Jabalia Steadfast in Face of Israeli Bombs

With the intensification of the Israeli bombing of northern Gaza and with a siege of more than 80 days now, especially of Jabalia, its camp and Beit Lahia, the resistance is using all available tools to counter the Israeli aggression despite  turning north Gaza into an eyesore of destruction and not a place for survival.

The resistance continues to show unparalleled bravery standing up Israeli soldiers who can be seen carrying their dead and wounded on a daily basis.

The Jabalia camp, one of the largest refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, reflects, with its history and reality, a miniature image of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Analysts point out the operations launched from Jabalia reflect the roots of the Palestinian struggle rooted in the camps since the Nakba in 1948.

“We are the ones who used to chase the Israeli patrol in our camp here (Jabalia) with the sticks”… This was one of the expressions used by martyr leader Nizar Rayyan inside the Jabalia camp. He was martyred in the first wars that the resistance fought with the Israeli occupation forces in 2008-2009, showing the bravery of the people of Jabalia and their legendary steadfastness in confronting the occupier.

 “Just as we rubbed your noses in Ashdod, we will rub your noses in Jabalia,” Rayyan used to say.

While the 444 days of this rabid war on Gaza Strip should have been enough to end the resistance – according to Israeli and American thinking – the Al-Qassam and Al-Quds Brigades fighters in Jabalia say this is wishful thinking even if thousands of Mujahideens are killed, and the weapons run out as the recent stabbing operations show. These operations shouldn’t be interperated to mean as some suggest that weapons are running out for the enemy’s daily losses are not decreasing while the capabilities of the resistance are rising.

The Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas military wing, announced Sunday, it targeted nine soldiers inside a house with a “TBG” shell west of Jabalia camp, confirming they have either been killed and/or wounded whilst stating it destroyed an Israeli troop carrier with a “commando” explosive device in the Al-Alami area in the center of Jabalia camp.

The brigades added that “a Zionist officer was sniped in Abu Al-Aish Street in the center of Jabalia camp, north of the Strip,” and said it targeted a second Israeli troop carrier with a “commando” explosive device west of Beit Lahia, north of the Strip.

As well last Friday, the Al-Qassam Brigades announced it carried out a complex operation in Jabalia camp; where one of its fighters advanced towards an Israeli sniper and his assistant, and stabbed them to death, adding the fighter wore the uniform of one of the dead, and an hour after the operation, he advanced towards an Israeli force of six individuals, and blew himself up with an explosive belt, killing and wounding its members.

Last Saturday, Al-Qassam Brigades announced on its Telegram channel its fighters carried out a complex operation, stabbing three Israeli soldiers to death, seizing their personal weapons, then storming a house where a foot force had taken cover, killing two of its soldiers at the house gate.

On Sunday, the Al Jihad Al-Quds Brigades stated that one of its heroic martyrs stormed a Zionist troop carrier and carried out a special operation by detonating a suicide bomb among the soldiers who were at the entrance to the Al-Awda Towers in Ezbet Beit Hanoun.

Military analyst Major-General Fayez Al-Duwairi says “zero distance” is a golden opportunity for resistance fighters in their confrontation with the occupation forces, given the big difference between the equipment of the Israeli army with its high capabilities, and the weapons made by al- mujahideen locally.

He added the more the intensity of the ground aggression and Israeli incursions into the Gaza Strip areas increases, the greater the resistance’s opportunity to engage directly with enemy forces.

Since the start of the Battle of Al-Aqsa Flood, the resistance fighters have shown the most prominent of their weapons to target the Israeli enemy, including Al-Yassin 105 shells, tandem shells, sniper weapons, Shawaaz bombs and machine guns according to the Palestine Information Center.

However, the use of the stabbing weapon and explosive belts  which emerged in recent days to carry out martyrdom operations, indicates that the weapons used by the resistance are no longer as accessible as they were in the past, due to the tight siege imposed by the occupation, and the intensity of the operations carried out by the resistance fighters, which has led to the depletion of the battalions’ weapons stockpile.

