‘Two Years to Knock Out Hamas in Rafah’ – Israeli 12 Brigade Chief

Israeli Commander of the 12th Brigade says dismantling the Hamas structure in Rafah will take at least two years.

Hevri El-Baz said the task of eliminating Hamas is not something easy and this issue requires time and great military pressure that needs to be applied consistently on Hamas fighters operating in Rafah.

The Israeli army entered Rafah on 6 May and they are still battling Palestinian resistance fighters there with daily losses in lives and hardware.

The Israeli military commander says Hamas is waging a guerrilla war made up of independent groups which makes the task of dealing with it more difficult.

These groups are a broad representation of the Palestinian resistance movement including the Islamists Saraya Al Quds and the Abu Ali Mustapha Brigade of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The Israeli commander warns whoever thinks that the sirens will stop within the next year is throwing sands in the eyes, adding fighting in Rafah is going slowly and Hamas fighters have studied us well.

The comments made by El-Baz are being uttered when there are at least nine brigades operating in this small city. Also, it shows the stiff resistance they are encountering from the different Palestinian armed groups.  

The commander is echoing the views made by many Israelis including Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari who openly said Hamas can’t be beaten in Gaza and whoever believes that is throwing sand in the public’s eyes.  

CrossFireArabia

CrossFireArabia

Dr. Marwan Asmar holds a PhD from Leeds University and is a freelance writer specializing on the Middle East. He has worked as a journalist since the early 1990s in Jordan and the Gulf countries, and been widely published, including at Albawaba, Gulf News, Al Ghad, World Press Review and others.

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Israeli Official: ‘Life in The North is Dead’

Head of the Israeli Regional Council Moshe Davidovich expressed sorrow over the situation in the north, saying: “It’s a feeling we’ve experienced before, and we wish we could be rid of it.”

In an interview published by Israel’s Channel 14 on Sunday, Davidovich noted that “the residents of the north have been displaced and subjected to relentless shelling for nearly two years.”

Following the increasing number of Israeli soldiers injured in attacks by the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon in response to the aggression, Davidovich called on his government to take action to “minimize casualties.”

He also raised another important point, saying: “Everyone is now embracing the residents of the north and saying they are with us, but at the same time I hear that the government intends to cut the north’s budget.” He asked: “How can this be?” describing the Tel Aviv government’s actions toward its own residents as “neglect.”

Life in the North is Nearly Dead

Davidovich addressed the head of the occupation government, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, saying: “People here are unemployed, agriculture is nearly dead, and tourism has come to a standstill,” urging them to take action and not simply ignore the situation.

He criticized his government’s intention to “cut budgets,” saying: “We give generously, but I don’t want to hear that word. It’s inappropriate and incorrect, and ultimately, it represents a law that harms us.”

Regarding the settlers in northern occupied Palestine, Davidovich said it is not right for them to remain there, describing the situation as difficult after two arduous years, adding that a recurring scene is their “descending to shelters.”

Israel Surprised by Hezbollah’s Response

Israeli media outlets report that the “political leaders” in the occupation government are shocked by Hezbollah’s response and feel powerless in the face of it.

Other media outlets report that “living in the north is not easy, and the situation is more complex than it was during the 2023-2024 war,” while Yedioth Ahronoth asserts that Hezbollah is neither disintegrating nor collapsing, and consistently succeeds in maintaining an organized chain of command and control.

The Israeli newspaper Maariv acknowledges that the party “remains alive and active, launching rockets even deep into Israeli territory, and is not firing indiscriminately.”

Channel 12 admits that the Israeli army was surprised by Hezbollah’s attack despite warnings, and that its soldiers’ assessments of the party’s capabilities were incorrect. JO24

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