Operation Iron Swords - Day 232 - 25 May 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

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

The International Court of Justice's Friday ruling ordering Israel to halt those operation in Rafah that endanger Palestinian civilians is fairly limited in scope and substance; yet its indulgence of vague and spurious innuendo regarding a "genocide" are nefarious, a prominent law professor told i24NEWS. Prof. Robbie Sabel said: "The ICJ issued a strictly limited order, falling well short of what South Africa hoped to achieve. What is nefarious, however, is the ruling's amorphous language maintaining some unspecified connection to a potential 'genocide,' for which there's zero evidence."

"What South Africa wanted to achieve is an order ordering to stop all fighting in Gaza, which would've enabled Hamas to continue, and they didn't get that order," Prof. Robbie Sabel of the Hebrew University told the channel. "What they got was a fairly limited order ordering Israel not to carry on operations in Rafah that would endanger the civilian population. And Israel, as you know, has always made attempts not to endanger the civilian population. Therefore there's no real change in Israel's obligations," he added. "However what is nefarious is that they still maintain this link to a possibility of 'genocide.' South Africa produced no evidence whatsoever that there was any intent to commit genocide and the court didn't say it but they adopted a very strange, tenuous, amorphous language that there could be a possibility that there was a genocide."

THe Counrt stated "Israel must immediately halt its military offensive, and any other action in the Rafah Governorate, which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part." That is, Israel can proceed to act militarily in Rafah - but has to be very careful in doing so not to destroy the Palestinian population in whole or in part. In his dissenting judgment, Judge Barak says the order “requires Israel to halt its military offensive in the Rafah Governorate only in so far as is necessary to comply with Israel’s obligations under the Genocide Convention.”

The Spanish Minister of Defense affirmed , during an interview on the official TVE television, that: “We cannot ignore what is happening in Gaza, which is a real genocide ,” adding that Madrid’s recognition of the State of Palestine is not a move against the Israeli state, but It aims to help "end the violence in Gaza." Her comments, made during an interview with public television TVE, reflect growing tensions between Israel and Spain following Madrid's recent decision to recognize a Palestinian state. Robles' remarks align with a similar sentiment expressed by Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz who a few days ago described the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip as “genocide.” Diaz, in a controversial statement, advocated for a free Palestine “from the river to the sea,” a phrase often associated with Palestinian nationalist aspirations.

US Senator Lindsey said on the “X” platform: “A long time ago we had to stand up to the so-called international justice organizations associated with the United Nations. Their anti-Israel bias is very great,” according to his claim. He added: “In my opinion, let the International Court of Justice go to hell,” as he put it.

US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson was more frank than everyone when he declared: “America must punish the International Criminal Court, which threatens the leaders of Israel, and return Karim Khan to his place. America knows that it will be second only to Israel, and this is a direct insult to our sovereignty.” We do not place any international body above American sovereignty, and Israel does not do that either.”

War Termination

In an interview with Al Jazeera, a senior member of Hamas emphasized that the occupation's adherence to the decisions of the Hague Tribunal, the withdrawal from Gaza and the return of refugees are the basic conditions of Hamas for the resumption of negotiations. According to Mehr news agency , the senior member of Hamas announced in a speech that the words and hadiths about the readiness of the Zionist regime for a continuous ceasefire are not enough and it is necessary for this regime to immediately withdraw from the Gaza Strip and stop the war.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera news channel , Osameh Hamdan, a senior member of Hamas Shamgheh, on Saturday, in response to the report of the enemy media about the resumption of the ceasefire negotiations during the next week after the Paris negotiations, emphasized that the purpose of the negotiations is to end the war in Gaza and lift the blockade and exchange. There are just prisoners on both sides. The representative of Hamas in Lebanon emphasized that we have not been informed by the mediators about the resumption of negotiations.

Osama Hamdan added: Today's talk about new negotiations is not serious. Hamdan stated that we also believe that the Zionist regime seeks to evade the decisions of the International Court of Justice. He said: We do not need a new negotiation and the Hamas movement has submitted its response to the plan proposed by the mediators. Osama Hamdan said: The question is what guarantee can be given regarding the Zionist regime's agreement with new thoughts and ideas.

Hamdan added: If there is no serious guarantee, this means giving more time to the occupying regime to continue the war. This Hamas leader emphasized that an offer was made and we accepted it, but "Israel" opposed it, and there is no guarantee that this regime will accept new offers to enter into negotiations. Osama Hamdan stated that it is not enough to talk about the readiness of the Zionist regime for a continuous ceasefire and it is necessary for this regime to immediately withdraw from the Gaza Strip and stop the war.

Hamdan said: "The current priority is the implementation of the International Court of Justice's ruling, and Biden should declare his readiness to oblige the Zionist regime to comply with this ruling." He clarified that no proposal or plan from the Zionist enemy can be trusted, and why should we agree to another plan after the recent proposal of the mediators, which we accepted?

