Fighters of the Al-Qassam and Al-Quds Brigades, the military wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad Palestinian Resistance movements (photo from archive / Gaza city).
The Palestinian resistance fighters continued on Friday heroically confronting the Zionist aggression against Gaza ongoing for more than seven months, inflicting more losses upon the occupation troops.
Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas military wing, destroyed an Israeli personnel carrier with Al-Yassin 105 in the vicinity of Rafah crossing.
Al-Qassam Brigades published a video which shows Hamas fighters targeting the enemy soldiers and vehicles in eastern Rafah.
Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad resistance movement, detonated two highly explosive devices targeting the enemy vehicles in south of Gaza city.
Al-Quds Brigades fighters also bombarded with mortar shells the enemy soldiers and vehicles penetrating the vicinity of Al-Zaytoun Clinic in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City.
Friday battles were resounding as fighters of the Palestinian resistance movements valiantly defended Rafah against Israeli attempts to encircle the area to the east of Rafah.
In addition, Al-Quds Brigades’ military media depicted footage of an IOF “Skylark” UAV, which fighters successfully intercepted and commandeered in Gaza City
Meanwhile, the Zionist enemy continued bombarding the Palestinian civilian areas across the Strip, especially Jabalia, Gaza city and Rafah, committing more massacres and destroying more buildings.
The battlefield has the final say in Gaza as the Palestinian resistance fighters engage in heroic confrontations against Israeli occupation forces in the eastern region of the southern city of Rafah.
Friday battles were resounding as fighters of the Palestinian resistance movements valiantly defended Rafah against Israeli attempts to encircle the area to the east of Rafah.
Photo circulated by Israeli media showing Zionist tanks near the eastern region in Rafah (May 2024).
Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, announced its fighters engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli occupation soldiers in eastern Rafah.
The group announced an operation in which resistance fighters targeted a structure where an Israeli force was stationed in with TBG shell and hit an Israeli troop carrier with an RPG east of Rafah. Al-Qassam confirmed that casualties were reported among members of the Israeli force.
The resistance group declared another operation in which Al-Qassam fighters detonated a minefield at Saad Sayel Barracks, east of Rafah.
“Confirmed casualties were reported among Israeli soldiers following the deadly ambush at Saad Sayel Barracks,” Al-Qassam announced.
The area near Saad Sayel Barracks was also a scene for a third operation carried by Al-Qassam fighters who targeted two Israeli Merkava tanks with Yassine-105 shells, according to the resistance group.
Meanwhile, Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad resistance movement, issued a video showing mortar shells being fired at an Israeli troops and vehicles in eastern Rafah.
Israeli media, for its part, reported that sirens sounded twice at Karem Abu Salem, south of the Gaza Strip.
Shortly after Al-Qassam announced the operation in which a minefield was detonated at Saad Sayel Barracks, media outlets and social media circulated reports that Israeli helicopters evacuated a number of Israeli soldiers from Rafah to Soroka Medical Center.
A Zionist helicopter has now landed in Soroka to transport dead and wounded from Rafah🔥 pic.twitter.com/gnznhHr22j
Later on Friday, Israeli occupation military announced that 11 soldiers were evacuated from southern Gaza for treatment, claiming that they were stung by wasps in the southern Gaza Strip.
At least 35 Palestinians were killed and 129 wounded as Israeli forces carried out new massacres in the eastern and southern areas of Rafah.
The United States reportedly suspended sending arms shipments to Israel, due to its failure to address our concerns regarding its plans to invade Rafah.
Al-Qassam Brigades and Al-Quds Brigades announced in a statement that they are engaged in fierce clashes with invading Israeli forces east of Rafah.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 34,844 Palestinians have been killed, and 78,404 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
HAARETZ: Clashes took place between families of captives in Gaza and Israeli police officers at a Tel Aviv demonstration demanding an exchange deal.
UNICEF: 600,000 Palestinian children are seeking shelter in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, some of whom have been displaced several times, exhausted, traumatized, sick and hungry.
FORMER ISRAELI CHIEF OF STAFF: Former Israeli Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi said that stopping the war on the Gaza Strip is the only way to return Israeli prisoners held by the Resistance.
ISRAELI ARMY: An Israeli soldier was injured as a result of a shell fired by the resistance in the Kerem Shalom area in the southern Gaza Strip.
FREE UNIVERSITY OF BRUSSELS: The Free University of Brussels decided to stop a technological research project with Israeli partners, and to review all other projects with Israeli participation.
HEZBOLLAH: We targeted “with artillery shells a force of Israeli enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the Ramia site, and we achieved a direct hit.”
ISRAELI ARMY: An Israeli soldier was injured as a result of a shell fired by the resistance in the Kerem Shalom area in the southern Gaza Strip.
FORMER ISRAELI CHIEF OF STAFF: Former Israeli Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi said that stopping the war on the Gaza Strip is the only way… pic.twitter.com/MuJT6dqIui
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 8, 2024
Tuesday, May 7, 10:00 pm (GMT +2)
KAN: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office is working on a draft law proposal with the ultra-Orthodox parties, bypassing Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Defense Council Minister Benny Gantz.
ISRAELI MEDIA: Netanyahu backed down from showing flexibility in exchange negotiations.
UNRWA: The crossings must be opened, and humanitarian aid must flow.
HAMAS: The probability of the occupation remaining in the Gaza Strip is zero.
CHANNEL 14: Israeli occupation army evacuated a temporary military site on the Gaza envelope, fearing that resistance elements would infiltrate it.
WALLA (quoting Israeli sources): The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hid medical markings on an ambulance that had been accompanying Netanyahu’s convoy since he suffered a heart attack last month, in order to make it look like a regular civilian car.
WALLA (quoting Israeli sources): The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hid medical markings on an ambulance that had been accompanying Netanyahu’s convoy since he suffered a heart attack last month, in order to make it look like a regular civilian car.
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 8, 2024
UNRWA: Protest by Israeli extremists in front of our headquarters in Jerusalem is “intimidation and sabotage”.
NETANYAHU’S SPOKESMAN: The seizure of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing in the southern Gaza Strip by the Israeli army does not violate the peace treaty between Tel Aviv and Cairo.
UNRWA: The agency’s buildings in Gaza were subjected to 368 Israeli attacks.
ISRAELI ARMY RADIO: Iron Dome was unable to intercept rockets launched by the Resistance from Gaza towards Shlomi.
ISRAELI ARMY RADIO: Iron Dome was unable to intercept rockets launched by the Resistance from Gaza towards Shlomi.
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 8, 2024
AUSTIN: We are absolutely committed to Israel’s right to defend itself.
FORMER MOSSAD CHIEF: There is no meaning to fighting in Rafah after all these days since the start of the war.
CHANNEL 13: Eight rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip towards Shlomi in the Eshkol Regional Council in the Gaza Strip.
HEZBOLLAH: We carried out an attack with assault marches on the headquarters of the newly created Western Brigade in Ya’ra, and a direct hit was achieved.
RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN: Carrying out an Israeli ground military operation in Rafah destabilizes the entire region. There are no prospects yet for resolving the situation in the Gaza Strip, and the conflict in the region is escalating daily.
US OFFICIAL (to Al-Jazeera): Washington’s position on Rafah has not changed, and a broad operation must not be launched.
UNRWA: We did not receive aid or fuel through the Rafah crossing.
NBC (citing Israeli official). There is deep frustration in the Israeli government with the American decision to halt the arms shipment.
Tuesday, May 7, 4:15 pm (GMT +2)
GAZA STRIP CROSSINGS AUTHORITY: The Gaza Strip Crossings Authority denied Israel’s claims that it had reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing, south of the Strip, for the entry of aid.
AL-JAZEERA: About 200 European Union employees demonstrated in the Belgian capital, Brussels, against the Union’s policies towards the Gaza Strip.
AL-QASSAM BRIGADES: The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades announced the bombing of Israeli occupation forces’ concentrations at the “Kerem Shalom Military Site” with a 114 mm short-range “Rajoum” missile system.
Tuesday, May 7, 2:45 pm (GMT +2)
GAZA GOVERNMENT MEDIA OFFICE: A third mass grave was found inside the Shifa Medical Complex and 49 bodies were recovered.
AL-JAZEERA: Six workers were injured by occupation fire at the Kerem Shalom crossing.
AL-QUDS BRIGADES: We bombed with heavy-caliber mortar shells Israeli occupation soldiers and vehicles penetrating the vicinity of the airport, east of the city of Rafah.
GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY: 34,844 Palestinians have been killed, and 78,404 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 8, 2024
ISRAELI ARMY: 3,361 Israeli soldiers have been injured since the start of the war on Gaza.
GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY: 34,844 Palestinians have been killed, and 78,404 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
US MEDIA: Metropolitan Police began evacuating a pro-Palestinian camp at George Washington University at dawn today.
Tuesday, May 7, 1:30 pm (GMT +2)
AL-JAZEERA: Rockets were launched from southern Lebanon towards the Israeli monk site in the Upper Galilee.
ISRAELI MEDIA: The Israeli army is investigating the downing of its drone in Kfar Saba, between Jaffa and Tulkarm.
HEZBOLLAH: We targeted two buildings used by Israeli army soldiers in the Hanita settlement.
In this video, Al-Quds Brigades fighters are seen bombarding Israeli soldiers and vehicles with mortar shells in the axes of advance east of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 8, 2024
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: The death toll from the Israeli bombing on the Al-Qara family’s home in the Khuza’a area, east of Khan Yunis, has risen to three.
Tuesday, May 7, 12:30 pm (GMT +2)
HEZBOLLAH: We targeted a building used by Israeli soldiers in the Metulla settlement, and two other buildings in the Shlomi settlement in the Upper Galilee.
YEDIOTH AHRONOTH: The Israeli army downplayed the US administration’s suspension of an arms shipment following an Israeli military operation in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip this week, saying that the two allied parties resolve any disputes “behind closed doors.”
Tuesday, May 7, 11:30 am (GMT +2)
PALESTINIAN FACTIONS: We will not accept the imposition of any guardianship over the Rafah crossing or any other party, and we consider this an occupation.
CHANNEL 13: An anti-tank missile hit a house in the town of Metulla.
PALESTINIAN MEDICAL SOURCES: The bodies of 35 Palestinians and 129 wounded arrived at Kuwait Hospital in Rafah within 24 hours.
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 8, 2024
KEREM SHALOM: Kerem Shalom crossing reopened for the entry of humanitarian aid after it was closed.
QATARI FM: Qatar strongly condemns the bombing of Rafah and calls for preventing its invasion.
AL-QUDS BRIGADES: We are engaged in fierce clashes east of Rafah.
MAARIV: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich submitted a petition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop delaying legislation on the use of Palestinian Authority funds held by Israel .
ISRAELI MEDIA: Instructions were issued to farmers in the Gaza Strip not to go out to work in the areas adjacent to the border fence.
Tuesday, May 7, 09:00 am (GMT +2)
BEN-GVIR: The demolition of dozens of homes in the Negev is an important step towards restoring governance.
AL-JAZEERA: Occupation forces begin demolishing dozens of Palestinian homes in the Naqab (Negev).
AL-JAZEERA: Occupation forces begin demolishing dozens of Palestinian homes in the Naqab (Negev).
