the Hamas movement.

An Israeli official said that his country is "not optimistic" about the negotiations that began, Monday, in Qatar to reach an agreement to release the hostages and ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, just before Doha announced that the head of the Mossad had left its territory, and warned that Israel would launch an attack on Rafah. The latest round of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas began in Doha on Monday evening, after a delegation led by Mossad chief David Barnea arrived in Qatar to negotiate an agreement regarding the kidnapped people and a ceasefire in Gaza.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed Al-Ansari, said in a press conference on Tuesday: “We are not close to a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, but we are optimistic.” Al-Ansari expressed cautious optimism regarding the ceasefire talks, explaining that “technical negotiations are continuing,” noting also that the head of the Israeli Mossad has left Doha. He explained that the main goal of the new Doha talks aimed at a temporary ceasefire in Gaza is “sending a proposal to Hamas.” Al-Ansari warned in his statements that “any Israeli operation in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, will lead to great destruction and atrocities” not witnessed in the war.

The Times of Israel newspaper quoted an Israeli official without revealing his identity, saying that they are “not optimistic at all.” he official added to The Times of Israel that the negotiations “may take at least two weeks,” pointing to the difficulties that Hamas leaders abroad may face in communicating with others inside the Strip, after 5 months of war. The security cabinet held a meeting on Sunday to finalize Israel's negotiating position before giving the intelligence delegation the green light to head to Doha.

The Israeli official explained to the newspaper that the Council agreed to “red lines in order to allow the delegation to conduct negotiations,” but he did not reveal their details. Meanwhile, "The Times of Israel" quoted the Hebrew Channel 13 as saying, "The negotiating delegation did not get everything it wanted from the Council of Ministers regarding the scope of the negotiations, but it did get enough to begin detailed and important negotiations."

Senior officials in the Israeli Cabinet indicated that Hamas must make more concessions than it had previously made to reach an agreement, stressing that there is a good opportunity after it waives the condition of “ending the war.” According to Israeli Channel 12, senior cabinet officials said before the meeting held on Tuesday night: “We stand on broad lines for concluding a hostage deal, and Hamas needs to back down a little more so that we can reach an agreement. There are good chances of reaching an agreement after Hamas backed down.” about its position on ending the war.” On the other hand, a security official said: “It seems that it will take more time because there are still many things that we need to bridge, but there is potential.”

According to senior Israeli government officials, Hamas has abandoned its initial position calling for an end to the war. But according to them, there are several other demands of the movement that are “unacceptable from Israel’s point of view: the demand to return to northern Gaza, which means giving up the gains of the war, and the return of Hamas to the region. And preventing the residents of Sderot and the surrounding settlements from returning to their homes.” A senior Israeli official estimated that Hamas would not give up the condition for the return of civilians to the northern Gaza Strip. According to him, the Palestinian movement has abandoned the goal of ending the war and all it wants is a six-week respite and a significant increase in the entry of humanitarian aid. He pointed out that "there is another unacceptable issue from the Israeli point of view, which is Hamas's demand to identify the Palestinian prisoners with high sentences who will be released as part of the exchange deal, which Israel rejects."

Sources familiar with the details of the talks in Qatar expressed their shock that the differences between the two parties are very large and that the root of the dispute relates to Hamas’s demand for the return of residents to the northern Gaza Strip.

According to them, “If there had been a major breakthrough and an understanding that an agreement could be reached soon, Barnea and Alon would have remained in Qatar.” The sources indicate that there is no significant progress at the present time, and the only consolation for Israel is that the Americans are strongly present in the picture and are pressing hard to reach an agreement.

Referring to the ground operation planned by the Israeli army in Rafah, senior Israeli officials said that it is possible to enter this area as long as the prisoner deal is still on the agenda. One senior official said: “You cannot evacuate more than a million civilians from Rafah. If there is a ceasefire, they will allow them to return." The official added: "The army is not stopping, and neither is the political level. The subject of the deal is very important. They want to reach a deal, so it is clear that there will be a delay in the work in Rafah. At the same time, the army is increasing its operations to pursue Hamas leaders."

The Wall Street Journal spoke about aspects of what it described as the dilemma that hinders reaching a ceasefire between the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) and Israel, after indirect talks resumed between the two sides in the Qatari capital, Doha .The newspaper indicated that some of the mediators participating in the ongoing talks in Doha expressed their belief that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not give the Israeli negotiating team a mandate authorizing them to conclude the deal, which may undermine the talks.

The report quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that the director of the Israeli Foreign Intelligence Agency ( Mossad ), David Barnea, who heads the negotiating team, met with his team in the mini-ministerial council before leaving for Doha, and did not obtain all the negotiating powers he requested. But the official added that the team had a clear mandate that allowed them to effectively manage the negotiations, as he put it.

The same official said that the head of the Hamas movement in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar , would have a direct role in the negotiations, and he expected that the talks would take at least two weeks to reach a deal.

On the other hand, the newspaper quoted former Israeli negotiator Gershon Baskin - who participated in previous prisoner exchange talks - as saying, “Israel knows as it enters these negotiations that it has lost. Any agreement it produces is a victory for Hamas, and the goal is to reduce this victory as much as possible.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli Channel 13 correspondent quoted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying during a session of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee in the Knesset that the “all for all” option was not on the table at all, in reference to the demands of the families of Israeli prisoners to conclude a deal that includes the release of their children. All in exchange for the liberation of all Palestinian prisoners.

Netanyahu added that Israel is currently negotiating the release of about 40 Israeli detainees, and "it is not certain that we will succeed." He continued, saying, "In negotiations we have to be firm, and it is not certain that we are the best at it." Netanyahu said that he did not believe that any government had faced such "dilemmas" before, noting that the decision to conclude the previous deal to return the detainees was also a major dilemma.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid Al-Ansari announced - during a press conference on Tuesday - that indirect negotiations between the delegations of Hamas and Israel had resumed in Doha, and he expressed cautious optimism. Al-Ansari explained that negotiations resumed in all their tracks, and that a meeting was held yesterday, Monday, to convey responses between the two parties. He added that the Doha talks focus on ensuring the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip , and achieving a temporary ceasefire. Al-Ansari stressed that any attack on Rafah (south of the Gaza Strip) would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe and would negatively affect reaching an agreement in the ongoing negotiations.

Indirect negotiations are being conducted between Hamas and Israel through Qatari and Egyptian mediation, with the participation of the United States, in light of the continuation of the Israeli war on Gaza since last October.