A source familiar with the details of the negotiations for the abductee deal gave news here that the talks are at a very preliminary stage, and later it will become clear if there is a basis for continuing the talks - this was announced this evening (Saturday) in the Shabbat News at Khan 11.

According to Israeli sources, the negotiations for the hostage deal are expected to resume next week in Doha, the capital of Qatar, when a delegation from the terrorist organization Hamas, and an Israeli delegation, will arrive there to present their positions. Also, the head of the Mossad, Dedi Barna, presented to the mediating countries the guidelines for the deal approved by the cabinet, and agreed with the head of the CIA, Billy Burns, and the Prime Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abd al-Rahman Al Thani, to meet again.

Tomorrow, the War Cabinet will meet to receive updates from the head of the Mossad on the talks in Paris. However, cabinet officials expressed criticism and said: "The cabinet should have been convened this evening. The number of abductees and abductees in the Gaza Strip stands at 125, of which 86 are defined as living and 39 are defined as dead.

All of the top security officials - the Chief of Staff, the head of the Mossad, the head of the Shin Bet, as well as Defense Minister Galant and Ministers Gantz Eisenkot support the promotion of the deal, and claim that it is necessary at this time. Senior officials in the defense system believe that even if an outline is agreed upon to stop the war, Israel will be able to renew the fire when necessary, a few months later.

At the same time, ministers in the war cabinet support an Israeli compromise regarding the demand for the number of abductees to be released from Hamas captivity - if such a deal goes through. According to sources familiar with the matter, there is Israeli insistence on other issues that are in dispute with Hamas. Also, the activity of the security forces in Jabaliya is expected to continue to check if there is another possibility of locating abductees in the area.

A senior source in the Palestinian Resistance told Al Mayadeen that Israel is not serious about negotiations and that Hamas insists on the need to stop the daily killings and massacres. Earlier, a senior Palestinian Resistance source told Al Mayadeen that the Israeli occupation is not serious in its attempts to return to negotiations, emphasizing Hamas' insistence on stopping Israeli massacres against the people of Gaza. The senior source emphasized that Hamas "believes that Israel is not serious" about reaching a deal, perceiving "Israel's" maneuvers as attempts to obscure and justify its continued perpetration of criminal acts against the Palestinian people.

CIA Director Bill Burns met with Mossad Chief David Barnea in Washington and upon the latter's return, Israeli i24 news and Barak Ravid both noted that, according to Israeli officials, Israel, the US, and Qatar have agreed to resume indirect negotiations with Hamas on the release of Israeli settlers and soldiers held captive in the Gaza Strip, the liberation of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, and a potential truce in Gaza. According to reports, the upcoming round of talks, which the US, "Israel", and Qatar are reportedly ready to hold is set to be mediated by Egypt and Qatar following the Paris Paper put forward by CIA Director Burns, Mossad Chief Barnea, and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Conflicting reports have been handled by Israeli media, whose source appears to all be journalist Barak Ravid., who himself, in a post on X, denied that any negotiations are set for later this week right after announcing their resumption. On that note, Ravid stressed that the mediation will include the "active involvement of the US." Ravid, shortly after, posted that the Biden administration was surprised by the Israeli announcement about the resumption of negotiations on a captives deal.

Allegedly, the Israeli war cabinet had expanded the mandate of the Israeli negotiating team. Initially, it was claimed, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposed this expansion, but he was swayed by widespread support for the move and the recent release of a video by the Palestinian Resistance movement al-Qassam Brigades. However, in his latest post on X, Ravid contradicted his earlier statement, saying, "There is a significant attempt to renew the negotiations on the abductees deal," adding that "the meeting in Paris was a step in the right direction."

Moreover, Ravid added that "the negotiations have not been renewed and at this point they will not be renewed this week," defining negotiations as "negotiations teams from Israel, Qatar, Egypt, the USA and Hamas who sit in a certain place and try to reduce gaps."

Operational Update

Further to the warning that was activated about the firing of missiles and rockets in the north of the country, this is a false warning.

The International Court of Justice crowned a week of diplomatic disasters for Israel. This is what international newspapers and websites wrote in their discussion of the pressures facing Israel against the backdrop of the International Court of Justice’s decision and the previous recognition of the Palestinian state by 3 European countries and the decision of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan.

The Economist magazine says that regardless of Israel’s response or not, the International Court of Justice’s order “presents an immediate dilemma for Israel, in contrast to the request of the ICC Prosecutor to issue arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant .” In any case, the International Court of Justice order caps a week of diplomatic disasters for Israel, according to the magazine.

For its part, the Financial Times describes this week as a week of disappointments for Israel, noting “a profound shift in the mood of international public opinion against Israel since the incursion of its forces into Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.” The Washington Post stressed in an article by writer David Igantius that alleviating the suffering of civilians in Gaza has become a top priority, and the writer calls on the American administration to think about the current day before the next, as he put it.

