Military Expert: Israel to Retreat From Tal Al Hawa in 72 Hrs

Military and strategic expert Major-General Fayez Al-Duwairi expects the Israeli army to be forced to retreat from Tel Al-Hawa in Gaza City, in the next 72 hours. The intensity and effectiveness of the resistance operations in the area will make sure of that, he added.

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced it carried out several operations targeting Israeli soldiers and vehicles in Tel Al-Hawa. Al-Jazeera correspondent monitored the intense fighting in the neighborhood and the direct targeting of the occupation forces.

In an analysis of the military scene, Al-Duwairi pointed out there are four Israeli divisions fighting from Tel Al-Hawa to Rafah in the south. These are the 98, 99, 252 and 162 divisions, noting the fighting is fierce in most of theses areas, except in the northern region and parts of Gaza City.

Al-Duwairi explained the framework of operations in the areas surrounding Gaza city is difficult for the Israeli army, indicating it failed to achieve its goals in Jabalia, Shuja’iyya and Zeitoun, entering these areas repeatedly without achieving its goals.

The military expert pointed out that this is the sixth time the Israeli army enters this neighborhood, and this time as it will be forced to leave soon. He also pointed out the occupation army entered the camps area in the south twice with its  98th Division and failed, then sent the 36th Division and failed there as well.

Complete destruction

The real reasons for these Israeli incursions lie in the goal of completing the destruction of Gaza, displace more people and end the basic necessities of life, as each incursion is preceded by an Israel military order to the residents to evacuate the area.

In this context, he pointed out, the occupation destroyed the main water tank in Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah. He emphasized this reflects the army’s approach that is based on “gang ideology.”

Al-Duwairi, a military analyst in Al Jazeera Satellite Channel, pointed out the occupation doesn’t want the people who have been displaced to return, under the pretext of the infiltration of militants, which indicates a forced displacement process that may turn into permanent one.

As evidence of this, the military expert pointed out the Israeli army has completely destroyed homes and residential complexes in the south and east of Gaza City, and destroyed agricultural areas in the eastern region, saying such action is aimed at preventing people from returning.

Sniper bullet

Commenting on the sniper operation of an Israeli soldier in Khan Yunis broadcast by the Qassam Brigades, Al-Duwairi believes these Hamas fighters are using “leftover” war ammunition which reflect their ability to efficiently exploit available resources.

He explained the bullet that was used was 14.5 mm in caliber. He noted the use of these bullets reflects the resistance’s ingenuity in benefiting from weapons neglected and abandoned by the occupation soldiers.

Al-Duwairi pointed out the operation included accurate monitoring of occupation soldiers, which reflects a high level of planning and implementation, and best locations identified to carry out the sniper operation, which demonstrates professionalism on the part of the Palestinian fighters.

The military expert pointed out the morale of the Qassam fighters plays a decisive role in the success of the operations, stressing the sniper who carried out the operation enjoyed high confidence stemming from his belief in his cause.

He explained that the resistance does not only rely on recycling war remnants, but also uses strategies for direct reuse, as happened with the sniper bullets that appeared in this clip.

He pointed out the Al-Qassam Brigades use three main strategies: Reusing ready-made waste, recycling explosives, and reusing missiles dropped by occupation aircraft according to the Jo24.net website.

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“Disgusting speech, Shameful Session” Netanyahu in Congress  

Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, described Netanyahu’s speech as disgusting in a shameful session of the US Congress, which accepted to host and give a platform to the war criminal Netanyahu, who is committing crimes of genocide, ethnic cleansing, collective punishment and starvation in Gaza as reported in the Jo24.net website.

Barghouti added that the civilization he speaks of led to the martyrdom of 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including 17,000 children, amputation of the hands and feet of 1,200 Palestinian children and the displacement of two million Palestinians after the demolition of their homes.

He said: “This is not civilization, but decadence.”

Barghouti said Netanyahu’s speech was full of lies, even surpassing the Nazi propagandist Goebbels, especially when he claimed that Israel was delivering aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip while the whole world know that is a lie.

“Unfortunately, the US Congress witnessed a disgusting speech by Netanyahu in a shameful session in support of a war criminal, which was boycotted by honorable American representatives who are not subject to the Israeli lobby’s money, and thousands of supporters of the Palestinian struggle demonstrated against it, including thousands of American Jewish protesters who refuse to support Israel with weapons and who call for the freedom of Palestine.”

Barghouti pointed out Netanyahu has made himself and Israel a symbol of reactionism, fundamentalist racism, and a barbaric colonial mentality, and has practiced dangerous propaganda to spread Islamophobia.

Barghouti warned of the danger of Netanyahu’s plan of what he call “the next day for Gaza,” which includes “continuing the aggression against Gaza, maintaining the Israeli occupation there, establishing an entity that is an agent of the occupation…and continuing to use normalization with Arab countries to liquidate the Palestinian issue and restructure Palestinian consciousness to submit to the occupation.”

Barghouti stressed confronting Netanyahu’s vision would be through the rapid implementation of what was stated in the Beijing Declaration, especially the formation of a national reconciliation government that would foil Netanyahu’s tricks and plans and consolidate the unity of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem,” he concluded.