Head of the Political Bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), Ismail Haniyeh , said that the occupation is fighting the return of life to the Gaza Strip and seeks to spread chaos by targeting the Shifa Medical Complex and police officers. He also confirmed that the occupation leaders are trying to sabotage the negotiations currently taking place in Doha. Haniyeh said that “what the Zionist occupation forces are doing in the Shifa Medical Complex confirms that this enemy is fighting the return of life to the Gaza Strip and seeks to destroy all components of human life.”

He continued, "His targeting of police officers and members of the government administrative agencies in the Gaza Strip demonstrates his attempt to spread chaos and perpetuate bloodshed for our patient people in Gaza. This also reflects the occupation leaders' attempt to sabotage the negotiations taking place in Doha." For the second day, the occupation forces continued to storm the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, west of Gaza City, and targeted the neighborhoods surrounding it, where dozens of Palestinians were martyred and injured.

During its attack on the medical complex yesterday, the occupation assassinated the Director of Central Police Operations in Gaza, Brigadier General Faiq al-Mabhouh , who was responsible for coordinating the introduction and securing of humanitarian aid into the northern Gaza Strip with the tribes and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that at least 23 Palestinians were martyred as a result of the occupation forces' bombing of tribal committees ensuring the distribution of aid at the Kuwait Roundabout in Gaza City. Palestinian media also reported, earlier today, that the director of investigations in northern Gaza, Lieutenant Colonel Raed al-Banna, was martyred along with his wife and children as a result of the occupation’s bombing of their house. Al-Banna was responsible for securing the aid trucks.

Likewise, Lieutenant Colonel Mahmoud Al-Bayoumi, director of the Nuseirat Police Station, was martyred as a result of an Israeli bombing that targeted a car in the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip. The head of Hamas' political bureau said in his statement, "We affirm that all of this will not succeed in achieving this criminal plan, and the movement will remain committed to the rights of our people and their clear demands to stop the aggression, withdraw, and return the displaced."

Operational Update

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir announced that 100,000 gun possession permits had been issued since October 7, saying that placing more weapons on the streets had “made Israel safer,” according to the Times of Israel. Ben Gvir said: “This week we reached a milestone in the Ministry of National Security: the 100,000th citizen obtained a firearms license.” He continued: "Out of 299,354 requests submitted since the war... more than 100,000 citizens have already been approved to arm, because weapons save lives."

Ben Gvir expanded the categories of people entitled to request a permit to carry weapons, and expedited the procedures for obtaining them. Applicants must now conduct a telephone interview, instead of answering questions from the relevant authorities in person. In Israeli cities, people can be seen carrying weapons on the shoulder or on the belt, in cafes and shops, or even while pushing children's strollers. The issuance of 100,000 licenses to possess weapons came at a time when Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank is escalating.

Last week, the United States imposed sanctions on 3 Israeli settlers and two agricultural settlement outposts, on charges of involvement in “undermining stability in the West Bank.” The step is the second time that Washington has imposed sanctions on Israeli settlers this year, as it seeks to respond to the escalation of settler violence in the West Bank since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.

The Palestinian Authority reports that 430 people have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank since October 7. It is noteworthy that Israel says that its military operations in the West Bank are part of “the search for people wanted on terrorist charges.”

In response to a question about concerns about crime and domestic violence raised by women's groups concerned about the flow of weapons into the public domain, Ben Gvir responded that his ministry "is working to ensure that weapons only end up in the right hands." He said that women were raped and killed on October 7 “because there were not enough weapons,” adding that he had given permits to “tens of thousands of armed women who can now defend themselves.” Ben Gvir had previously promised to deliver 10,000 free weapons to settlers in the West Bank, while he eased the conditions for weapons acquisition licenses so that 400,000 people could obtain them.

Operational Update - Gaza

The Israeli forces committed an attack at the Kuwait Roundabout, claiming the lives of more than 23, after targeting a gathering of committees formed by notables and tribes for the purpose of securing the distribution of aid southeast of Gaza City . Al Jazeera's correspondent said that at least 23 martyrs were killed in the occupation forces' bombing of tribal committees ensuring the distribution of aid at the Kuwait Square in Gaza.

The Israeli army spokesman announcedg that their forces had so far arrested 300 suspects in the Shifa complex, and killed dozens of militants. Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that the occupation forces forced some patients to leave the complex towards Al-Rashid Street.

The HAMAS government media in Gaza said - in a statement - “The Israeli occupation army admitted to committing a bloody massacre by executing more than 50 Palestinian civilians and arresting nearly 200 others in the Shifa Medical Hospital complex and its surroundings in Gaza City, in a clear war crime and a flagrant violation of international law.” The office added, "We also received field information about the occupation army's execution of a number of children among those executed, including civilians, patients, and displaced people."

The office stated that the attack on Al-Shifa Complex led in total to the death and injury of more than 250 civilians, and some facilities inside the hospital were burned, as a result of the operation in which hundreds of heavily armed occupation soldiers, police dogs, tanks, drones and helicopters participated, according to the statement.

Al Jazeera's correspondent said that separate Israeli raids targeted Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip , the Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip, and the Nuseirat camp in its center, leading to the death of more than 20 Palestinians and the injury of others. According to the correspondent, 14 citizens were martyred and others were injured as a result of the Israeli raids that targeted homes in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, after midnight tonight. A number of injured people, including children, were transferred to the European Gaza Hospital to receive treatment.

Al Jazeera's correspondent pointed out that Israeli warplanes launched a series of raids on various parts of Gaza City, targeting in particular the western areas of the city, while occupation vehicles and tanks continued their artillery shelling of Al-Shati camp and the vicinity of Al-Shifa Complex. The occupation aircraft also carried out two other raids targeting the areas of Musabah and Khirbet Al-Adas, north of Rafah, and a third raid in the Al-Jeneina neighborhood, east of the city. On the other hand, an Israeli bombing targeted an aid warehouse belonging to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip, leaving two martyrs and a number of wounded.

Al-Aqsa satellite channel said that, after midnight, the occupation artillery and aircraft launched a violent bombardment east of the Jabalia refugee camp, north of Gaza, which led to the death and injury of a number of citizens, including children. Also in the northern Gaza Strip, other Israeli raids targeted the town of Beit Hanoun, while the central Gaza Strip witnessed an Israeli bombing that targeted a house west of the Nuseirat camp, which led to the death of 6 citizens and the injury of others, according to an Al Jazeera correspondent.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry accused Israel of starting its aggression against Rafah without announcing the move or waiting for permission from anyone, after several neighborhoods and homes in the city were exposed to Israeli bombing on Monday evening, resulting in deaths and injuries.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Tuesday that there are parties inside Israel that have joined the United States to prevent a military operation in Rafah, according to what the Jerusalem Post newspaper reported. He reiterated his assertion that there is no way to destroy Hamas except through a ground invasion of the border city in the southern Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu said, in a statement to lawmakers, that he revealed “very clearly” during his call with US President Joe Biden, on Monday, his intention to complete the process of eliminating these (Hamas) brigades in Rafah, and “there is no way to do this except by proceeding on the ground.” He added: "We are in a double campaign, a military campaign and a political campaign... both of which are linked to each other. The political conflict gives us the time space and resources necessary to reach the maximum results of the war," according to what Al-Hurra's correspondent reported.

