Operation Iron Swords - Day 146 - 29 February 2024
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NEW - War Termination NEW - Operations NEW - Operations Maps NEW - By-Standers NEW - Axis of Resistance NEW - Allied for Democracy UPDATED - Oasis of Martyrs UPDATED - Hostages |
Hamas called on 28 February 2024 for Palestinians to march to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque at the start of Ramadan, raising the stakes. “This is a call on our people in Jerusalem and the West Bank to march to Al-Aqsa since the first day of Ramadan,” said Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. “It is the duty of the Arab and Islamic nations to take the initiative to break the starvation conspiracy in Gaza,” Haniyeh said.
Israeli military and intelligence officials had recommended that restrictions be eased., The Israeli War Council had withdrawn powers regarding decisions in Al-Aqsa Mosque from extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
Biden administration officials say they want to reach an agreement before the start of Ramadan. Israeli Defence Minister Gallant, asked about Biden’s optimistic, said: “Who am I to express an opinion about what the president said? I very much hope that he is right.” An Israeli official told the Hebrew Channel 12: Our goal is to reach a prisoner exchange deal before the month of Ramadan.
IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, said "This morning, during an operation to bring humanitarian aid into the northern Gaza Strip, 30 trucks that made their way to the northern Gaza Strip encountered a Palestinian crowd that began to gather around them and loot the equipment on them," said the IDF spokesman in his statement this evening , "You can see in the documentation how the tanks pass near the crowd and do not harm at him. I emphasize - we did not fire at the aid seekers, contrary to the accusations - we did not fire at the humanitarian convoy - neither from the air nor from the ground. We secured it so that it could reach the north of the Gaza Strip."
Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, denounced the events that, according to Hamas, led to the killing of more than 100 Palestinians by Israeli army gunfire during an aid delivery operation in northern Gaza. His spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, "We do not know exactly what happened. But whether these people were killed by Israeli fire, or were crushed by crowds, or were run over by trucks, these are acts of violence that are somehow linked to this conflict," adding that the incident took place in "horrific circumstances."
An Israeli military official told Reuters that two separate incidents occurred as the convoy of trucks passed from southern to northern Gaza along the main coastal road. He added that in the first incident, hundreds of people surrounded the aid trucks, and in a state of confusion, dozens were injured or killed due to the stampede or the trucks running over them.
He stated that the second incident occurred while the trucks were leaving, when some people, who had rushed to the convoy, approached the Israeli forces and a tank opened fire on them. The military official added in a press briefing, “The soldiers fired warning shots in the air and then opened fire on those who posed a threat to them and did not move away... This is what we understand from our point of view. We continue to review the circumstances.”
In turn, an Israeli government spokesman described the deaths of Palestinians while distributing aid near Gaza City as a "tragedy" and said that initial indications indicate that the deaths resulted from aid delivery drivers rushing into the growing crowd. Spokesman Avi Heyman added in statements to reporters, "At some point, (people) had crowded around the trucks and the people driving the trucks, who were civilian drivers from Gaza, rushed into the crowds, which ultimately led to the killing of dozens of people, as I understand it." He continued, "It is clear that it is a tragedy, but we are not sure of the details yet."
Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee posted on the “X” platform a video clip from the air that he said documented Palestinians intercepting aid trucks “and looting them, causing dozens of deaths as a result of severe crowding and ramming.”
Türkiye described the events as a "new crime against humanity." The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “Israel has added a new crime to its crimes against humanity.” She added, "The fact that Israel, which condemned the residents of Gaza to starvation, this time targeted innocent civilians standing in queues to receive humanitarian aid, is evidence that (Israel) deliberately intends to destroy the Palestinian people as a whole.
European Union Foreign Policy Commissioner Josep Borrell said in a tweet via X that he was "horrified by the news of another massacre among civilians in Gaza," targeting what he described as "desperate civilians while trying to obtain humanitarian aid." “These deaths are completely unacceptable,” Borrell said, adding that “denying people access to food aid constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law.” Borrell called for the necessity of allowing unimpeded humanitarian access for aid to Gaza.
The HAMAS Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza reported that 104 Palestinians had been killedin the “flour massacre” and 760 were injured in the early morning hours of 29 February on Al Rashid Road south of Gaza city, warning that the actual death toll is likely to be higher as medical teams are struggling to handle the situation with limited critical care resources. The incident occurred as thousands of Palestinians reportedly gathered around trucks carrying supplies when they were allegedly hit by artillery shells and gunfire, according to initial media reports. A spokesman for the HAMAS Ministry of Health in Gaza confirmed to Al Jazeera that the injuries were concentrated in the upper parts of the body, which indicated deliberate targeting of Palestinian civilians.
Bloggers said that the world today woke up to a new horrific and terrifying Israeli massacre against the Palestinian people in Gaza City, and that hundreds of starving citizens gathered near the Nabulsi roundabout awaiting the arrival of aid trucks before the occupation tanks attacked them with artillery shells and live bullets. They described it as a horrific crime that confirms the determination of the occupation to continue the starvation and genocide against the people of Gaza.
Some observers pointed out that the occupation refuses to bring in aid from the Rafah crossing, and their excuse is so that Hamas does not benefit from it. The truth is that their goal with the airdrop is to cause chaos and fighting among citizens in Gaza and kill the largest number of them by bombing their gatherings while they were waiting for the aid to be dropped, as happened this Thursday morning on Al-Rashid Street.
Followers said that after the Al-Rashid Street massacre, the resistance leadership must “stop all forms of negotiations with the enemy.” As long as death is certain in all circumstances, we must die with courage, not on death rows, as someone described. Bloggers pointed out that the Israeli occupation committed the massacre in front of the eyes of the whole world without fear of accountability, and they wondered how long the global silence, and the Arab ones in particular, will remain regarding Israeli crimes without holding the occupation accountable for the violations and crimes it commits against the people of Palestine and Gaza in particular.
Tweeters also considered that the Rashid Street massacre was considered the occupation's actual response to the International Court of Justice, a month after its decision, and its demand that the Israeli occupation submit a written report on the necessary measures to prevent ethnic cleansing operations in Gaza. The Israeli response came with more mass massacres against civilians in the Strip.
The Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) said in a statement issued Thursday evening that the occupation army practices “deception and lying about the horrific massacre it committed by passing on a trivial narrative to justify this systematic killing of our people.” It added that the evidence provided by the Ministry of Health, “not the least of which was direct shooting at citizens and their upper limbs for the purpose of immediate killing,” in addition to witness accounts that confirmed that they were exposed to gunfire without any danger to the occupation forces, confirms “the terrorist soldiers’ thirst for killing and committing the most heinous acts.” The violations are due to the protection and cover provided by the administration of US President Biden from any international accountability.”
Director General of the HAMAS Government Information Office, Ismail Al-Thawabta, said that the occupation knew that the victims were arriving in the area to obtain aid, but “killed them in cold blood.” Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir described the occupation soldiers who committed the massacre as heroes, and said that they "acted excellently against the Gazan mob who tried to harm them."
The Israeli military, cited by the media, acknowledged shooting by its troops, and also said that most casualties occurred as a result of congestion and incidents of people being run over by trucks. IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, speaking in English in an evening press conference, says troops fired warning shots in an attempt to disperse a mob of Palestinians rushing an aid convoy in northern Gaza this morning early this morning, as dozens were killed amid a crowd crush.
"This morning the IDF coordinated a convoy of 38 trucks to provide additional humanitarian assistance to the residents of northern Gaza. This humanitarian aid came from Egypt, went through a security screening at the Kerem Shalom humanitarian crossing in Israel, and then entered Gaza, for distribution by private contractors," Hagari says.
"As these vital humanitarian supplies made their way toward Gazans in need, thousands of Gazans [rushed] the trucks, some began violently pushing and trampling other Gazans to death, looting the humanitarian supplies," he says.
Hagari says "the unfortunate incident resulted in dozens of Gazans killed and injured."
"Here are the facts: At a.m. the first aid truck in the humanitarian convoy started making its way through the humanitarian corridor that we were securing. Yes, the IDF was security the humanitarian corridor so that the aid convoy could reach its destination in northern Gaza," he says. "Our tanks were there to secure the humanitarian corridor, for the aid convoy. Our UAVs were there in the air to give our forces a clear picture from above," Hagari continues.
