Palestinians across the West Bank have escalated their confrontations with the Israeli occupation as the latter continues its genocidal policies in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, killing dozens daily.
Scene from the stabbing operation conducted in Beit Lahm, occupied West Bank, on March 13, 2024. (Social media)
Two Israeli occupation soldiers were injured as a result of a stabbing operation at the Tunnels Checkpoint west of Beit Lahm, leading to the occupied al-Quds.
Reports revealed the martyrdom of the Palestinian who conducted the operation to avenge the dozens of murders committed by the Israeli occupation across the West Bank since October 7.
Following the operation, Israeli occupation police blocked the road at the Tunnels Checkpoint, further restricting the movement of the Palestinian people living under occupation. The Israeli occupation police then mobilized additional forces, deploying their personnel around the checkpoint and on the roads leading to Beit Lahm and occupied al-Quds.
As seen in videos released by people held up at the checkpoint, the Israeli occupation police carried out inspections of vehicles belonging to Palestinian people and verified the identities of travelers.
Three Palestinians martyred by IOF gunfire in al-Quds
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported on Tuesday evening the martyrdom of three Palestinians and the injury of several others by Israeli occupation forces’ gunfire at the checkpoints of al-Jib and Shuafat Camp, northwest of the occupied city of al-Quds.
The Al-Quds governorate’s media confirmed that 12-year-old child Rami Hamdan Halhouli was killed as a result of a shot to the heart at the Shuafat Camp checkpoint.
Local media sources reported a heavy deployment of Israeli occupation forces at the checkpoint following Halhouli’s martyrdom.
In the same context, the Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed the martyrdom of 23-year-old Zaid Khalayfah and 16-year-old Abdullah Assaf, by Israeli occupation forces’ gunfire.
The second martyr of Al-Quds tonight..
⭕ Palestinian young man, Zaid Ward Shukri Khalifa, 23 years old ascended to martyrdom after being shot by Zionist terrorists in the heart near the town of Al-Jib, north of Al-Quds.
— Palestine Captives 𓂆 (@Palestinecapti1) March 12, 2024
The Palestinian Red Crescent also reported injuries by IOF gunfire near the town of Bidu, northwest of occupied al-Quds.
In the vicinity of al-Aqsa Mosque, Israeli occupation forces erected tents near Bab al-Amoud in the occupied city of al-Quds and turned them into military barracks.
The occupation forces also set up iron barriers around Bab al-Asbat to restrict the movement of Palestinian citizens and prevent them from reaching al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Israeli occupation forces were also deployed at the entrances to the Old City and neighborhoods of occupied al-Quds, hindering the arrival of worshippers and preventing hundreds of Palestinian youths from accessing the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Since the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the Israeli occupation forces imposed restrictions for the second consecutive day on the entry of Palestinian youths to al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the Isha and Taraweeh prayers, allowing men only over the age of 40 and women to enter, while obstructing their movement through checkpoints.
However, the Israeli restrictions did not prevent Palestinian worshippers from flocking through Bab al-Amoud to perform the Isha and Taraweeh prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque.
The ongoing genocide in Gaza, which has caused extensive damage to “Israel’s” global reputation, is raising questions about Saudi Arabia’s openness to normalize relations.
Why is Saudi Arabia open to normalize relations with ‘Israel’?
The world is presently bearing witness to the harrowing events of a genocide. Across television and mobile screens, individuals are observing the tragic spectacle of men, women, and children perishing in some of the most appalling circumstances conceivable. While the genocide may indeed have inflicted significant harm upon “Israel’s” global reputation, it is imperative to acknowledge that Saudi Arabia remains committed to pursuing normalization of diplomatic relations with the regime. Why is this so? Has the death of more than 27,000 not been sufficient to dissuade Saudi Arabia from considering such a move?
Before delving into the underlying causes, it is worth recalling that prior to the start of the war, Saudi Arabia openly signaled its intent to normalize relations with “Israel.” The progress on this front was unfolding at such a remarkable pace that even the general populace struggled to keep abreast of the proximity to striking a deal.
The significance of this advancement became apparent when Saudi Arabia extended an offer to reinstate financial support for the Palestinian Authority following a complete cessation of aid in 2021.
In September 2023, a report by The Wall Street Journal disclosed that a delegation from the Palestinian Authority visited Riyadh to engage in negotiations concerning the terms for endorsing Saudi Arabia’s initiative to normalize ties with “Israel.” These conditions encompassed the reopening of the US consulate in occupied Al-Quds, securing US backing for comprehensive Palestinian representation at the United Nations, and attaining increased control over territories within the occupied West Bank. This diplomatic strategy represented a notable departure from the Palestinian Authority’s previous responses to Bahrain and the UAE normalizing relations with “Israel” in 2020, during which it denounced the Gulf states for betrayal.
In contrast to the occupied West Bank, Gaza has historically faced harsher blockades. Often likened to an “open-air prison,” Gaza has endured extensive restrictions on the movement of goods and people for many years, severely limiting access to basic necessities such as food, water, and electricity. Compounding these challenges is the regime’s imposition of quotas on the issuance of work permits to Gazans. While the regime may perceive an opportunity to improve relations with the residents of the Strip, the approach more closely resembles breadcrumbing, as it offered minimal concessions without addressing the fundamental issues at hand.
Everything seemed to be progressing smoothly until the events of October 7 transpired. The resistance initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, capturing hundreds of Israelis and requesting that thousands of Palestinian hostage-prisoners be released. The operation was executed with remarkable precision, leading to the humiliation and scrutiny of the entire Israeli security apparatus, renowned as one of the world’s most advanced.
Despite the subsequent shedding of Palestinian blood, these events served as a significant wake-up call. The urgency of the matter lies in that a potential normalization agreement would not only exacerbate the already dire living conditions of Gazans but also would have shifted the regional balance of power back in favor of the US. For some time now, China has been increasing influence in the region, particularly after brokering a peace agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia. As the US perceived its diminishing influence, the pursuit of a Saudi-Israeli normalization deal became increasingly logical. This issue was deemed a top priority for the US, to the extent that Secretary of State Tony Blinken declared it a “national security interest.”
Saudi Arabia wields significant influence in regional affairs for several compelling reasons. Firstly, its geopolitical positioning establishes it as a key regional player in the Middle East. Bolstered by a formidable military and its custodianship of two of Islam’s holiest sites, Saudi Arabia also boasts one of the world’s largest proven oil reserves and serves as a major exporter of petroleum. As a key member of OPEC, the nation plays a pivotal role in shaping global oil markets. Decisions regarding oil production directly impact the strategies and policies of the cartel, thereby influencing the dynamics of the energy sector on a global scale.
However, there is a downside to Saudi Arabia’s regional influence. A large portion of the Gulf’s wealth and oil-generated revenues are invested in US Treasury bills. This reliance implies that their financial resources are heavily dependent on the economic policies and stability of the US, limiting possibilities for diversification—a significant obstacle for Mohammed Bin Salman’s Vision 2030. But some efforts appear to be surreptitiously made. A report by the Financial Times in August 2023 revealed that Saudi Arabia decreased its holdings of US Treasuries to the lowest level in over six years, selling down to $108.1 billion in June from $119.7 billion at the end of the previous year. The reduction marked the third consecutive monthly drop and effectively reflects the kingdom’s shift towards foreign equity and domestic investments. Nevertheless, Saudi wealth continues to be heavily invested in treasury bonds, and it remains uncertain whether it intends to further decrease its holdings.
Beside T-bills, the US provides the highest military aid to the Gulf region. Between 2000 and 2016 alone, the US spent an astounding $123 billion worth of military technology and services to the GCC and the latter placed $215 billion in new orders during the same period. From 2008 to 2015, the majority of Saudi and UAE purchases, totaling $80.2 billion out of a total of $119.2 billion, were motivated by their access to advanced US arms and technology.
Moreover, the longstanding alliance between Saudi Arabia and the US has promoted free-market and Salafist ideologies, overshadowing once-progressive Arabist movements that fell victim to US-led imperialist aggressions. Petrodollar remittances to non-Gulf Arab countries have led to distorted exchange-rate regimes, akin to the effects of Dutch disease, particularly impacting the highly protected economies of Syria and Egypt. Despite their destabilizing geopolitical-rents component in imperialist intervention, these remittances carried the ideological influence of colonially and American-groomed political Islam. Capital outflows from most non-Gulf Arab countries, on the other hand, hold little to no global significance. These flows are evaluated not only monetarily but also for their impact in destabilizing national states and, conversely, strengthening the position of US-led imperialism regionally and globally.
