Operation Iron Swords - Day 183 - 06 April 2024
“At any point, Hamas could have ended this burgeoning tragedy to
surrender and release every hostage. …
Hamas instigated and owns this humanitarian catastrophe.”
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA)
Contents |
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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 |
Iran pledged revenge in response to Israel's killing of a number of military leaders in its Quds Force at the Iranian consulate in Damascus, but it did not say how or when it would retaliate, which raised fears of an open war in the region that is witnessing increasing tension between the two countries, as well as the continuation of the war on Gaza. American media have circulated news that the United States and Israel have been on high alert since Thursday, in preparation for the response that Iran promised after the Israeli raid in Damascus last week, which resulted in the killing of senior Iranian leaders and raised fears of the expansion of the scope of the war in the region, according to the New York Times and The Washington Post.
However, despite the strong rhetoric used by Iran, it is likely to carefully consider any response, according to what political analysts told Al-Hurra website. They said Iran still avoided sliding into a costly war, while maintaining its ability to support proxy forces that have exchanged fire with Israel and attacked its main ally, the United States, across the Middle East.
Regarding the scenarios of the possible Iranian response to Israel and the possibilities of confrontation, former US Assistant Secretary of Defense and chief researcher at the Center for American Progress, Larry Korb, told Al-Hurra website that it is unlikely that Tehran will currently enter into a direct confrontation war with Israel, because it would "Igniting the area will be very expensive."
Korb believes that Iran will likely use one of its arms to attack American forces in one of its bases in Iraq, for example, or that it will target Israel through Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, or even through the Houthis in Yemen, to hit specific targets, but in general it will avoid provoking a comprehensive or major war. The former Assistant Secretary of Defense gave an example of Iran following a specific strategy based on avoiding provoking a widespread war, which is that after the United States launched retaliatory attacks on Iranian-backed militia sites in Iraq and Syria, last February, questions were also raised about the possibility of a direct confrontation between Washington and Tehran. But what is interesting from Corp's point of view is that Iran not only refrained from responding, but also issued orders to its agents and supporters in Iraq to stop attacking American forces.
In an interview with CNN, former US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Friday that Iran is likely to retaliate against Israel due to the recent missile attack that struck Tehran's consulate in Damascus, Syria. Esper expected that Iran would take measures against Israel to preserve its dignity, but on a limited scale to avoid a large-scale war in the Middle East.
The Israeli airstrike hit a building that was part of the Iranian embassy complex in Damascus, killing three generals and four other Quds Force officers. The force, an arm of the Revolutionary Guards, carries out military and intelligence operations outside Iran, often working closely with allies who oppose Israel and the United States, including Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas, according to the New York Times.
Speaking before a crowd in Tehran that attended the funeral of the officers killed in Damascus, General Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, threatened revenge against Israel, saying, “Our brave men will punish the Zionist regime.” He added: "We warn that any action taken by any enemy against our sacred regime will not go unanswered, and that the art of the Iranian nation is to break the power of empires."
On Friday, American officials in Washington and the Middle East told the New York Times that they were preparing for a possible Iranian response to the Israeli air strike on Monday in Damascus, Syria. US military forces in the region were placed on high alert. Israel has also placed its army on high alert, according to an Israeli official's statements to the newspaper, and combat units' leave has been cancelled, some reservists have been called to air defense units, and Global Positioning System (GPS) signals are blocked.
Two Iranian officials, who requested to remain anonymous, told the New York Times that Iran has put all its armed forces on high alert, and that a decision has been made that Iran must respond directly to the Damascus attack to create deterrence. The newspaper believes that there are precedents for a strong response from Iran. Four years ago, after the United States killed the commander of the Quds Force, Major General Qassem Soleimani, Iran fired missiles at American bases in Iraq, wounding more than 100 soldiers.
The newspaper reported that the final decision on an important issue such as striking Israel rests with the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who also holds the position of Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. It was Khamenei who ordered the 2020 attack in retaliation for the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. The New York Times believes that although Iranian-affiliated militias across the Middle East have launched a number of attacks on Israel since the war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, Tehran has been keen to avoid a direct conflict that could lead to an all-out war.
The New York Times indicated that American military analysts are more likely that Iran will strike Israel itself rather than have its agents attack American forces in the region, including in Iraq and Syria, as they did more than 170 times in the four months following the October 7 Hamas attack against Israel. An Israeli defense official said that Israeli analysts had reached the same conclusion: that Iran itself would attack and not act through Hezbollah, its closest ally, which has been engaged in regular exchanges of fire with Israeli forces since the war began.
A person linked to Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group and political party backed by Iran, told the Washington Post that the Iranians “believe the Israelis are deliberately dragging them into retaliation, to provoke a regional war or expand the current one.” The person, who spoke to the newspaper on condition of anonymity, added that the Damascus strike was seen as an attack on Iranian territory, and as a result, any retaliation would likely come from Iran itself, rather than from its allies.
Israeli political analyst Eli Nissan told Al-Hurra website that Tehran launching missiles or drones through its armed arms inside other countries such as Lebanon, Iraq or Yemen is completely different from launching them from within Iran itself because this amounts to a direct war between Israel and Iran, which is What will be determined in the coming days. If Iran escalates into a larger war, Nissan believes that “Israel is on alert for such a matter, and will respond forcefully,” stressing that it is not afraid to open several fronts for war, because this is the current reality in one way or another, whether in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon or... Even Yemen at the hands of the Houthis."
Regarding the impact of such an escalation on the countries of the region, Nissan believes that “launching missiles from southern Lebanon towards Israel is also completely different from launching them from Lebanon itself, because this step will be tantamount to a war between Lebanon itself and Israel, and thus the countries of the region will be drawn into a larger war confronting Israel and perhaps The United States as well."
In light of the extent of Israel's ability to enter another war front in addition to its war on Gaza, the analyst predicted that "Israel will confront Iran's potential efforts to open multiple war fronts against it with full force, which is what the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria is aware of, and it also appeared during the statements of the head of the movement." Free Patriotic Party MP Gebran Bassil, in which he said that Lebanon does not want war with Israel, as was evident during Hezbollah’s avoidance of involvement in a large-scale war against Israel after the Hamas attack on October 7.”
But Korb believes that for Israel, like Iran, it does not want to enter into a major war as long as Tel Aviv or Jerusalem are not directly attacked. Regarding the American position in the event that the situation witnessed an escalation, Korb told Al-Hurra that “Washington will of course increase its aid and support for Israel,” explaining that although there is currently widespread controversy in the American administration about the continued sending of military aid and offensive weapons to Israel in light of the complete invasion of Rafah, but in the event "Israel has been subjected to attacks from Iran, and the United States will provide its full support to it."
The former US Assistant Secretary of Defense ruled out that Washington would intervene with military forces as long as Americans were not specifically targeted, as happened last February, when the United States carried out retaliatory strikes on the sites of pro-Iranian armed factions in Iraq and Syria in response to the killing of 3 American soldiers in Jordan.
If Iran escalates its war on Israel, Nissan said that if Tehran launches long range missiles towards Israel, American anti-aircraft missiles will intercept these missiles or drones. He believes that "the current tension between the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the US President, Joe Biden, is a personal tension, but when things deteriorate into a regional war, the United States will stand firmly by Israel."
According to Patrick Wintour, a diplomatic editor for The Guardian, the war on Gaza has created a "confused world disorder," in which there are "no dominant player, value system, or functioning institutions." Wintour believes that powers compete and may oppose one another in the region but none, "least of all the UN," can enforce its idea of order anymore. He notes that Iran and the Lebanese Resistance - Hezbollah have both hinted that there is to be a transformation in the "unjust order that rules the world," in the words of Ebrahim Raisi, the Iranian President.