AL-QASSAM BRIGADES: Our fighters are engaged in fierce clashes with the Israeli enemy forces penetrating east of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 8, 2024
AL-QASSAM BRIGADES: Our fighters are engaged in fierce clashes with the Israeli enemy forces penetrating east of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
UNRWA: UNRWA called for the reopening of Gaza crossings without any delay, noting that vital supplies and fuel are entered through them.
ISRAELI MEDIA: Dozens of prisoners’ families are closing the main Ayalon axis in Tel Aviv, demanding a deal to return their children.
Tuesday, May 7, 08:00 am (GMT +2)
AL-JAZEERA: An Israeli air strike targeted the vicinity of the destroyed Gaza Airport, east of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: A woman was killed and a number of injured in an Israeli artillery shelling that targeted the town of Khuza’a, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.
AL-JAZEERA: An Israeli air strike targeted the vicinity of the destroyed Gaza Airport, east of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: A woman was killed and a number of injured in an Israeli artillery shelling that targeted the town of Khuza'a, east of… pic.twitter.com/9dfg0CjEgN
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 8, 2024
AFP (citing US official): We suspended sending an arms shipment to Israel of 1,800 1,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs. Suspending the shipment of weapons to Israel due to its failure to address our concerns regarding its plans to invade Rafah.
Tuesday, May 7, 05:00 am (GMT +2)
NBC (citing US officials): American, Qatari and Egyptian negotiators are trying in Cairo to resolve various disagreements regarding the ceasefire deal.
AXIOS (citing American source): Republican representatives are preparing legislation targeting international criminal officials.
Tuesday, May 7, 03:00 am (GMT +2)
WASHINGTON POST (quoting US official): The move by the administration of US President Joe Biden to postpone two arms shipments to Israel confirms Washington’s fears about the Rafah attack.
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: An Israeli raid and artillery shelling in the center and north of the Gaza Strip.
Tuesday, May 7, 02:00 am (GMT +2)
REUTERS (citing informed source): CIA Director William Burns will travel to Israel on Wednesday to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials.
REUTERS (citing informed source): CIA Director William Burns will travel to Israel on Wednesday to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials.
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 8, 2024
BRITISH DEPUTY FOREIGN SECRETARY: Israel’s attack on Rafah would violate international law and would not lead to the elimination of Hamas.
Tuesday, May 7, 01:00 am (GMT +2)
MARTIN GRIFFITHS: Martin Griffiths said that Israeli evacuation orders in Rafah and the ground operation will lead to more death and displacement.
REUTERS (quoting informed sources): The administration of US President Joe Biden will not submit its report to Congress on whether Israel is violating international law in Gaza on time.
BLINKEN: Blinken condemns “extremist attacks” on aid heading from Jordan to Gaza.
Tuesday, May 7, 12:00 am (GMT +2)
YEDIOTH AHRONOTH: CIA Director William Burns will arrive in Israel tomorrow, Wednesday, to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad Chief David Barnea to discuss a possible deal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the exchange of prisoners.
Israeli occupation forces drop leaflets demanding forced displacement of Palestinians from Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Palestine, on May 6. (Social media)
Israeli occupation forces begin to forcefully displace Palestinians formerly displaced to Rafah amid the increased likelihood of the start of the imminent invasion.
The Israeli occupation forces officially began, on Monday, the forceful displacement of the already-displaced Palestinian people currently seeking shelter in Rafah, which had been designated by the Israelis as an alleged “safe zone” early in the war.
With flyers dropping from the skies, SMS, and social media broadcasts, the Israeli occupation’s action on Rafah is set to be yet another episode of this live-streamed genocide.
According to Israeli spokesperson Avichay Adraee, the IOF has allegedly expanded the alleged “humanitarian zone” in the Mawasi area and is forcing Palestinians out of eastern Rafah, which was allegedly the initial “safe zone”.
The Palestinians report that the #IDF dropped leaflets over #Rafah in the south of the #Gaza Strip stating that the humanitarian area from the Moasi area in #Khan_Yunis has been expanded to the Deir al-Balah area in the center of the Gaza Strip, (1/2) pic.twitter.com/AsMWTGm7Cn
The action being taken by the Israeli occupation would forcefully displace at least 100,000 of the 1.4 million Palestinians currently displaced in Rafah. It would also threaten to hold all remaining Palestinians in Gaza hostage, as the Rafah border crossing will likely be targeted through bombardments.
After 7 months of the televised genocide, the number of Palestinian martyrs, wounded, and missing has exceeded 100,000 Palestinians.
Three IOF soldiers killed, 12 wounded in Karem Abu Salem shelling
The Israeli military admitted to the deaths of three of its soldiers and the wounding of 12 others as a result of the Palestinian Resistance’s shelling of an Israeli military outpost located near the Karem Abu Salem crossing.
Two of the killed soldiers fought with the Shaked battalion under the Givati Brigade, while the third fought with the 931 battalion under the Nahal Brigade.
Twelve soldiers were also wounded in the shelling, including two of the 931 battalion, and one of the Shaked battalion, who was reportedly in critical condition.
According to the Al-Qassam Brigades, Resistance fighters targeted the location using a 114 mm short-range Rajum missile system.
The targeted gathering was responsible for the aggression against cities in Rafah and included Israeli military and Shin Bet officers, according to a source in the Resistance.
The sources said the Resistance’s preparation for the operation, its setup, and intelligence capabilities, affirmed its capabilities to accurately and directly engage its targets.
It was simultaneously emphasized that the operation relayed several political messages, most notably the Resistance’s readiness to defend the people of Palestine against reckless Israeli aggression, as well as a military message affirming the Resistance’s capabilities and steadiness, despite the “successes” the Israeli occupation claims it is achieving.
Israeli air defenses have since stepped up their bombing of Rafah as a response to the Karem Abu Salem operation.
Rafah invasion will happen with or without exchange deal: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier on April 30, that an invasion of the densely-populated Rafah city will take place regardless of whether an exchange deal with the Palestinian Resistance was reached or not.
“The idea that we will stop the war before all its goals have been achieved is irrelevant. We will enter Rafah and destroy Hamas battalions there, with or without an agreement [on hostages], to achieve absolute victory,” he told families of the captives held in the Strip.
مشاهد مرعبة من القصف المستمر على رفح.
هذا الصاروخ كان سبب في قتل 6 أشخاص من بينهم أطفال.
The Israeli occupation army is investigation failure over Hamas rocket attack which killed four occupation soldiers and injured ten others near Karem Abu Salem (known in Hebrew as Kerem Shalom).
Israeli media reported on Monday that military was investigating why the Iron Dome air defense system did not engage the barrage launched by Hamas’ Al-Qassam fighters.
Hamas announced on Sunday an operation targeting the Zionist command headquarters and deployments inside the Karem Abu Salem military site, east of Rafah with a barrage of Rujoum rockets.
The resistance group issued a video on Sunday showing the rocket attack by Hamas’ armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades.
For its part, the occupation army said at least ten rockets were fired from the Rafah area in southern Gaza in the attack. It announced that four Israeli soldiers were killed and 10 more were wounded in the Hamas-claimed strike.
The deaths brought the toll of announced slain troops in the Zionist ground offensive along the Gaza border to 267, The Times of Israel reported.
Most of the rockets struck an area where troops were gathered on the border, not far from the Karem Abu Salem border crossing, Israeli media reported, adding that the soldiers had been guarding military equipment that was brought to the area for the occupation army’s planned offensive in Rafah.
Not only has Israel failed to defeat Hamas, but it is being dragged into discussions on Palestinian statehood, which its Gaza genocide has put back onto the international agenda.
After seven months of a brutal military assault on Gaza, it is abundantly clear that Israel has not succeeded in eradicating Hamas. Instead of delivering a decisive military victory, the occupation state finds itself being drawn kicking and screaming into negotiations over a two-state solution.
Withstanding the impracticality of establishing a genuinely independent, sovereign Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip, this scenario is becoming increasingly likely despite long-standing opposition from the Israeli government. It is an extraordinary development, particularly as Tel Aviv’s strategy, as articulated by foreign policy advisor Ophir Falk, was mainly to “destroy Hamas” and its military and governance capabilities entirely.
Today, the two-state option is frantically being resuscitated in Washington, of all places, and by stalwart allies of Tel Aviv.
Martin Indyk, a former US ambassador to Israel and staunch supporter of the occupation state, argues in Foreign Affairs magazine that far from being “dead,” the two-state solution now looks to be the only reasonable game in town:
“The reason for this revival is not complicated. There are, after all, only a few possible alternatives to the two-state solution. There is Hamas’ solution, which is the destruction of Israel. There is the Israeli ultra-right’s solution, which is the Israeli annexation of the West Bank, the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority (PA), and the deportation of Palestinians to other countries. There is the ‘conflict management’ approach pursued for the last decade or so by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which aimed to maintain the status quo indefinitely – and the world has seen how that worked out. And there is the idea of a binational state in which Jews would become a minority, thus ending Israel’s status as a Jewish state. None of those alternatives would resolve the conflict – at least not without causing even greater calamities. And so if the conflict is to be resolved peacefully, the two-state solution is the only idea left standing.“
Disarmament for statehood?
In widely publicized comments last week, Khalil al-Hayya, deputy head of Hamas in Gaza, has appeared to endorse the 1967 borders for a future Palestinian state explicitly.
In a recent interview with AP, Hayya spoke of “a fully sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the return of Palestinian Authority (PA) in accordance with the international resolutions” along Israel’s pre-1967 borders.
Most significantly, though, he hinted that the resistance movement’s military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, could potentially dissolve itself and/or fold its cadres into a Palestinian national army:
“All the experiences of people who fought against occupiers, when they became independent and obtained their rights and their state, what have these forces done? They have turned into political parties and their defending fighting forces have turned into the national army.“
Instead of embracing these possibilities, Falk dismissed Hayya as a “high-ranking terrorist” and sought to redirect the conversation back to intransigent Israeli demands:
“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government set a mission to destroy Hamas’ military and governing capabilities in Gaza, free the hostages, and ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel and the rest of the civilized world in the future,” he said, adding, “Those goals will be achieved.”
Diplomacy in Doha and Istanbul
Although Hayya emphasized that his views are aligned with Hamas’ historical positions, as articulated by the resistance movement’s spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, in 1998 and reiterated in its 2017 charter of general principles and policies, his public statements highlight the immense political pressures faced by Hamas, notably from political allies Qatar and Turkiye.
These pressures aim to foster high-level international and regional talks that could potentially end the conflict and establish ‘permanent stability.’ As with any negotiation, there are essential questions to address: Who will have the authority to enforce these terms? What limitations will be imposed? These are critical issues for Palestinians besieged in Gaza and for their broader cause – as well as for Al-Qassam and the entire resistance.
Behind the scenes, both Qatar and Turkiye have been instrumental in shaping Hamas’ new diplomatic approach. The movement’s external leaders, including Khaled Meshal and Ismail Haniyeh, have participated in discussions facilitated by both countries in Doha and Istanbul.
Earlier this month, in a joint press conference with his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was explicitly supportive, also highlighting the west’s positive stance toward intensifying peace efforts based on the two-state solution.
“In our political talks with Hamas for years, they have accepted a Palestinian state to be established within the 1967 borders,” Fidan told reporters.
“They have told me that following the establishment of the Palestinian state, Hamas would no longer need an armed wing and they would continue as a political party,” he added.