Netanyahu made these statements after a call from the White House to reconsider the strategy for the border city in the Gaza Strip, which is crowded with displaced Palestinians. He said, "We have an argument with the Americans about entering Rafah. We do not see a way to eliminate Hamas militarily without destroying these remaining brigades. We are determined to do that."

He added: “Out of respect for President (Biden), we agreed on the way in which they could present their ideas to us, especially on the humanitarian aspect, which we of course share (...) We have been doing this since the beginning of the war, but I made it clear to the president in our conversation that we are determined to complete Eliminate these brigades in Rafah. There is no way to do this except through ground invasion."

The White House said on Monday that Netanyahu agreed to Biden's request to send a delegation of high-ranking Israeli officials to Washington to discuss this attack and a possible "alternative approach." Netanyahu returned to remind that the goals of the Israeli war are in fact to destroy or eliminate Hamas's military and governmental capabilities, release all hostages, and ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.

He continued, "To do this, we need to complete the military elimination of Hamas. There is no alternative to that. You cannot circumvent this matter, and you cannot say, 'We will destroy 80% of Hamas...' because that remaining 20% ??will reorganize itself and regain control." On the Gaza Strip, and of course they will pose a new threat to Israel.” He acknowledged that there is increasing international pressure, but said, "We are repelling it in order to achieve the goals of the war. We have been fighting for more than five months, and this is a record time in the history of Israeli wars, with the exception of the War of Independence."

Netanyahu accused officials in Israel of cooperating with the Americans to prevent the invasion of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, in light of Washington’s rejection of anything other than a plan that guarantees the safety of civilians. The newspaper "Israel Today" quoted Netanyahu as saying during a closed meeting with members of the Israeli Parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, that "officials in Israel are cooperating with the Americans to prevent entry into Rafah."

During an accountability session before the committee, Netanyahu criticized War Council member Benny Gantz, saying that anyone who travels to the United States must know how to say “no” to the Americans. Netanyahu added that out of respect for US President Joe Biden, Tel Aviv agreed with Washington that the latter would present ideas for humanitarian aid before launching a military operation in Rafah. Netanyahu said - after a call with the US President - that he made clear to Biden Tel Aviv’s intention to launch an attack in Rafah to eliminate the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) and achieve victory in the war, he said.

Netanyahu stressed that Israel is resisting increasing international pressure to complete the war and achieve its goals. Netanyahu considered that he had become "vulnerable to an American attack" because of his refusal to establish an independent Palestinian state. Regarding his refusal to allow the Palestinian Authority to take over affairs in Gaza after the war, Netanyahu claimed that “the unrelenting ambition of the entire Palestinian leadership in all its forms is to eliminate Zionism, and American attacks also target me because I prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.”

Axios quoted sources it described as informed that Biden assured Netanyahu during the last call that he is not trying to undermine him politically and that he does not intend to interfere in Israeli internal politics. The sources explained that Netanyahu complained about the speech of Democratic Majority Leader in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, in which he criticized Netanyahu, and Biden’s endorsement of it. The sources said that Netanyahu considered the attack by American politicians against him to be interference in Israeli politics.

Many countries, including the United States of America, asked Israel not to carry out any military action in Rafah without ensuring the safe evacuation of more than a million Palestinian civilians. The United States has repeatedly confirmed in recent weeks that Israel has not presented any reliable plan regarding the evacuation of civilians from Rafah.

After the first call in more than a month between Biden and Netanyahu, Biden said, in a tweet, that he reaffirmed to Netanyahu what he called Israel’s right to pursue Hamas. Biden added that he repeated to Netanyahu the call for an immediate ceasefire that would last for weeks, as part of an agreement to release prisoners and increase aid to civilians in Gaza, and asked him to send a team to hold talks on targeting Hamas, without resorting to a major ground operation in Rafah.

For his part, US Department of Defense ( Pentagon ) spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder told Al Jazeera that so far we have not seen a plan for a ground operation in Rafah that guarantees the safety of civilians and the provision of aid to them. Ryder confirmed that they made clear to the Israelis that Washington does not support any ground operation in Rafah without an implementable plan.

Netanyahu's office reported that, at the request of President Biden, Tel Aviv will send to Washington Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and Head of the National Security Council Tzachi Hanegbi, and the representative of the National Security Service explained that he is determined to work in Rafah while providing humanitarian solutions to the civilian population.

In the same context, Axios quoted Israeli and American sources as confirming that Netanyahu had agreed to the visit of Defense Minister Yoav Galant to Washington, indicating that the visit would take place early next week, coinciding with sending a delegation to discuss the ground attack on Rafah. For its part, the White House reported the possibility of holding an Israeli-American meeting early next week regarding the Rafah attack.

The White House confirmed that the US administration will continue to press in order to reach an agreement to release the detained prisoners, which will enable the start of a temporary truce and the delivery of aid to Gaza. The White House said that it realizes that what is happening in Gaza is a humanitarian catastrophe, expressing its deep concern about the UN report indicating an imminent famine in the Strip.

Nearly 200 tons of food arrived at the Gaza Strip’s maritime port, according to an NGO. The World Central Kitchen (WCK), an NGO providing meals in the wake of natural disasters, said that bulk products and ready-to-eat meals were delivered in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates, the NGO Open Arms, and with the support of Cyprus. Bulk products include beans, carrots, canned tuna, chickpeas, canned corn, parboiled rice, flour, oil, and salt.

UN and EU officials have blamed Israel for exacerbating the situation, although Israel has sharply refuted these claims. Israel has imposed no limit on the amount of aid admitted to Gaza, as well as opened numerous entry points for aid from the international community. It has also pointed out to Hamas and other terrorist groups cynically stealing aid to sell at marked-up prices to Gazans.

Operational Update - Judea-Samaria

Operational Update - Lebanon

The IDF announced the establishment of a new spatial division: the 'Mountains' spatial division on the borders of Syria and Lebanon. The division, which will operate under Division 210, will defend the Mount Hermon and Mount Dov sectors. This brigade will replace the Hermon Brigade (810) and Col. Liron Appleman was appointed to the headquarters. The brigade is established as part of the adjustment of the operational response on the northern border and in accordance with situation assessments.