Israel, however, believes its operations in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria, will allow the region to transform to its benefit. Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that the response to October 7 would stay with the "enemies of Israel" for generations. According to Filipe Nasser, a senior advisor at the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, the current war indicates that there is a "lack of reform of global governance institutions, including and primarily the UN security council," adding that “this is the point of convergence across the global south" who feel that international order is "asymmetric and detrimental to their interests. The three US vetoes show how the rules are bent.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and South Africa's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor echoed the same concerns. Emile Hokayem, of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, expressed that “the disaster in Gaza has completely disabused a large segment of liberals and professionals in the Arab world about Western claims of upholding and caring about values in the conduct of foreign policy,” adding a sense of betrayal felt by some and vindication felt by others.
Wintour details how US diplomacy has suffered "defeat after defeat," citing the Yemeni Armed Forces operation in the Red Sea and Iran's strategic influence over 3 "economic choke points." In addition, the only Arab state that joined the US endeavor of Operation Prosperity Guardian was Bahrain. The editor explains that it took the White House an "inordinately long time" and foreign aid workers killed to realize that US and Israeli interests in Gaza were not the same. The US endorsed the "elimination" of Hamas surgically and wanted a clear image of what post-war Palestine would look like, something Israelis to date have not provided.
Wintour also adds that reports of US President Joe Biden's growing irritation with Netanyahu first appeared in the US press in November. The more the tales surfaced and the less real-world consequences were imposed on "Israel", the more Biden seemed weak or disingenuous, which can only harm his reelection. According to a former foreign policy advisor to US Senator Bernie Sanders, Matt Duss, the war on Gaza has transformed into a larger discussion about the US role in global politics, emphasizing that the younger generation no longer wishes to use and supply deadly weapons and are "tired of their government upholding a blatant double standard on human rights and then gaslighting them about that double standard.” The recent criticism of Netanyahu by Chuck Schumer also fueled the fire in what Wintour describes as a deeper shift in the Democratic Party, something Duss states was "unthinkable" a decade ago. An Israeli human rights lawyer, Michael Sfard, expressed that since the events of October 7, "Israel" has not only "state-censored" but also self-censored, explaining that "we are fed by television channels and newspapers that censor and block information from us, both about events in Gaza and about our way of fighting there.”
He further expressed that the horrors in Gaza could not be justified due to the actions of Hamas. "The number of children we killed and the extent of the destruction does not add up to any explanation other than revenge.”
The Israeli killing of seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen in Gaza may mark a turning point in Washington, seemingly hastening a decline in US backing for the ongoing aggression. US President Joe Biden finally called, on Thursday, for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, underscoring the gravity of recent developments, particularly condemning the strikes on humanitarian workers and highlighting the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
White House Spokesperson John Kirby issued a warning, urging Israel to take concrete actions in the "coming hours and days." "If we don't see changes from their side, there will have to be changes from our side," he added. This marks the nearest instance that Biden, or any US president, reportedly approached the idea of tying aid to "Israel", a notion previously considered unthinkable when the Gaza genocide commenced six months ago.
The anger over Israeli airstrikes that resulted in the deaths of aid workers from José Andrés' globally recognized nonprofit erupted on Tuesday, prompting Biden to release a statement criticizing "Israel" for its failure to safeguard civilians and aid workers. Former Obama aides Jon Favreau and Ben Rhodes sharply criticized Biden following a Politico report that depicted him as "privately enraged" over the World Central Kitchen Israeli strikes.
Even Joe Biden's wife, Jill Biden, has reportedly advocated for a ceasefire in Gaza. During a meeting with members of the Muslim community at the White House, one attendee conveyed to President Biden that his wife disapproved of his attendance due to his support for "Israel" in its ongoing aggression on Gaza. President Biden acknowledged this sentiment, revealing that the First Lady had been urging him for a ceasefire in Gaza, quoting her as saying, "Stop it, stop it now," as reported by an attendee present at the meeting.
War Termination
The Egyptian capital, Cairo, is hosting a new round of talks aimed at a ceasefire and prisoner exchange in the Gaza Strip, with the participation of American officials. International media reported that the meetings were likely to be attended by CIA Director William Peres, Mossad head David Barnea, the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman, and the Director of Intelligence. Egyptian Abbas Kamel. Axios quoted sources as saying that the CIA director is expected to meet with the head of the Mossad and Egyptian and Qatari officials, in an effort to achieve a breakthrough in the talks aimed at releasing the prisoners. The website added, quoting an American official, that Biden’s position has not changed regarding the necessity of there being a ceasefire as part of the prisoner deal, and this must happen immediately.
After the United States urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to conclude a ceasefire agreement with Hamas without delay, the features of a new American attempt to reach an agreement loom on the horizon. The American administration announced that the Egyptian capital, Cairo, is scheduled to host a new round of talks at the beginning of the week with the participation of an American delegation headed by CIA Director Bill Burns, while reports reported that a Hamas delegation will head to Cairo soon to resume negotiations.
A tour that coincides with American pressure on the Prime Minister of the occupation, Benjamin Netanyahu. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby , while confirming Washington’s participation in the Cairo negotiations without commenting on the news of Burns’ travel to the region, pointed out that President Joe Biden informed Netanyahu in a phone call on Thursday that he must grant his negotiators more powers in Cairo so that a settlement can be reached as soon as possible, he said.
For its part, the American New York Times reported that American officials believe that negotiating a cessation of fighting and exchanging prisoners is the only way to achieve a temporary ceasefire and increase the flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. An American official reported that President Joe Biden urged Egypt and Qatar to help persuade Hamas to agree to conclude an agreement with the Israeli occupation regarding prisoners in Gaza before negotiations began in this regard in Cairo. The new American attempt to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip comes in light of mounting international pressure to respond to the catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the devastated Strip.
The Hamas movement announced on Saturday that it will send a negotiating delegation to the Egyptian capital, to participate in the talks that are scheduled to resume tomorrow, Sunday, stressing that it will not give up on its demands. The Hamas movement said in a statement, “A leading delegation from the movement headed by Dr. Khalil Al-Hayya will head tomorrow, Sunday, to Cairo, in response to the call of our brothers in Egypt.” It added: "Hamas confirms its adherence to the position it presented on March 14, which are natural demands to end the aggression, and we will not give them up." Hamas reaffirmed that "the demands of our people and national forces are for a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation forces from Gaza, the return of the displaced to their places of residence, freedom of movement of people, relief and shelter, and a serious prisoner exchange deal."
A report published by the Wall Street Journal said that the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza emerges as a major issue at the heart of the ongoing negotiations regarding a ceasefire and the release of prisoners. The newspaper said that the administration of US President Joe Biden is pressuring Israel to allow limited numbers of civilians to return to the northern part of the Strip, which is a major remaining point of contention in the ceasefire talks and the detention of prisoners. The newspaper said that the mediators of the Arab countries participating in the talks said that Israel is open to allowing the return of 2,000 Gazans daily to the northern Gaza Strip, most of whom are women and children. Hamas rejected the Israeli conditions, stressing its demands for the unconditional return of the displaced and a permanent ceasefire, considering that Israeli intransigence makes the negotiations revolve in a "vicious circle."
A diplomatic source reported to CNN that the Hamas movement rejected the latest proposal submitted by Israel for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The source explained: “They refused because the proposal did not meet some of their demands,” adding that Israel does not want to allow the return of Palestinian civilians to northern Gaza, nor has it agreed to withdraw its forces from Gaza. Israel had previously proposed in the negotiations to allow the return of 2,000 displaced persons daily to the northern Gaza Strip, with a maximum return of 60,000 Palestinians, excluding men between the ages of 18 and 50 years. Tel Aviv confirmed that those wishing to return to the north must pass through Israeli military checkpoints, under the pretext of preventing Hamas members from infiltrating the north again.
On the other hand, the official Israeli radio said that the government had conditionalizing the sending of a delegation headed by the head of the Israeli Foreign Intelligence Agency ( Mossad ) David Barnea to the exchange deal talks in Cairo, on a response it described as “positive” from the Hamas movement. The radio did not clarify the nature of the "positive" response that Tel Aviv expects from Hamas, but Israel had previously rejected during the negotiations in Doha and Cairo the movement's demands for the unconditional return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, a complete withdrawal from Gaza, and a permanent ceasefire.