The ball is in Israel’s court
Although Israel’s western allies have long sought to exclude Hamas from any and all Palestinian processes, it has become abundantly clear that Gaza’s military leadership, particularly Al-Qassam Brigades, is set to play a crucial role in any negotiation process.
This is an extraordinary victory of sorts for Hamas, which has successfully managed to insert itself into future deliberations, not only on Gaza but Palestine as a whole. The movement’s tactical decision to endorse the 1967 borders not only aims to position Hamas as a credible negotiator but also strategically corners the far-right coalition government of Benjamin Netanyahu.
By signaling willingness to demilitarize in exchange for statehood, Hamas aims to place the onus on Tel Aviv, toying with the inherent vulnerability of its coalition government and potentially precipitating its collapse. This move not only improves Hamas’ leverage in any forthcoming negotiations but, ironically, also aligns with the US interests in seeing regime change in Israel.
It is clear that Hamas has – whether out of conviction, under pressure, or as a wily tactic – become a necessary partner in broader and long-term political negotiations concerning the future of Palestine and the region.
Over the years, the movement has itself been compelled to engage in several rounds of indirect negotiations with Israel, most notably at the end of the first decade of the millennium when Hamas was still based in Damascus. That was part of a larger regional effort spurred by Ankara to rejuvenate the peace process.
Twenty-six years ago, Khaled Meshaal met with former US President Jimmy Carter in Damascus during the latter’s nine-day West Asia tour aimed at breaking the deadlock between Israel and Hamas early in their governance of Gaza.
The Palestinian resistance movement enjoyed considerable leeway for political maneuvering due to the geopolitical climate at the time. Carter reported that Hamas expressed willingness to accept a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders if agreed upon by the Palestinians and acknowledged Israel’s right to exist peacefully as a neighboring state.
Compelling Israel to do Hamas’ will
But today, Hamas’ renewed strength comes from two main factors: the relentless, unified military pushback by the region’s Axis of Resistance in support of their Palestinian allies and unprecedented global condemnation of Israel’s Gaza genocide – both sharply impacting and confounding Tel Aviv’s initial, over-confident war objectives.
Rather than defeating Hamas, Israel now finds itself on the back foot, engaging in negotiations that center around the one outcome it had least expected – that of a two-state solution.
Tel Aviv’s disturbing dilemma also showcases the political acumen of Hamas and the Palestinian resistance, who recognized the utility of hard power in achieving political ends rather than as an end in itself – in sharp contrast to Israel’s approach throughout this conflict.
The fact that, seven months after Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, Hamas retains its array of capabilities signifies not only the abject failure of Israel’s military and political objectives but also an unexpected humbling of Tel Aviv. Israel, today, is being forced into negotiations on Palestinian statehood that it has assiduously avoided for 30 long years.
This shift is undoubtedly energized by the unprecedented US student protest movement and other anti-colonial voices around the world, adding a global dimension to the local struggle. These developments are yet another ace in the hand for Hamas and another nail in the coffin for Israeli leverage.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of The Cradle.
Palestinian al-Qassam Brigades spokesperson Abu Obeida hails the steadfastness of the Palestinian Resistance as it faces the Israeli occupation forces for the 200th day.
The Israeli occupation has proven impotent as it proved unsuccessful in making any advances in Gaza 200 days into its ruthless onslaught as it only commits massacres and destroys civilian infrastructure, al-Qassam Brigades spokesperson Abu Obeida said on Tuesday.
Today marks the 200th day of Israeli aggression on Gaza in the wake of Operation al-Aqsa Flood, an aggression that has thus far claimed the lives of more than 34,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands of others. However, no one is touting an Israeli victory, as their declared goal of destroying the Resistance is not only far from being achieved, but also continuously proving to be unattainable.
The spokesperson for Hamas’ armed wing underlined that the Israeli occupation continues to peddle the great lie that is its capacity to destroy all the Palestinian Resistance factions. “200 days later, and the Resistance is still unwavering. It will continue to deal blows to the occupation so long as its aggression continues and so long as it continues to exist on Palestinian land.”
“200 days later, the enemy is still stuck in the sands #Gaza with no goal, no horizon, and no retrieving of its captives,” Military spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Ubaida said in a televised speech.
“One of the lies of the enemy government is its attempt to make the… https://t.co/PPUOjWycgh
The Resistance’s operations, the spokesperson said, “Will take new forms and adapt with new, adequate tactics.”
As the war entered its seventh month, Abu Obeida stressed that the Israeli occupation “is still stuck in the mud in Gaza with no hope on the horizon, and it will reap nothing but shame and defeat.”
The Resistance fighters are expelling and will continue to expel “this enemy despite being covered in ashes, rising from beneath the rubble as the whole world bears witness to the might of the Resistance fighters, not just through action on the battlefield but their withdrawal from various directions.”
The Israeli occupation is still trying to restore its image that was tarnished on October 7, the spokesperson underlined. “They aim to link their victory to invading Rafah, and it tries to sell the lie that it defeated all Resistance factions except for the Rafah Battalion.”
Ron Arad scenario to repeat itself
Commenting on the ongoing negotiations and prisoner swap talks, Abu Obeida said the Israeli occupation was attempting to rid itself of the pledges it made during the talks as it aims to gain more time. However, he added, “The Palestinian Resistance will not surrender the pivotal rights of the Palestinian people, chief among which is the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces, the lifting of the blockade, and the return of the displaced.”
Abu Obeida, addressing Israeli settlers, underlined that the ball was in the court of the Israeli regime, “but the window of time is very narrow, and they have very limited opportunities.”
He recalled the story of Israeli pilot Ron Arad, who disappeared during a mission in the airspace of Lebanon in 1986, with no information being known about him since. “The Israeli captives in Gaza might be fortunate to meet the same fate as Ron Arad,” he said, warning the Israeli occupation against delaying the talks any further.
“The occupation’s policy of exerting military pressure will not push the Resistance but to adhere to its position and safeguard the rights of the people,” he said.
Iranian response set up new rules of engagement
Abu Obeida hailed Iran’s Operation True Promise carried out by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps in Iran in response to the occupation’s aggression against the Iranian consulate in Damascus and emphasized that this response “set new rules of engagement and disarrayed the occupation,” as the regime’s backers scrambled to defend it from thousands of miles away.
The al-Qassam Brigades spokesperson went on to praise every military and popular effort made toward Operation al-Aqsa Flood, especially the fronts of Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq.
Abu Obeida said the leading edge front of the Resistance was the West Bank front. He also hailed the people of Jordan and called on them to escalate and called on the people of the Arab and Islamic Worlds to also escalate in support of the Palestinian people and cause.
“The hysteric reaction to the Resistance’s military actions on the various fronts indicates the importance of the armed struggle in the face of the occupying powers,” he concluded by saying.
200 days of genocide
The Ministry of Health in Gaza confirmed Tuesday that the number of Palestinians killed as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression since October 7 has risen to 34,183 and those injured to 77,143.
In its daily report, the Ministry said that the Israeli occupation forces have committed three massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, resulting in 32 martyrs and 59 injuries who were transferred to hospitals in the past 24 hours.
On its part, the Government Media Office in Gaza confirmed that the Israeli occupation forces have committed a total of 3,025 massacres against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and dropped 75,000 tonnes of explosives on the enclave.
In an update on the figures resulting from 200 days of “Israel’s” genocidal war on Gaza, the Office emphasized that out of the 34,183 martyrs who reached hospitals, 14,778 are children and 9,752 are women. It added that 30 children lost their lives due to famine, confirming that 72% of the victims of the Israeli war were children and women.
According to the report, the Israeli occupation forces killed 485 medical staff, 67 civil defense crews, and 140 journalists.
It said that 7,000 are still missing and 17,000 children are now orphaned, living without one or both parents.
Multi-front solidarity
The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon – Hezbollah confirmed Tuesday that it engaged the headquarters of two Israeli military units in southern occupied Palestine in response to the assassination of one of its fighters in a southern Lebanese town earlier.
In a statement, Hezbollah said its Resistance fighters launched a combined aerial attack using diversionary and suicide drones and engaged the headquarters of the Golani Brigade and the Egoz Unit 621 at Shraga barracks north of the occupied city of Akka, hitting its targets precisely.
Reuters highlighted that this was Hezbollah’s “deepest attack” into occupied Palestinian territory since the start of the Gaza war on October 7.
Israeli media had earlier reported sirens sounding in the Upper al-Jalil area over a drone infiltration and mentioned that interception missiles were launched toward a suspicious aerial target in the skies of Nahariya.
The media also pointed out that sirens sounded in numerous northern settlements reaching the city of Akka. It was also noted that sirens sounded in Kiryat for the first time since last December.
The Israeli Army Radio confirmed that 200,000 Israelis took shelter in the north after three drones were launched from Lebanon over Nahariya.
At the heart of the Axis of Resistance is the struggle for a free Palestine, and all unfolding events are interconnected to serve that larger goal. (Illustrated by Hady Dbouq for Al Mayadeen English)
The escalating confrontations in the West Bank are intricately linked to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the Axis of Resistance’s support for Palestine, and Iran’s retaliatory operation, True Promise.
In recent months, the West Bank has witnessed a disturbing trend: a surge in attacks by settlers targeting Palestinian individuals and villages. While this pattern of aggression is not novel within the context of “Israel’s” policy of ethnic cleansing, its intensified manifestation, often concealed under the pretext of incidents such as the disappearance of a settler near Ramallah, underscores the volatile aftermath of Operation al-Aqsa Flood.
Amidst this backdrop, the launch of Operation al-Aqsa Flood emerges as a watershed moment that reaffirms the cause of Palestine as a central Arab and Islamic one, especially amid the existing critical juncture on the global scale.
Though carried out by the al-Qassam Brigades, this operation is like a sprout from the deep roots of the ongoing battle for Palestine’s freedom, led by what has become known as the Axis of Resistance.
Spanning from the Mashreq to the Maghreb (Orient to the Occident), across the breadth of the Arab and Islamic worlds, the events unfolding in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and throughout occupied Palestine have ignited a widespread response. These developments have set off a chain reaction, leading to escalations not only within the West Bank but also beyond, fueled by “Israel’s” “campaigns between wars.”
This campaign precipitated Iran’s remarkable retaliation following an Israeli assault on its consulate in Damascus. Understanding these unfolding events requires contextualizing them within the broader geopolitical landscape, where regional power dynamics intersect with longstanding conflicts and resistance movements.
Israeli settlers expelled under Resistance fire
Since October 7, the Israeli government has made public the displacement of over 250,000 Israeli settlers from their settlements. These settlements, largely constructed on land ethnically cleansed of its indigenous Palestinian and Arab communities, have become targets of Resistance operations spanning both northern and southern regions of occupied Palestine.
In the south, particularly in the Gaza envelope, where Palestinians besieged in the Gaza Strip once resided, a comprehensive evacuation has taken place after the Palestinian Resistance breached the Israeli separation walls and entered the settlements before showering its vicinity with missiles that have even reached “Tel Aviv” on multiple occasions.
The evacuation has significantly reduced the presence of settlers along the borders of the besieged Strip. Many settlers have relocated to central “Israel”, while others have scattered throughout the occupied territories. Some have chosen to return to their countries of origin, primarily in Europe or the Americas, based on their nationality prior to settling in “Israel”.