The new brigade will begin its activities in the coming weeks after joint headquarters work by the Planning and Force Building Division, the Land Arm and the Northern Command, and an analysis of the operational needs of the IDF during the war. The brigade will specialize in combat in a complicated terrain route and in mountain warfare in the mountain area of Mount Hermon and Mount Dov." The establishment of the brigade will provide a high-quality operational response and enable readiness for defense and attack in a variety of scenarios that correspond to the route of the terrain and the enemy in the region, on both fronts at the same time - Lebanon and Syria," said the commander of the 210th division, Brigadier General Zion Ratzon.

Chief of Staff Hertzi Halevi a day earlier announced a series of senior appointments in the IDF , where among the appointments was the appointment of Col. Liron Appleman as commander of the "Mountains" Brigade (810). In addition, deputy division commanders, commanders of regular and reserve brigades were also appointed , and a series of senior positions in intelligence and the land arm.

Alalam News Network, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting's correspondent in southern Lebanon reported that clashes took place between the Lebanese Islamic resistance and the Israeli occupation army, which did not stop today, although their intensity varied from one period to another and from one region to another.

The correspondent pointed out that most of the confrontations and clashes that took place were near the Miskav Am settlement, near the Metulla settlement, and on the opposite side, the town of Kafr Kila and the town of Al-Adisa. The correspondent pointed out that the Israeli occupation aircraft raided more than one Lebanese village with several raids, targeting the town of Naqoura with a raid, the town of Aita al-Shaab with two raids, and the towns of Mays al-Jabal, Rob al-Talatheen, al-Adisa, and Kafr Kila, where it targeted a group of uninhabited houses.

The correspondent noted the violent Israeli artillery shelling that was targeting the towns of Tayr Harfa, the towns of Shihin and Marwahin, and some outskirts of the village of Mays al-Jabal, Blida and Aitaroun in the central sector, in addition to the bombing that was targeting the outskirts of the town of Rashaya and the Al-Khuraybah area in Rashaya Al-Fakhar this evening.

The correspondent confirmed that the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon had launched more than one operation against Israeli occupation army positions, the most prominent of which was the Pranit Barracks, which the Mujahideen targeted with missile launchers that led to certain injuries, and were targeting gatherings of Israeli occupation army soldiers.

Operational Update - Syria / Iraq

The "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" announced at dawn that it had targeted Ben Gurion Airport deep in Israel with drones. In a statement, the “Islamic Councils of Iraq” said: “The Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, at dawn today, Wednesday, March 20, 2024, targeted Ben Gurion Airport deep within the usurping entity, by drone, stressing our continued destruction of enemy strongholds, in completion of the second phase of operations.” Resisting the occupation, supporting our people in Gaza, and responding to the Zionist massacres against defenseless Palestinian civilians.”

Operational Update - Yemen

The spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF), Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced that the YAF Navy targeted the American oil tanker MADO in the Red Sea using appropriate naval missiles. Mado is a Marshall-flagged liquefied petroleum gas tanker traveling from Saudi Yanbu Port to Singapore. "Our forces fired several winged missiles at Israeli targets in the Umm al-Rashrash region in southern occupied Palestine," he added. He stressed that these operations come in support of the Palestinian people, who are still facing Israeli aggression and siege, and in response to the US and British aggression on Yemen. Saree reiterated that the YAF's military operations will not cease until the Israeli aggression on Gaza stops and the blockade imposed on the Palestinian people in the Strip is lifted.

The US Central Command said on Tuesday morning that its forces had preemptively destroyed seven anti-ship missiles, three drones and three storage containers in Houthi-controlled Yemen on Monday. “It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region,” the US military said in a statement.

The Israeli army announced on Tuesday that the suspicious air target that was spotted on Sunday/Monday night in the sky of the city of Eilat was a winged missile coming from the Red Sea, and it landed in an open area. The army said in a statement: “After the incident that occurred on Sunday night regarding a suspicious air target that fell north of the city of Eilat, it became clear that the target was a winged missile that was coming from the direction of the Red Sea and landed in an open area north of the city.” The statement added: "The target was monitored by Israeli Air Force forces at all times. No casualties were reported and no damage was caused. The incident is still under review." At dawn last Monday, the Israeli army spokesman announced that the city of Eilat, located on the Red Sea, had been subjected to aerial bombardment. Eilat is constantly subjected to attacks, often claimed by the Houthis.

The Iranian UN envoy hit back at the US, the UK and France for leveling “baseless allegations” against Iran regarding the situation in the Red Sea and Yemen, denouncing them as a pretext for justifying the unlawful military aggression against the Arab country. In a letter to President of the UN Security Council Yamazaki Kazuyuki on Monday, Saeed Iravani criticized the representatives of the US and the UK for abusing the Security Council platform to level “unfounded allegations” against Iran regarding the situation in the Red Sea and Yemen.

Dismissing the American and British comments against Iran made at an open briefing of the UN Security Council on Yemen convened on March 14, Iravani said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran categorically rejects these baseless allegations, considering them as a pretext utilized by the United States and the United Kingdom to advance their short-sighted political agenda as well as to justify and validate their ongoing unlawful actions and military aggression against Yemen.”

He also rejected the “unjustified reference and unsubstantiated claim” made against Iran in the statement of the representative of France in that meeting, adding, “We call on France, as a permanent member of the Council, to act more responsibly and refrain from labeling political accusations against other sovereign nations without substantiation.”

“Once again, Iran unequivocally condemns the ongoing military aggression and unlawful use of force against Yemen by the so-called US-led coalition, which flagrantly violates Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity, international law, the UN Charter, and relevant Security Council resolutions, posing a serious threat to regional peace and stability. The invocation of self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter by the US and the UK to justify their illegal actions is misleading and lacks legitimacy under international law,” the Iranian ambassador stated.

Reiterating Iran’s commitment to its adherence to Security Council Resolutions 2140 (2014) and 2216 (2015), the envoy said Iran “has not engaged in any activities that would contravene these resolutions, including the sale or transfer of arms or weaponry systems.” “Moreover, Iran consistently advocates for the peaceful resolution of the Yemen crisis through diplomatic channels and underscores its dedication to maritime security and freedom of navigation,” he underlined.

At the same time, the Houthis rejected a UN Security Council statement on Monday that condemned their assaults, called for compliance with the UN weapons embargo on Yemen, and urged the Yemeni militia to “immediately” cease their ship attacks. “Your statement is below our feet. When you put an end to genocidal crimes, we will cease our attacks,” Houthi leader Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti said on X.