Many would perhaps describe this scenario as examplary of a win-win situation, where Saudi Arabia’s influence grows in tandem with that of the US. However, the increasing emergence of resistance movements has led Riyadh to reconsider its position, where Saudi Arabia’s reliance on US security assistance transforms from an asset to a liability.
The primary objective of the Israeli-Saudi agreement is for Riyadh to acquire a civilian nuclear program, accompanied by security guarantees and potentially undisclosed provisions. While Saudi Arabia could have pursued this technology from China or Russia, its preference for the US underscores its vulnerability to potential sanctions, indicating the difficulty of breaking free from this dependency. As previously established, US imperialism historically extends its global influence through wars of encroachment, militarism, and by sowing discord among populations. For years, it has exploited sectarianism to stoke regional conflicts funded by Wahhabism. With unparalleled military supremacy, the US could feasibly wipe out the entire monarchy if it so desired—simply because it possesses the unrivaled capability to do so.
Hence, as paradoxical as it may sound, security for Saudi Arabia unavoidably entails the hefty price of regional instability, a situation likely to persist as long as it maintains its current trajectory. This challenge is further exacerbated by rising nuclear tensions, illustrated not only by intensified threats against Iran but also by significant deployments of forces and nuclear arsenals across Europe. While the pursuit and possession of nuclear weapons are often accompanied by the assertion that their use is never intended, primarily due to the catastrophic potential for human existence to cease, it indisputably bolsters a country’s strategic leverage.
On a final yet crucial note, recent developments in relations between Saudi Arabia and Russia carry significant implications for global oil markets. Their decision to uphold oil production cuts not only exerts considerable pressure on commodity prices worldwide but also poses a threat to the US’s grip on Saudi assets. Furthermore, the recent announcement of Saudi Arabia and the UAE’s accession to the BRICS organization adds momentum to global de-dollarization efforts. It is plausible that nations may outwardly maintain positive relations with the US while covertly pursuing de-dollarization objectives. However, amidst these geopolitical shifts, the grim reality persists: the human cost endured by Gazans, with devastating consequences for civilian infrastructure, essential services, and loss of human lives, continues to mount unabated.
Israeli occupation forces simultaneously carry out a large-scale arrest campaign amid fierce confrontations.
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) carried out Wednesday a drone strike on a vehicle in Nablus, the occupied West Bank, killing at least three Palestinians, sources told AlMayadeen.
The drone strike was carried out at the junction of al-Quds Street near the Balata camp east of Nablus, with the Palestinian Red Crescent being prohibited by the IOF from reaching the scene to tend to any possible survivors, as the crime scene was cordoned off.
After they were allowed to reach the site, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that its crews managed to recover the remains of a Palestinian martyr who was taken to the Rafidia Surgical Hospital, while Israeli occupation forces seized the body of another.
Nablus issued the obituaries of the martyrs identified as Seif and Yazan al-Najmi, as well as Mohammad al-Qattawi.
Footage of an Israeli drone targeting a Palestinian car in #Nablus, West Bank.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reports that occupation forces are preventing ambulance crews from reaching the targeted car. pic.twitter.com/TFMwleIrAa
Another drone strike was launched on a vehicle in Tulkarm, martyring at least four Palestinians, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.
Subsequent reports said the Israeli drone strike on a vehicle near the Balata refugee camp in Nablus martyred five individuals.
The Israeli occupation’s usage of drone warfare in the occupied West Bank has seen an uptick in recent months, namely in the wake of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, with the targets being Palestinians it suspects of being involved in the plight of Resistance as it seeks to nip in the bud any West Bank bid in solidarity with the people and Resistance of Gaza in light of aggression they are facing.
The latest drone strike, which took place earlier in the month, killed six Palestinians at al-Shouhada roundabout south of Jenin. The six martyrs included four brothers: Hazaa Naji Hassan Darwish (27 years old), Rami (22 years old), Ahmed (24 years old), and Alaa (29 years old), as well as Razkallah Nabil Suleiman (18 years old) and Mohammed Yasser Musa Asa’as. One Palestinian youth from a village south of Jenin was also critically injured and later succumbed to his wounds, raising the number of martyrs to seven.
According to reports, the siblings were on their way to work when the Israeli drone attack struck and killed them.
It is worth noting that at least 327 Palestinians have been killed at the hands of Israeli occupation forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank since October 7, according to a count by the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
West Bank raids
Nablus
Sources told Al Mayadeen and Palestinian media reported that the IOF conducted incursions into various areas in cities and refugee camps across the occupied West Bank in the early hours of Tuesday morning. These sources said the local fighters confronted the invading Israeli forces.
Sources told Al Mayadeen that Israeli occupation forces, supported by bulldozers, invaded the city of Nablus in the northern and central West Bank. Resistance fighters confronted them by opening fire during the invasion from the east of the city and the direction of the Balata refugee camp.
Palestinian sources mentioned that the Israeli forces “withdrew from the vicinity of the Balata camp after confiscating the targeted vehicle and detaining those inside it, without determining the nature of their condition, whether they were martyrs or wounded.”
In a brief statement, the Palestinian Red Crescent noted that Israeli occupation forces prevented its emergency personnel from reaching the site of the targeted vehicle. Local Palestinian media added that an Israeli military bulldozer placed sand around the vehicle that was targeted near the camp.
Resistance fighters confronted the occupation’s vehicles at the southern entrance of the Balata camp, and the occupation forces responded by sending additional military reinforcements from the Awarta checkpoint south of Nablus and Beit Furik east of the city.
Field sources reported that confrontations erupted between Resistance fighters and the IOF in the vicinity of the Balata camp in Nablus. The occupation’s bulldozers cleared some roads inside the camp as reinforcements made their way to the site to aid the IOF.
It was explained that the invading forces were targeted with locally made improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Israeli reconnaissance aircraft were circling over the Balata camp for hours, while extremely violent confrontations broke out with the IOF.
After two hours of the invasion of the Balata camp, during which eight houses of Resistance fighters were raided, the occupation forces withdrew to nearby checkpoints. Israeli forces then returned and invaded the camp and the eastern area of Nablus shortly afterward with intel provided by reconnaissance UAVs flying overhead.
The Israeli forces also invaded the village of Burin, south of the city of Nablus, according to local Palestinian media.
Tulkarm
In the northern West Bank, Israeli forces invaded the city of Tulkarm from multiple axes. Fierce confrontations broke out between Resistance fighters and the invading forces in the Tulkarm refugee camp.
The IOF besieged the refugee camp, invaded the vicinity of Thabet Thabet Governmental Hospital, and carried out several arrests.
Resistance fighters targeted an Israeli military bulldozer with a powerful explosive device in the Tulkarm refugee camp during the invasion as the confrontations were taking place.
Qalqilya
In Qalqilya, west-central West Bank, with Israeli reconnaissance UAVs flying at low altitudes, Israeli occupation forces invaded several neighborhoods in the city.
Reports said the Israeli occupation forces called for military reinforcements from a military checkpoint south of the city of Qalqilya. They invaded the neighborhoods of Kafr Saba and al-Qar’an, arresting a large number of Gaza workers from inside a residential building in the city.
They also invaded the town of Azzun east of Qalqilya, where Resistance fighters resisted the invading forces using locally made explosive devices. Confrontations erupted between the resistance fighters and the occupation forces that invaded the town of Kafr Laqif east of Qalqilya.
Areeha
In the east-central West Bank, the Palestinian Red Crescent announced that occupation forces prevented first responders from providing care to a wounded individual inside the Ain Sultan camp in Areeha. Local media reported that the occupation forces arrested Shams Abu Hussein, who was shot, and Kareem al-Gharam during the invasion of the Ain Sultan refugee camp.
Ramallah and al-Bireh
In Ramallah and al-Bireh, Israeli occupation forces raided several homes during the invasion of the Jalazone refugee camp, north of Ramallah, before they sabotaged the homes of the afflicted people. They also invaded the town of Atara north of Ramallah and the towns of Beitillu and Deir Ammar, west of the city.
Israeli forces also invaded the Balou neighborhood in the city of al-Bireh, arresting Palestinian teacher Badria Hamdan after raiding her home in the neighborhood.
Al-Khalil
In the southern West Bank, the occupation forces invaded the town of Bani Na’im east of al-Khalil, assaulting a young man after raiding a house during a large-scale invasion of the town. Calls were made through mosque loudspeakers to confront the Israeli invasion.