The heroic operations carried out by the resistance fighters in northern Gaza over the past 80 days have resulted in the killing of more than 70 soldiers and officers in the occupation forces, in the Jabalia camp and camp alone, including the bombing of more than 100 military vehicles, 17 sniper operations, and 26 clashes with a foot force.

In a Yedioth Ahronoth interview with an Israeli officer he said the confrontation in northern Gaza these days is through the alleys, face to face with Palestinian fighters who do not fear death and refuse to be arrested.

Major-General Mohammed Al-Samadi believes that the significance of the stabbing operations and martyrdom operations in Jabalia confirms that the resistance is cohesive and strong, and adapts according to combat developments, and carries out hit-and-run operations, and carries out operations through small groups, including the lone wolf operations carried out by one of the mujahideen against the occupation forces, causing casualties and injuries in their ranks.

Al-Samadi added in an interview with Al Jazeera the resistance in northern Gaza has killed 17 soldiers through sniper operations, and that one fighter in the resistance factions can kill a group of individuals in the occupation forces, indicating that the occupation suffers from weak morale among its fighters, and also suffers from an intelligence failure in knowing the resistance’s tactics.

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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Bahrain Revives Its Pearling Legacy

Bahrain, with its shallow waters and rich oyster beds, has long been synonymous with pearls, which formed the backbone of the island nation’s economy for thousands of years. Diving for pearls, otherwise known as pearling, remains part of the country’s cultural DNA.

“I always say that all Bahrainis have pearl diving in their blood,” Mohamed Alslaise, a pearl diver and field researcher for the Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (DANAT) tells UN News. “Almost all the families that moved from the Arabian Gulf or Iranian coast to Bahrain were divers.”

Mr. Alslaise is passionate about preserving and reviving this age-old tradition, notes that many families in the Gulf nation have a member who was either a pearl diver or contributed in some way to the pearl diving industry.

Pearling in the Persian Gulf shaped Bahrain’s economy for thousands of years but, following a peak around the turn of the 20th century, the perfection of cultured pearls by Japan in the 1930s caused a sharp and devastating decline in the industry.

Khaled Salman, a diver since the 1970s, explains that while diving continues, it’s no longer done in the old way.

Bahraini diver, Mohamed Alslaise extracting pearls from oysters.

UN Video/Hisae Kawamori

Bahraini diver, Mohamed Alslaise extracting pearls from oysters.

“Nowadays, larger quantities are extracted due to advancements in technology, allowing divers to stay underwater for longer periods. In the past, a diver would stay underwater for four minutes, but now scuba divers can remain underwater for an hour or more.”

Due to lower pearl prices, Salman notes, “Many people don’t sell the pearls they extract; they store them until prices rise and then sell them to traders in Bahrain.”

Some pearls are used in local industries, while others are marketed outside Bahrain. He also highlights three types of pearls: synthetic, cultured, and natural, adding that “distinguishing between these types requires experience and modern equipment.”

The decline in pearling also affected Bahrain’s shipbuilding industry. Abdulla, a designer of wooden ships and boats for over 35 years, shares his perspective: “Bahrain is famous for its shipbuilding industry, which was integral to pearling. There are several types of ships, varying by design, but now smaller ships are used for pearling due to decreased demand.”

The wood for shipbuilding is imported from Africa and Singapore, and, says Abdulla, the lifespan of a ship can extends beyond 100 years.

Abdulla, a designer of wooden ships and boats for over 35 years.

UN Video/Hisae Kawamori

Abdulla, a designer of wooden ships and boats for over 35 years.

Folklore, songs and tradition

“Most Bahraini traditions are connected to the pearl diving industry. For instance, the pearl diving songs,” says Mr. Alslaise. “The folklore of pearl diving has been passed down for generations. We still sing the same songs, which were originally sung to boost morale on the boats.”

Bahrain’s historic pearling site, known as the Pearling Pathhas been inscribed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The site testifies to the pearling tradition and the wealth it generated in the Gulf region for millennia.