The caretaker Foreign Minister, Engineer Hisham Sharaf, sent a letter to the President of the Security Council for March 2024, Kazuyuki Yamazaki, in which he expressed the Republic of Yemen’s dissatisfaction and condemnation of the Council’s statement issued on March 18, 2024.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs said in the letter, “Unfortunately, the statement appeared as if it was issued by the capitals of countries that support the Zionist enemy in its continued war crimes and genocide against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, in light of the shameful silence of the Security Council, which has not been able, until this moment, to carry out its responsibilities in maintaining peace and security.” international organizations and to protect the lives of civilians in Palestine who suffer from hunger and genocide committed by the Zionist enemy.”

He pointed out that the Zionist entity, by committing the crimes of genocide in Gaza, violated all noble human values, international law, and the purposes of the United Nations Charter, due to its complete confidence in the inability of the Security Council to take any measures against him as a result of the hijacking of the Council’s resolution by countries supporting the Israeli enemy.

The letter explained that the press statement did not directly address the root causes of the escalation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab region, and ignored all the calls made by most member states of the United Nations General Assembly, including Sanaa’s repeated calls since the beginning of the Zionist aggression against the Gaza Strip for the necessity of ending the aggression. The military siege was lifted, and humanitarian, food, medicine, and fuel aid entered the Gaza Strip without any obstacles.

He pointed out that the Yemeni national leadership, in response to Yemeni popular demands for the importance of supporting Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, announced the imposition of a naval blockade on ships owned by the Israeli enemy or those heading to Palestinian ports. Instead of the Security Council addressing the root causes, it surrendered to pressure from a number of Council members and adopted the resolution. No. 2722 of 2024, which is a precedent that establishes legal chaos on the international scene and the emergence of conflicts in various parts of the world, and represents a blatant example of political bullying and disdain for international law and international conventions practiced by those capitals on the international scene, in order to cover up crimes and violations of international law, international humanitarian law, and conventions. International standards related to human rights and the prevention of war crimes and genocide committed by the Zionist enemy against the Palestinian people during 79 years.

The Foreign Minister's message stressed that it is unfortunate that the Security Council has deviated from its tasks and responsibilities assigned to it in the United Nations Charter and is a partner in the legal chaos on the international scene.

The letter added, “Following the adoption of Resolution No. 2722 of 2024, America and Britain launched a military aggression against the Republic of Yemen on January 12, 2024, which constituted a flagrant violation of the purposes of the United Nations Charter, especially Paragraph (4) of Article No. (2), which prohibits member states in their international relations.” The threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any country or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations Charter, and the American-British aggression against Yemen continues without any legitimate or legal justification.”

Minister Sharaf pointed out that the American-British disregard for the purposes of the United Nations Charter appeared in an attempt to impose its wrong interpretation of the principle of the right to self-defense in accordance with Article (51) of the United Nations Charter, since there is no Yemeni threat to America and Britain, but it is aggression within the framework of support. The unlimited support offered by countries supporting Israel, which practices war crimes and genocide against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.

The letter stressed that the position of the Republic of Yemen, represented by the Supreme Political Council and the government, is clear and unequivocal and is consistent with the position of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and most member states of the United Nations General Assembly demanding an immediate cessation of the American-Zionist aggression against the Gaza Strip.

He stated that despite the serious repercussions it is suffering from, which have created the worst man-made humanitarian disaster as a result of its exposure to military aggression and a comprehensive blockade since March 26, 2015, it has declared its full commitment to the United Nations Charter and all international and regional treaties and agreements, including its concern for the safety of maritime trade, security and stability. The Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and did not resort to the maritime threat, except after the international community, especially the Security Council, was unable to stop the war crimes and genocide to which the Palestinian people are being exposed in the Gaza Strip.

The Foreign Minister’s message stressed that addressing the situation in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab, and the Arabian Sea, to stop Sana’a’s targeting of ships owned by the Zionist enemy and the American-British aggression, or those heading to the ports of occupied Palestine, is closely linked to addressing the root causes, which are represented by stopping the Israeli aggression and the entry of humanitarian, food, therapeutic, and pharmaceutical aid into the country. Gaza Strip without any obstacles.

The caretaker Foreign Minister reiterated that the Sanaa government holds the Zionist aggression against the Gaza Strip, as well as the practices of the American-British aggression, responsible for the safety of maritime navigation and international trade in the Red Sea region, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Arabian Sea. The letter stated that the presence of the American-British forces is illegal, and is a form of occupation that must be condemned by all countries of the world so that it does not escalate, which will lead all countries overlooking the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea to fight it.

"Satan refused to prostrate and disobeyed God’s command. (And he was arrogant): His disobedience stemmed from arrogance, and his motivation was arrogance, and his disobedience itself was arrogance, so its origin was arrogance, and it was an actual practice of arrogance, God forbid; Because he considered himself too old to submit to this divine command to prostrate to Adam, despising Adam on the one hand, and believing that his position was above being ordered to do such a command; Therefore, he insulted God, “Glory be to Him, the Most High,” and accused God, “Glory be to Him, the Most High.” So he was a disbeliever in that, {and he was of the disbelievers} [Al-Baqarah: From verse 34], an unbeliever due to his complex, by accusing God “Glory be to Him” of His wisdom and justice, and also in his contempt for Adam “peace be upon him”, in his disobedience to the command of God, and his rejection of the command of God “Glory be to Him” - all of this is considered disbelief; Because rejection of the command of God “Glory be to Him” is a part of disbelief, and Satan’s disobedience was his rejection from the standpoint of accusing God of His justice and wisdom. Therefore, he was hideous, and his transgression was a hideous and terrible sin." the eighth Ramadan lecture by the leader of the revolution, Mr. Abdul Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, Tuesday, Ramadan 9, 1445 AH / March 19, 2024 AD.

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.

Bystanders

The Washington Post said that a leading body in the field of food emergencies in the world confirmed in an important report that famine has already struck the northern Gaza Strip , and threatens to spread through the besieged strip, which will push 2.2 million Palestinians into the largest and most dangerous food crisis in the world.

The new report issued by a group of international organizations and charities known as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative monitored the dire situation in the Gaza Strip, where more than half of the population faces catastrophic levels of famine. According to the report of these associations, acute food insecurity has worsened and expanded in the Gaza Strip, compared to the previous analysis they issued in December 2023. In the five-level classification of food crises according to the Initiative, Gaza is at the most dangerous level (No. 5), as Gazans are “starving” and face an increased risk of severe malnutrition and death.

Therefore - according to the report - “the presence of more than 1.1 million people in Gaza in the fifth international classification is unprecedented,” and she added, “This is a 100% man-made crisis, as there is no hurricane or storm, and there are no floods or long-term drought since 2017.” "to another."

It is likely - as the newspaper says - that the report will intensify the growing criticism directed at Israel by the governments of the United States and Europe regarding the grim dimensions of the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that “we cannot stand idly by.” hands and we watch the Palestinians starving.”