An analysis on the National Interest website excludes that Israel will succeed in uprooting the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) from the Gaza Strip. The analysis goes back to the exchange deal that Israel failed at the beginning of this month, indicating that the American side does not see fundamental differences in the versions of Hamas and Israel, and believes that the gap between them can be bridged easily, but the Israeli government used this argument to escalate, according to its clarification.

On the other hand, an article in Foreign Policy stated that the existence of a Palestinian state serves the interests of everyone, including Israel and the United States. The authors of the article, who are Palestinian and Israeli researchers, enumerate the advantages of recognizing a Palestinian state, including “opening the door for a new generation of Palestinians to establish a state that does not derive its roots from political violence.” The article points out that the inevitable result of what happened to Gaza will be “a generation of Palestinians preyed upon by despair and the desire to Revenge".

Operational Update - Gaza

The military and strategic expert, Colonel Hatem Karim Al-Falahi, confirms that the occupation army suffers from a major shortage of military machinery and equipment, due to the valor of the resistance and its implementation of specific operations that greatly affected the occupation’s capabilities during the past period. According to Al-Falahi, the occupation’s allocation of a large portion of American aid to purchase mechanical and armored parts indicates the significant shortage, which forced the occupation to use old Merkava 1 , 2, and 3 tanks, due to the clear shortage in numbers of the Merkava 4 model.

Regarding the operational situation, the military expert spoke about an expansion of the military operation in northern Gaza, pointing to incursion attempts from Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and the Al-Qasaib area towards the Al-Falujah area, which means almost the complete encirclement of the Jabalia camp. He explained that the elevation of the Fallujah area above sea level makes it difficult for the occupation to control it, especially if resistance factions are stationed there.

Al-Falahi believed that the occupation's goal in this operation was to enter densely populated areas inside the Jabalia camp, so that its forces are now trying to penetrate from the south towards the Al-Qasasib area, as if it is working to encircle the camp from all directions, according to his opinion. As for the central front, Al-Falahi indicated that the occupation forces deployed the 99th Division there, while the resistance is confronting it with mortar and missile shelling and direct sniping.

As for the situation in the south and Rafah, the military expert said that the military operation is advancing towards the border strip, reaching the beginnings of the Sultan neighborhood. He pointed out the great overlap between the areas in the Rafah axis, as the military operations in Shaboura are in their beginnings, while military operations continue in the eastern area of Salah al-Din Street and many tanks have been destroyed, according to the same source.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority quoted security sources on Saturday as saying that Israel is ready to withdraw its forces from the Rafah crossing “for political and military considerations,” following its forces’ control of the crossing three weeks ago as part of its ground incursion into the Rafah areas in the southern Gaza Strip. The security sources explained - according to the Broadcasting Corporation - that “if Egypt decides to open the Rafah crossing, Israel will not object,” according to what was reported by the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, while the Israeli Channel 12 quoted senior officials that “there are no longer gaps” between Israel and the United States regarding the operation in Rafah.

For the third week, the occupation forces intensified their bombing of areas in Rafah and closed the crossing, which plays a major role in bringing in humanitarian relief and some supplies, after they occupied it on May 6, in addition to confrontations waged by the Palestinian resistance in Rafah against the occupation soldiers and vehicles. This comes in light of mounting international and European pressure on Israel to abide by the decision of the International Court of Justice and stop its military attack on the city of Rafah, in addition to the previous UN and international warnings about the repercussions of the invasion of Rafah as it is the last refuge for the displaced in the Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to a devastating war since the 7th of May. Last October.

The US military announced, on Saturday, that the naval humanitarian aid mission in Gaza was affected by strong sea waves, which led to four barges separating from their moorings on the temporary floating dock. The US Central Command said in a statement that two of the four ships are now anchored on the beach near the pier, while the third and fourth ships have reached the Israeli shore near Ashkelon. The statement added that efforts are currently underway to recover the ships with the help of the Israeli Navy, indicating that no American personnel have entered Gaza. No injuries were reported and the pier is still fully operational, according to a US Army statement.

In turn, Israeli media reported pictures and news about part of the American floating dock separating and drifting toward Ashdod Beach, according to Al Hurra’s correspondent. Israeli media added that Israeli naval forces headed to the place to assist the American forces and try to reconnect the separated part.

The United States completed the temporary floating port off the shores of the Gaza Strip earlier this month, in a step to increase the delivery of aid to the besieged Strip, which is threatened by famine in light of the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas movement. The project consists of a temporary floating seaport that allows large ships, whether military or civilian, to dock there to unload their cargo and transfer it to smaller ships that can deliver this aid to a sea dock connected to the coast. The majority of this aid will be food collected from several countries and transported to the port of Larnaca in Cyprus.

There is no international seaport in Gaza, and Israel has prevented the construction of one for decades. Because the nearshore waters are too shallow for large ships to approach the humanitarian pier directly, the United States is also building a floating platform two miles from the coast, where ships carrying aid will unload their cargo first. The Gaza Strip is suffering from a very serious humanitarian crisis resulting from the war that has been going on for more than six months between Israel and Hamas, and its residents need aid to continue.