The Al-Alam [Alalam News Network, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting] correspondent in Ramallah indicated that the Israeli army, in statements by one of its senior commanders, said that the army does not oppose a deal in which the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of the remaining Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip, explaining that these statements completely contradict what Benjamin Netanyahu is talking about. Netanyahu stressed that there is a big price for the release of prisoners, which is the release of Palestinian prisoners, as he says, “their hands are stained with blood,” and this is related to the protests that spread throughout all regions in 1948.
Operational Update
The Al-Alam [Alalam News Network, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting] correspondent in Ramallah correspondent noted that with regard to the issue of the Iranian response, all the Israeli media are still talking about the issue of the Iranian response, especially after the United States of America announced through officials in the American security services their expectations that the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond in the near future and that the response may include launching missiles. Cruise and launch a large batch of suicide drones, and this matter is not specified whether it will be inside the Palestinian territories or towards one of the diplomatic missions of the Israeli entity, but the Israeli occupation is still raising the state of alert to its highest level and is still preparing in all directions for what it calls Iranian retaliation.
The correspondent explained that there is talk today about disabling the GPS feature in the Palestinian territories for fear that the Islamic Republic of Iran will identify, through this system, very important sites and areas that could be bombed, indicating that until the moment with regard to the issue of negotiations, despite the talk of Israeli officials about the possibility of reaching an agreement with Hamas. Despite the expansion of the powers of the Mossad chief who negotiates between Cairo and Qatar, until this moment matters remain unresolved regarding the issue of the return of displaced refugees from the southern Gaza Strip to the northern Gaza Strip, as Hamas demands.
Israeli affairs researcher Dr. Saad Nimr confirmed that this year was marked by the unification of the forces of the axis of resistance throughout the region, sending a clear message to America and Israel that if they persist in opening a regional war, they will face a response from a large group of countries and powers. In an interview with Al-Alam News Channel for the “With Al-Hadath” program, he pointed out that Jerusalem Day this year is particularly special in light of the Zionist aggression against the Gaza Strip, the American-British aggression against Yemen, and the Israeli aggression against Lebanon.
He noted: We are talking about an almost regional war , albeit limited, and it is a war of attrition, especially in Lebanon and Yemen, but it in itself indicates an important issue. He pointed out that: This year is special in that there is clarity on the issue of the axis of resistance, which supports each other and stands by each other. This is a clear message to the world, America and Israel. What was before October 7 has now become completely different. We are talking. About unification of the resistance fronts in all the region. He stressed that if Israel and the United States of America go too far, this will certainly open a regional war, and there will be a response from a large group of countries and powers, not just one country.
He said that Israel, with the foolishness it committed after October 7 in Gaza and its provocation to everyone, was driving the final nail into its coffin, adding that October 7 had brought about major changes not only at the internal Palestinian and Israeli levels, but also at the regional and international levels. He concluded by saying: We may witness in this an end to this racist colonial project, and an end to the very strong American role in the region, which will begin to withdraw little by little until its complete disappearance.
Operational Update - Gaza
The military and strategic expert, Colonel Hatem Karim Al-Falahi, described the military operation carried out by the Palestinian resistance in the Al-Zana area, east of the city of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip , as “distinctive” and indicates that the resistance still possesses military capabilities. The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades - the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) - announced that it had caught an Israeli force in an ambush, which it described as a decisive one, in the Zinna area. The brigades said that they had killed 6 Israeli soldiers and wounded others, and targeted 3 Merkava tanks, stressing that confrontations were still continuing in that area.
Al-Falahi explained that the Israeli 7th Brigade of the 36th Division, which operates in the Zinna area, pushed a group of tanks, two of which were destroyed. The Israeli military commanders tried to send reinforcements to evacuate the wounded and dead who fell in the battle, but they fell into a minefield placed by the Palestinian resistance in these areas. He said that the explosion of mines led to other losses among the occupation forces.
He said that the military operations that were launched last December towards Khan Yunis are still continuing, especially in the eastern regions such as Khuza’a, Abasan al-Kabira, Abasan al-Jadidah, al-Zannah, and al-Qarara, which are the shell areas for the defense of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades and the resistance factions when the Israeli incursion began. The military expert - who was speaking during the military analytical pause on Al Jazeera - added that when the battle began, the occupation army tried not to engage in battles of attrition in these areas, and rushed to the central and western regions, which are exposed to bombing and some limited military operations.
After the end of major military operations and maneuvers in the western regions, the occupation army began “clearance operations” in the eastern regions, which had not engaged in decisive clashes with the occupation forces in the past period.
An article in Foreign Policy criticized the Israeli Prime Minister and described the war strategy in Gaza as meaningless militarily and politically. The magazine explained that Netanyahu's goals raised fundamental questions from the first day of the war, especially those related to uprooting the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), which the magazine said enjoys great support inside and outside the Palestinian territories, adding that this goal needs years, with the recognition of American and Israeli security authorities.
In the same context, Amos Harel, in an analysis in Haaretz newspaper, downplayed the gains of the war on Gaza six months after its start, and saw that “the Israeli balance in the face of Hamas is not satisfactory at all.” The writer explained what he considered an Israeli failure by saying: “Expectations were very high from the beginning, and tensions with the United States are constantly rising, while the hostages are still in Gaza.”
The body of the late abductee Elad Katzir, who according to intelligence information was murdered in captivity by the GAP terrorist organization, was rescued tonight from Khan Yunis in an operation by the commando formation directed by the Shin Bet and Iman and returned to the territory of the State of Israel. His body was located using intelligence information from the Amman and Shin Bet and accurate identification of the Agoz unit. After an identification procedure carried out tonight by medical officials at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, representatives of the IDF and Shin Bet informed the family of the late Elad Katzir about the recovery of his body. The IDF and Shin Bet share in the family's grief.
During the murderous terrorist attack on October 7, the late Elad Katzir was kidnapped by the GAP terrorist organization from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His mother, Hana, was also kidnapped by the GAP and released on November 24 as part of the plan to return the abductees, and his father , the late Avraham, was murdered in the kibbutz. The IDF and the Shin Bet are working closely and in full coordination with the relevant national and security bodies in order to fulfill this mission, and will not let up until it is completed.
The Givati TDF is fighting in the 'Al Amal' neighborhood of Khan Yunis. The fighters are raiding and destroying the enemy's terrorist infrastructure, during which they located and destroyed a warehouse of weapons and more than 40 charges and a ton of explosives.
Two IDF soldiers from the 46th Battalion, 401st Brigade, were seriously injured this morning (Saturday) in the center of the Gaza Strip. The soldiers were evacuated to receive medical treatment at a hospital, their families were informed. IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari: "The soldiers of the commando brigade rescued the body of the late abductee Elad Katzir, who is believed to have been murdered during the month of January. 133 abductees are still in Gaza - we will not miss an opportunity for the supreme mission to return them. Today we are destroying one of the tunnels in the Khan Yunis area that crossed into our territory. In the north - we eliminated 7 terrorists from Hezbollah and the Amal organization. We are looking at all the threats in the entire area - there is no change in the directives of the Home Front Command."
The IDF targeted with artillery the homes of citizens in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City, the Al-Sabra neighborhood in its center, and the Tal Al-Hawa and Sheikh Ajlin neighborhoods, southwest of the city, which led to the death of three citizens and the injury of about 10 others, who were transferred to the Baptist Hospital in the city. IDF artillery also bombed the homes of citizens in the areas of Al-Mughraqa, Al-Zahraa, and the northern outskirts of the Nuseirat camp in the center of the Gaza Strip, which led to injuries among citizens, after which they were transferred to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the city of Deir Al-Balah, in the center of the Gaza Strip. Also, the artillery bombed citizens’ property in the town of Beit Hanoun, north of the Gaza Strip. The IDF fired several shells towards the southwestern neighborhoods of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, in conjunction with raids launched by Israeli warplanes on the center and west of the city.