The American newspaper said that the “Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative” report stated that the percentage of affected agricultural lands increased from 25% to 60% within 3 months, indicating that more than 300 barns, 100 agricultural warehouses, 46 agricultural storage facilities, and 119 animal barns 200 farms, as well as more than 600 wells used for irrigation, were destroyed, while most livestock were abandoned, slaughtered or sold.

The Washington Post quoted Maximo Torero Collin, chief economist at the Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ), as saying, “The escalation of hostilities led to the cessation of water, food and fuel supplies, causing the collapse of all food-related sectors, including vegetable production, livestock production and fisheries and aquaculture.”

United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk said that the restrictions imposed by Israel on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza may amount to starvation, which may be considered a war crime. The United Nations also said - in a statement - that the deaths resulting from the famine in Gaza were caused by the comprehensive restrictions imposed by Israel on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid and commercial goods.

This assessment comes after a report supported by the United Nations said - yesterday, Monday - that famine may occur by next May in the besieged sector if the war that has been ongoing for more than 5 months does not end. "The scope of Israel's ongoing restrictions on the entry of aid into Gaza, along with the manner in which hostilities continue, may amount to the use of starvation as a means of war, which is a war crime," Turk said. Relief agencies hold Israel responsible for the siege of Gaza, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's government says it is facilitating the entry of aid and holds the United Nations and relief organizations responsible for any problems related to the volume of aid and the pace of its delivery.

Turk said - through his spokesman Jeremy Lawrence - that "Israel, as the occupying power, is obligated to ensure the provision of food and medical care to the population in proportion to their needs and to facilitate the work of humanitarian organizations to provide this assistance."

For his part, Martin Griffiths , UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said, "The international community should hang its head in shame for its failure to stop famine in Gaza." Griffiths also renewed his request to the Israeli authorities to unconditionally allow the entry of humanitarian aid.

The World Food Program warned of the continuation of famine in the Gaza Strip, and said - in a statement - that acute malnutrition among children under the age of five is progressing at a record pace towards the threshold of the second famine, and confirmed that one in 3 children under the age of two in northern Gaza now suffers from malnutrition. Acute or emaciation. It added that 1.1 million people in Gaza - equivalent to half the population - have completely exhausted their food supplies and coping abilities, and are struggling with catastrophic hunger and starvation.

Axis of Resistance

Head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, said that what the Zionist occupation forces are doing in the Shifa Medical Complex confirms that this enemy is fighting the return of life to the Gaza Strip and seeks to destroy all components of human life. Haniyeh added - in a press statement on Tuesday evening - that the occupation’s targeting of police officers and members of the government administrative agencies in the Gaza Strip demonstrates its attempt to spread chaos and perpetuate bloodshed for our patient people in Gaza. This also reflects the occupation leaders’ attempt to sabotage the negotiations taking place in Doha.

He stressed that all of this will not succeed in achieving this criminal plan, and the movement will remain committed to the rights of our people and their clear demands to stop the aggression, withdraw, and return the displaced. The occupation forces continue to launch a massive attack on the Shifa complex and western Gaza for the second day in a row, during which they executed 50 citizens and arrested 200 others, at a time when they intensified their targeting of the police working to secure the arrival of aid to the northern Gaza Strip.

Tunisian blogger and philosopher Mazri Haddad wrote about the means Israel uses to intimidate its critics, and criticized the silence regarding its current crimes after “Gaza was transformed from an open-air prison into a mass grave.”

At the beginning of his article on the French Media Part website, Haddad quoted what former French diplomat Stephane Hessel said about Gaza turning from an open prison into a cemetery, and what Martin Griffiths, head of humanitarian affairs at the United Nations , recently said, “Life is leaving Gaza at a terrifying speed,” to wonder: “Can we describe such a massacre as collateral victims without stripping ourselves of moral competence? Can we invoke self-defense, even if that means committing the worst mass crimes?”

Haddad explained that he surrendered to the advice of the Belgian poet Maurice Maeterlinck, who said: “If you are not certain to understand the truth you are about to say, remain silent,” but now, after the apocalypse has taken place, the Israeli extreme right wants to go even further in the ecstasy of power, with financial and military support. American, silence no longer supports the truth, but rather it shrouds it, because silence and neutrality in the face of injustice does not only mean condoning the oppressor and exonerating him, but rather it is the assassination of the oppressed again.

The writer says in the heart of his blog that criticizing Israel in 2009 was equivalent to “terrorism” or sympathizing with the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), but today the matter is worse. If you condemn the heinous crimes committed by the fanatical and extremist government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , then you are neither a suspect nor a suspect. "Not only an accomplice to terrorism, but you are actually guilty."

He explained that anti-Zionism, and therefore anti-Semitism, are the formidable deterrence weapon that Israel and its carriers possess around the world, and it is the memorial and “moral” shield that allows it to commit massacres without counting, and allows its fanatics to justify the unspeakable without objection or response.

The blogger recalled the words of Jimmy Carter , the former US president and architect of the Camp David Accords , after his visit to Gaza in June 2009, after Operation Cast Lead , denouncing the siege imposed by Israel and the indifference of the international community, “The Palestinians are treated like animals.”

Haddad said that 14 years after what Carter said, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant came to confirm this horrific inhumane act, saying, “We are imposing a complete siege on Gaza City. There is no electricity, no food, no water, no fuel. Everything is closed. We are fighting human animals. And we act accordingly.” This is called “the crime of genocide” and even a crime against humanity.

In the same context, Haddad recalled the report of South African Judge Richard Goldstone , and the ruling of the International Court of Justice that Israel’s actions fall within the Genocide Convention .

He pointed out that the deaths in 2009 were 1,434 cases, but at the beginning of the current Ramadan, the number of civilian deaths reached more than 31,000, including 12,800 children, saying that this horrific number was confirmed by the United Nations and which some still describe as “according to The Ministry of Health in Gaza,” does not include the bodies that remained trapped under the rubble, nor the deaths resulting from lack of care and medicine, nor those who will die of hunger, as there is no death worse than death before death, as the blogger comments.

He commented that Netanyahu and his far-right government do not see a difference between self-protection and punishment, nor between pursuing Hamas forces and slaughtering the people of Gaza, and they do not recognize moral limits, legal necessities, or even military objectives.

He continued his comment, saying: “Whether it is individually or collectively, and whether it is committed by what is called a barbaric and terrorist group, or what is called a civilized and democratic state, evil remains evil, and good remains good, and above good and evil, the human being remains, whether he is a Jew, a Palestinian, or a Muslim.” Tutsia, Armenian, or Rohingya... his life is sacred and recognized as such in all religions, in all philosophies, charters and constitutions.”

