Hamas-Israeli War 2023

[Big_Zucchini]

Location of tomorrow's Hassan Nasrallah's speech.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720130394324902203

WSJ:

WSJ News Exclusive | Russia’s Wagner Group Plans to Send Air Defenses to Hezbollah, U.S. Says

Intelligence suggests that the Russian paramilitary group might provide the SA-22 system of missiles and air-defense guns to the Lebanese militia, American officials say.

www.wsj.com

The U.S. has intelligence that the Wagner Group, the Russian paramilitary group, may provide an air defense system to Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia, U.S. officials say.

The system in question is the SA-22, which uses antiaircraft missiles and air defense guns, to intercept aircraft.

One U.S. official said that Washington hasn’t confirmed that the system has been sent. But it is monitoring discussions involving Wagner and Hezbollah and that the potential delivery is a major concern.

 

[SinisterMinister]

Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 is the de facto recognition of Gaza as an independent entity and whomever ruled it as its sovereign. Between 2005-2007 it was Fatah. Since then Hamas. Israel's refusal to enter, reoccupy, and and remove Hamas from power, is a de facto recognition of this status quo.

There is no act of Israeli policy toward Gaza that has no precedent or basis in international law and therefore the agreed-upon customs.

Israel has never recognized Gaza/Hamas as a sovereign entity, and your last assertion is a pure falsehood. By international law Gaza is occupied territory:

"Specifically, experts from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory found “noting” positions
held by the UN Security Council, UNGA, a 2014 declaration adopted by the Conference of High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention, the ICRC, and “positions of previous commissions of inquiry,” that Israel has “control exercised over, inter alia, [Gaza’s] airspace and
territorial waters, land crossings at the borders, supply of civilian infrastructure, including water and electricity, and key governmental functions
such as the management of the Palestinian population registry.'"

Israel claims it is no longer occupying the Gaza Strip. What does international law say?

The laws of occupation codify a basic principle of humanity: those with effective control over a population have obligations to protect it.

www.atlanticcouncil.org

.

As such it enjoys all the protections established by the Geneva Conventions, specific among them:

“To the fullest extent of the means available… ensuring the food and medical supplies of the population,” including bringing in “necessary
foodstuffs, medical stores and other articles if the resources of the occupied territory are inadequate.”

“To the fullest extent of the means available… ensuring and maintaining, with the co-operation of national and local authorities, the medical and
hospital establishments and services, public health and hygiene.”

"In the case of inadequate supplies, even for part of the population, agreement to and facilitation of relief schemes."

Israel is flagrantly violating these and many of their other obligations under the Geneva Conventions.

Gaza's independence began in 2005. Back then, there was no blockade whatsoever. It only occurred because of voluntary actions Hamas took, i.e. launching a war against Israel.

A strictly literal reading of history that is at best misguided and at worst dishonest. There have been vital restrictions from the moment the occupation "ended" in 2005. James Wolfensohn, serving as the Quartet on the Middle East envoy for the Israeli disengagement from Gaza concluded,

"Gaza had been effectively sealed off from the outside world since the Israeli disengagement [August–September 2005], and the humanitarian and economic consequences for the Palestinian population were profound. There were already food shortages. Palestinian workers and traders to Israel were unable to cross the border"

I'm concerned that your pattern of posting about this conflict denies the humanity and rights of Palestinian civilians and ignores the obvious war crimes being committed by the IDF. You have previously advocated for ethnic cleansing and continue to deny virtually any wrongdoing in the situation by the Israeli government and the IDF while trotting out falsehoods like the above to justify Israel's actions.

 

[Big_Zucchini]

Israel has never recognized Gaza/Hamas as a sovereign entity, and your last assertion is a pure falsehood

Recognition is not a condition for sovereignty nor independence. See: Taiwan.

"Specifically, experts from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory found “noting” positions
held by the UN Security Council, UNGA, a 2014 declaration adopted by the Conference of High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention, the ICRC, and “positions of previous commissions of inquiry,” that Israel has “control exercised over, inter alia, [Gaza’s] airspace and
territorial waters, land crossings at the borders, supply of civilian infrastructure, including water and electricity, and key governmental functions
such as the management of the Palestinian population registry.'"

The document quotes the UN IICIOPT, which is currently in the middle of 2 antisemitic scandals. First, its very existence as a permanent inquiry into Israel alone of all countries has been widely condemned in the west as singling out Israel, itself an antisemitic act. Were there any such inquiries into approximately 150 other countries, all much more deserving of scrutiny, perhaps this would not be a point of criticism. But alas.
This comes amid wider criticism of other bodies like the UNHRC which was previously dismantled due to excessive anti-Israel bias and later reformed with a higher degree of bias, to the point none really takes it seriously on any topic anymore, or the ICC who has taken upon itself a mandate which the western nations claim is not its to take.

Further, the panel is composed of 3 members. All 3 have a history of antisemitic remarks, or if you want to argue such remarks are simply "healthy criticism", then at the very least they constitute a predetermined opinion that judges should not have before even gathering evidence.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1584905379586211842

I invite you to read the following quotes from the same article:

What is an occupation?
Occupation is defined in Article 42 of the Fourth Hague Convention:

“Territory is considered occupied when it is actually placed under the authority of the hostile army. The occupation extends only to the territory where such authority has been established and can be exercised.”