In the north, Resistance operations, spearheaded by Hezbollah and other factions, compelled Israeli settlers to evacuate settlements bordering Lebanon by a depth of 5 to 8 kilometers as reportedly revealed by Israeli journalists and Resistance sources.
While unprecedented since the so-called inception of “Israel”, these evacuations were anticipated. Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah previously underscored that in the next war with “Israel”, settlers would be forced to abandon their settlements, and while this is not even a widescale war, his words proved to be true once again. This strategic shift aims to bring the conflict to “Israel” rather than allow “Israel” to instigate hostilities against Lebanon, as it did in 2006 and 2000.
As Israeli deterrence erodes, it becomes increasingly apparent to settlers that they face an irreversible choice: either leave occupied Palestine or occupy another Palestinian home elsewhere in occupied Palestine.
Making up for what was lost on October 7
Israeli settlers faced a new reality following October 7, even vis-a-vis their daily life. Displaced settlers are now facing declining living standards after having initially migrated to “Israel” in pursuit of the material gains they had been promised once they settled in
Instead, settlers are now struggling, not even to preserve their privileges against indigenous Palestinians, but to merely meet their daily needs as they lose their homes and the rest of the material gains they were promised at a time when the IOF has clearly failed to achieve any of its goals in the Strip or across the Northern Front – another issue which eliminates hope for Israeli settlers that things could get better in the foreseeable future.
IOF-backed Israeli settlers attacked several villages and towns in the occupied West Bank on Saturday and opened fire on Palestinians and their properties.
Among the villages targeted by the settlers were Duma, Baytin, Turmusaya, Atara, and Deir Dibwan east of the Ramallah and… pic.twitter.com/s8iawFvFyH
Moreover, with the erosion of Israeli deterrence, settlers, once assured of their superiority over other regional powers such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran, to name a few, now seethe with fury at their expulsion from territories they occupied during the 1948 Nakba and the 1967 Six-Day War. This resentment has boiled over, leading to a surge in attacks on Palestinian residents of the West Bank, surpassing previous levels of violence and reoccurring at a more frequent rate.
Simultaneously, Israeli occupation influencers-turned-government officials like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have spearheaded efforts to arm all settlers, going beyond the usual military program enforced upon Israeli settlers. The arming, which came under the guise of “fighting terrorism”, aims to revive historic terrorist Zionist organizations such as the Haganah, which conducted the initial Nakba in 1948, killing hundreds and thousands of Palestinians on purely racist grounds to occupy their homes and lands.
It’s crucial to recognize that “Israel’s” ethnic cleansing policies, which intensified notably after the events of Seif al-Quds in 2021 and further escalated following October 7, have emboldened settlers to perpetrate the same crimes of genocide as the Israeli occupation Forces are conducting the Gaza Strip [Over 33,000 martyrs] and the same crimes as the Haganah did in 1948.
Since Friday evening, Israeli settlers have been storming several towns of the occupied West Bank, vandalizing and setting houses and vehicles on fire and physically assaulting Palestinian civilians. pic.twitter.com/OMFa9ZwP0E
Next stop on the path towards liberation: West Bank, East Bank
Looking for alternatives as the Israeli cities become overcrowded and the economy crumbles, settlers go stealing Palestinian homes and ethnically cleansing entire villages to accommodate their needs. This is not new, as we all remember the Israeli proverb put forward by the settler Yacob: “If I don’t steal it, someone else is gonna steal it.”
The killing of Palestinians and the destruction of their homes by settlers, under the protection of Israeli occupation forces, is fueling anger among the Palestinian people. This anger is exacerbated by the Israeli occupation government’s continuous announcement of new land seizures, extending over dozens of dunums in the West Bank, and even in al-Quds’ Sheikh Jarrah.
Coupled with widespread detention campaigns, assassinations, military raids, and other oppressive practices, this situation is pushing people toward embracing armed Resistance as the only means to achieve a free Palestine and live with dignity.
It is also important to note that in the West Bank, the Resistance has already begun establishing liberated zones, particularly across the triangle of hell: Jenin, Nablus, and Tulkarm. However, recent settler attacks have targeted areas in the Ramallah and Nablus governorates, farther from the refugee camps where the Resistance has garnered strong popular support and found a conducive environment to thrive.
This escalation is likely to ignite a widespread intifada across the West Bank, to expand the operation that was launched on October 7, bringing the war to the heart of occupied Palestine. This is especially likely given that the settler attacks are being conducted under the supervision of the IOF who have besieged multiple cities. These aggressions remain ongoing today, four days on, without stopping except when the Iranian missiles shook “Israel”.
The consequences of such an intifada, given its existential nature, may also provoke unrest across the East Bank of the Jordan River, where approximately 80% of the population is Palestinian.
Iran’s retaliation in context
In turn, Iran’s retaliation can be seen in the context of the West Bank and the historic struggle for the liberation of Palestine and the ending of Western hegemony in the region. This retaliation on Israeli-occupied Palestine consolidated the Axis of Resistance as a series of interconnected rings that had both the military capability and the strategic patience to coordinate operations to achieve a unified goal of an Israeli demise and ultimately US containment in the region.
As such, Iran’s successful cornering of the US and “Israel” in a well-calculated, below-threshold, but fully effective response, has underscored a new era in the struggle for the liberation of Palestine.
This new era grants the Palestinian Resistance a larger margin of operation and limits if not ends “Israel’s” renowned “Campaign Between Wars” which was started in 2013 to “address Iran’s growing threat” following the start of the war on Syria. This means that Israeli deterrence has fallen even deeper than it has on October 7 with Hamas and on October 8 with Hezbollah and later in the face of Yemen and others.
To better understand the depth of that, one must look at Iran’s unprecedented retaliation against “Israel” following an attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. The retaliation, in fact, underscored the strategic maneuvering at play within the Axis of Resistance.
It stressed that beyond its primary objective of Palestinian liberation, this coalition seeks to dismantle the enduring legacies of colonialism and imperialism, epitomized by pivotal agreements like the Balfour Declaration, which allowed for the establishment of the Israeli occupation as a barrier “state” on occupied Palestinian soil with the aim of expansion and the Sykes-Picot Accords which partitioned the region into multi-purpose entities that serve colonialism.
Amidst escalating tensions and deepening geopolitical fault lines, it is impossible to understand unfolding events without delving into the complex and multifaceted dynamics of the existential war taking place at the heart of the Arab world; the war of the unmaking of the Sykes-Picot Accords.
In a more simplified way, one can explain the broader situation by saying that the Axis is determined to give the US and “Israel” a run for their money in the region. The Resistance movements in the region, backed by Iran and Syria, have one big mission: free Palestine and take down those pesky imperialist structures that have been causing trouble in the Arab and Islamic worlds.
Keep the big picture ahead, save your rage for the right time
Despite the ongoing genocide in which “Israel” has been targeting unarmed civilians, the Resistance continues to stand strong. It continues to conduct ambushes unimaginable by the Israeli occupation forces claiming their lives a dozen at a time.
As the leaders of the Palestinian Resistance have reportedly underscored, be it al-Qassam Brigades or al-Quds Brigades or others, Iran and the Axis of Resistance, especially Syria and Hezbollah, have played a key role in strengthening and transferring expertise to the Strip.
Much like in the Strip, the Axis of Resistance has no intention of allowing the West Bank and its Resistance to be wiped out and has a few tricks up its sleeve to turn the table on “Israel” and the West.
In this context, it must be remembered that the struggle to liberate Palestine extends beyond the entity of Palestine as drawn by the Sykes-Picot Accords but involves the re-emergence of the historic Arab world with Palestine as the compass that has the ability to achieve that through the demise of the barrier “state” otherwise known as “Israel”.
In such situations, events unfold relatively quickly; however, there is no benefit in rushing liberation. Rather it is required to mature slowly in the sense that it becomes inevitable.
Gaza still amazes the world with its incredible resistance despite all forms of oppression it has been facing since the start of the brutal Israeli aggression on October 7. On the day 192 of the war, both people and resistance stand firm in face of the Israeli massacres and deliberate starvation.
Israeli attacks on Monday took place in several areas across the besieged enclave with the concentration was on Gaza Strip’s center.
Palestinian media reported attacks on two mosques, a UN-run school and the Malaysian school in the Nuseirat refugee camp.
Israeli occupation forces target civilians and journalists in Nusseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. pic.twitter.com/Ni6Q5euIDM
Also in central Gaza, several residential homes and a market were subjected to Israeli strikes.
Elsewhere in northern Gaza, the Firas market was targeted.
Strikes were also reported in the southern city of Rafah, according to Palestinian media.
Health Ministry in Gaza reported that 68 people were martyred and 94 others were injured in 7 massacres in the past 24 hours. It put the death toll of the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip at 33,545.
The ministry added that the number of injured people reached 76,094.
Destruction “Disproportionate to Anything One Can Imagine”
Meanwhile on Monday, Civil Defense in Gaza said on its Telegram channel that it recovered 13 more decomposing bodies in Khan Younis’ Al-Balad and Al-Amal neighborhoods.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs described the destruction in the southern city of Khan Younis as profound.
In a post on X the UN office said a team has visited Khan Younis and witnessed destroyed homes, schools and hospitals as well as unexploded ordinance.
🔺 Homes, schools and hospitals severely damaged 🔺 Roads reduced to dirt tracks 🔺 Civilians at grave risk of unexploded ordnance 🔺 Collapsed services
Yesterday, a @UN team visited #Gaza's Khan Younis where they witnessed profound destruction.
For his part, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), said that the organization and its partners went to Khan Younis on Sunday to assess the health facilities there.
.@WHO and partners went to Khan Younis yesterday to assess the health facilities there. The team described the destruction as "disproportionate to anything one can imagine". No building or road is intact, there is only rubble and dirt.
Also on Monday, Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad resistance group released a video showing fighters targeting Israeli concentrations east Jabalia.
سرايا القدس: مشاهد من استهداف قوات الاحتلال وتحصيناتها شرق جباليا بالأسلحة الرشاشة pic.twitter.com/9fMBdoQDZw
On the other hand, a security and military studies professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies said that Hamas’s armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, has surprised many military analysts over the past seven months.
Talking to Al-Jazeera, Omar Ashour said Al-Qassam Brigades was completely outnumbered and outgunned in all domains – sea, air and land – as well as electronic and cyberwarfare.
He added that the resistance group has created its own environment to be able to fight by constructing multilevel underground tunnels that doubled or tripled the size of Gaza
“Many Hamas fighters remain, and Israel has killed only one of its three top commanders. If Israel wants to achieve its aim of destroying Hamas, the fight will take a lot longer than the Israeli military expected, and it may not even be possible,” Ashour said, as quoted by Al-Jazeera.
If one were to draw a map, highlighting all Israeli military areas targeted by the Resistance in Gaza, and outside Gaza today, it would cover a very large expanse.
It included Khan Younis, Sheikh Ajlin in Gaza City, and Deir Al-Balah among other areas.
Al-Quds Brigades also reported that its fighters have shelled several areas inside Israel, including Naqab, Asqalan, Sderot and Nir Am.
Below are the latest statements by the two main Resistance forces in Gaza, and the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah.
The statements were communicated via their Telegram channels and are published here in their original form.