The Israeli army announced on Saturday that it had destroyed three Hamas attack tunnels in Khan Yunis, one of which penetrated half a kilometer into Israeli territory. Israeli media, quoting an Israeli army spokesman, explained, “The tunnel, which penetrated Israeli territory for a distance of half a kilometer, was uncovered in the Israeli Ein Hashlosha area in 2019. It was dug before the underground obstacle was built and has been under surveillance since then.” The IDF added: "The Israeli army initially decided not to destroy it, and to install sensors and explosive devices in it, to thwart armed infiltration operations, but the tunnel was destroyed in recent days, in addition to the destruction of two tunnels in the Khan Yunis area."
Since the beginning of the war, the IDF has been working against the underground infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. In recent months, IDF forces led by the 98th Division and the Yalam Unit have been operating to locate, map and destroy tunnels in the Khan Yunis Brigade of Hamas. As part of the activity, three offensive tunnels were located that were under intelligence and technological surveillance by the IDF in recent years, and after preliminary ground activity they were mapped and destroyed. The activity was carried out in cooperation between the Southern Command's engineering setup, the Gaza Division, the 98th Division and the Yalam Unit.
The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, announced that it had killed 14 Israeli soldiers and wounded others in the Al-Zinna and Al-Amal neighborhoods in Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. The "Al-Qassam Brigades" said that it killed 9 Israeli soldiers in the Al-Zana area, east of the city of Khan Yunis, and 5 others in the Al-Amal neighborhood, west of the city. The brigades indicated that they targeted 4 Merkava tanks in Al-Zana and a troop carrier in the Al-Amal neighborhood in Khan Yunis, killing and wounding their personnel.
The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), caused the Israeli occupation forces to inflict 14 deaths and several injuries in specific operations carried out in the Khan Yunis axis in the Gaza Strip. Al-Qassam Brigades confirmed the event is still ongoing at this moment in the Al-Zinna area, in the far east of Khan Yunis Governorate.
The Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement that its fighters killed 9 Israeli soldiers, and wounded others, in the Al-Zana area, east of Khan Yunis, explaining that they targeted 4 Merkava tanks with “Al-Yassin 105” shells, noting that immediately after the rescue forces advanced to the place and arrived in the middle of a minefield that had been prepared in advance, It was targeted by detonating 3 anti-personnel devices. Al-Qassam's statement explained that confrontations are still continuing in the Al-Zinah area, east of Khan Yunis.
The Al-Qassam Brigades also announced the killing of 5 Israeli soldiers from zero range, wounding others, and destroying a troop carrier in the Al-Amal neighborhood, west of Khan Yunis, in addition to targeting another Israeli tank with a Yassin 105 shell, and a foot force with an explosive device, leaving one dead and one wounded in Khan Yunis.
Martyr Omar al-Qassem Forces also confirmed that its fighters are engaged in confrontations with Israeli occupation forces in the north, south, and center of the Gaza Strip, announcing that they destroyed three Israeli military vehicles and attacked several positions with mortar shells in cooperation with al-Quds Brigades.
These eastern regions are considered areas completely devoid of civilian populations, and the Israeli entity’s army always claims that the resistance is working among civilians. Despite all that, the Israeli army is trying to control them, and despite all that, the Palestinian resistance is working to repel clashes, repel invasions, and direct clashes with The entity’s army, carrying out specific operations, will be heard in the Hebrew media moments and minutes from now about this specific operation that was carried out against the entity’s army in the Al-Zana area in Khan Yunis, in addition to the clashes taking place behind the Central Governorate in the Deir Al-Balah area.
As for the al-Amal neighborhood west of Khan Younis, al-Qassam said its fighters engaged a Merkava tank with an al-Yassin 105 shell and attacked an Israeli infantry force with an anti-personnel explosive device, resulting in casualties who were later evacuated by helicopters. Furthermore, al-Qassam fighters eliminated five Israeli occupation soldiers at point-blank range, wounded several others, and destroyed an armored personnel carrier using a Tandem shell. In the same neighborhood, al-Qassam fighters destroyed a Merkava tank using an improvised explosive device (IED) planted on its hull from point-blank range.
On its part, al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement, said its fighters destroyed a Merkava 4 tank with a Thaqib explosively-formed penetrator (EFP) barrel bomb in the east of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. Al-Quds Brigades confirmed that they had damaged an Israeli tank with a barrel-shaped explosive device, in addition to the clashes taking place in the southern regions, in the southern Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the northern Gaza Strip. The Al-Quds Brigades said that they bombed with mortar shells the occupation gatherings in the areas of advance in the center of the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. It also said that its fighters supported a fighting group from the Al-Qassam Brigades during fierce clashes with an occupation army force, and caused certain injuries to the force.
Elsewhere, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades announced shelling of gatherings of Israeli troops and military vehicles with mortar shells east of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. In another development, the “Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades” announced that they had targeted Israeli forces penetrating the Al-Matahin area, east of the city of Khan Yunis, with mortar shells, and said that this came in response to the occupation’s crimes against the Palestinian people. The "Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades" also said that it targeted the Kissufim settlement with a missile salvo.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza reported that the Palestinian Resistance factions, especially al-Qassam Brigades are engaging in a "heroic saga" in the city of Khan Younis amid reports in Israeli media about a "tough incident". The correspondent mentioned that the Israeli occupation forces faced two heavy incidents in Khan Younis: the first in the al-Zanna area west of the city, and the second in the al-Amal neighborhood to its east. He noted that rescue operations carried out by the Israeli forces following the al-Zanna ambush were later concealed by missile launches and intense shelling in that area.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent confirmed that at least three Israeli military helicopters landed east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip to transfer the bodies of the killed and wounded soldiers. Regarding the al-Amal neighborhood west of Khan Younis, the correspondent recalled that the Israeli occupation military had raided the neighborhood weeks ago before withdrawing and returning again. He added that on Saturday, five Israeli troops were killed and injured in an ambush in the neighborhood.
Facing pressure to bring more aid into the Gaza Strip, Israel said this week that it was working to open the Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing, a major checkpoint between Israel and northern Gaza, a move that Reuters attributed to American demands to increase the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip. Humanitarian aid to the sector. The reopening of the Erez crossing leading to the northern Gaza Strip and the temporary use of the port of Ashdod in southern Israel could help transport aid to northern Gaza, but this step may face the same challenges seen throughout the war, according to the Washington Post .
The newspaper quoted the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Jamie McGoldrick, as saying in a statement, on Saturday, that Israel “plans to temporarily open the Erez crossing to transport urgently needed food, water, sanitation, shelter and health materials from the port of Ashdod.” But the Washington Post explained that the timing of reopening is still unclear. McGoldrick said on Friday that Israel has not yet ratified the decision to open the crossing, and that once it is approved, the checkpoint will not operate for a few weeks.
The newspaper highlighted the importance of reopening the Erez crossing between northern Gaza and Israel, explaining that it can provide an entry point for aid into northern Gaza, which has been devastated by the war since October 7. A report last March warned that famine was imminent there, but Israel questioned the report's findings. The newspaper explained that after Gazans fled south to Rafah, on the border with Egypt, they may be forced to evacuate this area as well as Israel expands its attack. Therefore, reopening the Erez crossing would provide a channel for the delivery of that food, water or shelter in the event that former residents of northern Gaza return.
Regarding the use of Erez in the past, the newspaper reported that the border crossing, known to Palestinians as the Beit Hanoun crossing, was considered a major checkpoint between the Gaza Strip and Israel before the war, and was used primarily for traffic and not for transporting goods or aid. Those usually allowed to pass include patients, Palestinian workers, and a limited number of employees of international and local organizations, in addition to international employees of diplomatic missions and institutions. To pass through the checkpoint, pedestrians had to pass through a long, closed corridor surrounded by a network of metal bars, under heavy guard. Israel has determined the categories of people allowed to enter and exit through the Erez crossing, while Hamas has sometimes exercised authority over the entry of some Palestinians and foreigners, according to the newspaper.