"At a.m., a mob ambushed the aid trucks, bringing the convoy to a halt," he says, showing a new video of the incident. "In this video, the tanks that were there to secure the convoy saw the Gazans being trampled and cautiously tried to disperse the mob with a few warning shots," he says. "When the hundreds became thousands and things got out of hand, the tank commander decided to retreat to avoid harm to the thousands of Gazans that were there," Hagari says.
"You can see how cautious they were when they were backing up. They were backing up securely, risking their own lives, not shooting at the mob," he continues. "The Israel Defense Forces operates according to the rules of engagement and international law. No IDF strike was conducted toward the aid convoy," Hagari says, amid claims by Hamas that 107 people were killed and hundreds more were wounded.
"On the contrary, the IDF was there carrying out a humanitarian aid operation, to secure the humanitarian corridor, and allow the aid convoy to reach its distribution point, so that the humanitarian aid could reach Gazan civilians in the norther who are in need," he says. Hagari says the IDF has been conducting operations of this kind "for the last four nights without any problem, this is the first night we have had any kind of event."
"This humanitarian aid was coordinated by Israel, for the people of Gaza. We want the aid to reach the people of Gaza. We are working around the clock to make this happen. Israel puts no limits on the amount of aid that can go into Gaza," he says. "We are working together with humanitarian organizations and the international community to help them solve the issue of aid distribution inside Gaza, it is a problem," Hagari says.
"We recognize the suffering of the innocent people of Gaza. This is why we are seeking ways to expand our humanitarian efforts, this is why we are conducting humanitarian operations," he continues. "Our war is against Hamas, not against the people of Gaza," Hagari adds.
The image of American pilot Aaron Bushnell, who burned himself in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., continues to preoccupy American and international public opinion, amid the interaction of the social media platforms regarding the raised concerns regarding the participation of American forces in the war on Gaza.
Following the publication of the clip of Bushnell burning himself, dozens of former soldiers gathered in the American city of Portland, burned their military uniforms, and raised a banner reading “Free Palestine.” Hundreds of people and a number of former soldiers also participated in the place where Bushnell burned himself, in a pause of mourning and solidarity with the American pilot who rejected the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
The New York Post newspaper quoted one of Bushnell's close friends as telling him on the night of his death that he had seen secret information indicating that American soldiers were participating in the war on the Gaza Strip and killing large numbers of Palestinians. According to a friend of the American pilot, whose identity the newspaper did not reveal, Bushnell told him that he was serving in the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing of the US Air Force, and was accessing US military intelligence data of the “top secret” category by virtue of having permission to do so.
He revealed that Bushnell spoke to him about American soldiers fighting in the tunnels used by Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, in a position that contradicts what the White House has always asserted that American forces will not participate in the war.
In light of these developments, the Al-Jazeera “Shabakat” program - in its episode dated (2/29/2024) - monitored the interaction of communication platforms with the consequences of the incident of the American pilot burning himself, and the leaked American participation in the war on Gaza. In this context, activist Iman said, “There is no more secret information... Things - unfortunately - have become public... and what Bushnell’s friend said is not new. America is the first partner and complicit in war crimes in Gaza.”
Adel Mukhtar went in the same direction, and said, “What Bushnell’s friend revealed indicates that America, with all its military might, with its allies and Israel , joined forces and came together to attack the resistance in Gaza, and that the resistance alone is fighting them.” While Ammar described the American pilot as an unparalleled hero, and that he will become a new Mohamed Bouazizi in America, Rafik called for anticipation of upcoming events and developments, saying: “Wait for surprises and scandals. A political, diplomatic and legal hurricane in America, Britain, Europe, Canada and Australia.”
In turn, Ben Salem believes that Bushnell detonated a powerful protest bomb that thundered like a flood, and added, "It would be a daydream for the ruling elite in America to remain convinced of its ability to contain the bomb and prevent the expansion of its points of influence, by ignoring its order."
It should be noted that the American newspaper "The New York Times" quoted a close friend of Bushnell as saying that he was constantly complaining about his job in the Air Force, and that he was in conflict with the US army because of the invasion of Iraq and the occupation of Afghanistan. The newspaper added that Bushnell's friends and relatives describe him as being shy and belonging to an isolated Christian community, and he was participating in efforts to solve the homelessness crisis by transferring large sums of money to some homeless people.
There is no end to the war in sight, as both sides still see the other as an “existential threat,” and there is no clear path to any kind of “permanent peace” between them.
US President Joe Biden said that “the aid incident will complicate hostage negotiations." In the latest death toll, Al Jazeera’s correspondent reported - that the number of martyrs had risen to 112, indicating the difficulty of providing a complete count due to the intense Israeli bombing of the area located in Gaza City near Al-Rashid Street (Al-Bahr Street). In response to a question about whether Gaza would witness a ceasefire starting next Monday, as he previously stated, the US President said, “Maybe it will not be Monday.”
Biden told reporters when asked about the incident, “We are currently investigating the matter. There are two conflicting stories about what happened, and I do not have an answer until this moment.” “We extend our condolences for the loss of innocent lives and acknowledge the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where innocent Palestinians are trying to feed their families,” a White House National Security Council spokesperson said in a statement.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters: “We are urgently seeking additional information about exactly what happened,” offering his condolences to the families of the victims. He added, "We have been in contact with the Israeli government since early this morning and have learned that an investigation is underway. We will follow this investigation closely and press for answers."
“There were 24 regional battalions in Gaza — we have dismantled 18 of them,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told foreign reporters. “Now, Rafah is the next Hamas center of gravity.”
Intense Israeli bombardment from air, land and sea continues to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure. Ground operations and heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups also continue to be reported, particularly in northern Gaza, Deir al Balah, and Khan Younis.
In two separate incidents on 26 February, UNRWA reports that internally displaced persons (IDPs), including UNRWA staff, sheltering at two schools in Khan Younis were forced to evacuate and some were arrested by Israeli forces. One of the schools reportedly had the main gate, guard room, and generator damaged by Israeli tanks and bulldozers. One female IDP was reportedly killed during this incident – the circumstances are unclear at time of this writing. As of 28 February, according to UNRWA, at least 404 IDPs have been killed, and 1,385 others have been injured, in more than 330 incidents affecting UNRWA premises and shelters hosting IDPs since the escalation of hostilities in October.
Israeli official radio reported that 9 soldiers from the Givati Brigade were expelled from the fighting in the Gaza Strip because they refused military orders, and they were placed under investigation. She added that the soldiers refused to obey the orders of their commander after they left their positions and wandered around without helmets and jackets.
The soldiers say they have been risking their lives for a long time. “We fought, we lost our friends, and now they are throwing us away.” One of them added, "We were close to the leaders in one of the areas, and they abandoned us in all stages of the fighting, above and below the ground, and now they are threatening us that they will take the warrior's certificate from us and everything."
The soldiers' families said, "The soldiers had been in Gaza for a long time and were completely exhausted. Instead of taking them out for renewal and giving them military uniforms when they asked for it, they were being humiliated and threatened with losing their warrior certificate." The radio reported that the soldiers fought for 4 months in Khan Yunis, Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, Al-Shati camp, and Jabalia.
The Jordanian army announced the implementation of two new airdrops of relief and food aid to the Gaza Strip , in cooperation with the Sultanate of Oman and Bahrain. The Egyptian army also announced that Egyptian and Emirati aircraft carried out another airdrop. A statement by the Jordanian army on its official website stated that the Jordanian Armed Forces carried out two airdrops of relief and food aid to the Gaza Strip on Thursday, in cooperation with the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Sultanate of Oman, “in order to support and assist the family and brothers, stand with them, and mitigate the effects of the raging Israeli war on the Strip.”
The Jordanian army confirmed that it is continuing to send aid via an air bridge to deliver humanitarian and medical aid, whether through aid planes from Marka Airport towards Al-Arish International Airport or through airdrops into the Gaza Strip.
The Egyptian army announced in a statement by its spokesman, Colonel Gharib Abdel Hafez, that Egyptian and Emirati planes carried out an airdrop of aid into the Gaza Strip, in the second airdrop of humanitarian aid carried out by Egypt within about two days. The spokesman said that a number of Egyptian and Emirati military transport planes took off from Al-Arish Airport to carry out night air drops of tens of tons of urgent aid and relief materials “to alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis from which Palestinian citizens in northern Gaza are suffering.”