According to UNESCO, the area consists of 17 buildings in Murharraq city, three offshore oyster beds, part of the seashore and the Qal’at Bu Mahir fortress on the southern tip of Muharraq Island, from where boats used to set off for the oyster beds.

There are shops, storehouses, a mosque, and the homes of wealthy merchants in the area. According to UNESCO, the location is the only complete example of the pearling cultural tradition and the wealth it produced during the period when the Gulf economy was dominated by trade from the second century until Japan developed cultured pearls.

It also constitutes an outstanding example of traditional utilization of the sea’s resources and human interaction with the environment, which shaped both the economy and cultural identity of the island’s society.

A band performing a pearl diving song in Bahrain. The folklore of pearl diving has been passed down for generations.

UN News/ Abdelmonem Makki

A band performing a pearl diving song in Bahrain. The folklore of pearl diving has been passed down for generations.

Pearling is back 

“I am one of the people who fell in love with pearl diving without any guidance from my parents or family,” Mr. Alslaise. “The generation before us was not allowed to dive when they were young because, after oil was discovered, all the jobs shifted to the oil industry.”

According to Mr. Alslaise, since 2017, when Bahraini authorities introduced pearl diving licenses, many people who signed up had no prior knowledge of pearl diving.

“Now, seven years down the line, many Bahrainis have reconnected with this heritage. Over 1,000 divers are now registered and dive regularly to create an income for themselves.”

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How Israel Destroyed Rafah?

Israeli forces continue to attack Gaza residents in violation of the terms of the ceasefire agreement, the first phase of which took effect on 19 January. Airstrikes and gunfire targeting civilians and their property continue in various areas of Gaza, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries. Meanwhile, the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid – particularly medical equipment, hospital supplies, tents, mobile homes, and essential machinery for rubble removal and body recovery – remains severely hampered. As a result, civilians face deteriorating humanitarian conditions due to the widespread destruction of infrastructure and essential services. In Rafah, displaced residents continue to be prevented from returning to their homes, while Israeli forces are systematically demolishing both private and public buildings in the city.

Israeli forces redeployed along Gaza’s borders in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement continue to maintain absolute control and a heavy military presence in most areas of Rafah in southern Gaza for the 10th consecutive month. Field reports indicate that since the invasion of Rafah in early May 2024 and the seizure of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, the Salah al-Din axis (Philadelphi Corridor), and other parts of the city, Israeli forces have systematically destroyed infrastructure. Explosions and the sound of military machinery remain constant on the outskirts of the city, while residents are still barred from returning to most areas. The majority of Rafah’s displaced population remains in makeshift tents in central Gaza and in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis.

According to information gathered by Al Mezan, Israeli forces have not kept within the designated areas outlined in the ceasefire agreement and continue to maintain positions deep inside Rafah – more than one kilometer inside the city center, extending to the eastern garage area, the Palestinian-Egyptian border to the south, and the eastern perimeter fence. These areas remain highly dangerous, where any movement is met with artillery fire, sniper attacks, and aerial bombardment.

According to the Rafah Municipality, 200,000 of the city’s 300,000 residents are still unable to return. No organizations have been able to access many of the areas that are still under Israeli control, including Abu Al-Saeed in Tal Al-Sultan – stretching from the coast to the Rafah Crossing – as well as neighbourhoods deep within the city, such as Al-Awda and Al-Najma squares. Of Rafah’s total area of 60,000 dunams, 60% has been declared a restricted and highly dangerous zone.

More than 90% of Rafah’s neighbourhoods have been completely or partially destroyed, with severe damage to residential buildings, roads, and essential public infrastructure – including health, government, and commercial facilities. The damage is particularly concentrated in the southern and western parts of the city, where six out of fifteen neighbourhoods and five refugee camps have been completely levelled. In addition, nine medical centers were destroyed, including the Abu Yousef Al-Najjar Hospital – the only government hospital in Rafah – the Kuwaiti Hospital, and the Indonesian Field Hospital. Approximately 70% of sewage and water pumps have been destroyed, while electricity and communications networks have nearly totally collapsed. The amount of rubble in Rafah is estimated at 20 million tons, with many bodies still believed to be trapped beneath it.