The Erez crossing was one of 14 places along Gaza's border with Israel that Hamas breached on October 7, according to a Washington Post investigation. Pictures taken after the attack showed damage to the facility, with much of the covered pedestrian walkway destroyed. According to satellite images, the road at the crossing has been bulldozed, raising questions about how quickly the infrastructure can be repaired to facilitate the crossing of aid into Gaza, according to the newspaper. Regarding whether reopening Erez is sufficient to solve the aid crisis to Gaza, the newspaper explained that delivering aid may face the same obstacles seen at the two other entry points by land into the Gaza Strip, namely Rafah and Kerem Shalom, both in southern Gaza.
Aid groups and the international community, including the United Nations, said that burdensome controls and arbitrary rules imposed by Israel had slowed and hampered efforts to get aid into Gaza, according to the newspaper. During a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday evening, US President Joe Biden called for “specific and concrete” steps to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and said that restrictions could be placed on US aid if Israel does not respond, according to Reuters. ".
The increasing pressure on Israel comes after seven aid workers were killed in an Israeli raid on Monday evening, sparking global anger over the continuing crisis of delivering aid to the besieged Strip. The Israeli government stated that the Mini-Ministerial Council for Security Affairs agreed at a meeting, late Thursday, on immediate steps to increase humanitarian aid to civilians in the Strip.
The British newspaper The Independent reported - from informed sources - that chaos, lack of trust, and lack of discipline are undermining Israel's war, noting that Gaza will become "another Mogadishu," as gangs fill the security vacuum resulting from the absence of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ). The newspaper adds that with Benjamin Netanyahu's government yielding to pressure to open another entry point for aid into Gaza, some Israeli officials warned of the possibility of repeating the fatal mistake of the deadly air strike on the World Central Kitchen relief team due to fundamental flaws in the goals and conduct of the war.
In the face of a condemnation campaign caused by the fact that those killed in the relief convoy held the nationalities of Western countries, the occupation army quickly published the results of its investigation, and said - in a statement - that the bombing of the relief organization’s vehicles near Deir al-Balah (central Gaza Strip) late last Monday evening was the result of There was a serious flaw and error in the process of determining the target, and that the decision was made in violation of orders and firing instructions. The Israeli military also claimed that its forces believed that Hamas militants were in cars escorting aid trucks, which the soldiers did not identify as being linked to World Kitchen.
The Israeli army said that Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy decided, after the investigation, to remove two officers, one with the rank of major and the other with the rank of reserve colonel. He also decided to reprimand the commander of one of the brigades and the commander of the 162nd Division, as well as the commander of the Southern Command, Yaron Finkelman, because of his overall responsibility for the incident.
But a number of officials, some in the security field, told The Independent that the conditions that led to what happened were created by a number of factors, including unclear rules of engagement in Gaza, a lack of discipline and a sense of impunity among soldiers, and inflammatory rhetoric from Extremist right-wing politicians. The newspaper indicates that the belief that Hamas gunmen were inside the convoy and opened fire is one of the reasons behind the Israeli army’s decision to carry out repeated strikes on the marches. Israeli officials point out that there is broader confusion and panic about armed factions operating inside Gaza, with aid being hijacked, adding to insecurity.
Israel encourages Gaza's notables and tribes to take over the security vacuum that created in the areas from which Hamas was expelled. Armed criminal gangs were formed and identified themselves as militias. A Western diplomat said: "This is a recipe for turning the place into another Mogadishu." There are reports that the Israeli government plans to award contracts to private foreign security companies - funded by the international community - to protect humanitarian cargo from looting and kidnapping by gangs spread across lawless Gaza. Officials also point to reports of fighters linked to the Palestinian Authority, a rival to Hamas, guarding flour supplies from looting in the Jabalia refugee camp north of Gaza City last month. Presumably, one of the reasons why Israel downplayed the supposed presence of Palestinian Authority fighters was Benjamin Netanyahu's repeated declaration that the Palestinian Authority would not be allowed to exist in "post-Hamas Gaza."
Senior IDF commanders are said to be extremely frustrated by the inflammatory rhetoric coming from politicians, including members of the government. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir praised soldiers after a shooting that killed 100 civilians in a crowd of people waiting for help, describing the victims as a "mob from Gaza."
Soldiers returning from Gaza told Haaretz that local commanders randomly set up “killing zones” in which anyone who enters is killed without question. A security official told The Times of Israel that the soldiers "shoot first, then ask questions later." Aid agencies say paperwork provided by OCHA to be presented at checkpoints has sometimes been ignored. A reservist who had just returned from Gaza described how junior officers ignored the agency's wishes.
Operational Update - Judea-Samaria
About 200,000 Palestinians performed the Isha and Tarawih prayers yesterday, Friday, and celebrated Laylat al-Qadr in the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. While the Israeli occupation imposed severe restrictions on the Palestinians of the West Bank, the organizaton "Palestinians of 1948" made their way to Al-Aqsa Mosque via convoys of buses organized by local authorities in Arab cities and villages. In addition to the measures in the city of Jerusalem and at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, occupation drones flew over the courtyards of the mosque.
The soldiers of the IDF, the Shin Bet and the Special Forces arrested seven wanted persons throughout Iosh. In the village of Deir Tzamet in the Yehuda Division, the fighters of the Marom Brigade located and confiscated many weapons hidden in the area, including two M-16 rifles alongside a pistol, a Carlo rifle, ammunition and other weapons. In Nablus in the Samaria division, Beit Arush and Kfar Dora in the Yehuda division, the forces arrested four more wanted men. In a proactive activity in Beit Omer, in the Etzion Brigade, terrorists threw Molotov cocktails and threw stones at the fighters who responded with means to disperse demonstrations and shooting; A hit has been detected.
Last night (Friday) a report was received of terrorists throwing Molotov cocktails in the Azon Junction area of the Ephraim Brigade. IDF soldiers were rushed to the scene and found an improvised explosive device alongside Molotov cocktails they had recovered. The wanted persons who were arrested and the means of warfare that were confiscated were transferred to the security forces for further treatment, there are no casualties to Israeli forces. So far, since the beginning of the war, approximately 3,700 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, approximately 1,600 of whom are associated with the terrorist organization Hamas.
Operational Update - Lebanon
Fighter jets attacked a number of terrorist infrastructures of the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the areas of Aita al-Sha'ab, Kfar Arnon and Tir Harfa in southern Lebanon. In addition, the IDF forces fired artillery to remove a threat in the Alma a-Sha'ab area and the a-Tswana area. During the night, five launches were detected that crossed the territory of Lebanon towards the Shatula area, also in the last few hours several other launches were detected that crossed the territory of Lebanon to different areas in the north of the country, there are no casualties. IDF forces attacked the sources of the shooting.
The IDF spokesman confirms: a surface-to-air missile was launched at a remotely manned aircraft of the Air Force that was operating in the skies of Lebanon. Brigadier General Daniel Hagari informed that the Hezbollah terrorist organization fired a surface-to-air missile that was launched at a remote manned aircraft of the Air Force - operating in the skies of Lebanon. As a result, the aircraft was damaged and fell in the country's territory. The IDF emphasizes that the incident is still being investigated.
Hezbollah announced on Saturday evening that it had shot down an Israeli Hermes 450 drone over Lebanese territory. Hezbollah said in a brief statement, “At 8:50 pm on Saturday, April 6, 2024, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance shot down an enemy Hermes 450 armed drone over Lebanese territory.”