Al-Quds Brigades (Palestinian Islamic Jihad)
“After our fighters returned from the clash points in Khan Yunis, they confirmed that they carried out a number of missions:
“- Targeting a special Zionist force holed up in a building with an anti-armor and fortifications shell, and they blew up a Zionist tank with a Barq-shock explosive device in the same place.
“- Our fighters shot down a Zionist drone and took control of it.
“- Our fighters targeted gatherings of enemy soldiers with a barrage of 60-caliber standard mortar shells around Al-Amal Hospital and the Al-Arishiya area on the axes of advance west of Khan Younis.
Spokesman of Al Quds Brigades of Islamic Jihad Abu Hamza issues message for tomorrow’s Al Quds day.
All I hear is praise for Iran & Syria, Islamic Resistance in Iraq, Lebanon & Yemen, praise for Sayed Hassan Nasrallah & Sayed Abdul Malek al Houthi.pic.twitter.com/vndZ4ou31w
“In conjunction with the Omar Al-Qasim Forces, we bombarded with mortar shells a gathering of enemy soldiers and vehicles in the Sheikh Ajlin area, west of Gaza City.
“This afternoon, we bombed the Kfar Azza settlement with a barrage of heavy-caliber mortar shells.
“We bombed Netivot and its vicinity in the western Naqab with a rocket barrage in response to the Zionist enemy’s crimes against our people.
Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas)
“Al-Qassam Brigades target a Zionist Merkava 4 tank with an Al-Yassin 105 shell east of Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.”
Hezbollah
“In support of the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in backing their noble resistance, the Islamic Resistance executed a number of operations against positions and deployments of the Israeli enemy army at the Lebanese-Palestinian border on Thursday, 04-04-2024, as follows:
“- Eastern sector:
1- At 15:50, targeting an Israeli technical team while conducting maintenance of technical and espionage equipment at the Bayad Blida site using appropriate weapons.
2- At 17:20, targeting the Ruwaisat Al-Alam site in the occupied hills of Kfar Shuba with artillery shells.
Hezbollah:
In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, the Mujahideen targeted a movement of enemy soldiers and vehicles at the Al-Malikiyah site with artillery shells and missile weapons, and they inflicted confirmed casualties. pic.twitter.com/BH0zBlykEz
In an attack against an Israeli unit in Khan Younis, al-Qassam fighters killed an Israeli occupation officer and injured 16 others, six of whom were in critical condition.
The Israeli occupation military revealed that one of its officers was killed in confrontations against the Palestinian Resistance in Khan Younis, while 16 Israeli soldiers were injured, six of whom were in critical condition.
Under the “permitted to be published” clause, Israeli media announced that the officer belonged to the “Egoz” unit, which operates under the “Commandos” special forces.
Israeli media also described the clash as “a difficult battle”, detailing that Resistance fighters engaged the unit’s soldiers using an RPG, targeting a building where they had been stationed, in the al-Amal neighborhood, near Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.
🔴⚡️URGENT: Voici la vidéo filmée par les combattants d’Al Qassam du bâtiment qui a été bombardé hier où des soldats israéliens étaient retranchés à l'intérieur à Khan Yunis, au sud de Gaza, 7 soldats israéliens ont été tués et plusieurs autres blessés dont certains grièvement. pic.twitter.com/BgFZCE58tM
— LE RIFAIN LA NOUVELLE DU FRONT (@rifain_nouvelle) March 29, 2024
A complex rescue mission was reportedly launched, led by the Israeli “669” unit which cooperated with helicopters from the Israeli airforce, to transport the wounded to a hospital, nearly an hour following the blast.
Following the battle against the Israeli troops, the al-Qassam military fighters ambushed another Israeli unit made up of six soldiers, resulting in casualties between killed and wounded.
On March 27, the Israeli occupation forces also announced the death of a sergeant from the Givati Brigade and the wounding of 22 IOF troops in battles with the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza.
Israeli media outlets pointed out that the number of casualties equates to an entire brigade of the Israeli military, which consists of 11 regular and active brigades. The extreme reduction in manpower has had clear effects on the Israeli military’s structure, as officials have called for at least 14,500 new recruits. The events have also forced further dependence on reserve brigades, costing the Israeli occupation treasury large sums to maintain.
It is worth noting that thousands of casualties among Israeli troops go unreported when treated in field hospitals.
In his traditional Tuhamian clothing, Ali, a Yemeni fisherman from the coastal city of Hodeidah, stands in a gathering of thousands of Yemenis and chants, “With you, with you, O Al-Qassam Brigades… until victory or martyrdom.”
Ali told MintPress News that with the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, he feels the suffering of his brothers in Gaza more than ever, so he decided to participate in today’s demonstration for the first time out of sympathy with Gaza and in rejection of what he described as the hideous practices carried out by the invaders in the Red Sea against fishermen.
At the beginning of Ramadan, he quit fishing in Yemen’s territorial waters for fear of his life. “Since the scary ships came, whoever goes out to fish will be killed or arrested, and whoever survives will not return with enough fish.”
Ali, a member of the Al-Hammadi family, who depend on fishing as their only source of income, says that one of his relatives, Qasim, was killed by foreign forces protecting Israeli ships at sea near the shores of Hodeidah. But Ali says he is happy that he now shares the suffering with the residents of Gaza.
FISHERMEN RALLY AGAINST FOREIGN AGGRESSION
Qasim and seven other fishermen, all from the Al-Khawkha District in the coastal governorate of Hodeidah, lost their lives to the Western forces in the Red Sea while fishing in Yemen’s territorial waters. On January 26, 2024, a month after their disappearance, their bodies were found on the Dhu al-Harab Islands overlooking the waterway in the sea. The coalition allies control these islands. At that time, the Ministry of Fisheries, based in Sana’a, accused American coalition forces of the crime.
The murder of the eight fishermen: Qasim Hammadi, Ibrahim Mahnish, Zakaria Mansoub, Hamza Abdel Hafeez, Majed Bahidar, Ibrahim Salem, Ahmed Shaif, and Anwar Hattab is not an isolated case, but rather one of the dozens of incidents in which fishermen either lost their lives were injured or were arrested and disappeared, forcing other fisherman to stay in their homes starving rather than risk death or imprisonment.
The Ministry of Fisheries in Sana’a, which recorded dozens of violations against fishermen, including kidnapping and arrests carried out by the U.S. Navy, said in a previous statement that the U.S. Navy’s activity near the Yemeni coast and territorial waters threatens Yemeni fishermen, puts their lives in danger and causes them to lose their only source of income.
It mentioned that U.S. forces and their allies resort to the use of force and threats to prevent fishermen from exercising their right to fish, pointing to the tragic conditions experienced by thirty thousand Yemeni fishermen, who depend on the fishing profession as the only source of income for their families, due to the presence of American forces in the Red Sea.
It added that foreign forces also deplete and plunder fish stocks, leading to declining stocks and fishermen’s wages. “Sometimes we and our brothers in Gaza share the same suffering, siege, and killing,” Ali says.
Ali supports Ansar Allah’s blockade of Israeli ships from the Red Sea and likens his suffering to that of Palestinians. He does not hide his support for the targeting of American and British ships, describing it as a resistance operation against forces that came from the high seas, not to prevent them from fishing and polluting their waters, but rather to kill the people of Gaza. He says Israel, America and Britain should “drink from the same cup.”
Like the fishermen, residents still suffer from the repercussions of ten years of Saudi-led war and the U.S.-backed blockade, despite the relative cessation of bombing from 2022 until the start of the war on Gaza. Yemen is one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with more than 21 million Yemenis in need of assistance and suffering from inadequate food, health care, and infrastructure and 6.1 million facing “emergency” levels of food insecurity, according to a recent report from Human Rights Watch.
The situation has become much worse since the onset of the U.S. bombing campaign on the Yemeni mainland, the continuation of the blockade, and the prevention of any political settlement between warring factions in Yemen. The local population, however, does not appear ready to abandon Gaza and supports Ansar Allah’s operations against Israel, U.S. and British ships, even if it makes their own situation worse.
Residents in Hodeidah Governorate were not the only ones who took to the streets in massive demonstrations on Friday to express this sentiment. A massive demonstration took place in more than 140 governorates, cities, and regions, the most important of which was in the Al-Sabeen area in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, and the cities of Saada, Dhamar, Al-Bayda, Hajjah, Al-Mahwit, Amran, Al-Dhale’, Taiz, Al-Jawf, and Marib governorates. The theme of the protests was “Our operations continue. Stop your aggression.”
ESCALATING TENSIONS: THE YEMENI RESPONSE
Most Yemenis see the aid airdropped by the U.S. in Gaza and the construction of a floating port as little more than a hoax, and Yemen’s leadership intends to escalate its blockade of the Red Sea further. This week, an Israeli ship, the Pacific 1, was targeted for the first time since November 19, 2023, when Yemen announced military operations in support of Gaza.
Recently, the leader of Ansar Allah, Abdulmalik Al-Houthi, announced that Israeli or Israeli-linked ships would not only be prevented from crossing the Red and Arabian Seas but would also be prevented from crossing the Indian Ocean and Cape of Good Hope until the war against Gaza is stopped and the blockade is lifted.
Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the spokesperson of Ansar Allah, confirmed that Yemen has moved towards escalation by targeting Israeli ships in the Indian Ocean and preventing them from sailing towards the Cape of Good Hope. International shipping companies linked to Israel, he said, “must take this escalation very seriously and know that any Israel-linked ship will be exposed to Yemeni missiles.”
ANSAR ALLAH’S PURSUIT OF STRATEGIC SUPERIORITY
In response to U.S. attacks on Yemen, Ansar Allah has not only upgraded their missile and drone capabilities, modifying explosive warheads to double their destructive power but has now manufactured hypersonic missiles with high destructive capability. High-ranking military sources within Ansar Allah told MintPress that Yemen is close to adding hypersonic missiles to its arsenal following testing against sea targets. In early March, Yemeni rocket scientists tested a solid-fuel hypersonic missile that can reach speeds of up to 10,000 kilometers per hour (Mach 8).
In a recent interview with MintPress News, ِMohammed Ali al-Houthi, Ansar Allah’s second-in-command, gave explicit hints about a “surprise” that could change the equation in the Red Sea, even against targets inside of the occupied Palestinian territories.
In a televised speech, which he usually delivers every Thursday to announce the latest developments in Gaza and Yemen, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Ansar Allah, said, “There is a noticeable development in Yemeni missiles, among these developments is a missile that arrived to Eilat this week without being detected or intercepted by the enemy. Others reached to the Indian Ocean, however, behind these developments is something more advanced, but we leave it for action first.
Last Thursday, al-Houthi announced that Ansar Allah has used new weapons in recent operations in the Red and Arabian Seas, which “surprised the United States and the United Kingdom.” He added, “Our enemies, friends, and our people will see a level of achievement of strategic importance that will place our country in terms of its capabilities among the few countries in this world.”
Brigadier Abdul-Ghani Al-Zubaid, Brigadier in the Yemeni Army and researcher in political and military affairs said that al-Houthi’s allusion to missile development and failure of Israel’s advanced air defense systems, such as the Hatz system, confirmed that hypersonic missiles are already available, perhaps in significant quantities. He continued, “We may witness qualitative operations targeting the enemy’s depth in the coming days, American and British ships in the Indian Ocean and South Africa.”