Egyptian security sources told Reuters that humanitarian food and fuel shipments may begin to enter the southern Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing, on Friday evening, at the earliest, following an agreement reached between the presidents of Egypt and the United States, at a time when Washington confirmed in a call with the Minister Israeli stressed the importance of coordination with Cairo. The sources, who requested to remain anonymous, stated that Egypt is coordinating with Israel regarding aid, at a time when media outlets reported Egypt’s commitment to coordination with the Palestinian Authority and its refusal to coordinate with the Israeli side.

In a phone call with Israeli Minister Benny Gantz, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken stressed on Friday the importance of Israel and Egypt concluding talks to reopen the Rafah crossing as soon as possible. Blinken stressed "the urgent need to protect civilians and aid workers in Gaza and calm tensions in the West Bank. The minister also discussed the American vision for lasting peace and security for Israel through greater integration in the region, stressing the importance of planning for the post-conflict period in Gaza for Israel's security," according to What was reported in a statement on the US State Department website regarding the contact between the two ministers.

The Martyr Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, published scenes of the targeting of a "Merkvah" tank and a "D9" military bulldozer with "Tandum" and "Al-Yassin 105" missiles. The Al-Qassam Brigades destroyed occupation soldiers and vehicles in the vicinity of the Salah al-Din Gate, south of the city of Rafah. The military media in the Jerusalem Brigades published scenes documenting the sniping of an Israeli soldier in the “Netzarim” axis, south of the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood. The scenes show the Al-Quds Brigades sniper shooting down an Israeli soldier from the back of his tank with a highly accurate bullet. The Al-Quds Brigades also destroyed, with a barrage of 60-caliber regular mortar shells, a gathering of soldiers and vehicles of the Israeli occupation entity in the Al-Qasasib neighborhood in the city of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip.

The forces of Division 98 continue to operate in the Jablia area in the north of the Gaza Strip. In the last day, the forces destroyed terrorist infrastructures, launch sites alongside military buildings and found many weapons. In addition, the forces eliminated dozens of terrorists in face-to-face battles and by directing air force aircraft strikes, including terrorists who directed attacks at the fighters in the field. In closing the circle of the forces, an Air Force aircraft eliminated a Hamas sniper squad that had been operating several days before on IDF fighters. There were no casualties to our forces in this encounter.

Soldiers of the 679th Israel Defense Forces under the 99th Division killed a number of terrorists in the center of the Gaza Strip in the past day in clashes and tank fire. During the operation of Division 162 in the Rafah area, the fighters eliminated a terrorist squad that opened fire on the force in a face-to-face battle. The fighters searched for weapons and infrastructure of the Hamas terrorist organization in the area. As part of the scans, terrorist shafts and infrastructure were located and destroyed along with many weapons in the area, including combat equipment, weapons and trapped explosives.

The bodies of the abductees Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nissenbaum and Orion Hernandez, may their memory be blessed, were recovered on Thursday night in a joint operation by the IDF and Shin Bet under the command of Division 98. As part of the fighting by the forces of the 98th Division in the Jabalia area, the fighters of the 75th Battalion eliminated a terrorist who was apparently used as their observation of the area where the bodies were kept, raided it, and located the location of the bodies. A short time later, fighters from the Yalam unit, Shin Bet and fighters from a special unit in the intelligence wing entered the area, located the three bodies and rescued them in a complicated night operation.

The intelligence on the location of the bodies came while relying on accurate intelligence information that was received and analyzed during the last few days by the division's intelligence, the Shin Bet and the prisoners and missing persons headquarters in the intelligence division. The operations to retrieve the bodies are part of a campaign planned and managed by the underground and led by the 98th Division in Jabaliya.

The endless research effort was conducted at the abductee headquarters in the Intelligence Division shoulder to shoulder with the Shin Bet and IDF units. The effort lasted several months and included gathering intelligence and analyzing intelligence indications into a single picture. After the complex intelligence work, the headquarters was in continuous and close communication with the maneuvering forces to direct them to the exact location that the intelligence and analysis suggested.

"The 75th Battalion, the 'Rumach' Battalion in the 7th Brigade has been fighting for about two weeks in Jabalia, attacking and destroying the enemy and above-ground and underground infrastructure," said the 75th Battalion, Lt. Col. Ron, "last Saturday night, the battalion went out to attack a compound More fighting by the enemy, as a result of which we killed terrorists and located an anti-terrorist route that led to the recovery of the 3 abductees - Michel Nissenbaum, Hanan Yablonka and Orion Hernandez. On this occasion, I would like to offer my condolences to the families, and I am sure that being able to visit the grave of your sons will give you a little comfort. I want to convey to the people of Israel, to the battalion and the brigade that we will continue to act with determination, turn over every grain, purify every house, in order to meet the goals of the war and return the abductees home."