Beit Lahm
In Beit Lahm in the southern West Bank, Israeli forces invaded the town of Taqqu’ southeast of the city, arresting youths Imad and Iyas Shahin, Khaled al-Saifi, and Abdullah Muzahar after raiding their homes in the city’s Dheisheh refugee camp.
Al-Quds
In the occupied city of al-Quds and its towns, Israeli occupation forces carried out several invasions and raids, invading the town of Silwan and raiding one of its homes. They also invaded the town of al-Eizariya, arresting elderly woman Um Samer Tabanja after raiding her home in the town of Qatanna, northwest of the occupied al-Quds.
Escalations in West Bank
The Israeli occupation is not letting off at all in the West Bank, and while it is commonplace for it to kill and kidnap Palestinians, its level of violence and criminality has been on an uptick since the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
A total of 5,835 Palestinians have been detained since the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, the latest tally shows.
In the West Bank and occupied al-Quds, detained Palestinians include those who are taken from homes and military checkpoints, those who surrender under pressure, and those used by the occupation as human shields before they get dragged to detention centers.
It should be noted that this is the total number of detained Palestinians, including the few that were later released at various times.
On Monday, for example, Israeli incursions into the West Bank extended to the Ein al-Sultan camp in Areeha and the historic campus of Al-Najah National University in Nablus.
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Special coverage | Hysterical Israeli aggression by an entity floundering in its internal crises 01-17-2024
It has been 100 days since the launch of the brutal Zionist aggression on the Gaza Strip in occupied Palestine. The widespread massacres, destruction, and humanitarian crisis have not only shifted international public opinion but also ignited condemning demonstrations across many countries. In response, several nations have recognized the urgent need for intervention and stepped in to support the oppressed residents of the Strip.
Lebanon took the lead in providing support, initiating attacks on all enemy positions along the borders with occupied Palestine as the Islamic resistance gained momentum. Following Lebanon’s lead, Yemen and Iraq conducted operations against the Zionist entity and US military bases in Iraq and Syria. Noteworthy is the courageous decision of the Yemeni Armed Forces to target vessels en route to the entity, crossing the Red Sea. These actions taken by the supporting fronts in the Axis of Resistance had significant repercussions, all undertaken in the pursuit of the Palestinian cause and on the way to liberating occupied Al-Quds.
In this context, the Al-Manar website presents a set of statistics for the ongoing war:
The death toll in the Gaza Strip has surpassed 23,843 martyrs, with the majority being children and women
The aggressive onslaught has resulted in extensive destruction, sparing no Palestinian homes, hospitals, schools, mosques, or even churches.
IOF Attack Lebanese Civilians
IOF targeted Lebanese journalists, paramedics as well as ambulances
Hezbollah Backs Resistance in Gaza
Hezbollah has launched numerous attacks on occupied territories, resulting in severe damage to the Zionist entity
Islamic Resistance in Iraq Backs Gaza
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq also launched several attacks on US military bases and towards the occupied Palestinian territories
Yemeni Armed Forces Back Gaza
Yemeni Armed Forces fired ballistic missiles toward the occupied territories in Palestine
Palestinian Resistance Factions Valiantly Combat
The Palestinian resistance factions has been able to inflict great damage to the Zionist entity
Zionist Entity’s Human Cost
As is customary, the Zionist entity conceals its losses, veiling them in secrecy and prohibiting its media from acknowledging the true extent of the damage incurred. Presented below are statistics on the losses sustained by the Zionist entity, compiled from Israeli media and statements by Zionist military officials.
A Palestinian prisoners’ rights group has highlighted the “extremely difficult” conditions under which female prisoners are being held in Israel’s Damon prison, especially those detained from the Gaza Strip.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Commission said “The prisoners are facing extremely difficult detention conditions and are subjected to intensified punishments that are increasing daily,” since October 7.
It said the occupation forces launched a far-reaching arrest campaign “in the West Bank, Al-Quds, the occupied interior, and Gaza, against our female prisoners.”
“All of whom were subjected to torture and abuse from the moment of arrest until entering prison, whether through beating and insults, or naked searches, along with solitary confinement and deprivation of basic rights.”
The group said detainees from the Gaza Strip were deliberately subjected to the worst treatment.
One of the detainees relayed that an 80-year-old woman from Gaza arrived at the prison “walking with a cane and without a head cover (scarf).”
“Her body and clothes were covered in blood, and she seemed to know nothing, apparently suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.”
Forced to Abandon Their Children on the Street
Another detainee from Gaza recounted how she was arrested while she had her four young children in her care.
“Not knowing what to do with them, she handed them to a man from Gaza near her, not knowing who he was, and left them without knowing their fate. Others also left their children on the street when they were arrested,” the statement said.
All female prisoners from Gaza had their clothes confiscated and replaced with summer clothes.
They recounted difficult days before arriving at Damon prison, saying they “faced a lot of beating and assault in addition to continuous insults and curses.”
Some of them were left for seven days outdoors, in the rain and cold.
Hundreds of Palestinians who were detained in Gaza during the ongoing Israel’s invasion of the besieged Strip have been held for weeks at a detention facility in southern Israel, where several of them have died under unclear circumstances, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on… pic.twitter.com/Dv1d4y691g
“All female prisoners from the Strip arrived at the prison in a pitiable state, from all health, physical, and psychological” points of view, the statement stressed.
The rights group said “the testimonies represent only a very small part of what we could access, and what is hidden is greater.”
It said the prison administration deliberately isolates the female prisoners of Gaza from other prisoners and from the outside world entirely, in order “to continue committing its crimes without accountability or oversight.”
In November, the head of the group, Qadura Fares, told CNN that around 8,300 Palestinian prisoners are currently held in Israeli jails.
He reportedly said more than 3,000 of them are being held in what Israel calls “administrative detention.” This, he explained, means they are being held without knowing the charges against them, and without an ongoing legal process.
There is a reason why Palestinians are keen on releasing their prisoners, despite the heavy price they continue to pay for their freedom.
It may seem rational to ask the question: what is the point of releasing a few Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons if the price of doing so is the death of over 15,000 Palestinians in Gaza?
Even if all Palestinian prisoners – numbering about 7,000 – are released, they would not even amount to 30 percent of the total number of Palestinian dead and missing so far in the ongoing Israeli genocide in the Strip.
The logic may sound even more puzzling when we consider that, between October 7 and November 28, Israel detained over 3,290 Palestinians in the West Bank and Occupied East Jerusalem.
Namely, the number of Palestinian women and children detainees released – following several prisoner swaps between Palestinian Resistance and the Israeli army in the period between November 24 and November 30 – is insignificant compared to those who were detained during the same period.
But mathematical equations are irrelevant in liberation wars. If we resort to this kind of logic, then perhaps it is more rational for colonized nations and oppressed groups not to resist in the first place because doing so could multiply the harm inflicted upon them by their colonizers and oppressors.
While Israelis see their captives, whether civilians or military, held in Gaza in terms of numbers, Palestinians approach the issue from an entirely different perspective.
All Palestinians are captives, according to the reality on the ground, because all Palestinians are victims of Israeli colonialism, military occupation and apartheid. The difference between being a prisoner in Megiddo, Ofer, or Ramleh prison, for example, and being a prisoner in an isolated, walled-off Palestinian town under Israeli military Occupation in Area C in the West Bank is rather technical.
True, those in Megiddo are subjected to more violence and torture. They are denied proper food, medicine, and the freedom to move about. But how is that fundamentally different from the incarceration of 2.3 million people living in Gaza now?
Some would even argue that living in Gaza during a time of genocide is more confining and far less safe than being a political prisoner in Israel under ‘normal’ circumstances.
So clearly, the issue is not related to numbers but to power relations.
Under international law, Israel is the Occupying Power. This entitles Israel to certain rights per, for example, the Fourth Geneva Convention and numerous responsibilities. For decades, Israel has abused those ‘rights’ and completely ignored all its obligations. Over the same period, Palestinians have appealed to – even implored – the international community to enforce international law on Israel, unsuccessfully.
This was illustrated in the pitiful display by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly on May 15. “Protect us,” he said repeatedly before making an analogy between Palestinians and animals. “Aren’t we human beings? Even animals should be protected. If you have an animal, won’t you protect it? Protect us!”
Most Palestinians know well that the US, West-dominated international institutions will not protect Palestinians based on any moral rationale or even their love for animals.