In February 2024, Hezbollah announced that it had shot down an Israeli Hormuz 450 drone with a surface-to-air missile over the Iqlim al-Tuffah area in southern Lebanon. The Hermes 450 drone is designed for long-term tactical operations within reconnaissance and intelligence gathering units in the Israeli army. It is of medium size and can operate continuously for 20 hours. This aircraft is manufactured by Silver Arrow, a subsidiary of Elbit Israel Systems, and is the third largest unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the Hermes family, which also includes the Hermes 900, Hermes 180, and Hermes 1500. The Hermes 450 is 6.1 meters long, weighs 450 kilograms, accommodates a payload of 150 kilograms, and has a power of 52 horsepower (39 kilowatts).
This aircraft is distinguished by the fact that it relies on a single long wing and an upward tail made of light materials that facilitate its mission and enable it to continue flying freely. It operates within a highly encrypted electronic mechanism that makes it difficult to penetrate its systems during flight. This drone is equipped with electrical and optical equipment for normal vision, in addition to infrared rays and positional radar, which enables it to take pictures during the night and bad weather conditions. The aircraft broadcasts the images and information it collects to a ground station directly and without any time difference, and intercepts radio signals of all kinds and transmits them to the station and headquarters of the Israeli National Security Agency (SIGINT). It can carry different types of missiles and bombs and has been developed to launch missiles in two ways: vertical drop and semi-guided launch, but these missiles and bombs are limited to a certain weight.
Lebanese Islamic resistance used many different weapons, such as Burkan rockets, assault marches, and Katyusha rockets, targeting sites and gatherings of Israeli occupation soldiers. The resistance missiles targeted the occupation sites, from Shomera to Shlomi to Jal al-Alam to Zarit, and most of them were the volcano missiles launched by the resistance, targeting sites and gatherings of Israeli occupation soldiers in this area, noting that the eastern Zaoura positions were firing their cannons with bullets towards the Lebanese villages. Katyusha rockets were large shells that confronted these positions and worked to achieve direct hits.
The Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon targeted the Jal al-Alam site and the occupation soldiers deployed between the site and the Shlomi settlement with Burkan missiles. A statement issued by the Islamic Resistance said: “In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their brave and honorable resistance, and in response to the Israeli enemy’s attacks on southern villages and towns, specifically in the town of Marjayoun, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance targeted At 12:40 noon on Saturday, 04/06/2024, the Jal al-Alam site , and enemy soldiers deployed between the site and the Shlomi settlement with Burkan missiles , injuring them directly.
The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon also targeted a gathering of enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the Shtoula barracks with missile weapons and directly hit it in support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their valiant and honorable resistance, at 2:25 pm on Saturday 04/06/2024. At 2:40 pm on Saturday 04/06/2024, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance targeted a gathering of enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the Shomera Barracks with artillery shells and hit it directly.
The Islamic Resistance also targeted the Al-Zaoura camp with a Katyusha rocket launcher in response to the attack on Arnoun and the southern towns and the Ruwaisat Al-Alam site in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Shuba hills with a Burkan missile, hitting it directly, and the Zibdin barracks in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms with missile weapons and hitting it directly.
One of the attack drones pounced on the Al-Asi site, targeting the defense system and the Israeli defense system for jamming the marches with an attack march. This site is located directly opposite Mays al-Jabal after there was an attack on this town. The site of Zabdin and Ruwaisat Al Alam also had its share of resistance operations with appropriate missiles and Ruwaisat Al Alam with volcano missiles, pointing out that until now there have been nine statements talking about nine operations, and we are facing the first hours of this night. There is no information about how the response operations will be to these operations.
Israeli operations had begun early in the morning, as Israeli warplanes raided the town of Arnoun, targeting the vicinity of some of the homes of those displaced from some of the villages leading to this village, but divine kindness prevented a major massacre from occurring, as the missiles fell in open areas.
Operational Update - Syria / Iraq
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Operational Update - Yemen
British maritime security company Ambrey said on Saturday that it had received information about the targeting of a ship about 61 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah in Yemen. For its part, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Authority (UKMTO) reported that it had received a report of an incident at approximately the same point, where the ship’s captain reported that two missiles had been fired near the ship. The authority, quoting the captain, indicated that the ship was not damaged and that its crew was fine. According to what was reported by Reuters, one of the missiles mentioned in the UKMTO memorandum was intercepted by coalition forces in the area, explaining that the second missile fell into the water near the ship.
Earlier on Saturday, the European Union's "ASPEDS" naval mission in the southern Red Sea announced that it had intercepted a missile launched by the Houthis. The mission explained in a press statement that "the German frigate Hessen thwarted a missile attack launched from Houthi-controlled areas." It stated that "the measure implemented by Hessen was effective and prevented damage to sailors and commercial ships." The EU External Action Service stated "Operation ASPIDES has a defensive mandate, any response will always come as a consequence of an attack and be necessary, proportionate and limited to international sea or air-space."
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
Jamie McGoldrick, Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, stated: " Over the past six months, the people of Gaza have endured unfathomable suffering. More than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed and another 75,000 injured. Nearly 2 million people have been forced to flee their homes, many of them multiple times. Half of all people in Gaza are at risk of imminent famine, and child malnutrition has reached levels never before seen in Gaza.
The situation is simply catastrophic. In recent days, Israel has acknowledged the immense scale of suffering in Gaza and its ability to facilitate the increase of humanitarian assistance to people in need. This is a welcome development, notably the several commitments that Israel has made in response to our repeated requests:
United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, described the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip as a “betrayal of humanity.” Griffiths wrote, in a post on his account on the “X” platform, that “the end of the Gaza war is long overdue.” The UN official wondered whether 6 months of war were not enough for there to be a moment of mourning to commemorate the victims. Griffiths stressed “the need for this war to stimulate collective determination to hold accountable this betrayal of humanity.”
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote "WHO and partners managed to reach Al-Shifa — once the backbone of the health system in #Gaza, which is now an empty shell with human graves after the latest siege. The team witnessed at least five dead bodies during the mission. Most of the buildings in the hospital complex are extensively destroyed and the majority of assets damaged or reduced to ashes. Even restoring minimal functionality in the short term seems implausible. An in-depth assessment by a team of engineers is needed to determine if the remaining buildings are safe for future use. WHO and partners’ recent effort to support the revival of basic services at Al-Shifa are now lost, and people are once again deprived of access to lifesaving health care services.
As famine looms, disease outbreaks spread, and trauma injuries increase, WHO urges immediate:
Talk does not stop at the local level in Jordan about what citizens and party and political elites call a “land bridge” for trucks loaded with goods, passing through Jordan towards Israel, coming from the Emirates and other countries, as an alternative to the ban on Israeli and foreign ships passage through the Bab al-Mandab Strait that was imposed by the Ansar Allah Houthi group in Yemen. News about the existence of the land bridge circulated, starting from the Hebrew media and then through the Israeli Minister of Transportation, Miri Regev. Then popular sources confirmed the existence of this bridge and published pictures of trucks passing through it. This coincided with the spread of news of food shortages and the threat of famine in the northern Gaza Strip.
Since then, the activities against this bridge have not stopped and have topped the scene of protests and circulation on social media, and Jordanians have repeatedly gone out on an almost weekly basis in human chains on the road, which they considered “supplies the occupation with goods,” as members of the “Jordanian Youth Gathering to Support the Resistance” told Al Jazeera Net. A number of their activists were summoned to the security authorities, with the aim of warning them not to focus on the “land bridge” issue.
On the other hand, the official Jordanian response continued to categorically deny the existence of this bridge, considering it propaganda to distort Jordan’s image and its official position. This was stated by Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh, when he described the land bridge as “a revelation of the imagination,” which is the same denial spoken by the spokesman for Jordan. Jordanian government, Muhannad Mubaidin, for Al Jazeera Net.
This description of the Jordanian Prime Minister has become one of the slogans of the protests in the Jordanian street, as the protesters chant during their stops and demonstrations, “How a revelation... and the land bridge is operational (working),” while the Jordanian capital, Amman, has witnessed protests near the Israeli embassy on a daily basis since the middle of Ramadan. This caused a stir in local circles, and caught the attention of the Hebrew and foreign media.