Israel acknowledged in a statement released on Monday that “a cruise missile” coming from the direction of the Red Sea from Yemen circumvented Israeli anti-air systems and struck territories in southern occupied Palestine near Eilat.
Ballistic missiles fly on a trajectory, allowing anti-missile systems to anticipate and intercept their path. The more irregular a missile’s flight path, the more difficult it becomes to intercept. Hypersonic missiles fly at speeds greater than Mach 5 and can change directions during flight. Undoubtedly, Ansar Allah’s new hypersonic missiles could pose a formidable challenge to air defense systems employed by the U.S. and Israel due to their speed and maneuverability. Another development that was met with less fanfare but was no less significant than Ansar Allah’s hypersonic missiles was the development of its diplomatic relationship with Russia and China.
YEMEN’S GEOPOLITICAL REBALANCING ACT
Growing feelings of hostility towards the United States and the United Kingdom following their attacks on Yemen and support for Israel’s war in Gaza have not only prompted major countries such as Russia to strengthen their relationship with Ansar Allah to mire the U.S. in the Red Sea swamp, they have also prompted the group to enhance relations with Russia and China in a bid to bring about a strategic defeat for the U.S. in the region.
Member of Ansar Allah’s Political Bureau, Ali al-Qahoum, told MintPress that,
“There is already development in relations between Yemen, Russia, China, and the BRICS countries, exchanging experiences and expertise in various fields. This serves a common interest with the goal of letting America, Britain, and the West sink into a quagmire in the Red Sea so that their unilateral polarity sinks, fades, and weakens.“
Al-Qahoum added,
“This is not just my analysis but a clearly visible fact. Yemen is a state that has already succeeded in supporting Palestine and has been able to stabilize the Red Sea with great efficiency, representing a major strategic victory in the military, security and political spheres.
Thanks to God and our brave leader, Yemen was able to achieve this with unparalleled strength and pride,” he added, “To the point that major countries began coordinating and building relations with us on an equal footing, paving the way for the foreseeable future and laying the groundwork for the historic defeat of the United States, Britain and the West, and by extension, the collapse of the colonial project and Western hegemony over the region and the world.
With the West, led by America and Britain, attacking Yemen and continuing to weave colonial conspiracies and preparing to expand their ongoing aggression against Yemen, and their failure to provide protection for Israel in the Red Sea, there is intensive work and movement by Yemen to support Palestine and continue useful and effective strategic military operations.“
STRATEGIC COORDINATION: PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE
The strengthening of diplomatic ties with Russia, China, and the BRICS countries is no exception. Ansar Allah is also strengthening its relations with various Palestinian resistance factions, specifically the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement.
Nasr al-Din Amer, a leader in Ansar Allah and deputy head of the Ansar Allah Media Authority, told MintPress that Ansar Allah had given authority over the Israeli ship, the “Galaxy,” detained off of the coast of Yemen as well as its crew, to the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Amer emphasized Ansar Allah’s cooperation and coordination with Palestinian resistance movements, most notably Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
Several Palestinians have been killed and numerous others injured in the cities of Rafah and Jabalia in the Gaza Strip. Local media reports suggest that at least 14 Palestinians lost their lives as residential houses and apartments were targeted by Israeli occupation forces.
Bereaved families in Rafah bidding farewell to their loved ones mass murdered by Israeli airstrikes late last night in Rafah, southern Gaza. pic.twitter.com/yYBCe7TvIA
Twenty-seven Palestinians were martyred in an Israeli airstrike on a house in the al-Nusseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip early Wednesday. The attack also resulted in several injuries. This airstrike follows another Israeli attack that took place at the Kuwait Roundabout in Gaza City, where 23 Palestinians were killed and numerous others were wounded.
An Israeli airstrike struck the house of the Mqbel family in northern Gaza, massacring 15 of the family members, including women and children, amidst the overnight airstrikes on Gaza. pic.twitter.com/NF4TxRfngN
Reports from various media outlets indicate that Israeli aircraft also targeted a residential building northwest of Gaza City, while artillery shelling was reported in the western areas of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.
The Latest Updates from Gaza:
• 15 people killed and dozens remain trapped under the rubble after an Israeli airstrike on a family home in Nuseirat
• 23+ people killed after an Israeli airstrike on tribal committees organizing aid distribution at the Kuwait roundabout pic.twitter.com/Uz9cbI0Wtx
The Ministry of Health in Gaza released a chilling statistic, stating that since October 7, a total of 31,819 Palestinians have lost their lives due to Israeli aggression, with a staggering 73,934 injuries reported.
However, amidst the devastation, Palestinian Resistance factions in Gaza have shown resilience and launched counter-attacks against Israeli occupation forces.
Israeli forces assassinated Amjad Hathat, the director of the Emergency Committee in western Gaza, while securing the entry of aid yesterday night. pic.twitter.com/IqM5vzEaPd
Fierce Clashes Near Medical Complex, Casualties Reported
Various Palestinian Resistance groups in Gaza City have confirmed engaging in intense confrontations with Israeli occupation forces near Al-Shifa Medical Complex. Al-Qassam Brigades from Hamas reported attacking Israeli occupation soldiers with a TBG shell, while al-Quds Brigades from the PIJ engaged with Israeli occupation troops using machine guns.
Recent reports from Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza confirm that Israeli forces have been conducting mass arrests of Palestinian civilians.
For the past two days, displaced Palestinians seeking refuge in the hospital have been pleading for rescue as they have run out of food… pic.twitter.com/7XKkFgCOT6
As the Palestinian Resistance continues to repel the Israeli incursions, the occupation military admitted to the killing of a commander in the 401st Armored Brigade and a First Sergeant in the Nahal Brigade during battles near the hospital. Israeli media revealed that a special unit was ambushed by the Palestinian factions, resulting in casualties among the raiding forces.
A screen grab video published by the al-Qassam Brigades showing an Israeli Merkava tank moments before it was targeted by Resistance fighters with an al-Yassin 105 shell southwest of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City (Military Media of the al-Qassam Brigades)
The Palestinian Resistance factions in Gaza continue to confront the raiding Israeli occupation forces across several areas in the besieged Strip.
In recent hours, the battlefronts in Gaza witnessed intense confrontations with Israeli occupation forces and consecutive operations by the Palestinian Resistance factions, specifically in the central and southern parts of the besieged Strip.
The al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, announced that its Resistance fighters targeted an Israeli Merkava tank with an al-Yassin 105 shell southwest of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City.
Al-Qassam fighters also ambushed an Israeli infantry force along the advance axis in the city of Khan Younis, causing casualties among the occupation forces.
On its part, the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement, announced that its fighters engaged an Israeli military vehicle with an RPG shell in southern Gaza.
The Brigades’ Resistance fighters also shelled Israeli occupation forces gathered in the al-Zaytoun neighborhood southeast of Gaza City with mortar shells.
In Khan Younis, the Al-Quds Brigades confirmed ambushing an Israeli unit along the advance axis, causing casualties among the raiding forces, and mentioned targeting an Israeli military vehicle with an RPG shell in the camp area west of the city.
In a joint operation, the al-Mujahideen and the al-Quds Brigades’ snipers targeted several Israeli occupation soldiers stationed in their military vehicles near the al-Tiba Towers, west of Khan Younis.
In a related context, the al-Quds Brigades carried out operations in the Abasan al-Kabira area, east of Khan Younis, including ambushing an Israeli engineering unit and a bulldozer, as well as detonating several barrel bombs.
The Brigades also engaged a Merkava tank with a Tandem shell and inflicted casualties on the raiding occupation soldiers.
Similarly, Martyr Omar al-Qassam Forces, the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), announced that its fighters targeting Israeli occupation forces with an RPG shell in the al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City and an explosive device in Khan Younis.
Elsewhere, the Al-Mujahideen Brigades published footage of its Resistance fighters targeting Israeli occupation forces holed up in a building in the al-Zaytoun neighborhood with a Saeer rocket.
The Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas said that Israel continues its war of extermination, as Israeli relentless bombings killed over 60 Palestinians in central, southern Gaza.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said that the Palestinian refugee agency is at a “breaking point”.
While Washington announced a new draft resolution to help release the captives, China’s envoy to the UNSC reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 29,514 Palestinians have been killed, and 69,616 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
FRENCH PRESIDENCY: French President Macron reiterated, in contact with his American counterpart, the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza and his opposition to launching an attack on Rafah.
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: An Israeli artillery shelling targeted the west of the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.
AL-JAZEERA: A number of injured people arrived at PALESTINIAN MEDIA after the bombing of a house in Al-Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip.
CHANNEL 12: Netanyahu’s post-Gaza war plan aims to reassure Washington.
AL-JAZEERA: Israeli warplanes launched two raids on the town of Jabal Balat in southern Lebanon on Friday evening.
Friday, February 23, 9:30 pm (GMT+2)
CNN (citing US officials): The administration of President Joe Biden is facing difficulty in how to increase pressure on the Houthis in Yemen.
CHANNEL 13: The negotiating delegation will return from Paris tonight.
AL-MONITOR (citing a source close to Netanyahu): Hamas did not make concessions in the negotiations.
Friday, February 23, 7:00 pm (GMT+2)
AXIOS: Anthony Blinken’s decision to cancel the “Pompeo Doctrine” came in response to Israel’s announcement of plans to expand settlements in the West Bank.
In this video, Al-Qassam Brigades fighters are seen confronting Israeli forces invading the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood east of Gaza City. — Text and audio translation 0:38 – "We're just sitting. Come on, it [the tank] came." 0:52 – Sign reads, "Battle of Al-Aqsa Flood. Al-Qassam… pic.twitter.com/O3RkZxs5C6
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: an Israeli bombing targeted a house in the Jaffa area of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, killing 26 Palestinians, most of them children and women.
HAMAS: Biden and his administration bear responsibility for the crimes occurring in Gaza. WHITE HOUSE: We made clear to the Israelis our refusal to occupy the Gaza Strip.
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: Israeli warplanes launched several raids on various areas in the cities of Gaza and Rafah.
Friday, February 23, 7:00 pm (GMT+2)
WASHINGTON POST (quoting Israeli officials): Netanyahu’s presentation of a post-war plan surprised the Israeli government.
AL-QUDS BRIGADES: We blew up a Merkava tank with a “guerrilla action” device west of Khan Yunis.
HEZBOLLAH: We targeted the Al-Malikiyah site with missile weapons.
GAZA GOVERNMENT MEDIA OFFICE: 700,000 people face famine in the northern Gaza Strip.
BLINKEN: We support Israel’s right to “security and self-defense.
ISRAELI MINISTER OF CULTURE AND SPORTS: We are ready to enter Rafah. Through this step, we can put pressure on Hamas and reach a deal.
Friday, February 23, 6:00 pm (GMT+2)
AL-QASSAM BRIGADES: We targeted a Merkava tank south of the Zaytoun neighborhood. GAZA GOVERNMENT MEDIA OFFICE: The number of journalist martyrs since the start of the Israeli war on the Strip had risen to 132.
AL-QUDS BRIGADES: The number of journalist killed since the start of the Israeli war on the Strip has risen to 132.
PRCS: The Israeli occupation forces bombed the vicinity of Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis and caused significant damage to its facilities.