Operational Update - Judea-Samaria

Operational Update - Lebanon

On the 24th anniversary of the liberation of southern Lebanon from the Israeli occupation, Hezbollah announced that it had targeted an Israeli 'Merkava' tank with a guided missile, which was holed up in the Israeli 'Marj' military site , on the border with occupied Palestine, which led to it being directly hit, destroyed, and killing its crew. The party also announced an attack on targets in the 'Zarait' barracks using guided missiles and artillery shells, indicating that this attack came in support of Gaza and in response to the assassinations in Al-Mansouri a few days ago.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement conducted at least 11 new operations against Israeli military targets. In separate statements, Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli military and espionage equipment in northern parts of the occupied territories. Hezbollah reported striking several Israeli forces and military vehicles with missiles and drones. The group said it launched a drone attack on the rocket and artillery battalion headquarters in the "Yoav" barracks, accurately hitting the positions and residences of enemy officers and soldiers. Hezbollah also stated it conducted an aerial attack using explosive drones, targeting the newly established headquarters of the 91st Division in "Eilit," precisely hitting locations where enemy officers and soldiers were stationed. The movement said these operations were in retaliation for Israeli attacks on civilians and residential buildings in Lebanon and in solidarity with Palestinians. Hezbollah and the Israeli military have been exchanging fire along Lebanon’s southern border since early October when Israel began its assault on Gaza.

Hebrew media reported that ten missiles were launched from Lebanon towards Zarit and two missiles towards Miskav Am. Noting also that sirens also sounded in Kfar Giladi, Tel Hai in the Upper Galilee, and in Kiryat Shmona and its environs. The Israeli media acknowledged the occurrence of severe damage in several points in the north, noting that the Israelis continue to suffer from the loud frequency of sirens, especially yesterday, in which Hezbollah announced that it had carried out eleven operations against positions and gatherings of occupation soldiers using missiles and drones, confirming that direct casualties had been achieved. There were deaths and injuries.

On the other hand, the Israeli army renewed its bombing of areas in southern Lebanon, targeting the outskirts of Naqoura, Zibqin, Labouneh, and Kafr Hamam, and launched several air strikes that targeted the towns of Al-Jebeen, Aita Al-Shaab, and a house in the vicinity of the UNIFIL international forces site in the town of Al-Adissa . The Israeli military carried out airstrikes in the Hamas stronghold of Rafah, Palestinian witnesses said, with battles reported elsewhere in the enclave. Airstrikes were also reported in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah.

The forces of the 91st Division and the forces of the Air Force identified this evening (Saturday), using an aircraft, a number of terrorists operating in a Hezbollah military structure in the Eitaron area in southern Lebanon. After the identification, the forces directed fighter jets that attacked the military structure where the terrorists were operating. In addition, the IDF attacked with artillery fire to remove a threat in the area of the village of Kila in southern Lebanon. Also, a number of missiles were detected this evening that crossed the territory of Lebanon towards several areas in the north of the country, there were no casualties. There was damage to the buildings there. Fighter jets of the Air Force attacked several military buildings of the terrorist organization Hezbollah in the regions of Al-Adaisa, Yaron and Marfiin in southern Lebanon. During the day, the IDF forces carried out artillery fire to remove a threat in the areas of El Matamura, Wadi Hamool, Rashia El Fuhr and Tswana.

Operational Update - Syria / Iraq

Operational Update - Yemen

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 United Nations Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, called on the international community to impose sanctions on “Israel” and suspend diplomatic relations with it, until it complies with the decision of the International Court of Justice. Albanese said in a blog post on the “X” platform, “Israel intensified its attacks on the city of Rafah (south of the Gaza Strip) after the International Court of Justice ordered it to stop its operation in the city.” She added, “The news I receive from the people trapped in the city of Rafah is horrific. “Israel will not stop this madness until we stop it.” She continued: “Member states must impose sanctions on Israel, ban the provision of weapons to it, and suspend political and diplomatic relations with it until it stops its attack.”

Axis of Resistance

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, released on Saturday a video addressing the families of Israeli captives held by the Resistance group in Gaza, warning that the occupation government is putting them in real danger. The Brigades accompanied the video with a message to the families stating: "Your army, under [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's orders, has violated their [captives] dignity, both the living and the dead."

The clip also featured statements made by Netanyahu since the beginning of the war claiming that "efforts are being made to bring back all hostages." Similar statements indicating that all capabilities are being utilized to reach the captives made by other top Israeli officials were also displayed, including War Cabinet member Minister Benny Gantz and Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari.

After showing footage of the different claims, al-Qassam addressed the captives' families, saying: "This is how Netanyahu, his army, and his war cabinet kill the captives," followed by images of Israeli captives killed by the continuous Israeli bombardment of Gaza. The Resistance group urged the families to ask Netanyahu and his ministers for the names of those killed captives, asserting that "they know them very well." It then warned that "time is running out" and that the Israeli government would be the reason for the "captives returning to their families in coffins."