He added that the airdrop comes "in implementation of the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, to continue the air bridge to transport urgent humanitarian aid to the Palestinian brothers in the Gaza Strip." According to the Egyptian spokesman, the aid included large quantities of food supplies, medicines, and urgent needs that were dropped by air in various areas of the northern Gaza Strip, which “lack the basic necessities of life as a result of the continuation of military operations.”
The Chief of Staff arrived tonight (Thursday) at the scene of the attack at the Baali gas station and held a situational assessment to strengthen security in the area, together with the commander of the Judea and Samaria Division, the commander of the Benjamin Brigade, representatives of the Central Command, the Shin Bet and the police. The Chief of Staff met Aviad Gazbar, a reserve officer in the Givati Brigade, who eliminated the terrorist, and praised his brave action that prevented a greater disaster and said: "This is a serious attack, in which two Israeli civilians were killed, and we mourn their deaths. With the professional action of a reserve officer who came out of fighting in Gaza, the event ended and an even bigger disaster was avoided."
"The countermeasure effort of the security forces at the Central Command continues all the time," he continued, "and we will draw the lessons from this incident to strengthen the defense."
The combat team of the Sabar Battalion has been operating in recent weeks in a raid in the Zeytun area in the northern Gaza Strip.
In the neighborhood of Zeitoun in the northern Gaza Strip, the fighters of the 401st Israel Defense Forces eliminated terrorists, destroyed tunnel shafts and located many weapons. The soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces closed many circuits in the last day and eliminated terrorists who shot at them. As part of this, the fighters identified two terrorist squads that shot at the troops and in a short time they directed an aircraft that attacked and eliminated the squads.
In addition, three terrorists were identified directing drones and entering a building in the sector, the terrorists were eliminated using an Air Force aircraft directed by the brigade. In another activity in the area, the fighters located and destroyed five launch pits.
The 215th Fire Brigade prepared an aircraft that attacked and eliminated two terrorists in the north of the Gaza Strip, who fired at our forces shortly before the elimination. The forces directed an aircraft that eliminated another terrorist.
In the center of the strip, the Nahal Brigade's combat team eliminated a number of terrorists throughout the last day and located weapons. In one of the activities, the brigade's fire complex identified a terrorist squad approaching our forces and directed an aircraft that attacked and eliminated the squad. In another operation, the forces detected a terrorist approaching them and eliminated him by a drone.
v In the south of the Gaza Strip, the forces of Division 98 continued fighting in the west of Khan Yunis, eliminating terrorists and destroying terrorist infrastructure in the area. The forces of the Givati Brigade Combat Team identified five terrorists and in a precise attack by the Air Force in cooperation with the brigade fire complex, the terrorists were eliminated. In addition, the brigade fire complex of the 7th brigade, with the help of an aircraft, eliminated four terrorists who tried to plant a bomb on the ground.
Two Israeli settlers were killed in a shooting operation near the Eli settlement, south of the city of Nablus in the West Bank, while the Israeli occupation army announced the killing of a Palestinian after he opened fire at a gas station near the settlement. The occupation army said that its forces closed the roads leading to the place and began chasing others suspected of participating in the operation.
There were conflicting reports about the number of perpetrators of this operation, as Israeli Army Radio said that the perpetrator was one person, a resident of Qalandiya, near the city of Jerusalem. While Israeli media sources reported that "a cell of 3 gunmen carried out the shooting attack in the settlement."
For its part, the Israeli newspaper Maariv said that the army activated warnings in the Eli settlement due to fears that another person among the perpetrators of the operation would infiltrate after he withdrew from the place. It is noteworthy that the Eli settlement witnessed a similar operation last year, when two Palestinian youths opened fire on settlers on June 20, 2023, at a gas station near the settlement, killing 4 Israelis and wounding 4 others. The perpetrators of the operation were martyred by Israeli occupation forces' bullets.
On 29 February, Israeli forces shot and killed a 17-year-old Palestinian male during a search-and-arrest operation in Beit Furik village in Nablus that involved clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian stone throwers. On 29 February, a Palestinian man died of injuries sustained on 19 October 2023 during an Israeli military operation in Nur Shams Refugee Camp near Tulkarm city, which resulted in the killing of 13 other Palestinians, including the man’s 12-year-old son.
Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that an Israeli special force stormed a residential building in Jenin, coinciding with the arrival of additional reinforcements. The occupation forces stormed the town and conducted patrols in several neighborhoods, which led to the outbreak of confrontations during which Israeli soldiers fired bullets at Palestinians, and a young man was killed by a bullet in the abdomen before the occupation forces withdrew from the town.
This comes as the occupation forces also stormed the town of Al-Laban Al-Gharbi, northwest of Ramallah, and conducted patrols in several neighborhoods. Local Palestinian platforms documented, through video clips published on the Telegram platform a short while ago, the Israeli occupation forces storming the town of Bani Naim, east of Hebron in the West Bank. The video clips included documentation of the presence of occupation vehicles in the town's streets.
The Israeli occupation forces also stormed the town of Halhul, north of it, raided several homes, launched an arrest campaign in the two towns, and confiscated a vehicle belonging to a Palestinian citizen from the town of Bani Naim. The Israeli occupation forces raided the home of the family of the martyr Thaer Hassan in Bethlehem. Pictures monitored by Al Jazeera Live showed the effects of destruction left by the occupation forces after the raid.
The Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Qaffin, north of the city of Tulkarm in the West Bank, and conducted their patrols supported by military vehicles. This led to the outbreak of confrontations with resistance fighters, during which they were able to target occupation soldiers and vehicles with homemade explosive devices. The occupation forces also stormed the town of Al-Samu, south of Hebron, and raided a number of homes, searched them, and checked the identification papers of some vehicles.
In Al-Ain Al-Bayda, near Wadi Al-Jawaya in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, settlers chased sheep herders and a number of children who were collecting seasonal mountain plants in the area, and detained one of them. Since 7 October 2023, OCHA has recorded 601 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians that resulted in Palestinian casualties (53 incidents), damage to Palestinian-owned property (481 incidents), or both casualties and damage to property (67 incidents).
IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, said "This week we attacked compounds of Hezbollah's air defense system deep in Lebanon, this is a distant attack in the Bekaa. This is a system that Hezbollah has invested a lot of money in in an attempt to limit the IDF's freedom of action in the Lebanese skies," the IDF spokesman continued, "the Air Force proves once again Once because there is no place where we want or need to attack and we will not do so." Fighter jets attacked a Hezbollah military structure in the area of Leyda, where a terrorist operative was identified. In addition, IDF forces attacked to remove a threat in the area of Miss Al Jabal.
Fighter jets attacked a number of Hezbollah terrorist targets in the Jebel Balt region of Lebanon, among them launching positions next to a military site where the organization's terrorists were operating. During the morning, a number of launches were detected that crossed the territory of Lebanon to the areas of Adamit and Shlomi. IDF forces attacked the source of the shooting.
Haaretz newspaper said that Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah have been on the verge of a comprehensive war since last October 8, but the horrific truth is that if another front was opened with Lebanon and its regional extension, what would be the scale of the devastating attacks on civilian infrastructure that would occur, especially with the absence of American support for these attacks?
The newspaper explained - in a report by writer and researcher Dalia Scheindlin - that Hezbollah began firing on Israeli positions from southern Lebanon from the first day of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) attack on southern Israel, which led to the evacuation of about 80,000 Israelis and 75,000 Lebanese from the border areas. The forces from both sides moved to their positions.
Although the party prefers to avoid a large-scale war, as appeared in the speeches of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah , some Israeli figures are calling for a more aggressive approach. In fact, the Israeli government is on the verge of launching a major escalatory strike, and Defense Minister Yoav Galant has supported a serious preventive measure, but the United States The United States discouraged him from doing so.
Since then, there has been a continuous war of retaliation fueled by Hezbollah anti-tank fire, limited Israeli raids, suicide drones, Hezbollah missiles, and Israeli air strikes, which led to the destruction of buildings and resulted in the deaths of a number of Hezbollah fighters, some Lebanese civilians, and a number of Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, according to the newspaper.
The Israeli political leadership followed a strict and tough rhetorical line before the public, and called for a strong strike, and member of the war cabinet, Benny Gantz, threatened that if a diplomatic solution was not reached, Israel would resort to the military option. Gallant recently said that Israel could take military action against Hezbollah regardless of reaching a ceasefire with Hamas.