🚨Urgent: Israeli occupation forces have just targeted the vicinity of PRCS Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis, resulting in significant damage to the hospital's facilities.#NotATarget ❌#IHL#AlAmalHospital
ISRAELI BRIGADE COMMANDER: We did not completely defeat Hamas in northern Gaza. ABC (quoting US official): The director of the CIA will begin today in Europe a round of negotiations regarding the “hostages” in the Gaza Strip, to reach an agreement before the start of Ramadan.
Friday, February 23, 4:30 pm (GMT+2)
NYT (quoting Israeli officials): Netanyahu’s goal of destroying Hamas is still elusive. AL-QUDS BRIGADES: We killed and wounded an Israeli foot force during an ambush in the Al-Taqaddum axis in central Khan Yunis.
NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL: The situation in Gaza is getting worse every day.
NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL: The situation in Gaza is getting worse every day.
AL-JAZEERA: A massive demonstration took place in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in support of the Gaza Strip and to denounce the genocide committed by the Israeli occupation.
Friday, February 23, 2:00 pm (GMT+2)
CHANNEL 12: The Israeli delegation left for Paris to resume talks on concluding a prisoner exchange deal, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week froze the talks by preventing the negotiating delegation from traveling to Cairo.
INDONESIA: We should consider the occupation illegal from its beginning.
PAKISTAN: Israel has imposed discrimination against Palestinians since 1967.
Friday, February 23, 1:00 pm (GMT+2)
UN EXPERTS: Transferring weapons to Israel for use in Gaza violates international law.
AL-QUDS BRIGADES: Our fighters bombed sites where occupation vehicles and soldiers were gathered south of Gaza City in the middle of the Strip with 60-caliber mortar shells, as battles intensified in the area.
AL-QUDS BRIGADES: Our fighters bombed sites where occupation vehicles and soldiers were gathered south of Gaza City in the middle of the Strip with 60-caliber mortar shells, as battles intensified in the area.
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: Photojournalist Muhammad Yaghi, his daughter, and his wife were killed in an Israeli bombing on a house in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. This brings the number of journalists killed in the Gaza Strip since October 7 to 131.
NORWAY’S REPRESENTATIVE TO ICJ: Israel continues to violate international law.
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: 19 Palestinians were martyred during the past 24 hours, as a result of Israeli raids and bombing on the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip,
Friday, February 23, 12:00 pm (GMT+2)
AL-QUDS BRIGADES: We ambushed two Israeli tanks in the Zaytoun neighborhood.
GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY: 29,514 Palestinians have been killed, and 69,616 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY: 29,514 Palestinians have been killed, and 69,616 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: Israeli helicopters launched raids on the western areas of the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.
AL-JAZEERA: More than 60 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli bombing of homes in various areas in the central and southern Gaza Strip, since yesterday evening, Thursday.
⚠️ Warning | Graphic content
AL-JAZEERA: More than 60 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli bombing of homes in various areas in the central and southern Gaza Strip, since yesterday evening, Thursday.
HAMAS: The Zionist enemy continues its criminal bombing, continuing the war of extermination and ethnic cleansing
AL-JAZEERA: The Israeli occupation forces targeted the western areas of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, with heavy artillery shelling.
CHINA: China’s representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, stressed that an immediate ceasefire in Gaza is an urgent necessity to save lives and prevent a broader war.
Friday, February 23, 05:00 am (GMT+2)
KAN: Netanyahu presented to the security cabinet a document of principles regarding policy for the day after the Gaza war.
HAMAS: The head of the movement’s political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, concluded a visit to Egypt that lasted several days to discuss stopping the war in the Gaza Strip. The delegation held several meetings with the head of Egyptian intelligence and his assistants, to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip.
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: Five people were killed and a number were wounded in an Israeli raid that targeted a house east of Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip.
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: Five people were killed and a number were wounded in an Israeli raid that targeted a house east of Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip.
AL-JAZEERA: there were casualties in an Israeli bombing that targeted a house in central Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip. PALESTINIAN MEDIA: There were casualties in an Israeli bombing that targeted a camp for displaced people in the Al-Zawayda area in the central Gaza Strip.
Friday, February 23, 01:00 am (GMT+2)
HEZBOLLAH: We targeted the Israeli Maale Golan barracks with missiles.
Friday, February 23, 12:00 am (GMT+2)
ISRAELI MEDIA: Repeated missile attacks towards the Golan. LAZZARINI: UNRWA in Gaza has reached the “breaking point”. AL-JAZEERA: Rockets were launched from southern Lebanon towards the Galilee region. DEPUTY US ENVOY TO UNSC: Washington has a draft resolution that will help ongoing efforts to release detainees in Gaza.
DEPUTY US ENVOY TO UNSC: Washington has a draft resolution that will help ongoing efforts to release detainees in Gaza.
By Palestine Chronicle Staff After many days of siege, and sniping of many civilians in its vicinity, Israel bombed the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis before turning it into a military barracks, the […]
By Palestine Chronicle Staff The military media of Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas, released a video on Wednesday. Unlike previous videos, the five-minute reel contained commentary by one […]
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By Palestine Chronicle Staff The attacks on civilian homes came after the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah carried out a major operation earlier on Wednesday. The Israeli army launched a series of airstrikes across several […]
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By Palestine Chronicle Staff The 17 defendants convicted of espionage, pleaded for acquittal, while government prosecutors sought punishment for providing information to the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad. A local court in Türkiye has sentenced […]
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By Palestine Chronicle Staff The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas, announced the targeting of 22 Israeli soldiers in three separate ambushes in less than 24 hours. For its […]
Several displaced Palestinians were killed and injured on Tuesday in an Israeli shelling targeting a hospital in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, the Palestinian Health Ministry in the Strip said. The casualties occurred as displaced […]
By Palestine Chronicle Staff The Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas was not informed of a four-way meeting taking place in the Egyptian capital of Cairo to discuss a truce in Gaza, Al-Mayadeen reported on Tuesday. […]
By Palestine Chronicle Staff An Indian company has dispatched Hermes 900 killer drones to Israel to be employed in its genocidal war on the Gaza strip, a report says. The report, published in early […]
By Palestine Chronicle Staff The UN General Assembly Chief adds his voice to increasing concerns about the catastrophic consequences of an Israeli ground incursion into Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians are seeking […]
By Palestine Chronicle Staff Canada’s Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has warned that an Israeli ground invasion of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, would be devastating. “I’m very concerned about what’s going on in […]
By Palestine Chronicle Staff An UNRWA school in the Gaza Strip has once again come under Israeli fire, resulting in one staff member being killed and another injured. The Israeli army has opened fire […]
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday that there are no prospects for a quick stabilization of the situation in the Gaza Strip due to Israel’s “uncompromising attitude”. Speaking at a meeting of the […]
By Palestine Chronicle Staff The South African Government said that it had submitted an urgent request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Israel’s intention to expand its military offensive in the densely […]
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133 Palestinians were killed in the last 24 hours, as Israeli forces committed 16 massacres in Gaza, the Palestinian Health Ministry in the Strip said in a statement. At least five Palestinians were killed and […]
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The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas, announced the targeting of 22 Israeli soldiers in three separate ambushes in less than 24 hours.
For its part, the Israeli army admitted to the killing of two officers – including a battalion commander and a soldier – and the wounding of 18 others in battles in the Gaza Strip.
Below are the latest statements by the two main Resistance forces in Gaza, and the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah.
The statements below were communicated via their Telegram channels and are published here in their original form.
Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas)
“Al-Qassam fighters clash with a Zionist infantry force consisting of 7 soldiers from point-blank range in the Abasan Al-Kabira area, east of the city of Khan Yunis, leaving them dead or wounded.
“Al-Qassam fighters were able to detonate an anti-personnel device against a Zionist force consisting of 5 soldiers barricaded inside a house in the Abasan Al-Kabira area, east of the city of Khan Yunis.
“Al-Qassam fighters seized a Skylark reconnaissance plane that was on an enemy intelligence mission east of Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City.
“Al-Qassam fighters managed to target a Zionist troop carrier with an Al-Yassin 105 shell in the Al-Qarara area, north of Khan Yunis city.
“As soon as a rescue force arrived to save them, a second troop carrier was targeted with another shell.
A”fter returning from the combat lines, our fighters confirmed the detonation of 3 booby-trapped tunnel openings on Zionist infantry forces in the Al-Qarara area north of the city of Khan Yunis, causing deaths and injuries among their members.
“After returning from the combat lines, our fighters confirmed targeting a Zionist Merkava tank and a D9 military bulldozer with Al-Yassin 105 shells in the Al-Qarara area north of the city of Khan Yunis.
“After returning from the combat lines, our fighters confirmed the detonation of a previously rigged house on a Zionist infantry unit, causing deaths and injuries among its members, in the Al-Satar area north of the city of Khan Yunis city in the southern Gaza Strip.”
Qassam sniper vs IDF sniper in Tel al-Hawa. The fighter salutes the Lebanese, Yemeni and Iraqi resistance before sniping with his al-Ghoul two IDF soldiers: a sniper hit through the IDF soldier's loophole; and a dismounted soldier. [Qassam Brigades 9/2] pic.twitter.com/rKfR9GHKF2
Al-Quds Brigades (Palestinian Islamic Jihad) “Watch: Scenes from Saraya Al-Quds fighters targeting Zionist enemy soldiers and vehicles west of Gaza City. After our fighters returned from the clash areas in Khan Yunis, they confirmed the execution of several missions: “- Our fighters bombarded with regular mortar shells a gathering of enemy soldiers in the town of Abasan Al-Kabira, east of Khan Yunis. “- Our fighters engaged in fierce clashes with enemy soldiers and vehicles north of Khan Yunis using machine guns. “- The fighters of Saraya and the fighters of Al-Amoudi Brigade in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades bombarded an enemy army command and control position in central Khan Yunis with heavy mortar shells.”
⚡️WATCH: Al-Quds Brigades published a video showing its fighters target IOF soldiers and army vehicles in western Gaza. pic.twitter.com/NFxNiUkMkq
Hezbollah “In support of the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in backing their noble resistance, the Islamic Resistance carried out a number of operations against the positions and deployment of the Israeli enemy’s army at the Lebanese-Palestinian border on Tuesday, 13-2-2024, as follows: “- Eastern Sector: “1- At 7:45, targeting a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in Hounin Castle with rocket weapons, achieving direct hits. “2- At 11:15 targeting an Israeli police building in “Kiryat Shmona” with appropriate weapons and directly hitting it, as a response to the “israeli” attacks on southern villages and civilian homes, most recently in the village of Tallousa. “3- At 14:00, taking control of an Israeli Skylark drone in good technical condition. “4- At 15:00, targeting a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the Al-Marj site with rocket weapons, hitting it directly.
🚨🇮🇱🎥 🟡🟢Hezbollah targeted the police headquarters of Kiryat Shmona
Lebanon's Hezbollah announced that it targeted the police headquarters of the Zionist regime in the town of Kiryat Shmona in the north of occupied Palestine. pic.twitter.com/20lWR8JVDF
— 🇵🇸🇮🇪🔻☭Long Live James Connolly ✊🏼(he/him) (@tnega74) February 13, 2024
“5- At 18:10, targeting the Ruwaisat Al-Alam site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms with rocket weapons, causing direct hits.
“6- At 20:00, Targeting the headquarters of the “Zebdine” Barracks with rocket weapons, hitting it directly.