In order to verify the accuracy of the information and what is going on about this “land bridge”, Al Jazeera Net prepared field press material in several stages, extending over a month of field monitoring, through several tours of the road that is being said to be the one taken by the land bridge trucks, beginning with From the Al-Omari border center on the Jordanian-Saudi border, all the way to the Sheikh Hussein crossing on the western border of Jordan.
Al Jazeera Net monitored, through field tracking of the road leading to the Sheikh Hussein crossing, and on 3 different times on multiple days, the presence of trucks constantly passing through this road, estimated at about 6 trucks per hour, during the period between the hours before noon and sunset, in a group system or individual. Al Jazeera Net spoke with the people of the areas through which this road passes, namely the areas of Kafr Yuba, Jumha, and Northern Shuna, and they confirmed that they had noticed an increase in the number of trucks passing through this road, since last November.
Although no trucks were observed crossing this road after 9 p.m., Al Jazeera Net observed one night about 15 trucks crossing at once, carrying Turkish and Jordanian license plates, but they came via a different route, and the people of the area believe that they were loaded with vegetables and came from the direction of Ghor al-Safi. By reviewing satellite images of a random day at the Sheikh Hussein crossing on the western Jordanian border, the images show the presence of approximately 48 trucks lined up at the crossing waiting for their turn to pass, without knowing the exact source of these trucks in detail, while Al Jazeera Net monitored some trucks sleeping inside garages. In the Northern Shouna area, do not wait or spend the night at the crossing.
By searching through open sources, Al Jazeera Net obtained a survey report on trade and logistics services between the Jordanian and Israeli sides, prepared by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and PADICO, which shows the volume of trade through the Sheikh Hussein crossing in the years 2016 and 2017. The report indicated that in 2016, 27,752 loaded trucks crossed, and in 2017, 23,000 trucks crossed, which means that if the maximum annual working days estimated at between 200 and 220 days are calculated, the average traffic volume will be 115 trucks per day in The mentioned years.
Al Jazeera Net monitored, over various random days, trucks carrying various plates, ranging from Jordanian plates (transit transport) coming from the Emirates, Emirati plates bearing the “Dubai” logo, and Turkish plates. Al Jazeera Net also tried to communicate with some drivers during their work, but they refused to talk, but we were able to communicate with a driver of Turkish nationality. He said that his truck was heading to the Sheikh Hussein crossing.
During its tours, Al Jazeera Net also spotted a truck heading to the Sheikh Hussein crossing carrying containers bearing the logo of “Zim”, an Israeli shipping company based in Haifa, whose name has been widely mentioned over the past months, after it lost $2.7 billion worth over the past year, after... Its revenues fell by 58.9% after the outbreak of the war on the Gaza Strip and the attacks of the Yemeni Houthi group in the Red Sea.
Al Jazeera Net obtained, through one of the drivers - without revealing his name - a direct tracking route (Live location) of the land road taken by trucks coming from the Saudi-Jordanian Al-Omari border, where the trucks reach the Azraq area, and from there to the outskirts of Zarqa Governorate, where the town of Al-Hashimiya is located in Jisr. "Kho", then to Mafraq Governorate, passing through the town of Al-Buwayda. The trucks then arrive at the city of Ramtha in Irbid Governorate, where they pass close to the University of Science and Technology before reaching the Al-Hosn area in Irbid. They take the Irbid Ring Road and then exit from it to the main road, which passes through the towns of Kafr Yuba, Jamha, and Kafr Asad, arriving at the Northern Shuna crossing. Sheikh Hussein.
Al Jazeera Net spoke with truck drivers that pass through this road. The driver, M.H., says that he has owned a transport truck for years and has been working on transporting goods from the Emirates to Jordan. He explains, “Recently, and specifically after preventing the passage of ships in the Red Sea, it has become Brokers come to us in Dubai asking us to load goods heading to Israel, with fees amounting to twice the amount we charge for transportation to Jordan.”
He continues, "If you refuse, another broker comes to you and tries to convince you in various ways, including asking you to deliver the goods to Al-Hassan Industrial City in the city of Irbid, and from there the containers are transferred from your truck to other trucks heading to the Sheikh Hussein crossing, which is a form of fraud." As for the driver, S.H., he says, “We have now carried anything from Jordan to the Emirates, even for free, which was useless in the past, but now the financial cost for transportation from the Emirates to Israel has doubled, by one and a half times, which prompted us to try to go carrying anything.” "Something, even if it's free, to allow us to cross."
Regarding the type of goods being transported, S.H. indicated to Al Jazeera Net that he cannot list everything, but they include clothes, fabrics, and foodstuffs. He also talked about the fact that the trucks are bulletproof and monitored via the GPS tracking system.
Al Jazeera Net tried to obtain an official Jordanian response about what was monitored on this road, and about the number of trucks that take it and compare it to the number of trucks that come from other routes, by communicating with Jordanian government spokesman Muhannad Mubaidin, and did not receive any response until the date of preparing this. report, but he had denied the existence of this bridge in a previous statement to Al Jazeera Net, considering it “allegations and allegations.”
Member of the Jordanian Parliament, Hassan Al-Riyati, had asked Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh questions about the details of this road. Al-Riyati told Al-Jazeera Net that he had not received any answers from the government, which prompted him to turn the questions into an interrogation, indicating that he did not expect to get an answer, as “ The government does not care about the MPs’ questions, which harms the national interest.”
Speaking to Al Jazeera Net, Al-Riyati said, "According to the bylaws of the House of Representatives, the question must be answered within 14 days. If the government does not answer, it is given a deadline and the question is referred for interrogation. It is obligated to respond within a month, and in light of the data, I do not think I will get an answer." The MP added, "There is confirmed information about the significant increase in truck traffic, as well as the export of vegetables," and pointed out that "disabling the oversight machine indicates that this council is weak, and the government does not see it, and the government's violations have increased."
Axis of Resistance
The deputy head of the Iranian president's office for political affairs said the US has asked Iran to refrain from targeting American facilities. “In a written message, the Islamic Republic of Iran warns US leadership not to get dragged in Netanyahu's trap for US: Stay away so you won't get hurt. In response US asked Iran not to target American facilities,” Mohammad Jamshidi said in a post on his X account on Friday. The letter comes after the Israeli regime launched an airstrike on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, killing seven Iranian military advisers. Observers say the Damascus attack was an attempt by Israel to drag the United States into a direct conflict with Iran, Press TV reported.
Iran’s highest-ranking military commander gave an assurance that a revenge for the Israeli fatal strike on the country’s diplomatic mission in Damascus is inevitable, noting that Tehran will decide how and when to carry out the retaliatory operation. Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri on Saturday delivered an address at the funeral of Major General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior IRGC commander and military adviser who was martyred in the Israeli airstrike on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus on April 1.
Responding to calls for revenge, the top commander said, “The Israeli attack won’t remain unanswered.” The general noted that it is Iran that will decide when and how to carry out the retaliatory operation. He said the operation in response to the Israeli terrorist act will be carried out “accurately” and will make the Zionist regime regret its action. Describing the strike on Iran’s Damascus mission as “a suicide committed by Israel”, Major General Baqeri said the martyrdom of the Iranian military advisers will expedite the destruction of Israel.
He also warned that the main responsibility for the Damascus attack lies with the US and Washington must be held accountable. While the United States has denied involvement in the Damascus attack, Bagheri, like other Iranian officials, has implicated the U.S., alleging its complicity in the incident. "Whether America accepts it or not, its involvement in the crimes committed by the Zionist regime is clear, and responsibility for the recent incident in the Syrian consulate rests with it," Bagheri asserted.
Lauding the Iranian nation for holding massive demonstrations in support of Palestine on the International Quds Day, President Ebrahim Raisi said it has become clear that Zionism is shakier than the spider’s web and is doomed to annihilation. In a message on Friday evening, Raisi expressed his gratitude to the people of Iran for their epic presence in the International Quds Day rallies. “The conscious and appreciative nation of Iran, the epic of your glorious, inspiring and proud presence, the aware and far-sighted Islamic nation of Iran, on this year's International Quds Day, displayed lasting scenes of national unity and solidarity in support and empathy with the oppressed and powerful nation of Palestine and Gaza at this critical time to the world,” he said.