He wondered whether the attack that struck Israel on October 7, no matter how horrific, permitted the imposition of collective punishment on an entire people, noting that it was the socialist President Isaac Herzog, known for his “moderation,” who declared that “an entire nation is responsible.” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant shouted, “We will remove everything.”

He stressed that Netanyahu and his racist aides and genocide perpetrators do not care about all the United Nations resolutions, its charter, and international law that stipulates the right of peoples to self-determination. Rather, they find themselves more in the terrifying biblical sentence, “Go and strike Amalek, and deprive all that he has, and do not spare them, but rather kill a man.” And a woman with an infant and an infant, a cow, a sheep, a camel, and a donkey.”

Allied for Democracy

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under local and international pressure, with a number of Israelis blaming him for the security failures that led to the October 7 attack and the killing of about 1,200 people in Israel. He is also facing pressure over his handling of the war that led to the death of more than 31 thousand people in the Gaza Strip.

Last Saturday, thousands demonstrated in Tel Aviv to demand the departure of Netanyahu's "corrupt" government, chanting, "Elections! Now!" And “Return the hostages!”, according to previous reports by Reuters and Agence France-Presse. The demonstrators demanded early elections, accusing Netanyahu of making decisions based on keeping his right-wing coalition intact, and not on Israel's interests in a time of war. Protesters said he endangered the strategic alliance between Israel and the United States by rejecting American proposals for a post-war vision for Gaza, in order to appease far-right members of his government.

The American newspaper Politico revealed that the Israeli Prime Minister is considering the idea of calling for early elections, “and whether that is the best tactic for him, in an attempt to maintain his grip on power as pressures mount at home and abroad.” The American newspaper "Politico" revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering calling for early elections, "and it may be the best tactic for him in trying to maintain his grip on power as pressures mount at home and abroad."

But last week, Netanyahu and his Likud party were quick to criticize the US Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer, who explicitly called on Israel to hold elections. In statements to CNN, the Israeli Prime Minister considered his comments “totally inappropriate.” While the Likud Party said that Israel is not a “banana republic,” stressing that Netanyahu is leading a policy that enjoys “large public support,” according to what Reuters reported. Netanyahu pledged to respond to any pressure that affects his goal of eliminating Hamas, and said during his interview with CNN that calls for new elections only serve to divert attention from resolving the conflict.

Wadih Awawdeh, an Israeli affairs analyst, believes in statements to Al-Hurra website that the last thing Netanyahu is thinking about is early elections because that would be “political suicide.” Awawdeh, who lives in Israel, believes that the statements regarding his desire to hold elections may be “part of misinformation and numbing the opposition."

The analyst adds that not all opinion polls are on his side, and he is accused among public opinion of "giving priority to personal and factional considerations, despite the cost of that, losing Israeli gains in the war, entering a long war of attrition, and giving up the hostages in Gaza." Awawdeh says that all indications confirm that the street does not accept him, and even the right-wing street that wants the right in power wants to replace Netanyahu and his government.

But political analyst, Jalal Panama, believes that Netanyahu, who has headed Israeli governments for 16 of the last 20 years, “is capable of changing anything to his advantage and for political considerations, and the secret in this is that he harnesses developments and uses others for his interests.”

The American New York Times said in a report published last month that Netanyahu has amazing experience in overcoming the complexities of Israeli politics, having survived several previous falls, and that he is not required to hold new elections, until late October 2026.

In his explanation of how Netanyahu overcame the obstacles standing in his way to remain in power, we said that he had previously allied with leaders and parties “with the aim of eliminating them,” such as the Kadima Party, which previously ruled Israel, and the Labor Party, which was part of the founding generation of the State of Israel, and even with His current partner, Benny Gantz, promised him in his previous government that he would get half the term as prime minister, but he quickly broke his promise.

Netanyahu had previously gone and “begged” groups in Israeli society that he had criticized and worked against, including newcomers from Russia, Easterners, and even the Arab minority, whom he had previously accused of racing to the ballot boxes, and after that he quickly went to them and begged to support him in the elections. He even promised to appoint an Arab minister, but all the promises he made were not implemented, according to Banna in his statements to Al-Hurra website.

One analyst, who resides in Israel, believes that the issue of early elections for Netanyahu is “very likely,” and he had previously implemented it when he felt that there were competitors who might pose a threat to him within the Likud Party that he leads. The New York Times indicated in its report that one of the paths for Netanyahu to leave power would be a vote of “constructive no-confidence.” In principle, any member of Parliament who receives the support of a majority of its members can become prime minister. In the current Likud-led government, a party member is likely to do so.

Amnon Abramovich, a political analyst at the Israeli Channel 12, told the newspaper that at least five legislators from the Likud Party will have to separate from the current government and find an alternative to Netanyahu from within their party, then obtain the approval of a majority of legislators for their choice. The goal of this mechanism is to bring down the government while keeping Likud in power and avoiding early elections. The problem, according to Abramovich, is that the Likud leaders who are supposed to lead such a maneuver, such as Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, or the former mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, or Yuli Edelstein, the former speaker of the Knesset, want others to stand behind them. To be the leader.

Bana says that if Netanyahu takes the step of holding early elections, he will achieve some goals, the first of which is surprising his rival parties, especially since his party, according to opinion polls, will lose the formation of any upcoming government. Secondly, Netanyahu will perhaps prepare himself for a presidential change in the United States, and he expects that the former Republican president, Donald Trump, will have a great chance of returning to power, and therefore he will try to remain in power to improve relations with Trump and “try to use” the latter to restore the wheel of normalization with countries. Arabic within the framework of building an American-Israeli-Arab alliance to confront Hamas, and to establish a new rule in Gaza that does not include the Palestinian Authority.

Bana says that although Netanyahu is "a political evasive person who has managed to eliminate all his rivals and those who pose a threat to him within his party and within the parties in Israel," he will face a major challenge on the day the war ends, as protests against him are expected to increase. He adds that Netanyahu and his coalition were unable to change the judicial system after enacting laws that grant him greater powers “and help him evade the ruling that is expected to be issued against him in four cases of corruption, bribery and breach of trust.”

Most important of all, according to Banna, is the possibility of forming a committee to investigate the security and political failures that preceded the war, which Israeli society believes caused the growth of Hamas’ power, especially with regard to Netanyahu’s policy that allowed the transfer of large budgets and funds from Qatar to the Hamas movement, which Netanyahu believed was On the one hand, it benefits the continuation of calm with Gaza, the continuation of the Palestinian division, and the creation of two Palestinian entities, the first affiliated with the Authority and the Fatah movement, which survives through security coordination in the West Bank, and the second affiliated with Hamas in Gaza, living on Qatari funds.