“- Western Sector:
“1- At 9:30, targeting spy equipment at the Hadab Yarin site with appropriate weapons, hitting it directly.
“2- At 14:12, targeting a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the Metat barracks with appropriate weapons and achieving a direct hit, leading to its members being killed or wounded.
“The number of operations carried out by the Islamic Resistance during 129 days, from 2023/10/08 until 2024/02/13, reached 1,028 operations.”
The extent of the Resistance operations against invading Israeli troops ranged from Tal Al-Hawa to Khan Yunis.
These locations may not immediately sound significant but they are. Tal Al-Hawa is located southwest of Gaza City while Khan Yunis is located in southern Gaza.
The fact that today’s operations took place with the same degree of intensity in both the north and the south of Gaza indicates that all Israeli allegations of having any kind of operational control, anywhere in the Strip, are simply doubtful, if not outright falsified.
Below are the latest statements by the two main Resistance forces in Gaza, and the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah.
The statements below were communicated via their Telegram channels and are published here in their original form.
Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas)
“Al-Qassam Brigades target a Zionist Merkava tank with an Al-Yassin 105 shell west of Khan Yunis city in the southern Gaza Strip.
“Al-Qassam Brigades destroy a Zionist Merkava 4 tank with an Al-Yassin 105 shell southwest of Gaza City, causing it to catch fire.
“Al-Qassam Brigades target a D9 military bulldozer with an Al-Yassin 105 shell in Tal Al-Hawa, southwest of Gaza City.
“Al-Qassam Brigades target a Zionist Merkava tank with an Al-Yassin 105 shell in Tal Al-Hawa, southwest of Gaza City.
“Al-Qassam fighters target a Zionist Merkava tank with an Al-Yassin 105 shell in Tal Al-Hawa, southwest of Gaza City.
“Al-Qassam fighters successfully sniped a Zionist officer in Tal Al-Hawa southwest of Gaza City.”
In this video, Al-Qassam fighters are seen targeting and destroying invading military vehicles in Tal Al-Hawa, west of Gaza City.
“We carried out simultaneous bombing operations with mortar shells and Badr-1 and 107mm missiles on gatherings of enemy soldiers and vehicles on the advancement axes east, south and west of the city of Khan Yunis.
“We targeted with a 107mm guided missile a group of enemy soldiers fortified in one of the buildings on the advancement axis northwest of the central area of the Gaza Strip.
“We bombarded the enemy’s soldiers and vehicles with mortar shells on the advancement axis east of Al-Bureij camp.
“We are engaged in fierce clashes with machine guns and anti-armor shells against enemy soldiers and vehicles in the Al-Arayshiyah and Batn Al-Sameen areas, west and southwest of Khan Yunis.
🚨🟢 𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝟭𝟭𝟳 #GazaResists 🔻🇵🇸 — NEW Scenes of Al-Qassam (Hamas) fighters clashing with Israeli soldiers and vehicles in Al-Maghazi and Al-Bureij camps. — 0:33 – "This is the shell that will hit the table of the [zionist war] cabinet. Agreed? Shoot it." 💥 pic.twitter.com/nKoDF54C8B
“Our fighters successfully blew up a Zionist tank with a Thaqib-barrel explosive device in the vicinity of Jourat Al-Aqqad in Khan Yunis.
“We bombed a gathering of enemy soldiers and vehicles in the vicinity of the Austrian neighborhood, west of Khan Yunis, with mortar shells.
“We are engaged in fierce clashes with machine guns and anti-tank shells with enemy soldiers and vehicles in the axes of advance in Al-Sabra and Tel Al-Hawa, southwest of Gaza.”
Hezbollah
“In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their valiant and honorable resistance, the fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 9:35 AM on Wednesday 31-01-2024, targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in Tal Tayhat with rocket weapons, hitting it directly.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 2:45 PM on Wednesday 31-01-2024, targeted the spy equipment at the Hanita site with appropriate weapons, hitting it directly.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 3:10 PM on Wednesday 31-01-2024, targeted a gathering of enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the Metat Barracks with rocket weapons, hitting them directly.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 1:35 PM on Wednesday 31-01-2024, targeted a Merkava tank in the Bayad Blida site with appropriate weapons, hitting it directly.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 3:50 PM on Wednesday 31-01-2024, targeted a building housing enemy soldiers in the settlement of Metulla with appropriate weapons, hitting it directly.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 9:00 PM on Wednesday 31-01-2024, targeted the Jal Al-Alam site, with a Falaq-1 missile, achieving a direct hit.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, and in response to the Israeli aggressions on villages and civilian homes, including the recent airstrikes on Beit Lif and Blida, at 9:15 PM on Wednesday 31-01-2024, targeted the Manara settlement with appropriate weapons, resulting in damage to one of the buildings.”
In a display of unwavering determination, the Palestinian resistance defies the Israeli aggression for the 117th consecutive day, despite the continuous endorsement by the United States for the Israeli enemy to unleash massacres upon defenseless civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip. The complicity of Western countries and certain Arab regimes, along with the silence of human rights advocates, has added to the plight of the Gazan people, whose blood has gone unnoticed amidst the enemy’s relentless atrocities.
Despite these challenges, the Palestinian resistance persists, inflicting daily losses upon the dilapidated Israeli army. Since the initiation of the aggression on Gaza, the resistance has successfully dealt blows to their forces, soldiers, and vehicles, further tarnishing their image before the world. The footage captured by the resistance fighters highlights the utter failure of the Israeli forces to achieve any military or security progress within the region.
Today, the Israeli media reported that three Israeli occupation soldiers were killed and five others sustained serious injuries during the ongoing battles in Gaza.
Later on, the Israeli occupation army announced that 5 officers and soldiers were killed and 5 others were injured during Gaza battles.
Al-Qassam Brigades fighters managed to snipe a Zionist officer in Tal Al-Hawa neighborhood southwest of Gaza City.
Israeli Army acknowledged death of the commander of Shaldag unit during clashes in Gaza.
The Israeli Occupation Army has confirmed a total of 560 soldier deaths and 2,797 wounded since October 7th, shedding light on the severe toll this aggression has taken on their ranks.
For the 114th consecutive day, the Palestinian resistance remains steadfast in the face of a Zionist aggression against the Gaza Strip despite the killing machine launched against Gazans.
This sustained conflict has garnered attention due to a perceived tacit approval from the United States for Israeli actions, leading to a multitude of casualties among defenseless civilians in the besieged territory. Complicity from Western countries and select Arab regimes, coupled with the silence of those advocating for human rights, further intensifies the gravity of the situation.
Throughout the ongoing aggression, the Palestinian resistance has incurred daily losses, particularly since the commencement of the ground offensive in Gaza. These losses contribute to the erosion of the perceived strength of the opposing forces, as documented by the resistance fighters, showcasing the failure of the Israeli forces to make significant advances within the Strip.
Amidst these challenges, the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, announced fierce clashes with occupation soldiers in Khan Younis, highlighting the ongoing intensity of the conflict.
Simultaneously, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, reported targeting two Merkava tanks in the Al-Amal neighborhood, demonstrating their continued efforts to resist the Israeli forces. The Al-Quds Brigades also announced success in downing various types of combat drones deployed in the skies above Gaza.
As the conflict persists, the Kiryati Reserve Brigade concluded its mission in Khan Yunis, according to the Occupation Army Radio. However, the absence of a comprehensive military plan for the occupation in Gaza leads to a reliance on force mobilization, making them susceptible to counterattacks.
The Al-Quds Brigades announced actions, including bombings of supply lines and clashes in the central Gaza Strip, further emphasizing the ongoing resistance efforts. Meanwhile, rockets continue to be launched from Gaza towards settlements like “Sderot” and “Niram.”
Despite Massacres…
On the 114th day of the conflict, the Zionist enemy army reported committing 19 new massacres within the last 24 hours, resulting in 165 deaths and 290 injuries. This brings the total number of martyrs in Gaza to 26,422 and 65,877 wounded, according to the Ministry of Health.
The conflict’s toll is not limited to casualties alone. Civilians in Gaza suffer from shortages of water, food, and decent living conditions exacerbated by the harsh weather. Israeli bombings continue to target homes and hospitals, resulting in additional casualties and injuries. UNRWA warns of an impending famine in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing the dire humanitarian situation affecting more than two million people in the region.
In a tragic incident, an Israeli airstrike targeted a residence west of the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, resulting in the death and injury of two Palestinians. The devastating consequences of the attack were further underscored as one individual was declared a martyr, and four others sustained injuries, necessitating immediate medical attention at Nasser Hospital.
Al-Manar’s correspondent reported that 8 martyrs and a number of wounded were killed in an Israeli bombing on a house for the Salmi family in the Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City.
The gravity of the situation in Khan Younis was highlighted by the Al-Manar reporter on the ground, shedding light on the aftermath of the Israeli bombing that specifically targeted the Jourat Al-Aqqad area.
The continuing airstrikes and gunfire around Al-Amal Hospital were also reported, exacerbating the challenges faced by medical facilities in the region. The Palestinian Red Crescent sounded the alarm, revealing that the oxygen supply at Al-Amal Hospital had been depleted due to the prolonged siege imposed on the area.
Worryingly, the Israeli occupation army has intensified its bombing campaign in Khan Younis over the past few days, with a particular focus on hospitals and shelters for displaced people.
Despite Calls…
Politically, there is increasing pressure from the West to halt funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Nine countries, including Britain, the United States, and Canada, have suspended their funding, citing accusations against some UNRWA employees.
The agency’s Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, condemned the decision, stating it threatens humanitarian work in the region, particularly in Gaza.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has issued an appeal to donor countries, urging them to ensure the continuation of operations for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza. This plea comes in response to the temporary suspension of funding by nine countries, casting a shadow over the agency’s crucial humanitarian work.
UNRWA’s lifesaving aid in Gaza threatened by donors recklessly suspending aid. UNRWA has rightly terminated the contracts of those alleged to violate our neutrality principle. Donors, do not starve children for the sins of a few individual aid workers. https://t.co/nUbeX2Iwrp
Guterres addressed the situation in a statement, revealing the termination of service for nine out of twelve UNRWA employees implicated in the alleged attack on Israel on October 7. The Secretary-General emphasized that any UN employee involved in terrorist acts, including the aforementioned attack, would be held accountable, potentially facing criminal prosecution. Martin Griffiths, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, expressed concern over the dire conditions faced by the people of Gaza, describing their suffering as unimaginable horrors and deprivation. He stressed the importance of not abandoning the people of Gaza during such a critical time.
Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur concerned with Palestine, took a strong stance against the countries that suspended their funding for UNRWA. In a post on the “X” platform, Albanese argued that such actions amount to participating in “genocide” in the Gaza Strip.
She highlighted the timing of the funding suspension, occurring the day after the International Court of Justice rejected Israel’s demands to drop the “genocide” lawsuit filed against it by South Africa. Albanese accused these countries of punishing millions of Palestinians and violating their obligations under the Convention on the Prevention of Genocide.
Former British Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn condemned his country’s decision to join others in suspending funding for UNRWA, labelling it as “collective punishment.” He criticized the British government for what he deemed as moral decadence toward the Palestinians, emphasizing the need for a more compassionate approach.
UPROOTED PALESTINIANS: SALAM ALQUDS ALAYKUM 