“Today, thanks to the zeal and courage of the Palestinians, it has become clear to everyone that the house of cards of Zionism is weaker than a spider's house. The epic presence of the people in the International Quds Day protests, which is worthy of appreciation, is a clear message to the Global Arrogance that oppression and usurpation, aggression and murder are always doomed to failure and certainly this global and public movement will reach a conclusion and the world will watch the fulfilment of God's true promise and the destruction of the Zionist regime,” the president added, his official website reported.
“I thank God for the conscious presence of the great people of Iran and all the free nations of the world and sincerely thank all the people of Iran, the various political, cultural and religious groups and organizations that listened to the historical message and strategic initiative of Imam Khomeini and the invitation of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, enthusiastically attending in the Quds Day protests this year based on their human and religious duty, paying respect to the oppressed people of Palestine and the innocent children of this land and expressed his disgust with the Zionist regime and its supporters, America at the head of all of them, and I ask Almighty God in these final days of the holy month of Ramadan for the increasing authority, honor and growth of the resistance front and the destruction of the occupiers of Quds,” he stated.
Allied for Democracy
The Al-Alam [Alalam News Network, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting] correspondent in Ramallah pointed out that the calls now inside Israel are rising more towards calling for early parliamentary elections, and this talk is what bothers Netanyahu the most today, noting that the sister of one of the Israeli prisoners who was killed in the Gaza Strip said that the Israeli occupation army could have saved her brother if Benjamin Netanyahu concluded a deal with Hamas.
Former Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi , signed a letter addressed to President Joe Biden and his Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, demanding a halt to arms transfers to Israel, which has continued its aggression against the Gaza Strip since last October 7. The letter was signed by 40 Democratic representatives, and stated, “Given the recent strike on aid workers and the worsening humanitarian crisis, we believe it is unjustified to approve these arms transfers.” In their letter, the representatives called on the Biden administration to conduct a special investigation into an Israeli air strike last Monday that killed 7 employees of the American Central Kitchen charity in the Gaza Strip.
Pelosi's support for stopping the transfer of weapons to Israel showed that this is the largely prevailing position within the Democratic Party. Nancy Pelosi is a key ally of Biden, and a veteran member of the Democratic Party to which the US President belongs. Earlier, the Israeli army said that it had dismissed two officers and issued a formal reprimand to senior commanders after an investigation into the killing of aid workers concluded that there were serious errors and violations of procedures. This came after Biden made a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, where he explained to him that Israel must make more efforts to protect civilians, otherwise the United States will change its policy.
Relations between Washington and Tel Aviv are fluctuating amid escalating disagreements over the war on the Gaza Strip , and agreement on the necessity of removing the Palestinian resistance from the local and regional equation. In light of this, American military support has not stopped, despite the White House threatening to review it from time to time.
From the point of view of the writer and political analyst, Ahmed Al-Haila, there is an increase in the pace of American pressure on Israel, in an attempt by President Joe Biden to change the behavior of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the war in Gaza, but this pressure is still limited to humanitarian relief and demanding a temporary halt to firing. According to Al-Hila, the Israeli attack on the employees of the “ World Central Kitchen ” caused great embarrassment to the United States of America, Britain, and the Western system as a whole, and therefore the pressures on the Israelis increased, and the extent of their response to these pressures will only appear through the reality on the ground.
Despite the embarrassment that Washington feels as a result of the practices of the Israeli occupation in Gaza, there has not yet been any change in the issue of American strategic support for Israel, as the guest of the episode (4/5/2024) of the program “Gaza... What Next?” sees. For his part, Charles Dunn, a former member of the US National Security Council, ruled out that there would be a change in US support for Israel, and said that President Biden warned of dire consequences if aid workers in Gaza were not protected, but he sent large arms shipments to Israel last week. Dan added that the US administration is clearly focused on the issue of humanitarian aid to Gaza, but there is no concrete evidence indicating that it will work to implement what it says.
Regarding whether Washington would suspend the supply of weapons to Israel, a member of the US National Security Council said that there are American laws that prevent the transfer and use of American weapons to countries that use them in human rights violations, and if President Biden wanted to tell Netanyahu that he is serious in his position, and that he is under legal pressure. Internal political and legal issues to do so, noting that “Biden is living a state of war with himself.”
As for the resourceful writer and political analyst, he believes that the American threat to suspend arms deals to Israel is a type of questionable pressure, because this would lead to a weakness in the occupation in the face of the Palestinian resistance, and thus send a message to the Lebanese Hezbollah and Iran. It is likely that the United States will maneuver at the UN Security Council level , especially since France is talking about a draft resolution for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
Regarding the reflection of the American position on the ongoing negotiations between the Palestinian resistance and Israel, the former American official believes that Israel’s priority is to release the prisoners and defeat the Palestinian resistance ( Hamas ), which are two conflicting goals - as the spokesman confirms - acknowledging that the Netanyahu government is facing international pressure to change its course. While Al-Haila expected that there would be pressure on the occupation during the negotiations to make some concession that might relate to the return of the displaced to northern Gaza.
In their coverage of the repercussions of the war on the Gaza Strip, international newspapers and websites focused on what is described as American strictness towards Israel, wondering whether this would lead to a shift in American policy and the abandonment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. An editorial in The Guardian newspaper said that US President Joe Biden's warning to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu "is too late for the tens of thousands of victims of the Israeli war on Gaza, but it may save others from it." The newspaper added, "The American toughness toward Netanyahu should not stop here, because a lot of work is still required for Gaza."
For its part, the Mediapart website asked, “What happens after President Biden’s anger at Netanyahu?” The site notes that the American president needed 6 months to bang his fist on the table and force Israel to open humanitarian crossings. The French website goes on to say, "But this does not necessarily mean that there is a shift in Washington's relationship with its closest ally."
As for The Economist magazine, it believes that Israeli-American relations have reached the point of collapse, and attributed this to the killing of seven aid workers in an Israeli army raid, “But despite this, President Biden will find it difficult to stop the war and impose a political settlement in Gaza, and it will be impossible for his administration to abandon... "Completely from the extreme right-wing government of Netanyahu."
Operation Iron Swords - By the Numbers
- 75,815 Gazans injured, 28% adult male
- 45,000 bombs dropped in Gaza
- 40,000 Gazans killed, including buried under rubble
- 33,000 Gaza targets attacked
- 33,173 Gazans martyred
- 20,528 Palestinians in Israeli prisons [Haaretz, 20 Mar 2024]
- 15,000 rocket launched from Gaza
- 15,000 Gazan children martyred
- 14,793 Israelis injured [i24 TV]
- 13,000 HAMAS combatants killed [N12]
- 13,000 HAMAS combatants killed [IDF]
- 11,000 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank in 2023
- 9,920 Gazan women martyred
- 9,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons
- 9,000 IDF needing psychological assistance
- 8,000 Gazans missing under the rubble
- 7,895 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank since Oct.7th
- 6,800 IDF officers and soldiers injured [Channel 12]
- 6,000 HAMAS combatants killed [HAMAS]
- 5,500 IDF wounded [reports]
- 4,750 West Bank Palestinians wounded
- 3,484 administrative detainees
- 3,700 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria
- 3,079 IDF wounded [IDF]
- 2,100 Gazan women are missing
- 1,609 terrorists killed on the first day
- 1,600 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria affiliated with Hamas
- 1,160 Israelis killed on the first day
- 601 Israeli officers and soldiers killed since the start of the war
- 456 West Bank Palestinians martyred
- 343 people [including fighters] killed in Lebanon
- 256 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
Not every number is reported every day, so sudden jumps generally reflect reporting artifacts rather than actual upticks. 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.
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