This realization dawned on Palestinians generations ago when the international community failed to enforce a single UN resolution on Israel. Regarding the ongoing Gaza genocide, it proved particularly irrelevant to the extent that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pronounced it outright when he said on November 8 that the UN has neither “money nor power” to prevent genocide in Gaza.
Guterres and other top UN officials must be aware of the marginal role that the international community can play in the Israeli war on Gaza because of the strong US stance in support of Israel. As long as Washington continues to serve the role of the vanguard of Israeli war crimes in Palestine, Tel Aviv has no reason to stop.
So, Palestinians do what every other occupied, colonized people did in this situation. They resist. Through their resistance, they hope to introduce a new factor to a long-skewed equation primarily controlled by Israel and its Western allies.
By releasing their prisoners as a direct result of their resistance, Palestinians are, therefore, able to influence outcomes. It means that they are political agents, in fact, political actors who can redefine the game’s rules altogether.
Indeed, Palestinians approach the issue of prisoners as part of a more extensive campaign of liberation struggle. Those who can free 100 or 7,000 detainees would, then, set a historical precedent that would, eventually, allow them to release the whole Palestinian people.
Israel is fully aware of the power and representation of the prisoners’ issue because Israel imprisons Palestinians as an expression of power and control over every aspect of Palestinian lives. Though some of the Palestinian detainees are considered, in the eyes of Israel, ‘security prisoners’, many were detained for social media posts, for WhatsApp status, or for no reason at all.
Many Palestinian women were detained for visiting the families of other prisoners or for mourning the deaths of Palestinian youths killed by Israel. Israel detained these women for the same reason that far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had outlawed the rights of Palestinians to celebrate their children’s freedom.
Specifically, Israel wants to control every aspect of Palestinian lives – their actions, real or symbolic, but even their anger, their joy and all other emotions.
When Palestinians are released through prisoner exchanges, they emerge, proudly and with heads held high, from Israeli dungeons despite the numerous obstacles, restrictions, and Israel’s insistence on keeping all Palestinian captives. For Palestinians, this is an unparalleled victory.
So, no, this is not a numbers game. Though every Palestinian individual matters, whether those being killed in Gaza or those held captive in Israeli prisons, for Palestinians, all issues are linked to one single project called liberation.
It is for this coveted collective freedom that Palestinians have fought, generation after generation, despite the high cost of death, imprisonment, and perpetual captivity.
A freed Palestinian prisoner cheers among supporters and relatives after being released from Israeli occupation prisons, in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on November 26, 2023. (Photo by FADEL SENNA/AFP)
The Palestinian Resistance in the Gaza Strip liberates 39 children from Israeli occupation prisons, as part of the third batch of the exchange deal.
Al-Qassam Brigades and the Palestinian Resistance in the Gaza Strip liberated 39 child prisoners from Israeli occupation prisons as part of the third batch of liberated prisons, which came in accordance with the conditions of the Resistance, implemented through the truce agreement.
The liberated Palestinian children who were released from “Ofer” Prison arrived in the city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, raising signs of victory, amid a massive public reception and the chanting of slogans in support of the Resistance and Gaza.
39 imprisoned #Palestinian children were freed from Israeli occupation prisons under the truce agreement.
It was confirmed that the bus carrying the 39 liberated Palestinian children arrived in #Ramallah coming from the "Ofer" prison, where festivities are held to celebrate… pic.twitter.com/O4uVvuXflp
Celebrations spread throughout the occupied city of al-Quds and the cities of the occupied West Bank, despite the harassment practiced by the occupation, as its forces closed roads and intensified checkpoints. In other instances, they arrested families of the prisoners supposed to be released to warn them against holding celebrations.
Masses in the #WestBank city of #Ramallah welcome the freed 39 children, who were released today in the prisoner exchange deal between the Palestinian resistance and Israel. pic.twitter.com/eNDsfcDMrz
Among the released child prisoners were the two brothers Qassam and Nasrallah A’war, who arrived at their home in the town of Silwan in occupied al-Quds, where they hugged their parents for the first time in a very long time.
The footage shows the moment the two brothers, Nasrallah and Qassam A'war, arrived at their home in the town of #Silwan, after their liberation from Israeli occupation prisons.#Palestinepic.twitter.com/wUrchz5fXK
Celebrations also filled the home of Palestinian prisoner Amin Abbassi as the footage shows him holding his family members close after being released from Israeli occupation prisons.
Similarly, Palestinian child Mahmoud Ata, who was abducted and imprisoned by Israeli occupation forces, returns home after the Resistance ensured his freedom.
Palestinian child Mahmoud Ata was abducted and imprisoned by Israeli occupation forces.
Whilethe Palestinians celebrated this glorious victory and freedom, the Israeli occupation could not tolerate their happiness and made every effort to cut it short, to no avail. Prior to the prisoner’s release, Israeli forces opened fire and targeted crowds near the “Ofer” prison, west of Ramallah, from which prisoners were released, injuring several.
According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, the total number of injured outside the prison was 21 Palestinians. The injuries varied: 7 were injured by live bullets, 4 by rubber bullets, and 10 were injured by gas bombs.
Meanwhile, in exchange for the 39 Palestinian children released, al-Qassam released 13 Israeli captives.
To this end, al-Qassam Brigades published a video documenting part of the handover of the third batch of Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip as part of the humanitarian truce and the three-to-one prisoners-captives exchange deal.
Al-Qassam Brigades published a video documenting part of the handover of the third batch of Israeli captives in the #Gaza Strip as part of the humanitarian truce and the three-to-one prisoners-captives exchange deal.#Palestinehttps://t.co/oXTXW9lZEl
The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Club announced prior to the release the names of the third batch of Palestinian prisoners included in today’s exchange, i.e. the names of 39 children prisoners. No female prisoners were part of this deal.
Testimonies of liberated Palestinian women to Al Mayadeen
Shortly after being liberated as part of the temporary truce enforced by the Resistance, on Saturday, a number of formerly imprisoned Palestinian women made short statements to Al Mayadeen expressing their sour-sweet felicity of liberation and offering an insight into the cruel conditions in Israeli prisons.
Rawan Abu Ziyadeh told Al Mayadeen that Palestinian female prisoners are subjected to severe violations in Israeli prisons.
“[However,] we were sure that we would be liberated [at some point] after getting arrested,” she said.
“Agonizing pain has set in considering the loss of a significant number of martyrs, particularly in Gaza,” Abu Ziyadeh added.
Tahrir Abu Sariya expressed her awe over the surreal felicity of liberation.
UPDATE: The director of Jenin Governmental Hospital reports the martyrdom of two Palestinians and two wounded during the IOF’s storming of Jenin and the Al-Quds Brigades – Jenin Brigade announces that several occupation vehicles were targeted.
On Monday at dawn, Palestinian Amir Abdullah Sharbaji was martyred and two others were injured during confrontations with the Israeli occupation forces in the Jenin camp, the second largest camp in the West Bank.
During a press statement, the director of Jenin Governmental Hospital announced that the young man succumbed to his wounds.
ارتقاء الشاب أمير الشربجي برصاص الاحتلال خلال اقتحام جنين.
Israeli occupation aircraft bombed a house at the entrance to the camp, wounding two Palestinians, and the IOF destroyed infrastructure and several cars in the vicinity of the camp. Additionally, Al Mayadeen‘s correspondent reported that the IOF was targeting ambulances and paramedics while they were trying to transport the wounded in Jenin.
For its part, the Al-Qassam Brigades in Jenin announced that resistance fighters from different Palestinian resistance factions confronted the IOF after storming the city. Moreover, the Al-Quds Brigades – Jenin Brigade announced that enemy armored vehicles were disabled and damaged on the outskirts of Jenin camp with a concentrated series of explosive devices
A homemade Palestinian explosive device targeting demon occupation forces in Jenin and violent confrontations continue. 🇵🇸🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/fGEGB1Q3lz— Her name is Palestine 🇵🇸😇 (@ayshaaaa_48) October 29, 2023
On Saturday at dawn, sources to Al Mayadeen reported that Israeli occupation forces stormed the Askar camp in Nablus with a large number of military vehicles and bulldozers.
Resistance fighters confronted the occupation forces as they stormed the camp and managed to detonate IEDs with occupation vehicles during the storming.
Local sources reported several injuries among Palestinian youth during the confrontations that broke out with the Israeli occupation forces.
Israeli occupation forces have also evacuated the family of martyr Hassan Qatanani from their home in the camp in preparation for its demolition.