According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, Israeli forces have killed 111 civilians and injured 916 others since the ceasefire came into effect. The Rafah Municipality reports that approximately 40% of these casualties occurred in Rafah, as residents attempted to check on their homes and agricultural lands. The most recent victim, Hanaa Tawfiq Suleiman Hassanein (Al-Ghouti), was killed on 21 February 2025 when an Israeli tank fired at her home in the Al-Jeneina neighborhood, in the eastern part of Rafah, shortly after she returned home.

Mr. Mohammed Hassan Abu Sultan, 35 years old, married and a father of two, shared his experience of attempting to return to his home in Rafah:

“In early May 2024, my family and I were forced to flee to Deir al-Balah, and later to Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, where we struggled to live in a tent with meager resources. When the ceasefire was announced on 19 January 2025, I was overjoyed, believing that I could finally return home and leave the hardships of displacement behind. But the next day, I discovered that the Israeli forces had not completely withdrawn from Rafah. A few days later, I tried to check on my house in the Al-Jeneina neighbourhood. When I arrived in Rafah, I was shocked by the extent of the destruction. Before I even reached my neighbourhood, I and others who were going to inspect our homes came under fire. I barely escaped. I later learned that the gunfire came from an Israeli crane positioned south of Al-Jeneina, with tanks stationed on nearby sand dunes. Every day I hear of more civilians being killed or injured as they try to check on their homes. I am still living in a tent in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, enduring the bitter cold and poor conditions, waiting for the full withdrawal of Israeli forces so that I can return to my home – even if it has been destroyed.”

Similarly, Mohammed Mahdi Mousa Al-Dawoudi, 38 years old, married and a father of four, recounted his attempt to return to his home in Rafah after the ceasefire took effect:

“On 28 May 2024, my family and I, like many others, were forced to flee our home in the Tal Al-Sultan neighbourhood of Rafah due to intense bombardment and the advance of Israeli forces. We took refuge in a small tent in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, where we endured displacement and harsh living conditions. The ceasefire was announced on 19 January 2025, after we had waited for several months to return home. I finally went back to check on my home, but when I arrived in Tal Al-Sultan, I was horrified to see entire neighbourhoods reduced to rubble. As we inspected the aftermath of the bombardment in the area, Israeli forces positioned along the Philadelphi Corridor (the Egyptian-Palestinian border) opened fire on us. I barely made it back to Al-Mawasi. I later learned that most Rafah residents are unable to return due to Israeli gunfire and military presence in the eastern and southern parts of the city. Many civilians have been killed trying to reach their homes. I remain displaced in a tent, struggling to survive the freezing temperatures, waiting for the Israeli forces to completely withdraw so that I can return to what remains of my home.

As of the time of this press release, Israeli forces continue to maintain control over most areas of Rafah, attacking residents with gunfire and other weaponry, particularly those attempting to return to their homes. The ongoing Israeli operations include the widespread demolition of homes and infrastructure, especially in the Al-Awda and Tal Al-Sultan neighbourhoods, in what appears to be a deliberate effort to alter the city’s landscape and render it uninhabitable.

Al Mezan unequivocally condemns Israel’s ongoing crimes, perpetrated in furtherance of the continuing genocide in Gaza, particularly in Rafah. We call on the international community to take urgent and concrete measures to end the genocide, stop the systematic destruction of Rafah, and ensure the safe return of displaced residents. Immediate steps must be taken to hold those responsible accountable, including full support for the International Criminal Court and other accountability mechanisms, the imposition of a two-way arms embargo on Israel, and targeted sanctions against individuals and entities complicit in these crimes. The international community must also review and suspend bilateral agreements and diplomatic ties that enable Israel’s violations, work toward dismantling the unlawful occupation, and uphold the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

Reliefweb

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