The truth - as the newspaper says - is that the Israelis had this idea long before the current war, when an opinion article in the country's most widely circulated daily newspaper, the right-wing "Israel Today", called for an attack on Lebanon on October 6, 2022, that is, a full year before the Hamas attack.
If Hezbollah were to turn to infrastructure first - as the newspaper says - can you imagine how Tel Aviv would function without electricity, schools, hospitals and supermarkets? The newspaper was surprised at how Israel convinced itself of the necessity of opening another front with Hezbollah, which possesses weapons many times more destructive than what Hamas possesses, and wondered: Has anyone thought about the costs? Indeed, the Israeli government can imagine this, as a document was circulated on social media bearing the logo of the Ministry of Justice, and it includes emergency instructions in the event of an all-out war in the north and attacks on power plants, warning of power outages, and advising the storage of water and cell phone batteries.
But the clear danger of war in the north is the outbreak of a regional war, and Aziz Al-Ghasyan, a Saudi foreign policy researcher, explained that Iran is more committed to Hezbollah than Hamas. “Iran must emerge, and it must protect Hezbollah more,” Al-Ghasyan said, while US President Joe Biden ’s administration seeks to avoid a regional war, and its “top priority will be to stop it quickly,” as Frederick Hof, a resident diplomat at the College of Defense, wrote.
Hof explained that the administration is concerned that "Hezbollah will target civilians, and Israeli officials have already promised to hold Lebanon responsible for the party's actions." This situation would lead to “heavy civilian casualties and severe damage to property and infrastructure on both sides of the Blue Line,” in addition to exposing American citizens to danger, and thus the administration is already working to stop the escalation.
The newspaper wondered: Who specifically would be on Israel's side in such a fire if it was the one who initiated it? Who will stand by her side in the future? Al-Ghasyan believes that Saudi Arabia may conclude that Israel cannot be trusted to avoid regional escalation, and that it represents a security burden, not just a potential strategic asset.
The newspaper concluded that the devastating attacks on civilian infrastructure, the extension of the regional war, the absence of American support for it, and the tense or declining relations with the countries with which Israel hopes to normalize relations are the costs that Israeli political leaders and analysts alike ignore.
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
The risk of death from starvation in Gaza is reportedly growing, disproportionately affecting children and pregnant women, and is exacerbated by inadequate water, sanitation and health services, the severing of power and fuel supplies, and the decimation of food production and agriculture. MoH in Gaza reported that six infants have died as a result of malnutrition and dehydration, including two at Shifa Hospital on 28 February. A rise in anemia among pregnant women was also reported at Project HOPE’s clinic in Deir al Balah, where some 21 per cent of 416 pregnant women who visited the clinic between 5 and 24 February showed signs of malnutrition “caused by the lack of protein, iron, and other micronutrients, which can increase the risk of a life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage, premature births, and low birth weight.”
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the entire food supply chain in Gaza has been severely disrupted with 97 per cent of ground water reportedly unfit for human consumption, about 27 per cent of greenhouses destroyed, more than 40 per cent of croplands and dozens of home barns, broiler farms and sheep farms damaged, more than 600 agricultural wells damaged, and the fishing sector grounded to a halt.
On 28 February, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) highlighted that the significant damage incurred by the agricultural sector in Gaza combined with limited commercial food imports have led to food scarcity and soaring prices at a time when people’s purchasing power has declined. To prevent starvation in Gaza, the two aid organizations emphasized the criticality of safe and unimpeded aid flow via all possible routes, reactivating essential services in Gaza, and upscaling aid responses toward the early restoration of agrifood systems.
Citing the danger of a “looming man-made famine,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that the Agency has been unable able to deliver food to northern Gaza since late January due to security incidents affecting the few aid convoys that are permitted to reach northern Gaza from the south via Israeli military checkpoints, and growing incidents of chaos and robbery. On 20 February, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) announced that it had paused deliveries of food aid to northern Gaza, following incidents where WFP convoys were unable to deliver aid largely due to a breakdown in civil order.
The convoys had resumed on 18 February after a three-week suspension following a strike on an UNRWA truck and due to the absence of a functioning humanitarian notification system. In his address to the UN Security Council on 27 February, Ramesh Rajasingham, the Director of OCHA’s Coordination Division cited the warning by food security experts of “complete agricultural collapse in northern Gaza by May if conditions persist, with fields and productive assets damaged, destroyed, or inaccessible.” Reiterating the UN call for a ceasefire, Mr. Rajasingham cautioned that “if nothing is done, we fear widespread famine in Gaza is almost inevitable.”
Two people were killed in an Israeli bombing in southern Lebanon on Wednesday evening, at a time when the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades , the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), announced the targeting of two military sites in northern Israel with dozens of missiles launched from southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese Civil Defense reported that a man and his wife were killed in an Israeli raid that targeted a house in the town of Kafra, south of Lebanon. The official Lebanese News Agency also reported that “enemy warplanes raided the towns of Siddiqin and Kafra in three batches, resulting in the death of two martyrs from the town of Kafra, in addition to 14 injuries to date, including wounds and cases of suffocation.”
Prior to that, the Israeli occupation army said that it carried out a raid on Lebanese Hezbollah sites and bombarded the town of Hula in southern Lebanon with artillery. Al Jazeera's correspondent, in turn, said that an Israeli raid targeted the town of Siddiqin and the vicinity of the town of Kafra.
The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades - Lebanon announced earlier Wednesday that it had targeted two Israeli military sites with "two missile salvos consisting of 40 Grad missiles." In a statement published on the Telegram application, Al-Qassam placed the bombing in the context of “a response to the Zionist massacres against civilians in the Gaza Strip and the assassination of the martyred leaders and their brothers in the southern suburbs” of Beirut.
On the other hand, the Israeli army said in a statement that “about 10 projectiles were detected that crossed from Lebanon into northern Israel,” adding that sirens sounded in the Kiryat Shmona region in the north of the country. He added that the air defenses "successfully confronted a number of projectiles," noting that they struck "the sources of fire in Lebanon." The Israeli police reported damage to property in the Kiryat Shmona area, but no casualties were reported.
On the other hand, Hezbollah announced targeting sites of Israeli forces near the border. He said, "In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their brave and honorable resistance, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance targeted a deployment of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Birkat Risha site with missile weapons, and achieved direct hits." In a statement on Telegram, Hezbollah added, “The Ramtha and Al-Samaqa sites in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms were also targeted with missile weapons, and they were hit directly.”
In what appeared to be a response to the strikes coming from Lebanon, the Israeli army announced that it had carried out attacks on Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in Ebel al-Saqi, Yarin, and Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, and a platform used to launch missiles at Kiryat Shmona. The Israeli army spokesman said that some of the rockets launched from southern Lebanon fell inside Lebanese territory, and the rest fell in open areas inside Israeli territory without causing any casualties. The spokesman added that Israeli warplanes bombed a launcher used to launch missiles towards Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel. He also pointed out that Hezbollah's military infrastructure was targeted in the areas of Al-Saqi, Bint Jbeil and Yarin.
It is noteworthy that the Lebanese-Israeli border has witnessed almost daily bombardment between the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Israeli army since the outbreak of the war on Gaza on the seventh of last October , and Palestinian factions in Lebanon also claim responsibility for attacks in the region from time to time. The escalation over more than four months prompted tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border to evacuate their homes, and caused the death of at least 286 people, including 197 Hezbollah fighters, 44 civilians, and 24 Palestinian fighters. While the Israeli army announced the killing of 10 soldiers and 6 civilians. The military escalation raised local and international fears that the exchange of bombardments would expand into a widespread confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel, which fought a devastating war in the summer of 2006.
Axis of Resistance
Sardar Ismail Sardar Qaani, commander of IRGC Quds Force, said in the commemoration ceremony of Fatemiyoun martyrs and the 9th anniversary of Abu Hamid and Fatih martyrs, which was held with the efforts of Fatemiyoun Army and with the cooperation of Shabab Resistance Front in Mashhad: In the month of Shaban, We are in the month of the Messenger of God and we are on the threshold of the holy month of Ramadan, in the past few days we have celebrated various holidays, especially the anniversary of the birth of the savior of mankind. I congratulate all the dignitaries and the families of the martyrs and hope that we will all be among the true followers of the family of innocence and purity and among the soldiers of the blessed existence of the Prophet.