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Israeli Soldiers Confess Khan Younis is ‘Toughest’

Israeli soldiers and officers who took part in the battle of Khan Yunis say the fighting in Gaza is complicated and that Hamas Al Qassam fighters are changing their tactics in this ongoing war on the Strip for the 288th day according to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

They explained Hamas fighters are emerging alive from under the rubble after being bombed because they took shelter in basements protected by reinforced concrete.

Earlier this month, Israeli combat unit commander in the Nahal Brigade said the brigade lost 50 fighters, and “we must listen to mothers and take care of the reserve soldiers and detainees.”

Also last month, The Jerusalem Post newspaper also quoted Nahal Brigade Commander Yair Zuckerman as saying there are tunnels in almost all of the homes in Rafah, and progress of his forces is slow and the battles are exhausting.

The Israeli commander explained the Palestinian resistance factions are planting many cameras in Rafah to manage the battle from above and below the ground.

He said among the challenges facing his forces is booby-trapping houses and rooms in the city before the Israeli forces enter them, and detonate them remotely.

Despite the time-period of about nine months since the start of its war on Gaza, reports continue to highlight the inability of the Israeli occupation army to achieve any of what it calls, its declared goals, to  recover the Israeli prisoners in Gaza and to eliminate the capabilities of Hamas.

Daily, Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza announce the killing and wounding of Israeli soldiers and the destruction of their military vehicles throughout Strip. Resistance factions also fire missiles at Israel, and broadcast video clips documenting some of their attacks on Israeli soldiers, their tanks and troop carriers.

The occupation army continues its ongoing war on Gaza, leaving about 125,000 martyrs and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 10,000 missing amid massive destruction and worsening famine in the besieged Strip.

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Timeline: Mohammad Al Dief is Israel’s Nemesis

Quds News Network – The Israeli army claimed, Saturday, its attack on Al-Muwasi area in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, targeted Muhammad Al-Deif, overall commander of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, alongside other Hamas leaders. However, Hamas states the Israeli allegations are false.

While the Israeli army claimed today it attempted to assassinate al-Deif, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported an increase in the number of victims from the massacre committed by the Israeli army in Al-Muwasi area to 71 Palestinians, with 289 others injured. Later figures by Al Jazeera put the number of those killed at 91 and injured at 300.

Over the course of about three decades, Muhammad Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, the overall commander of the Al-Qassam Brigades known as Muhammad Al-Deif, has remained a significant puzzle for Israel, which has failed in at least seven assassination attempts against him.

This detailed timeline provides a comprehensive overview of what we remember about Israel’s real and alleged attempts to assassinate Muhammad Al-Deif.

August 19, 2001

Two Israeli Apache bombarded cars in Gaza, killing a police officer in the Preventive Security Apparatus. Israel claimed that Hamas leaders, including Muhammad Al-Deif were the target but they survived.

September 26, 2002

An Israeli Apache dropped two bombs on a car in Gaza, which Al-Deif was allegedly driving.

September 6, 2003

An Israeli missile missed its target and failed to hit Al-Deif, who was allegedly accompanying Hamas’ founder Ahmad Yaseen.

August 20, 2014
During the Israeli offensive on Gaza in 2014, Israel bombarded Al-Deif’s house in Gaza City using 6 bombs, murdering two women, a man, and a baby, including Al-Deif’s wife and 7-month-old baby with 60 civilians were injured in the attack.

May 19, 2021

During the Israeli offensive on Gaza, Israel’s army said it failed to assassinate Al-Deif twice.

July 13, 2024

Israel targeted a displacement camp, sheltering 80,000 civilians, and claimed that it targeted Al-Deif. At least 79 civilians were killed in the Israeli attack.

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Will Netanyahu Get to Address Congress?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering avoiding a stopover in Europe on his way to the US over fears that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is readying to issue an arrest warrant against him over the Israeli army’s crimes in Gaza according to Anadolu.

Netanyahu is to travel to the US and deliver a speech before the US Congress on July 24. He is also expected to possibly meet US President Joe Biden.

But there is much speculation about his coming trip with many on the social media woundering how he will get to Washington amidst the logistics involved in flying non-stop.

On 20 May, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. Khan also requested warrants for three of the Hamas group’s top leaders including its chief Ismail Haniyeh.

Everyone is waiting for the arrest warrants to become effective and many think they could be any time soon.

Israeli KAN public broadcaster said Netanyahu’s office reviewed the matter of stopping in Europe on his way to Washington as his plane is unable to make a transatlantic flight while carrying a full load of passengers.

His office reviewed the option of a stopover in the Czech Republic or Hungary; these two countries are seen as Israeli friends and called ICC arrest requests “unacceptable.”

KAN, however, noted Netanyahu in the end decided to go for a direct flight to Washington with a limited number of passengers on board.

While the US is not an ICC member, receiving Netanyahu despite an international arrest warrant could expose it to much criticism.

Israel also is not an ICC member, whereas Palestine was accepted as an affiliate in 2015.

Set up in 2002, the ICC is an independent international body not affiliated with the UN or any other international organization, and its decisions are binding.

Israel, flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.

Nearly 38,200 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 87,900 others injured, according to local health authorities the Turkish News agency reported.

Nine months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the ICC, whose latest ruling ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6 according to the Turkish news agency.

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