The Islamic Resistance Movement “ Hamas ” sent a message to the Palestinian people in general, and to the people of Gaza in particular, expressing its pride and pride in their steadfastness in the face of “ the Nazi-Fascist- Zionist war of annihilation against us in Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem, the occupied interior, and everywhere.” Hamas said: “The pen is unable to write, words are unable to express your grace and generosity, the entire universe is unable to reach your steadfastness and steadfastness, and Hamas, its brigades, and its resistance are unable to fulfill your patience and sacrifices, even though it is from you and to you, and it sacrificed the souls of its livers, the best of its youth, and its greatest leaders with you, so blood flowed in valleys to irrigate the land of the homeland.” And, God willing, it will produce a mighty and generous victory worthy of your sacrifices.”

In a special message to the people of the Gaza Strip, he said: “We are helpless before you, your sacrifices, your support, your support, and your embrace of our resistance. We emerged from the womb of your suffering, pain, torment, and sacrifice. We fought with all honor and valor, and we saw victory written on your hands.”

The movement affirmed in the message that it is working in all directions and fighting in all arenas with the Palestinian factions, adding: “Perhaps we will offer you a little towards you and direct paths to correct the missteps and mistakes that occurred and continue to occur as a result of the genocidal war and the systematic targeting of every step we take to improve reality and build an incubator.” It supports your fighters and mujahideen from your sons who emerged from your loins and wombs.”

Hamas indicated that she is “working hard” in the emergency committees “to correct the paths of governmental, relief, humanitarian, security and economic work, but we were right and wrong, and we will continue to try and try until God decides something that was already in effect.” Hamas reiterated its assertion that the Battle of Al-Aqsa Flood came as a “strategic shift at a significant historical moment in the history of the Palestinian issue, noting that the leadership of the resistance in Gaza decided, in the midst of the siege, to exercise its right to resist the occupation.”

Hamas sent a special message to the women of Palestine, in which it said: “You are the title of the stage and the protected honor of the nation, and you are the best women on this earth, and you, God willing, are the symbol of victory; Because we know how much pain you have endured, how much pain you have endured, and how much loss of your loved ones has caused the hearts of men to feel distressed, so what about your situation, but from us we salute you, but from us thanks and appreciation, and we ask God to help us fulfill your rights and fulfill your patience, and for God to heal your breasts at the hands of the Mujahideen.”

At the end of its message, Hamas sent a message to the Israeli occupation by saying: “Can you stay for a moment in your occupation sites or continue your ground operations safely? Can you build fortifications to protect you from our resistance or live a moment of safety in our country?!” We will not answer you, but we will make our answer what you see, not what you hear, and then the believers will rejoice in God’s victory and heal the hearts of a believing people.”

The Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, was keen to undermine and thwart any illusions that the enemy might have that he might surprise Hezbollah, when he affirmed that “we are not deceived by your deception” and that Hezbollah “studied all the scenarios that the enemy could pursue,” indicating that Prepare for each of them according to their nature and degree of danger. His assertion that “the pressures of your masters will not work, and this resistance will continue” has an additional peculiarity, as it comes at a turning point in the war and against the assumption that the enemy will insist on waging an open war of attrition, a position that will remain present within the system of considerations of the enemy leadership when studying its options.

It also goes in the same direction, as Nasrallah explained, “Our goal is clear in opening the front, which is to support Gaza and prevent any preemptive enemy operation towards Lebanon,” as this arrangement of priorities reveals Hezbollah’s standards in judging any proposals or offers that can be presented through any capital. International or other, based on the belief that there will be no calm on the Lebanon front as long as Gaza is on fire.

On the other hand, Sayyed Nasrallah reminded the enemy of the strategic surprises that had occurred since October 7, starting from the Al-Aqsa flood to the steadfastness of Hamas and the resistance in Gaza, and Hezbollah opening a support front. And Yemen, which surprised the world. He also deliberately intended to be precise in sending a counter-message that the enemy “should expect surprises from our resistance, and I am not exaggerating that,” which confirms that Hezbollah’s cards, which it has not used so far, are still the decisive factor in any future equation, and strengthen its deterrent power. Facing an all-out war scenario. The Secretary-General of Hezbollah warned enemy Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that “if he insists on war, he will take this entity to disaster and the resistance to decisive victory.”

At the honoring ceremony held by Hezbollah for the late Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi and his companions yesterday, Nasrallah praised the late president, who was “a role model in all the positions in which he assumed responsibility and a servant to his people... During the 3 years of his term, he revived economic projects, and during his reign, the preservation of Relations with the East and West, he supported the resistance movements at every level, and he had great faith in the Palestinian cause and the resistance.” He also praised the late Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, who “had a great love for Lebanon, Palestine, and the resistance movements.” He added that the scenes of the funeral of Raisi and his companions are a message that “should reassure all lovers outside Iran who are quickly worried, and it is also a message to the enemy that imposed wars, sanctions, and blockades on Iran,” noting that “one of the reasons for the failure of American policies towards the region is denial of reality and separation from it.” ..) And Iran is a state of institutions and law.”