He added: "This valuable meeting, which was held on the occasion of commemorating the memory of the martyrs of Fatemiyoun, especially the two leading commanders and heroes of this series, Martyr Abu Hamid and Martyr Fateh, is an excuse, and the scope of this meeting is much more than this, and this meeting is a commemoration of all the martyrs."
Commander of Quds Force of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said: Tonight is the commemoration of the martyrs of Islamic resistance in the whole region and the martyrs of the highest authority of Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza, who have reached the peak of heroism in Islamic culture these days.
Sardar Qaani clarified: The martyrs of Fatemiyoun are among the pioneers and among the Mujahideen in the cause of Allah, both of which are criteria that are valued in Islamic culture and our religious culture values it a lot.
He added: This 80-year-long Palestinian mujahidin had many ups and downs, but in this recent period, the Palestinian mujahidin showed such strength, power and fortitude that it surprised the whole world. The Palestinians have an 80-year history of struggle; The brothers who are fighting against the enemy of Islam and humanity, namely the bloodthirsty and child-killing Zionists, these young people who are fighting today are the fourth and fifth generation who are being martyred in this field of struggle.
Sardar Qaani stated: During this period, carrying out the Al-Aqsa storm operation showed how the Palestinian Mujahideen have gained strength step by step, and how they have grown in the military and operational dimension, and in the industrial and technical dimension today, and most importantly, how they have grown in the spiritual and religious dimensions. And they have been able to combine these dimensions with each other and come to the field, they have been able to manage this big operation.
He pointed out: America, England and some of the humiliated countries in the region came to help, but the young heroes and full of faith were on the job, and this operation surprised the whole world, and friends and enemies were tested in this great incident, and the whole world was forced. Determine their position in relation to Palestine. The great work that was formed by the youth during the Al-Aqsa storm operation was so great that those who had never thought about Palestine even once were forced to think about what Palestine means and who these Mujahidin are.
Sardar Qaani said: One of the effects of this heroic operation was that many people sought to know Islam. This incident is not without introduction. Anyone who wants to talk about this should look at the 75 years of occupation of Palestine. These atrocities of the Zionist criminals, which were concentrated with the support of America during these 75 usurpations of this land and the pressure they imposed, and the sum of these crimes caused this great storm to form.
He added: "Al-Aqsa storm does not have a history of one or two days. Our brothers in Palestine defended themselves during these years and were always attacked, and these criminals attacked their homes and lives." You see, these children were so empty-handed that they stood against the army armed to the teeth with stones. They grew step by step and advanced with strength and completed their infrastructures, and the meaning of this move is to follow the Quran.
The Commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps continued: Familiarity with the Qur'an is one of the most important virtues of Palestinian children. be dug They fought with stones; The Al-Aqsa storm war that started, global analysts said that it would not last 30-45 days, today we are on the threshold of 5 months of completely unequal but heroic struggle by the brave Palestinian youth; They said they would run out of weapons, but it didn't happen in an unbelievable atmosphere.
He added: The path taken by the soldiers and Mujahideen of the resistance war; The more pressure and restrictions increase in heroic and resistance war, the level of damage inflicted on the enemy also increases.
Sardar Qaani stated: The youths who were fighting with stones today almost all the weapons they used in these 5 months were made by themselves and today they are making the weapons they need while fighting. That's what resistance means. The path opened by your brothers, fathers and wives is very valuable, today in Palestine is the height of crime; There is no one who does not accept that this war is the most criminal war in history. In the criminal wars, they set limits and did not cut off the water, they cut off the water from the first day; About 2 million people were present in Gaza; A day, 500 trucks of facilities were going, but they were cut off by the Zionists.
The IRGC Quds Force commander said: Israel's crimes have disgraced the false defenders of human rights, who even veto the temporary ceasefire resolution. We dominate the statistics of Zionist casualties. Sometimes the statistics provided by the officials of the usurping Zionist regime about their casualties in the Gaza war are at least five times lower than the actual figures.
He stated that "the path to the overthrow and destruction of this usurping regime has increased and their internal war will increase when the war ends, that is why their prime minister is trying not to end the war." He said: The path taken by the resistance martyrs was a war of resistance, not a normal war, in such a battle, the more the pressure, the more heroic the effect. In Gaza, people don't even have minimum food, but they stand firm and dignified.
He pointed out: Today in the north of Gaza, people do not have the food they can prepare with minimal facilities, but these Palestinian heroes are standing firm like this. You saw the movie where the middle-aged woman says that she is looking for flour day and night to make bread and give it to the soldiers. The path of high-ranking martyrs, especially the Fatemiyoun martyrs, depicts such a dignified and honorable life.
The commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated: The Al-Aqsa storm incident is a response to the 75-year-old Zionist crime and the all-out support of the West, led by the criminal America and the evil British. This Al-Aqsa storm, which has affected the world; Continuation is the path of martyrs.
Sardar Qaani said: Yemeni youths worked and fought so heroically that the weapons in their hands reached the distance of Israel. Today, the heroes of Yemen shoot at the Zionists and warn the ships that serve the Zionists, and if they are ignored, they will respond firmly.
He said: "Our great martyrs fought in difficult conditions, but you should know what difficult conditions our brothers in Yemen are also in. The brothers who moved behind your martyrs are busy today and are next to the Palestinian brothers."
The commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps continued: America and England escorted a ship to the occupied territories by a military ship, but the same ship did not stay away from the sharp eyes of Yemen. Today, the resistance brothers are telling the Palestinians that you are not alone. It is true that war is hard, but there has been no operational unit in the war of our times that brought this amount of tanks, personnel carriers and weapons to this sector. How much is this land? 40 km long and 8 km wide, at some point they brought more than 2000 tanks, personnel carriers and bulldozers, the whole sky was full of warplanes and drones, but this war was managed and see what the fate of the war has become.
Sardar Qaani stated: All the Zionists did not reach even one of their goals. When they entered Gaza, they did not have a goal to give to their commanders, and finally they said that they want to destroy Hamas, then they realized that they were wrong. They created artificial cases for themselves and introduced a hospital as the command center and attacked it with rockets.
Stating that Palestinian heroic youths carry out more than 30 operations in the West Bank on some days, he said: These are the products of the Resistance Front and the World Mobilization of Islam. In order to support the Palestinian youth, we support this strong heroic front to the best of our ability, both in action and speech, and we work together for the complete destruction of the Zionist regime.
The Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) called on the Arab League and the UN Security Council to hold an urgent meeting to take decisions obligating Israel to stop the mass killing and ethnic cleansing in Gaza , after the massacre committed by the occupation on Al-Rashid Street in the northern Gaza Strip. The movement held Israel and US President Joe Biden fully responsible for the Al-Rashid Street massacre, and for the escalation of the war of genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people.
The movement appealed to the Arab countries to break what it called the “box of silence” regarding the genocide against the Palestinian people, and to immediately implement the decision of the Arab-Islamic Summit last November 11, which emphasized breaking the siege and immediately bringing food and medical aid into the Gaza Strip. The movement called on the Arab and Islamic peoples and those it called “the free people of the world” to hold widespread popular activities and demonstrations to denounce the Israeli massacre against the Palestinians, and to put pressure on governments to take effective and strong positions against Israel.
Allied for Democracy
Le Monde newspaper said that the humiliation and contempt of residents, and the plundering and destruction of their property, are actions that Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip brag about on TikTok and Instagram, in a stream of video clips that can be considered a witness to the extent of the feeling of impunity, and to the exposure of a form of stripping the Palestinian population of their humanity.
The newspaper indicated - in a correspondence from Jerusalem written by Samuel Fourie - that the content of some of these clips shows soldiers having fun in a private house, others riding children’s bicycles, a group raising the Israeli flag on a building in the middle of an ocean of destruction, and moments of pure vandalism and joy in looting and vandalizing an empty mosque. It shows a soldier breaking up leftover merchandise in a store.
In more clips, soldier Isidore Al-Gharabli appears playing the role of a real estate broker in the ruins of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, then praises the beauty of the Gaza coast, before threatening in front of the camera, saying, “We will crush you.” Some looters also appear, such as the man who attacks the box of a Gazan resident with a mill, and the one who carries a pair of shoes still in the original box, to present to his future fiancée.