The confrontations expanded to Balata camp. Furthermore, the occupation forces raided the town of Beit Rima in northwest Ramallah, as well as the town of Al-Silat Al-Harithiya in western Jenin.
In addition, Israeli occupation forces raided the outskirts of Jenin as sirens sounded in the city and its camp.
eazlih ean alealam walaistifrad fih
A Palestinian was killed and dozens injured as a result of the Israeli occupation forces storming the city of Jenin with more than 100 military vehicles. The military operation aims to destroy the infrastructure leading to the Jenin camp. pic.twitter.com/k8NBUmiuFA— Stop The Wall (@stopthewall) October 30, 2023
Series of incursions
In recent days, the Israeli occupation has been conducting widespread incursions accompanied by arrests of Palestinians in the West Bank, met with Resistance from Palestinian fighters.
Two days earlier, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) raided several Palestinian cities in the occupied West Bank, engaging in numerous confrontations with Palestinian freedom fighters who sought to deter the Israeli occupation forces.
The incursions saw the Israeli occupation forces open fire in numerous sites, which resulted in injuries in the Dheisha refugee camp, with violent arrests taking place in northern Al-Khalil.
The Israeli occupation forces raided the cities of Ariha, Al-Khalil, Nablus, Tulkram, Tubas, Beit Lahm, Ramallah, and Qalqiliya. The confrontations in Qalqilya martyred liberated prisoner Qassem Abdel-Hafez.
Namely, the towns raided include Naalin in Ariha and Sawrif and Doura in Al-Khalil, as well as the Aqabat Jaber and Ain Al-Sultan refugee camps in Ariha, Aida and Dheisha refugee camps in Beit Lahm, the Shuafat refugee camp north of occupied Al-Quds, as well as various other towns in each of the aforementioned cities.
During an interview for Al Mayadeen Net, Palestinian Greek Orthodox Archbishop Atallah Hanna says holding candlelight vigils for Palestine is not enough.
Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Sebastia in occupied al-Quds Atallah Hanna told Al Mayadeen that “bombing the church is a new massacre committed by the occupation” and serves as a new attack against Christian heritage.
“The occupation is targeting the Christian presence in Gaza and even in all of Palestine, where Christians are an essential component,” the Archbishop added.
He urgently called on His Holiness the Pope and church leaders worldwide to raise their voices and not be content with prayers, stating that “religious authorities should have a clear and explicit stance in support of the people of Gaza who are being targeted.”
“His Holiness the Pope and all religious leaders in the world should immediately take action in support of Palestine and the people of Gaza,” the Archbishop added, stressing that prayers and candlelight vigils for Palestine are not enough as they should be accompanied by clear stances.
Targeting the Greek Orthodox Church in #Gaza is a new massacre committed by the Israeli occupation. We demand the end of the systemic criminality targeting the steadfast city of Gaza, while the #West stands in solidarity with “Israel”, rendering it complicit in these crimes.
"استهداف كنيسة الروم الآرثوذكس في مدينة #غزة مجزرة جديدة يرتكبها الاحتلال، ونطالب برفع الإجرام المنظم الذي يستهدف غزة الأبية فيما الغرب متضامنون مع "إسرائيل" وهم شركاء في الجرائم"
He also said that “what is happening in Gaza cannot be summarized in the word ‘war,’ but it is a real catastrophe,” considering that “Israel applying the scorched-earth policy on Gaza.”
What is happening in #Gaza can not be summed up by the term “war”. They are applying the scorched-earth policy on Gaza; we are witnessing a real catastrophe.
“The occupation violates international principles and laws, not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank and occupied al-Quds.”
“The Palestinians are more united today than ever before in facing this aggression, and there is an increase in awareness among all people worldwide, regardless of the stances of their governments,” the Archbishop of Sebastia in occupied al-Quds emphasized in his statements.
Hanna added the occupation has arrested several Palestinian youths just because they have expressed support for Gaza in online posts, explaining that “the occupation and the West target social media sites that support Palestine, and efforts must be made to convey the true image of Palestine.”
Additionally, in an interview for Al MayadeenNet, Archbishop Atallah Hanna described what’s happening in Gaza as being a new Nakba, referring to the expulsion of Palestinians back in 1948.
“What is happening in Gaza is a new Nakba and a policy of ethnic cleansing, targeting innocent people, bombing homes, hospitals, and places of worship, and killing the innocent in cold blood, not to mention the destruction and devastation that has befallen the beloved Gaza Strip,” he said.
“From here, from Al-Quds, I send a heartfelt appeal to all religious, human rights, and humanitarian authorities and every person with ethics and values to urgently take action to stop this aggression,” he appealed.
“Enough destruction, enough bloodshed, enough devastation. Let the aggression cease, let the blood be spared, and let the devastation stop.”
In a related context, the head of the Government Media Office in Gaza, Salama Maarouf, told Al Mayadeen that an Israeli occupation aircraft committed a new crime last night by bombing the Orthodox Church. He called on the churches of the world to take a clear stance on this crime and for everyone to come together to speak the truth and expose the nature of the occupation’s targets.
Maarouf emphasized that this crime, once again, proves that the occupation disregards international humanitarian law and does not set red lines for itself in targeting civilians. He noted that the church was hosting dozens of Palestinian families, both Christians and Muslims, after the occupation intensified its shelling of homes.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Interior in Gaza announced that the Israeli occupation committed a new massacre, killing and wounding hundreds of displaced people inside the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius in Gaza City.
According to the Ministry, the occupation made a direct target at the ancient church building on Omar al-Mukhtar Street in the Gaza Strip.
The Ministry pointed out that the church housed dozens of displaced people, who were taking shelter inside the church, most of whom were women and children.
Al Mayadeen‘s correspondent reported that several injured people were taken to the hospital.
The Ministry stated that severe material damage was caused to parts of the church building and that a building adjacent to the church was destroyed. It is worth noting that the Church of St. Porphyrius is considered the third oldest church in the world. The original building dates back to 425 AD and it was renovated in 1856.
Palestinians celebrate as an Israeli military vehicle burns after it was hit by Palestinian gunmen who infiltrated occupied territories (October 7, 2023 / photo by Reuters).
Gaza-based Hamas Palestinian resistance movement launched on Saturday a surprise operation in which its fighters infiltrated and controlled several Israeli settlements in Gaza envelope and fired thousands of rockets at Al-Quds and several Israeli cities.
The operation, dubbed Al-Aqsa Flood, has killed or injured hundreds of Israeli settlers. It has also involved thousands of rockets from the besieged Palestinian enclave towards the occupied territories and Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Palestinian media reported.
Media coverage: "Footage released by Israeli daily Maariv shows Israeli occupation forces engaging #Palestinian resistance fighters face to face inside the colonial Israeli settlement of Sderot, south of 1948-occupied Palestine, this evening." pic.twitter.com/GtDGWPonEI
Al-Manar reporter in Gaza Imad Eid said the swift attack started at 6:30 a.m., noting that the Israeli occupation was taken by surprise.
“The Israeli enemy lost the control of the border between Gaza and the bordering Israeli settlements,” Al-Manar’s Eid reported, pointing to the Israeli intelligence failure.
Israeli media reported high number of casualties, noting that Palestinian fighters were spotted on the streets of Sderot and other settlements bordering the coastal enclave.
Videos circulated on social media showed Israeli soldiers captured by Palestinian resistance fighters. Other footage displayed Palestinian fighters returning to Gaza from on military vehicles seized from the Israeli soldiers.
At least 145 Israelis have been killed and 1120 others injured since the start of the massive attack by Hamas, The Times of Israel quoted the Magen David Adom emergency service as saying.
Media Coverage: “The Palestinian freedom fighters manage to seize Israeli military jeeps and lead them into the Gaza Strip.” pic.twitter.com/Lxdvu1z7Uy
Palestinian sources reported that resistance fighters managed to capture dozens of Israeli soldiers during the operation. Media outlet sreported that Head of occupation Army’s Gaza Battalion Nimord Aloni was among the captives.
Israeli Army Radio put the number of captured Israelis at 35.
Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad resistance movement announced that it was holding several Israeli occupation soldiers captives.
The following video shows Hamas fighters controlling Erez military site and eradicating its guards:
Al-Qassam Brigades unveiled new missiles used in the opening strike to cover the fighters’ infiltration.
Head of Hamas politburo, Ismail Haniyeh, indicated that the Palestinian resistance operation exposed the fragility of the Zionist entity, adding that it will extend and include the West Bank as well as 1948-land till reaching the full liberation.