Awawdeh says that there is a majority in the Israeli street that wants the war to continue until its goals are achieved, not just out of revenge, but because they do not want to see their country unable to achieve victory and restore its prestige, but the dispute with Netanyahu is related to “the way of managing the war, mixing accounts, and tampering with Israel’s highest interests.”

Awawda also points to other considerations that led to the decline in his popularity, namely his reliance on some Yemeni ministers who lack experience and make dangerous statements. Although the street leans to the right, it is not satisfied with the presence of ministers without security experience and strategic vision and who have no experience in managing local, military, or diplomatic affairs, and their statements against Washington and the West “contain the slaughter of sacred cows, and this raises fears in the street” according to Awawda. Although Netanyahu is forced to ally with these people, the Israelis have red lines “in everything related to the sacred cow that is forbidden from approaching at the expense of factional interests and tampering with the future and existence of Israel itself.” But Netanyahu is unable to anger his coalition of these right-wing parties, for fear of the collapse of his government.

Netanyahu has 64 seats in the 120-member Knesset, so the defection of just five members would bring down the government and force elections within three months. Netanyahu leads the Likud party, but to form his government he had to involve five other parties, including two small far-right parties, led by Bezalel Smotrich (Finance Minister) and Itamar Ben Gvir (National Security Minister). Smotrich or Ben Gvir may decide to leave the coalition to run in elections in which they obtain more votes from right-wing Likud voters who oppose Netanyahu and his party due to the failures of October 7th.

The Israeli war government is witnessing a political competition between Netanyahu and the centrist leader, former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who is ahead in voting intentions. Gantz's recent visit to Washington and London revealed the deep differences between the two men, at a time when international pressure on Israel is increasing due to the major humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Gantz agreed to join the war government for national unity after the attack by Hamas, but tensions between them never subsided. Gantz made this foreign visit to present his status as a potential future prime minister and above all to begin preparing for his exit from the government, and thus he is trying to benefit from the growing concern shown by Washington regarding the course of the war in the Gaza Strip, which is threatened by famine.

However, according to Politico, opinion polls show signs that things “may be swinging in Netanyahu’s favor,” since the former party member, Gideon Sa’ar, and 3 other legislators broke away from the National Unity Alliance, which includes Benny Gantz, according to Politico. According to an opinion poll published by Israeli Channel 14 following Sa'ar's departure from the party last week, "Netanyahu will have a chance to remain in power," and his bloc will likely obtain "a majority in the Knesset by a small margin."

Operation Iron Swords - By the Numbers

• 73,934 Gazans injured, 28% adult male
• 40,000 Gazans killed, including buried under rubble
• 33,000 Gaza targets attacked
• 31,819 Gazans martyred
• 15,000 rocket launched from Gaza
• 14,793 Israelis were injured [i24 TV]
• 13,430 Gazan children martyred
• 13,000 HAMAS combatants killed [N12]
• 12,000 HAMAS combatants killed [IDF]
• 11,000 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank in 2023
• 9,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons
• 9,000 IDF psychological assistance
• 9,000 Gazan women martyred
• 8,000 Gazans missing under the rubble
• 7,500 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank since Oct.7th
• 6,000 HAMAS combatants killed [HAMAS]
• 5,500 IDF wounded [reports]
• 4,700 West Bank Palestinians wounded
• 3,484 administrative detainees
• 3,400 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria
• 3,079 IDF wounded [IDF]
• 1,609 terrorists killed on the first day
• 1,500 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria affiliated with Hamas
• 1,200 Israelis killed on the first day
• 591 Israeli officers and soldiers killed
• 433 West Bank Palestinians martyred
• 249 Israeli officers and soldiers killed in Gaza
• 222 Hezbollah fighters killed in Lebanon
• 126 people recovered, including 91 Israelis, 11 bodies, and 24 foreign workers
• 116 living hostages in Palestinian custody
• 50 civilians killed in Lebanon
• 29 IDF deaths were caused by "friendly fire"
• 15 Israelis killed in the West Bank and Israel

Many of these numbers fluctate, up and down, with no apparent explanation. This list records the highest number reliably reported for each matter, under the theory that reality with catch up with reports, as is relentlessly the case.

The Palestinian resistance says that the losses of the Israeli forces are much greater than what is announced. 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."

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.

Abraham Wyner, Professor of Statistics and Data Science at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, reported 06 March 2024 that : "While the evidence is not dispositive, it is highly suggestive that a process unconnected or loosely connected to reality was used to report the numbers.... Another red flag, raised by Salo Aizenberg and written about extensively, is that if 70% of the casualties are women and children and 25% of the population is adult male, then either Israel is not successfully eliminating Hamas fighters or adult male casualty counts are extremely low. This by itself strongly suggests that the numbers are at a minimum grossly inaccurate and quite probably outright faked.... Taken together, Hamas is reporting not only that 70% of casualties are women and children but also that 20% are fighters. This is not possible unless Israel is somehow not killing noncombatant men, or else Hamas is claiming that almost all the men in Gaza are Hamas fighters....

"Israel estimates that at least 12,000 fighters have been killed. If that number proves to be even reasonably accurate, then the ratio of noncombatant casualties to combatants is remarkably low: at most 1.4 to 1 and perhaps as low as 1 to 1. By historical standards of urban warfare, where combatants are embedded above and below into civilian population centers, this is a remarkable and successful effort to prevent unnecessary loss of life while fighting an implacable enemy that protects itself with civilians."

This makes perfect sense under a third possibility, namely that the IDF doing a really good job of targeting male combatants, most of whom are in proximity to their families. There are no HAMAS barracks, so everyone lives at home, en famille. Co-habiting extended families are common [hence reports of dozens of family members killed in a single strike]. The HAMAS battalions are organized by neighborhoods, so it would not be surprising that multiple HAMAS combatants live in a single building. So casualties structured as one male combatant, one female cohabitant, and two children are approximately consistent with both expectations and reports.

Lord Roberts of Belgravia (Con) stated 08 February 2024 "My Lords, even if we were to take as accurate Hamas’s statistics and the 27,500 figure — there is no reason why we should; we do not do that with Putin or ISIS — if one subtracts the number of Gazans who have been killed by the quarter or so of the Islamic Jihad and Hamas rockets that fall short, one is left with a less than 2:1 ratio of civilians to Hamas terrorists killed, of whom there have been more than 9,000 so far. War is hell, and every individual civilian death is a tragedy, but — I speak as a military historian — less than 2:1 is an astonishingly low ratio for modern urban warfare where the terrorists routinely use civilians as human shields. It is a testament to the professionalism, ethics and values of the Israel Defense Forces."