In other, darker clips, an artilleryman is shown bombing Gaza disguised as a dinosaur, an infantry soldier sets fire to a shipment of food at a time when Gaza is on the brink of famine, and another waves a banner advertising his hair salon next to the corpses of Palestinians, whom the words compare His songs "With Animals" and "Amalek". This comparison - according to the newspaper - refers to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s likening of the Palestinians to “human animals,” and the dehumanization it calls for, and then to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s quote, “Remember what Amalek did,” as the commandment of Deuteronomy calls for, “ Erase them from memory.
The newspaper believed that the widespread culture of display on social media, in addition to the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in addition to the October 7 attack, had liberated many soldiers from all restrictions. “We have seen this kind of behavior in the past,” says the executive director of the Israeli human rights organization Breaking the Silence. “But this level of violence and its legitimization says a lot about the general attitude of soldiers in the Strip. All of these videos are symptoms of a deep sense of malaise.”
In a separate report to the newspaper, Merav Zonszin, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, attributed the violations committed by the Israeli army in part to the fact that the army has become more nationalist, religious, and right-wing, and to the large number of soldiers deployed, their young age, and their poor training. The analyst pointed out that documents of these violations were found on social media networks, confirming the extent of their spread. Indeed, the soldiers’ testimonies indicate that what is happening in secret is more important, to the point that Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy was forced to summon his commanders to return to the regime on February 20.
A soldier - who preferred to remain anonymous - admitted to the newspaper that minor looting had taken place, explaining that “all the houses we passed were searched from top to bottom, looking for weapons or ammunition. Some of us took worthless souvenirs. The houses were burned by order of "Leadership. One of us tried to object to this kind of behavior. He was told that Hamas terrorists killed people and burned homes on October 7, so we can do that too." The newspaper pointed out that this phenomenon prompted some soldiers to ask the rabbis about looting and whether it is prohibited under Jewish law. Rabbi Yitzhak Shilat, of the Maale Adumim settlement, explained that stealing food and perishable materials is permitted, and nothing else, but rabbis less strict than him confirmed that “The Arabs do not abide by international conventions, so we are not required to comply with any of the laws of war.”
These pictures spread widely, which forced the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, Herzi Halevy, to write: “We are not in a wave of killing, revenge, or genocide.” Then he ordered: “Do not use force when it is not required, and do not take what does not belong to us.” And do not make revenge videos.” Military Prosecutor Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi condemned the actions “that do not comply with the values of the Israeli army, and cross the criminal threshold.” The army spokesman said, “The Israeli army has moved to identify unusual cases that deviate from what is expected of its soldiers, and important leadership measures will be taken against them.” The soldiers involved."
However, the answers of Israeli army officials remain unclear, the analyst says. Some say that the disease has spread and is difficult to control, and others say that the reason is because reserve soldiers go on leave, or perhaps because the army considers this phenomenon part of psychological warfare, or perhaps it is because of the feeling of impunity that currently prevails in Israel.
Axios quoted American officials as saying that there is growing concern within the White House about the threat of famine in the Gaza Strip , which has been subjected to a devastating Israeli war since the seventh of last October. The American website indicated that the administration of US President Joe Biden is considering airdropping humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, with the increasing difficulty of delivering it by land. One American official told the site, "The situation has become really bad. We are unable to get enough aid by truck, so we need desperate measures like airdrops."
Center for International Policy (CIP) Executive Vice President Matt Duss, issued the following statement: "President Biden must say ‘enough is enough’ and finally end US support for and complicity in the ongoing carnage in Gaza. Importantly, he should suspend transfers to Israel of the arms it is using in Gaza, as he is already obligated to do under US law given the obvious reality – including an open admission by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu – that the Israeli government is limiting the amount of humanitarian aid delivered to the territory.
"President Biden should also continue his efforts to reach a ceasefire that includes the release of all hostages and a massive emergency surge in humanitarian aid. We regret that both Israel and Hamas have recently failed to reach a ceasefire, but the US approach should not be contingent on the decisions of others. It should be based on our own values and our own laws. Diplomacy must be prioritized not only as a means of reaching peace, but in order to uphold our own principles. The ongoing provision of arms to Israel despite its open hindrance of humanitarian efforts is a clear departure from those principles.
"A full ceasefire and massive humanitarian relief effort is not just a moral necessity but a security one. The ongoing war in Gaza has triggered fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, as well as between the United States and Houthi forces in the Red Sea and Yemen – both of which threaten to spread and possibly draw Iran and others in the region into a larger, even more devastating conflict.
"Nearly five months of slaughter and starvation of civilians in Gaza, and the continued holding and abuse of Israeli hostages, must not continue. It is time for President Biden and US partners to finally use their leverage to end this catastrophe."
Despite the widening gap between the Islamic Resistance Movement " Hamas " and Israel regarding the details of a temporary ceasefire agreement, US President Joe Biden expressed optimism about the possibility of reaching an agreement soon. Biden was asked during a visit to New York City about the possible date for the start of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip , and he replied, “My national security advisor tells me that we are close, and we are not finished yet. I hope that by next Monday there will be a ceasefire.”
Biden said last week that the United States is working to negotiate a detainee deal between Israel and Hamas that aims to stop the fighting in Gaza for at least 6 weeks, release dozens of Israeli detainees and prisoners, and allow the entry of huge amounts of humanitarian aid. Biden said the agreement “will bring an immediate and sustained period of calm to Gaza for at least 6 weeks, and we can then devote time to building something more sustainable.”
In a television appearance on the “Talk Show Comedy” program broadcast at dawn on Tuesday on NBC, Biden said that “Israel will be prepared to stop its attack during the month of Ramadan if an agreement is reached.”
Since the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, Biden has shown unprecedented support for Israel, but he has changed his tone and increased his criticism of the way Israel manages its military operations, describing it as “excessive.” Amid Israel's preparations to begin a ground incursion into the city of Rafah , where it is estimated that more than a million displaced Palestinians have taken refuge after fleeing fighting in other places in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the consequences of doing so.
But Netanyahu told the "Face the Nation" program last Sunday that the detainees deal would delay the Rafah operation, and said that Israel would move forward with the operation at a later time. Officials at the White House and State Department confirmed in press conferences yesterday, Tuesday, that negotiations on a temporary ceasefire are continuing, but they refused to provide details about the substance of the talks or possible timetables.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that “significant progress” had been made toward reaching an agreement last week to allow hostages to leave Gaza and allow humanitarian aid to enter. “We are building on that progress this week,” Kirby added, “and the president and his team remain engaged around the clock with multiple partners in the region, but as the president has said over the last 24 hours or so, there is no agreement yet. There is a lot of work to be done.” Kirby noted that the ceasefire would "hopefully" allow for a six-week truce, a much longer period than previous pauses in fighting.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, Charles Dunn, a former official at the White House and the US State Department and currently an expert at the Arab Institute in Washington, and a lecturer at George Washington University, considered that what Biden says, “assuming it is true,” is nothing more than “a small solution to a much larger problem.” Of course, it is the complete destruction of Gaza.”
Dunn said, “The United States used its veto against the demand for an indefinite ceasefire in Gaza in the UN Security Council earlier this February, and Washington is not yet ready for the real solution, and the next solution, which is the State of Palestine.” "And all that results from that is diplomatic movements, no surprises there."
While Ambassador David Mack, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Middle Eastern Affairs, who previously worked at his country's consulate in Jerusalem, indicated that Biden is changing his position depending on the developments and direction of events. In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, Ambassador Mack said, "President Biden is, by nature, a person who tends to be optimistic. At the very least, he discovered that showing optimism was good for his image in American domestic politics." In contrast, Ambassador Mack criticized Netanyahu's position and said that he considered "the American administration and governments naive and overly optimistic."
He said, "From now until next Monday, we may find that the Israeli government does not accept the terms of the deal that our Arab partners are pressing for in the negotiations. As for Hamas, they will find it more difficult to reject a deal that would give the residents of Gaza some relief during the month of Ramadan."
Daniel Levy, a former Israeli government official and negotiator, said: “Biden’s comments likely reflect the White House’s attempt to move the talks forward without putting more pressure on Netanyahu’s government.” Levy told the Wall Street Journal, "I don't see what the reason for this optimism is. Netanyahu keeps turning around and saying we will enter Rafah, and the Biden administration is not tightening the screws on that."