Haniyeh also addressed the Arab regimes which have normalized ties with the Zionist entity, stressing that the Israelis can never protect them.
“Day of Great Revolution”
Al Qassam Bridages, the military wing of Hamas resistance movement, has announced that thousands of rockets were fired at the occupied territories since the major operation started on Saturday morning.
Al-Qassan Brigades said the operation “is in response to the ongoing provocations in Al-Aqsa and the measures taken towards Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.”
Mohammad Deif, the Hamas military commander, issued a statement calling the morning’s operation “the day of the great revolution.”
Military commander of Hamas resistance movement Mohammad Deif in a voice message on Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
He urged Palestinian people in the West Bank and the occupied territories to take up arms, and encouraged Arabs in the neighboring countries to join in the attack.
“Today, the people are bringing back the revolution and reviving the March of return,” he said, urging Palestinians in Jerusalem and inside Israel, in the Negev, the Galilee and the Triangle area to “set the earth on fire under the feet of the occupiers.”
He further called on the “Islamic resistance in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon to merge their resistance with that of the Palestinians today and start marching towards Palestine now.”
For its part, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group said it is “part of this battle”. A group’s spokesperson said: “Our cadres stand alongside their brothers in Hamas, shoulder to shoulder, until victory.”
Other resistance groups across Palestine announced they were joining the battle alongside Hamas, including Al-Aqsa Brigades, Lions’ Den, Al-Mujahedon Brigades.
“Israel Ready for War”
Israeli occupation military declared that it was “ready for war” citing widespread rocket fire and infiltration into occupied territories “through various entry points.”
It said it has launched operation “Iron Swords” in response to Hamas’s surprise attack. Occupation army spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said more than 2,200 rockets fired into ‘Israel’ since 6:30 this morning, The Times of Israel reported.
“Residents in the south and center of the country are required to be in close proximity to protected areas, and those in the Gaza periphery should remain within a secure space,” the occupation military announced, according to the Jpost.
Smoke rises after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hits Zionist entity’s south (October 7, 2023).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a statement at the start of the security cabinet meeting.
“Since this morning, the State of Israel has been at war. Our first goal is first of all to cleanse the area of the enemy forces that have infiltrated, and restore security and peace to the settlements that were attacked,” Netanyahu said.
“The second goal, at the same time, is to exact a huge price from the enemy, also in the Gaza Strip,” he added.
“The third goal is to fortify other arenas so that no one makes the mistake of joining this war,” Netanyahu said.
For his part, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has declared an emergency situation within a range of 80 kilometers from the Gaza Strip, his office said. The minister has also approved a widescale call-up of reservists, following a surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, his office said.
The number of reservists to be called up will depend on the military’s needs, Israeli media reported.
Gaza Strikes
Hours after the attack, Israeli warplanes and drones targeted several sites across the besieged enclave.
The occupying Israeli regime is attacking residential neighborhoods in the northern #Gaza Strip right now, according to local sources. pic.twitter.com/KkdMa2QWCk
The Israeli occupation forces said it has carried out a number of warplane and drone strikes against Hamas fighters on the border with the Gaza Strip.
“Airstrikes are continuing in other areas of the Gaza Strip at this hour,” the occupation military added.
Medical sources in Gaza reported that bodies of nearly 200 Palestinians have arrived at the coastal enclave hospitals, putting the number of injured Palestinians at more than 1000.
Full details of Al-Aqsa Flood.. Samir Faraj monitors the scenario of Israel’s response: a second fall of the Mossad after the October War
Special coverage | Clashes take place in Sderot. Resistance fighters continue to hold settler prisoners | 2023-10-08
Special coverage | Israeli erosion and failure versus Operation Al-Aqsa Flood 2023-10-07
Special coverage | Al-Aqsa Flood: A new beginning in the history of the Palestinian struggle 2023-10-07
Here Beirut – 10-07-2023 – Fadi Boudia
Hussein Murtada: The operation is pre-emptive, and this was the Israeli plan.. If the enemy expands by responding, these fronts will be ready.
The General Muhammad al-Deif defeats Netanyahu and his generals, and we expect a deadly missile response to the Gaza Strip. Abraham is greeted with apricots.
Abdel Bari Atwan: There is close information that Arab mediators such as Qatar and Egypt have requested calm, and I do not rule out a regional war.
Mohammad Deif addresses Palestinians and Resistance fighters announcing the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, starting with 5,000 rockets launched.
Mohammad Deif, Commander-in-Chief of al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, has announced the launching of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood following a barrage of rockets fired and an infiltration operation into Gaza Envelope settlements.
The leader said the operation comes in response to the Israeli occupation’s desecration of al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as multiple assaults against women in its yards.
He added that the Resistance fired more than 5,000 rockets and shells during the first stage of strikes.
Deif addressed the Palestinian Resistance fighter, saying, “This is your day to make the enemy understand that its time has ended,” adding that the Resistance had previously warned the Israeli occupation against assaulting women worshippers and desecrating al-Aqsa.
Al-Qassam Brigades leader also addressed the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, calling on them to “organize operations against settlements” and “sweep” the occupation away.
He then urged Palestinians residing in occupied al-Quds, as well as those in the 1948 occupied territories, to join the fight against the Israeli occupation.
Deif called on Palestinians to take up arms, utilizing any means possible.
The Palestinian Resistance in Gaza has launched barrages of rockets toward illegal Israeli settlements, including “Bat Yam” and “Rishon LeZiyyon” south of “Tel Aviv”.
Sirens have sounded in the Gaza Envelope illegal Israeli settlements and “Tel Aviv”. Simultaneously, the Iron Dome attempted to intercept the Resistance’s rockets, as per Al Mayadeen‘s correspondent.
Concurrently, Israeli media reported that “the Palestinian Resistance crossed the separation barrier, reached the intersection of the “Urim” settlement, and opened fire toward a settler’s vehicle.”
It was also reported that “gunfire from light weapons occurred at the Urim junction in the northern Al-Naqab and western Ofakim,” resulting in injuries.
Israeli media also reported that the Resistance launched a joint attack with an attempt of gliders to infiltrate the south.
Following the assault, Israeli forces opened shelters in “Tel Aviv” and “Ashdod” following the extensive rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, as reported by the Israeli army’s radio.
Additionally, Al Mayadeen‘s correspondent reported that the Palestinian Resistance had successfully taken captive several Israeli occupation soldiers.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Shehab Agency confirmed that “Gaza Resistance, for the first time in history, has infiltrated occupation settlements with jeeps and has taken control of areas within them.”
The Resistance’s operation comes in the context of continued and unchecked Israeli aggression against Palestinians in the West Bank and al-Quds, as well as a suffocating siege on the Gaza Strip.
Israeli police officers take positions during clashes with Palestinians by the Dome of the Rock Mosque in the al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied al-Quds, June 2, 2019. (AP)
Israeli occupation forces are forcing out Muslim worshipers from inside Al-Aqsa Mosque in preparation for its eventual storming.
Israeli settlers stormed the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied al-Quds on Sunday morning, under the protection of Israeli occupation forces, to mark the occasion of Rosh Hashanah or what is commonly known as the Jewish New Year.
The settlers toured the courtyards of the mosque provocating Muslim worshipers. Footage filmed by activists in the mosque documented the incursion of the settlers into the holy Muslim site which was led by former Member of the Israeli Knesset Yehuda Glick.
Occupation forces imposed strict measures around Al-Aqsa Mosque obstructing the arrival of worshipers to the holy site as well as the entry of Palestinian citizens and school students passing through its courtyards, according to local sources.
مرتدين "ثياب الكهنة".. مستوطنون يواصلون اقتحام المسجد الأقصى المبارك بحماية مشددة من قوات الاحتلال pic.twitter.com/8SoWSv422f
They also restricted the entry of Palestinians under the age of 50 into areas surrounding the site.
Currently, Israeli occupation forces are forcing out Muslims from the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as 15 worshipers have been forcibly removed from the mosque itself, in preparation for an expected storming of the holy site, according to the Islamic Waqf Department in Occupied al-Quds.
Furthermore, Israeli occupation forces arrested two young men from the mosque’s courtyards and transferred them to an unknown location.
The repressive measure comes in conjunction with Jewish holidays where occupation forces deliberately facilitate the entry of settlers into non-Jewish sites such as Al-Aqsa Mosque provoking locals and assaulting worshipers of various faiths.