Regarding the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip and the attacks on Lebanon, Nasrallah explained that “in the eighth month of the war on Gaza, the Israelis themselves, in power and in the opposition, agree that what the entity has experienced this year is unprecedented, and the enemy acknowledges the severe suffering it faces.” Through inability and failure, he was unable to achieve any of his goals,” pointing out that “one of the most important things that officials in the entity suffer from is the recognition of Palestine by some European countries. The Israelis see the Palestinian state as an existential threat to this entity,” noting that “this growing recognition of a Palestinian state is one of the results of the Al-Aqsa flood and what comes after it.” He asked: “Who would have believed that the time would come when the International Criminal Court would request the issuance of arrest warrants against Zionist officials? This is one of the results of the Al-Aqsa flood.”

Allied for Democracy

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called to "stop the military operation in Rafah and end the faltering war in Gaza, in order to return the kidnapped people." In an interview with the Israeli broadcaster Kan, Ehud Olmert said: “The fighting does not serve any of the state’s interests, but rather serves the interests of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some extremist members of his government.” Olmert called on Ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot to resign from the government, stressing that "there is no chance of achieving complete victory or the final destruction of Hamas."

Speaking about the “day after” the war, Olmert explained: “There must be a move to establish an international European intervention force in Gaza, in order to consolidate the achievements of the IDF in the Strip, which led to the weakening of Hamas, so that the Palestinian forces intervene.” There within approximately two years, in cooperation with moderate Arab countries." The former Israeli Prime Minister continued: “The declaration of complete victory is baseless, and this is Netanyahu’s slogan so that he can, in the context of justifying his ongoing attempts, create a distance between the events of October and the stage in which the war will end for personal or political reasons that have nothing to do with Israel’s security.”

Olmert believed that "there is no possibility of completely eliminating Hamas in the Gaza Strip," adding: "If we want to return the kidnapped people safely, we must stop the war now." Olmert touched on the issue of the West Bank, saying: “They act there in a way that amounts to serious crimes, without any connection to terrorism... They destroy property, homes, and fields as part of campaigns carried out by elements with the encouragement of Ben Gvir (the extremist Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir ) and Smotrich.” (Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich ).”

Olmert continued: "All of this was done under the eyes of the Israeli police and security services. We turn a blind eye, do not look at what is happening there, and do not support any effort to prevent it. We extend a helping hand to commit crimes that will come back to us like a boom and explode in our faces one day before an international court."

An analysis published by Foreign Affairs magazine urged people not to antagonize and attack the International Criminal Court because of its recent decisions towards Israel, by issuing warrants against Israeli officials. On 20 May 2024, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, requested the issuance of arrest warrants against the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, his Defense Minister, Yoav Galant, and three Hamas leaders on charges of committing alleged crimes in the Gaza Strip and Israel.

The analysis prepared by Oona Hathaway, a lawyer and professor specializing in international law at Yale University, confirmed that the United States can help Israel without attacking the International Criminal Court, and that any “retaliation” against the court will lead to “paralyzing” Washington’s ability to defend international justice in Other positions in the future, especially since the United States has made “global criminal justice” an essential element of its foreign policy. She described the efforts taking place in Congress to respond to the decisions of the Criminal Court or its employees through a proposed draft law called the “Anti-Illegitimate Court Law” as a “grave mistake.”

Republican lawmakers urged US President Joe Biden to take action against the International Criminal Court. Former US President Donald Trump had imposed sanctions on the former Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, in a move that Biden canceled after taking office. Biden said on Thursday that the United States does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and that it is not possible to compare Israel and Hamas. Biden said on Thursday that the United States does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and that it is not possible to compare Israel with the Hamas movement (which the United States classifies as terrorist).

Even if the International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for the Israeli officials, the possibility of them being tried remains remote, and Israel will not extradite either of them for trial, and the only effect that will affect the Israeli officials is not to travel to any member state of the International Court.

The United States is not a member of the International Criminal Court. The analysis states that sanctions on ICC staff would undermine Washington’s efforts to bring Russia to justice for its crimes in Ukraine, as Washington’s cooperation with the court during the recent period led to the issuance of four arrest warrants against Russian President Vladimir Putin, not to mention its efforts to hold accountable for crimes. In Sudan, where the risk of a new genocide is increasing in some cities.

He warns against the United States becoming perceived as supporting “criminal accountability for geopolitical opponents only,” noting that showing contradiction in responding to the Criminal Court’s decisions would “increase Washington’s isolation” on the international scene at a time when it seeks to win over the state and regimes in order to Support a “rules-based international order.”