Meanwhile, former diplomat Aaron David Miller - who worked for many years on the Middle East peace file - tweeted on the X platform, criticizing Biden’s proposal, and considered that what Biden said had negative effects on the negotiation process. Miller said, "The first rule of any negotiation is to never show that you are in a rush. It is expected that Biden's hope to reach an agreement will be understood, but predicting a specific date to come could make one or more parties hold out more, or resist pressure."
A former American diplomat told Al Jazeera Net, who requested to remain anonymous, that “what Biden says may have no basis in reality, and his high age and loss of mental fitness may reflect what he says, as it seems that he did not distinguish between wishes and what is happening on the ground in reality.” Netanyahu and Hamas’ rejection of the ideas remained subject to negotiation.”
The newspaper "Israel Today" reported that the US aid agency will transfer funds to relief organizations other than the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees ( UNRWA ), while Israel believes that the US agency can replace the UN agency. The Israeli newspaper said that the American agency is considered a strong candidate for Israel to take UNRWA's place in the Gaza Strip after the end of the war.
The director of the US aid agency, Samantha Power, announced before her arrival in Tel Aviv on Thursday that the agency would transfer $53 million to relief organizations that she described as “reliable,” including the United Nations Food Programme, without providing any financial support to UNRWA. The newspaper pointed out that Power's announcement is consistent with the American approach to replacing UNRWA.
Washington announced that the purpose of Power's visit to Israel is to deal with the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to reinforce the United States' commitment to long-term stability in the region, as she put it. Washington added that Power will discuss with the Israeli government the urgent need for an expanded approach to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, and the importance of protecting civilians and aid workers in accordance with international humanitarian law. It is noteworthy that this is the second visit by the director of the US aid agency after last October 7.
In Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's post-war document on Gaza, he stressed that his government wants Gaza "without UNRWA," which he said 12 of its employees participated in the attack of last October 7, and whose schools taught "the destruction of Israel," according to the document. As a result of the Israeli accusations against UNRWA - which investigations have not yet proven to be true - about 17 countries suspended their funding to the agency, threatening its ability to continue relief work next March.
Butcher's Bill / Oasis of Martyrs
On 7 October 2023, Hamas and other armed groups present in the Gaza Strip carried out an attack in Israel, killing more than 1,200 persons, injuring thousands and abducting some 240 people, many of whom continue to be held hostage. It was the second largest loss inflicted on the Israeli forces after the 1973 war. Palestinian armed groups launched thousands of missiles at Israel Following this attack, Israel launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza, by land, air and sea.
The 1,200 Israelis killed on the first day would be the equivalent of 36,000 Americans killed in an attack, as a proportion to Israel’s population of 9.3 million people (compared to 332 million in the USA). Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated: “Not since the Holocaust have so many Jews been killed in one day". PM Netanyahu stated "On October 7th, Hamas murdered 1,400 Israelis. Maybe more. This is in a country of fewer than 10 million people. This would be equivalent to over 50,000 Americans murdered in a single day. That’s twenty 9/11s. That is why October 7th is another day that will live in infamy."
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant considered 05 February 2024 that half the number of Hamas militants were killed or seriously injured by Israeli army forces.
A Hamas official based in Qatar told Reuters 19 February 2024 that the terrorist group estimates that 6,000 of its fighters have been killed by Israeli forces. That number is about half of the 12,000 terrorists that Israel said it has killed since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led massacre,
As of 15 February 2024, The Director-General of the HAMAS Government Information Office in the Gaza Strip , Ismail Al-Thawabta, stated "the toll of the aggression had risen to about 35,500 martyrs and missing persons, including 28,663 martyrs and 68,395 injuries. There are about 2,493 massacres committed by the occupation army. Among the martyrs were about 12,400 children, 8,450 women, 340 medical personnel, 46 civil defense personnel, and 126 journalists. There are approximately 11,000 wounded people who need to travel for treatment.... we received live testimonies stating that the occupation army committed field executions against more than 137 Palestinian civilian detainees in the Gaza and North governorates."
The HAMAS Ministry of Health in the besieged sector announced that the number of victims of the Israeli operation its beginning had risen to 30,035 martyrs, "including 12,300 dead children, 8,400 women, 340 medical personnel, 46 civil defense, and 124 journalists." He pointed out that "7,000 people are missing, 70% of whom are children and women, The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The number wounded was 70,325. The Palestinian Government Media Office in Gaza had said much earlier that the number of missing people had risen to more than 8,000, including including 4,700 children and women, amid expectations that the toll will be double thi figures.
The IDF intensified its military operations in the West Bank, and increased the pace of incursions and raids into cities, towns, and camps, resulting in the martyrdom of 405 [399?] Palestinians, including 102 children, the injury of about 4,592, including 708 children, and the arrest of 7,120, according to official HAMAS sources. As of 17 January 2023, the Israeli escalation in the West Bank led to the death of 360 Palestinians, the injury of nearly 2,200, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and the arrest of about 6,000, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club.
In the first two years of the Daesh insurgency in Iraq, the UN stated that some 18,800 civilians were killed by the terrorist organization, while the Israeli military has killed well over 30,000 Palestinians in around 5 months. In fact, the true death toll in the Gaza Strip, accounting for those reported missing and buried under the rubble, is most likely closer to 40,000.
More than 202 Hezbollah fighters were killed in Lebanon during exchanges of bombing operations with Israel.
In first two days, the IDF killed 1,609 terrorists. Israel initially revised down the death toll from the October Hamas attacks in southern Israel from 1,400 to 1,200. IDF had said previously it was holding 1,500 bodies of terrorists, a total that would increas to about 1,700.
The total announced number of Israeli officers and soldiers killed had risen to 575 since the start of the war on October 7, including 240 [243?] killed since the ground invasion as a result of the ongoing clashes with the Palestinian resistance. Among them were at least 56 with the rank of platoon commander, 43 with the rank of company commander, 9 with the rank of battalion commander, and 5 with the rank of brigade commander. These officers constitute 23% of the total deaths of the Israeli army in the war on Gaza.
Israeli media reported that 27% of the Israeli military casualties in the war were officers. In detail, the media highlighted that three brigade commanders, four battalion commanders, and other senior officers have been killed in the war so far.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that 29 of the army's deaths were caused by "friendly fire" and operational incidents since the start of the ground war in Gaza, late last October. The Israeli authority explained that "18 army soldiers were killed by friendly fire, two were killed as a result of gunfire (without explanation), and 9 Israeli soldiers were killed in ammunition, weapons, or run-over accidents." The Jerusalem Post newspaper revealed that 15 soldiers were killed in the Strip without their bodies being found.
According to some reports statistics indicate that 20% of the Israeli losses were due to friendly fire. Because the nature of the battle has become completely different from what was expected, and it lacks a front line.
Haaretz newspaper quoted the Israeli Ministry of Defense as saying that the Medical Rehabilitation Department has treated more than 5,500 wounded since the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip on October 7. Israeli Army Radio reported that the Rehabilitation Department of the Ministry of Defense is preparing to receive 20,000 wounded this year, compared to 5,500 wounded received last year since the start of the war.
It was announced that soldiers wounded in the Gaza Strip battles numbered to 2,962 since the beginning of the war, including 1,429 who had been wounded since the start of the ground attack on October 27, 2023.
The Israeli army reported that 407 who are still receiving treatment for their injuries in the Gaza battles, and the condition of 48 of them is serious. The number of injured among the Israeli army since the start of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip on October 27 included 602 minor cases, 430 moderate cases, and 264 critical cases.
The Israeli army published new data about those wounded in the military operation in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army announces that 540 soldiers were injured in the Gaza Strip. According to army data, 540 soldiers, including 27 seriously injured, were injured in operational incidents since the start of the bombing of the Gaza Strip. There were also 21 accidental shooting incidents in the Gaza Strip, 54 bilateral shooting incidents and 31 traffic accidents. In addition, 388 incidents occurred, including ramming anti-tank rifles, anti-aircraft guns, weapons and machine guns.
At least 14,391 Israelis were injured, according to i24 TV.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper had reported that 5,000 soldiers had been wounded since the beginning of the war on October 7, and that the Ministry of Defense had recognized 2,000 soldiers as disabled so far.