تغطية صحفية: "مستوطنون يرقصون ويغنون في طريق باب السلسلة بعد خروجهم من المسجد الأقصى، في محاولة لاستفزاز الفلسطينيين الذين مُنعوا من دخول المسجد". pic.twitter.com/ex0hslDMDA
Activists in al-Quds called earlier on Saturday for a demonstration to confront the settlers’ incursions which will intensify as of today
Al-Quds activists called on Saturday for demonstrations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque to confront the incursions of the settlers during a series of consecutive holidays that begin on Sunday.
Zionist settlers breaking into Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Al-Quds (September 17, 2023 / photo by Al-Qastal).
Zionist settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Al-Quds on Sunday and Brutally attacked Palestinian worshippers as they celebrated the Jewish New Year, so-called Rosh Hashanah.
Under the escort and protection of Israeli occupation troops extremist settlers broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque and carried out provocative tours in the courtyards of the holy compound.
An Israeli settler blows a trumpet near Bab al-Silsilah, one of the main gates of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied #Jerusalem, under the pretext of celebrating the Jewish New Year. pic.twitter.com/MUxHA69Ist
In another video, Israeli occupation forces appeared brutally assaulting a Palestinian woman near the holy compound.
Palestinian sources occupation forces restricted access of Palestinian worshipers to Al-Aqsa Mosque, with several arrests being made in the holy city.
Commenting on the Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa, Hamas Spokesman Mohammad Hamadeh stressed that the Israeli enemy “aims through the desecration of the holy compound to boast about fake victory in Al-Quds.”
In this context, he hailed the steadfastness of the Palestinian people, whom he said are united in the battle to defend Al-Aqsa.
For his part, Islamic Jihad’s politburo member Ahmad Al-Modallal warned that all options of the Palestinian resistance to confront the Israeli aggression are on table.
Sunday’s incursion into the holy site coincides with a significant surge in settler violence against Palestinians across the occupied West Bank, which Israeli officials admit is taking place with a green light from the occupation government.
A stab attack injured three Zionist settlers on Jaffa street in occupied Al-Quds, according to media reports.
One settler was seriously injured and taken to hospital. One other man was lightly wounded and taken for medical treatment. Two female settlers were also treated for anxiety-related injuries.
The Zionist occupation forces arrested the stabber, Al-Manar reporter said.
Israeli media indicated that the stabber is 17 years old and lives in occupied Al-Quds.
Zionist Raids in West Bank
The Israeli occupation forces stormed Jenin City and camp and arrested the ex-prisoner Mohammad Naghnaghiyah. The Palestinian resistance fighters, in turn, announced confronting the Zionist raid and opening fire at the enemy forces.
Moreover, the Zionist occupation forces raided Tulkarem city, Aroub camp as well as Tabaqa village in Al-Khalil, and Almata town in Al-Quds. The enemy’s bulldozers demolished a number of stores in Almata town, according to media reports.
The photo by Safa News Agency shows a young Palestinian injured during clashes with the Israeli forces in the area of Malka, east of Gaza City, on September 1, 2023.
The photo by Safa News Agency shows a young Palestinian injured during clashes with the Israeli forces in the area of Malka, east of Gaza City, on September 1, 2023.
At least nine Palestinians have been injured in clashes with Israeli forces along the fence that separates the besieged Gaza Strip from the occupied territories.
The violence broke out in the area of Malka, east of Gaza City, on Friday afternoon after the Israeli forces opened fire at dozens of Palestinian youth who staged a peaceful rally in protest at the regime’s continued crimes against Palestinians and their holy sites.
Palestine’s Safa News Agency cited the Health Ministry in Gaza as saying that nine people sustained injuries “of various kinds,” and were transported to Shifa Hospital.
The agency added that some of the Palestinians suffered from suffocation due to inhaling tear gas fired by the regime forces near the separating fence.
#عاجل وزارة الصحة بغزة: 9 إصابات بجراح مختلفة وصلت مجمع الشفاء الطبي من قبل قوات الاحتلال الإسرائيلي شرق غزة
Palestinian Shehab news agency confirmed the confrontation between the Israeli forces and the Palestinians along the Gaza border, stressing that the troops “fired massively” at demonstrators using bullets and gas canisters.
Shehab also said a number of young Palestinians managed to cross the fence.
إصابات جراء قمع قوات الاحتلال للمتظاهرين شرق مدينة غزة
Palestinians usually stage demonstrations in the Gaza Strip after Friday prayers to protest against provocative incursions by Israeli groups into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied al-Quds.
The regime brought the entire enclave under land, aerial, and naval blockade in June 2007.
Israel’s crippling siege of Gaza has turned the enclave into the world’s largest open-air prison and left many of its people destitute.
As a result of the siege, unemployment levels in Gaza are among the highest in the world, and as many as 1.3 million out of the 2.1 million Palestinians in Gaza (62 percent) require food assistance as well, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
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Four resistance operations took place between Wednesday and Thursday across the occupied West Bank, causing Israeli casualties and raising concerns among both Israeli security and defense establishments.
The first operation was a car-ramming attack in the city of Al-Khalil (Hebron) on Wednesday, followed by a stabbing attack in occupied Al-Quds. In a significant event late Wednesday, an explosive device exploded by the occupation forces in the city of Nablus, wounding an officer and three soldiers. Then on Thursday, another car-ramming attack near Ramallah killed an Israeli soldier and injured five others.
Commenting on Thursday’s operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Another hard morning in Israel,” while Israeli minister of finance, Bezalel Smotrich said: “Every day we bury Israelis. We must change this fate.”
“A bloody day, full of fear in Israel: Car ramming, stabbing, throwing stones and explosive devices,” Israeli Channel 14 described the resistance operations.
The Palestinian attacks in the last two days were just a sample of the pace of resistance acts across the West Bank. According to fresh figures provided by the Times of Israel, which cited the Israeli defense establishment on Thursday, occupation security forces have carried out more than 2,000 arrest operations in the West Bank and ‘foiled’ more than 470 attacks since the beginning of 2023.
Implications of Escalation
For the Israeli security establishment, the danger of car-ramming operations, which indicates development of the performance of Palestinian attackers, in terms of their competence, good planning, and precise implementation, is no less than the danger of the explosive devices, Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported on Friday.
In an article, journalist Ahmad Al-Abed considered that the IEDs have become on top of the Israeli security establishment’s list of concerns, due to their implications, especially regarding the growing capabilities of the Palestinian resistance.
Just like the previous explosive devices which were detonated in Jenin and Nour Shams camps, the Nablus bomb received great attention in Israeli circles, Al-Abed wrote, as he cited Israeli reports that the bomb contained unusual or rarely used explosive materials.
⚡️Numerous casualties among zionist regime soldiers in Nablus tonight after a Palestinian IED detonated near their vehicles pic.twitter.com/nSLb37JwE7
Israeli Channel 12 reported that it the explosive device in Nablus weighed 20 kilograms and that it has raised concerns of the security establishment in the Zionist entity.
In the same context, Palestinian sources told Al-Akhbar that the explosive device caused a severe explosion, the sound of which was heard in various neighborhoods and regions of Nablus, and that it accurately and directly targeted the Israeli soldiers.
‘Out of Control’
Israeli estimations eye the recent acts of resistance in the occupied West Bank as unprecedented since the Second Intifada, with some warning that such attacks are being ‘out of control’.
“In eight months of this year, it has become the bloodiest one since the Second Intifada nearly 20 years ago,” The Jerusalem Post’s Yonah Jeremy Bob reported on Friday, wondering why the attacks have “gotten so out of control.”
Anyway, the recent escalation of the attacks, even if they differed in the method of execution, indicates that the Israeli occupation is incapable of curbing the acts of resistance which poses a real ‘nightmare’ to the Zionists.
The Palestinian Resistance Movement of Hamas issued a statement which confirmed that all the threats issued by the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and other Zionist officials will not manage to mitigate the power of the resistance.
The statement added that Netanyahu’s threat to assassinate Hamas Deputy Chief Sheikh Saleh Al-Arouri and the resistance commanders are void and fruitless.
Hamas also indicated that the Israeli enemy, confused by the resistance strikes, must know that any assault will be confronted firmly and powerfully.
Sheikh Arouri and all the Palestinian people will remain resisting the Israeli occupation till restoring all the legitimate rights, mainly the freedom of Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque.
It is worth noting that a photo showing Sheikh Arouri wearing the military uniform with a rifle on his table was circulated in a sign of determination to face the Israeli threats.
Israeli occupation forces operating in Jenin (August 2023).