The Washington Post, highlighted the decision of the International Criminal Court prosecutor to issue an arrest warrant against Israeli officials and a number of Hamas leaders, which it says constitutes “a test of the international system.” Showing that the United States supports the application of international justice to everyone, even its allies, means that it allows the rule of law to be committed to everyone, so that the “global legal order” is not undermined. This does not mean abandoning Israel as Washington can continue to provide “the strongest support for Israel’s security” according to the analysis.

The analysis recommends that Israel prove to the court that the accusations against it are incorrect, by launching an investigation on its part, and that it prove its commitment to “the rule of law and justice by reviewing the evidence and showing that the accusations are incorrect.” The author of the analysis says that opening a real investigation in Israel to look into the accusations against the officials will place the International Criminal Court, under its own rules, with the option of deeming the cases brought against Netanyahu and Gallant unacceptable, and in return allowing the cases against Hamas leaders to continue. Netanyahu is already facing accusations of internal corruption, and is unlikely to agree to an investigation inside Israel, while he has proven to be impervious to American pressure, which has long called for better protection for civilians in Gaza.

In a move that angered Israeli officials, the International Court of Justice issued a decision on 24 May 2024 ordering Israel to immediately stop its military attack in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, in addition to a set of other decisions aimed at protecting Palestinian civilians from the scourge of the war that broke out last October. The analysis concludes: “If Israel does not exploit the only sure way to end ICC proceedings...then the United States should not damage its credibility simply to protect men who ignored every warning.”

US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, said during a congressional hearing on Tuesday that a truce agreement between Israel and the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip is still “possible,” but the request of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants against leaders from Israel “complicates” this process. Efforts. At the session, Senator Lindsey Graham referred to a previous International Criminal Court investigation into US military practices in Afghanistan.

By demanding the issuance of an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the name of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, made international media headlines, with some celebrating his decision as standing up to the “crimes against humanity” committed by the Israeli government in Gaza, while Others criticized him, specifically in Israel and the United States. Graham asked, “If they do this with Israel, what is the next location?” He continued, "In the end, what I hope will happen is that we impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court over this heinous matter, not only to help our friends in Israel, but to protect ourselves over time."

Blinken did not commit to imposing sanctions, but merely repeatedly said that the Biden administration was considering an “appropriate response” to the International Criminal Court. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had previously indicated that the United States would continue to cooperate with the International Criminal Court in a separate investigation into war crimes suspected of being committed by Russia in Ukraine.

Operation Iron Swords - By the Numbers

• 1,900,000 IDPs in Gaza
• 80,420 Gazans injured, 28% adult male
• 70,000 tons of explosives dropped on Gaza
• 70,000 Gaza housing units completely destroyed
• 70,000 Israeli IDPs from Lebanon border
• 45,000 bombs dropped in Gaza
• 45,000 Gazans killed, including buried under rubble
• 35,903 Gazans martyred
• 33,000 Gaza targets attacked
• 20,528 Palestinians in Israeli prisons [Haaretz, 20 Mar 2024]
• 15,140 Israelis injured [i24 TV]
• 15,000 terror operatives killed in Gaza [Israeli officials]
• 15,000 rockets launched from Gaza
• 14,520 Gazan children martyred
• 13,000 HAMAS combatants killed [N12]
• 13,000 HAMAS combatants killed [IDF]
• 11,000 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank in 2023
• 10,000 Gazans missing under the rubble
• 9,920 Gazan women martyred
• 9,400 Palestinians in Israeli prisons
• 9,000 IDF needing psychological assistance
• 8,665 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank since Oct.7th
• 7,209 IDF injured admitted to rehabilitation [IDF]
• 6,800 IDF officers and soldiers injured [Channel 12]
• 6,000 HAMAS combatants killed [HAMAS]
• 5,500 IDF wounded [reports]
• 4,800 West Bank Palestinians wounded
• 4,700 sites targetted in Lebanon
• 3,850 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria
• 3,600 administrative detainees
• 3,188 IDF wounded [IDF]
• 2,100 Gazan women are missing
• 1,609 terrorists killed on the first day
• 1,650 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria affiliated with Hamas
• 1,160 Israelis killed on the first day
• 620 Israeli officers and soldiers killed since the start of the war
• 514 West Bank Palestinians martyred
• 364 people [including fighters] killed in Lebanon
• 274 Israeli officers and soldiers killed in Gaza
• 240 Hezbollah fighters killed in Lebanon
• 126 people recovered, including 91 Israelis, 11 bodies, and 24 foreign workers
• 116 living hostages in Palestinian custody
• 70 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.

Some reports claimed that the UN cut in half its earlier estimates of women and children killed in Gaza. Initially, they reported 9,500 women and 14,500 children killed, but later revised it to 4,959 women and 7,797 children on 08 May 2024. The UN acknowledged its inability to independently verify casualty figures. The seeming discrepancy is that HAMAS had about 10K KIA bodies on hand for which they do not have positive ID. It is possible to report the gender and approximate age [ie, juvenile] without knowing the name of the deceased.