An estimate by the Israeli Ministry of Defense expected that the number of soldiers with disabilities in the war taking place in the Gaza Strip since October 7 of last year would reach 12,500 soldiers. The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that the Soldiers' Rehabilitation Department of the Ministry of Defense has dealt with 3,400 soldiers who were classified as disabled in the army since last October 7.
The Israeli army revealed that about 9,000 of its soldiers have received “psychological assistance” since the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, and about a quarter of them have not returned to combat. This came according to a new statement revealed by the Army Medical Corps, according to Channel 12 and the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. According to the statement, nearly 9,000 soldiers have applied for psychological assistance since the beginning of the war, and approximately a quarter of them have not returned to combat.
The statement continued, "In total, about 13,000 regular and reserve soldiers required accompaniment or medical treatment at some level during the fighting, and thousands of them were injured in the battles."
By 28 February 2024 about 85% of the fighters who needed mental health treatment returned to combat: the Technology and Logistics Division is establishing a center for mental health services. Al Jazeera military and strategic expert Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi expressed his conviction that the numbers of dead and wounded announced by Israel “cannot represent the truth,” due to a discrepancy between the Israeli army’s data and the Walla website, which is close to the army itself.
In an interview with RT, Military strategist retired Tunisian Brigadier General Tawfiq Didi said that the number of Israeli army deaths in the Gaza battles is much greater than what Israel announces. Didi explained in an interview with the “Best Saying” program on RT channel, “The number of people killed in battles can be easily known, as the equation in wars is that for every 3 wounded there is a dead person, and the numbers now in Israel hover around 12,500 wounded and disabled people, and when we divide by Three, we find that the death toll exceeds 4,000, especially after eliminating more than a thousand tanks and armored vehicles, and I know what happens when Kornet missiles hit a tank. Its ammunition explodes and no one is left alive.”
He added, "The Israelis announce their dead only of those of Jewish origin and of the first race, meaning all Arabs, Falash, and those who are among them. They are not counted because they are of the second category. So I am sure that the number exceeds 4 thousand dead, and this is a very easy military calculation."
He pointed out, "The Palestinian resistance documented everything it did, unlike the Israelis. The resistance documented shooting at tanks and armored vehicles and destroying the houses in which the Israeli soldiers were holed up, and we saw them being killed... We saw the Kornet hitting the tanks, we saw Al-Yassin 105, so the difference is clear."
Hostages
Israel announced 12 February 2024 that the total number of prisoners that the army was able to recover in exchange deals and through military operations was 126 people, including 91 Israelis, 11 bodies, and 24 foreign workers.
Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed have been held as hostages in Gaza since 2014 and 2015, respectively. Unlike the roughly 240 people kidnapped in the Hamas October 7 terrorist attacks, the campaign for the release of Mengistu and al-Sayed has received little publicity. Mengistu is known to suffer from what HRW deemed "serious" mental health issues. "Avera crossed one of the safest borders in the world, under the eyes of the security services," recalled Gil Elias, a relative. "We're talking about a mentally ill person who got lost." The calls for the release of Mengistu and al-Sayed have been barely audible during the many years they have been held captive in Gaza.
Israel had previously estimated there were 116 living hostages in Palestinian custody. Israel declared 20 out of 136 people in Gaza captivity dead in absentia, after announcing its forces had recovered the bodies of two hostages. By another count, 132 of them are still being held in Gaza, and 25 of them have been confirmed dead. Israel considers those still held by Hamas to be hostages regardless of whether they are dead or alive.
Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy earlier had told reporters that Hamas still held 137 captives. The resistance released 10 Israeli detainees, 4 Thais and 2 Russian women, who were released outside the agreement. Over the course of 6 days, Israel has received 102 detainees, women and children, including 78 Israelis, in exchange for the release of 234 Palestinian prisoners, women and children.
Eylon Levy, the Israeli government spokesperson, told reporters 01 December 2023:
- Hamas still held 137 hostages from the October attacks, in addition to four others who went missing before the war
- The hostages include two children aged four and 10 months, who, Hamas now claims, are dead
- 117 male hostages are still kept in Gaza, including the two children, as well as 20 females
- 126 hostages are Israelis, and 11 others are foreign nationals
- Foreign nationals are eight Thais, one Nepalese, one Tanzanian and one French Mexican citizen
- Ten of the remaining hostages are 75 and older.
- There are seven missing people since the October 7 attack
- Hamas had released 110 hostages so far – 86 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals.
Some of the rest are soldiers, seized when Hamas raided military bases in Israel. They may end up being held the longest. The Israeli military had not specified how many soldiers were captured, nor their ranks.
Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari announced on 07 February 2024 that 31 hostages detained in Gaza had died. He added in a press conference, "We informed 31 families that their detained relatives had died, and thus we announce their deaths."
According to some estimates, Hamas was initially holding nearly 210 of the 240 hostages, while Palestinian Islamic Jihad was holding the remaining 30. About 40 Israelis remained missing. More than 40 hostages taken from Israel into Gaza on October 7th are not currently in the custody of Hamas, the group responsible for the attack, according to a CNN report based on a diplomatic source briefed on the negotiations, CNN's prior reports had indicated that an estimated 40 to 50 hostages were held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad or other unidentified groups or individuals.
Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson for the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said on Hamas’ telegram account that 23 bodies of the 60 missing Israel hostages were trapped under the rubble. “It seems that we will never be able to reach them due to the continued brutal aggression of the occupation against Gaza,” he said.
The Al-Qassam Brigades announced on 11 February 2024 that the continuous Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip during the past 96 hours led to the death of 2 prisoners and the serious injury of 8 others.
The Palestinian Prisoners' Club revealed that about 11,000 arrests were carried out by the Israeli army during the year 2023 in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, in addition to arrests from the Gaza Strip before the seventh of last October. The number of people arrested by the Israelis in the West Bank since that date has exceeded 7,270. The total number of prisoners in Israeli prisons exceeds 9,000 Palestinians. Palestinian prisoner institutions said 661 were classified as “unlawful combatants” from Gaza, and this is the number available only as a clear given.
The Palestinian Prisoners' Club said that there has been a significant increase in the number of Palestinian administrative detainees in Israeli prisons since October 7, with 3,484 detainees recorded, including children and women. The club added in a statement that "this number was not actually recorded even during the years of the 1987 uprising."
Israel said on 19 February 2024 that, since the beginning of the war, approximately 3,200 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, over 1,350 of whom are associated with the terrorist organization Hamas. On 08 January 2024 it was reported that more than 1,350 wanted persons had been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, more than 870 of whom are associated with the terrorist organization Hamas.
The institutions added in the statement that “the occupation arrested 210 women during the aforementioned period, and this statistic includes women who were arrested from the territories in 1948, and more than 355 children,” pointing out that “the outcome of the arrest campaigns includes all those who were arrested from homes, and through military checkpoints, Those who were forced to surrender themselves under pressure, and those who were detained.” It explained that "the number of arrests among journalists reached 50, of whom 35 remain in detention, and 20 of them were transferred to administrative detention."
The announced numbers of detainees do not include those who were detained from Gaza since the start of the operation in the Gaza Strip, as there is no accurate census of these numbers. As of 15 February 2024, the Director-General of the HAMAS Government Information Office in the Gaza Strip , Ismail Al-Thawabta, stated "the information available to us is that the occupation arrested approximately 2,600 people, including 99 medical personnel and 10 journalists."
Israel has rejected international legal adaptations since 1967, and has treated the Palestinians as criminals, and tried them before military courts and not as prisoners of war. Because the POW is not tried, but is released when the war stops, or as a result of a political agreement.
But international humanitarian law sets clear conditions relating to the Palestinians, whether as prisoners of war or organized groups with one leadership and carrying a unified slogan, and these conditions apply to Palestinian resistance fighters, specifically armed groups. International law, through the Third Geneva Conventions, which relate to prisoners of war and armed conflicts, and the Fourth Geneva Convention, which relates to civilians under occupation; Provide full protection to Palestinian prisoners and groups, including resistance factions.
The obstacles imposed by the Israeli occupation authorities became very different after the seventh of last October. They decided to cancel all trials in order to double the sentences issued against detainees, and now The scope of arguments before lawyers is very limited, due to military orders, and not according to legal data.
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