Israeli occupation on Wednesday ramped up arrest campaign against Palestinians in the West Bank, amid failure to quell acts of resistance across the occupied territories.
Al-Manar correspondent in the West Bank Deeb Hourani reported that the Israeli occupation forces arrested 50 Palestinians between Tuesday and Wednesday across Al-Khalil, Jenin, Nablus, and Al-Quds
The arrests included Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials, our correspondent reported, adding that occupation forces re-arrested Sheikh Maher Al-Akhras from his house in Silat Al-Thahr town, south of Jenin.
Maher Al-Akhras, Palestinian Islamic Jihad official who was re-arested by IOF on Wednesday (August 23, 2023).
Shortly after his arrest, Al-Akhras announced he was going on hunger strike in protest against his detention, Palestinian media reported.
Al-Akhras went on a 103-day hunger strike in protest of his detention without charges or trial in 2020.
Commenting on the arrest campaign, Islamic Jihad Spokesman Moussab Al-Breim stressed that the Israeli repression won’t break the determination of the Palestinian people.
The arrest campaign is aimed at quelling the status of resistance against the Israeli occupation in the West Bank, Al-Breim said.
Israeli occupation forces raid the family homes of Mohammad and Saqr Shantir in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, south of the occupied West Bank, map and prepare them for them for punitive demolition in retaliation for them carrying out a shooting operation two days ago… pic.twitter.com/4hzQz3ZRu5
For his part, Hamas Spokesman Abdul Latif Al-Qanoua described the arrest campaign as a “desperate attempt by the occupation to repress the rising resistance.”
He noted that the Israeli occupation is in failure following the heroic resistance operations in Huwara and Al-Khalil (Hebron).
Meanwhile on Wednesday, dozens of Zionist settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and performed provocative prayers at the holy compound.
Settlers invaded Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of occupation forces, this morning pic.twitter.com/Few4Twoqe8
As usual, the settlers were backed by occupation forces, in a move regarded by Palestinian people as an attempt by the occupation authorities to impose the so-called spatial and temporal division of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
One of the wounded settlers was described as being in critical condition while Israeli media described the area as being under heavy security surveillance.
One occupation settler was killed and another was critically injured after their car was targeted in a shooting operation in Al-Khalil on Monday, Israeli media reported.
The operation took place in an area under heavy security surveillance, the news outlets added.
Israeli occupation soldiers launched a mass manhunt looking for the individual(s) that carried out the operation after enforcing full closure on the city and its entrances, Israeli media said, adding that helicopters were deployed to the scene to participate in the combing efforts.
The new operation dealt yet another mighty blow to the Israeli occupation, as described by Channel 13, linking this operation to the previous shooting near Huwara on Saturday, which led to the death of two settlers.
Resistance operations intensified in recent months following an increase in Israeli deadly aggressions against Palestinians in different parts of the occupied West Bank, most notably the IOF mass-military aggression on Jenin in early July.
An Israeli settler is killed & another seriously injured in a shooting operation on Route 60, south of Hebron.
مقتل مستوطنة إسرائيلية وإصابة أخرى حرجة في عملية إطلاق نار استهدفت سيارة للمستوطنين على شارع ٦٠ جنوب الخليل pic.twitter.com/TFBsEx6sVt
Through a series of statements, factions within the Resistance have affirmed that the increased acts of resistance come as a legitimate response to the ongoing Israeli aggression, which is resulting in the killing of Palestinians on an almost daily basis.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a security meeting with opposition leader and former premier Yair Lapid later this afternoon in occupied Al-Quds, reports said.
Drones over Gaza
The Israeli military targeted two drones flying over Gaza between Sunday and Monday, Israeli media reported.
Footage circulating on social media showed the moment an Iron Dome missile targeted the UAV on Sunday, leading to its destruction.
The moment when the Gaza resistance drone was shot down by the Zionist regime's army; Zionist regime had claimed that the resistance drone had infiltrated the occupied territories pic.twitter.com/IK0OcarUt4
Images from the shooting attack in the “Ma’ale Adumim” settlement, east of occupied Al-Quds, where Mohannad Mohammad Mazar’a was martyred after conducting the operation. (Shehab Agency)
A shooting operation in the “Ma’ale Adumim” settlement, located east of the occupied Palestinian capital, Al-Quds, leaves 6 settlers wounded, two of which were reportedly in critical condition.
A shooting operation conducted by Martyr Mohannad Mohammad Mazar’a, 20 years old, in the “Ma’ale Adumim” settlement east of occupied Al-Quds, wounded six settlers, two of which were reportedly in a critical condition, and left the Israeli Occupation Forces in a state of confusion.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that it had been officially notified of the death of Al-Mazar’a.
Israeli media confirmed the number of wounded settlers and the condition they were in and announced they had killed Mazar’a, who conducted the operation in a commercial complex in the settlement.
صور آثار الرصاص في سيارات الشرطة الاسرائيلية في معاليه أدوميم شرق القدس المحتلة. pic.twitter.com/f5XBFSabd7
The martyr, an hour before he conducted the operation, recorded an audio containing his will in which he said, “If we accept this oppression then Islam is innocent from us” and told fellow Palestinians not to abandon their prayers, nor the Resistance, reaffirming that he did not conduct the shooting operation on orders of any Resistance faction, but that he was a Palestinian resisting oppression and standing up for justice.
It is worth noting that this echoes the will of martyr Ibrahim Al-Nabulsi, who was martyred last year in Nablus, who urged Palestinians to continue in the path of Resistance and to “never abandon their rifles.”
In this context, Israeli Channel 2 reported that the martyr was “dressed as a security guard,” while the Occupation Army Radio revealed that he carried an M16 rifle, which is an unusual weapon to be used in Palestinian Resistance operations.
In turn, Israeli Kan channel reported that Mazar’a resided in the town of Al-Eizariya in the occupied Palestinian capital of Al-Quds.
With regards to the Palestinian Resistance movements, Hamas mourned the martyr in a statement it issued, confirming that “he carried out a heroic shooting operation.”
Hamas spokesperson Abdel Latif Al-Qanou lauded the heroic shooting operation, and stressed that it came in defense of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and in response to the settlers’ incursions.
Al-Qanou affirmed that the Resistance will remain continue to use “all possible means and tools, in various parts of the West Bank and Al-Quds as it targets the Zionist occupier.”
Moreover, the Islamic Jihad Movement praised the operation in a brief statement, stressing that it was “a heroic commando operation carried out by a heroic Palestinian Resistance fighter in the Ma’ale Adumim settlement, which is built on occupied Palestinian land, east of Al-Quds.”
تغطية صحفية:" سنجعل الله يضحك من عملنا ويباهي عملنا فيمن عنده.. من وصية المشتبك مهند المزارعة منفذ عملية (معاليه أدوميم) التي أسفرت عن إصابة 6 مستوطنين بعضهم بجروح خطيرة". pic.twitter.com/7hxdb2DGah
The Popular Resistance Committees in Palestine, subsequently, issued a brief statement, blessing the “Ma’ale Adumim” operation, describing it as a new blow to the enemy’s security and military system. Likewise, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine announced that the operation comes in response to “the crimes of the occupation and its organized terrorism,” and represents a blow to all Israeli security measures and barriers.
It is noteworthy that the “Ma’ale Adumim” settlement is built on lands east of the occupied city of Al-Quds, specifically in the villages of Al-Eizariya, Al-Sawahra and Abu Dis.
It is also significant to remind that the settlement, in October of 2022, witnessed a heroic operation carried out by martyr Uday Al-Tamimi, in which he attacked the settlement’s security personnel and confronted them in a direct and targeted shooting operation.
Al-Tamimi’s operation was highly significant and caused core damage to the IOF internal deterrence capabilities to the extent that Israeli media, at the time, reported that “Al-Tamimi turned into a Palestinian superhero.”
Following the operation, Israeli media reported on the arrival of the Police Minister in the occupation government, Itamar Ben-Gvir, accompanied by the Inspector General of the Occupation Police, Jacob Shabtai, to the scene.
Additionally, the IOF deployed special forces reinforcements to the scene of the operation, according to Israeli media.
تغطية صحفية: "الاحتلال يدفع بتعزيزات من القوات الخاصة إلى منطقة تنفيذ عملية إطلاق النار قرب مستوطنة معاليه أدوميم شرق القدس المحتلة". pic.twitter.com/bVswPzDBhZ
UPROOTED PALESTINIANS: SALAM ALQUDS ALAYKUM 