While Israel is not a party to the Fourth Hague Convention, this convention is considered customary international law and, therefore, still binds Israel. Whether a territory is occupied is a question of fact, meaning that it is solely governed by the facts on the ground, not whether the relevant governments perceive themselves as occupying or occupied.

Under this factual inquiry, a territory is considered occupied when it falls under “effective control of hostile foreign armed forces.” Traditionally, effective control requires three main components: the physical presence of a foreign military without consent; the inability of a local sovereign to exercise control because of foreign forces’ presence; and the imposition of occupying forces’ authority. However, some components of effective control are still debated, particularly whether military presence is an essential condition, whether it requires the ability to exert authority or the actual exertion of authority, and whether the occupying power must have exclusive authority. An occupation generally ends when the occupying power withdraws, retreats, or hands over authority to a local government.

Further:

Israel’s High Court of Justice found in 2008 that Israel’s effective control ceased in 2005. Specifically, it found that the “[m]ilitary rule that applied in the past in this territory came to an end by a decision of the government, and Israeli soldiers are no longer stationed in the territory permanently, nor are they in charge of what happens there.” It, therefore, determined that the occupation ended in 2005.

Essentially, the only actual court decision on the issue - has ruled that Gaza is no longer occupied. Any notion that Israel somehow still occupies Gaza is based on the argument that the definition of occupation should be revised or re-interpreted. Until that reaches a court and there is a verdict, the only applicable decision is the IHCJ decision of 2008, and the literal interpretation of the Hague Convention.

I have personally never seen a court decision overturned outside of court or an attached legislative authority.

“To the fullest extent of the means available… ensuring the food and medical supplies of the population,” including bringing in “necessary
foodstuffs, medical stores and other articles if the resources of the occupied territory are inadequate.”

“To the fullest extent of the means available… ensuring and maintaining, with the co-operation of national and local authorities, the medical and hospital establishments and services, public health and hygiene.”

"In the case of inadequate supplies, even for part of the population, agreement to and facilitation of relief schemes."

Even if we accept for a moment that Israel is obligated to provide all these, and ignore the fact you purposely left out all the caveats to these assertions, can you provide an example of a violation? I find it hard to debate this specific subject without an example.

"Gaza had been effectively sealed off from the outside world since the Israeli disengagement [August–September 2005], and the humanitarian and economic consequences for the Palestinian population were profound. There were already food shortages. Palestinian workers and traders to Israel were unable to cross the border"

Are you willing to hold Poland to the same standard for sealing Belarus off from the outside world?

Or Bolivia for sealing off Chile?

If not, I don't see your point. Borders, as a matter of fact, typically exist between 2 states. It is in each of these states' right to regulate what goes in and out. Typically we just call it customs. When there is a clear military threat, it's reinforced into a blockade. And if reinforced further, we call it a siege. All are perfectly legal and legitimate practices, depending on the practical need.

I mean, when Mexicans cross the border into the US, they're referred to illegal immigrants. But we don't really call that a blockade on Mexico, do we?

Israel is flagrantly violating these and many of their other obligations under the Geneva Conventions.

Which I am sure you are going to provide an example for, right about now.

I'm concerned that your pattern of posting about this conflict denies the humanity and rights of Palestinian civilians

I'd love to hear your explanation on this, including quotation of course.

and ignores the obvious war crimes being committed by the IDF

Booking an explanation on this one as well. That's going to be a fun read.

You have previously advocated for ethnic cleansing and continue to deny virtually any wrongdoing in the situation by the Israeli government and the IDF while trotting out falsehoods like the above to justify Israel's actions.

Yes, the ethnically cleansed and many times displaced Jew is himself a cleanser of ethnicities. You know what happened last time someone tried to ethnically cleanse me? I took matters to my hands and fixed it. I didn't complain to anyone and demanded that someone will do it for me. Sometimes I subjected myself to it voluntarily.

 

[T.C.P]

https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFootage/comments/17mg5s3
Watch this video before it gets deleted again! This is almost fantastical. This is something I thought I would see in a video game and not in real life. Shows just how desperate and fanatical the Hamas fighters are. The guy literally crawled out a tunnel, ran and placed an IED below the Merkava APS and then ran back to his shelter and shot it with an RPG.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFootage/comments/17m267f
f-35 shooting down a cruise missile. First such an action for a f-35.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFootage/comments/17m26sp
Alleged Arrow interception of a Houthi ballistic missile.


https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFootage/comments/17l83sh
Houthis launching Ballistic missiles and Drones against Israel. This video gives a good idea of the level of sophistication Israel is up against. The wide range of suicide drones, cruise missiles and Ballistic missiles that the Houthis have and their experience in using them makes them quite a credible threat.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFootage/comments/17mhnbh
If Hezbollah joins in on the Drone/missile campaign, Israel's defenses will become quite streched, just today Hezbollah published a video of them using suicide drones against a Israeli outpost, first time in the conflict. But, still no indications of them going all in yet.



Note-to view the links better. On your browser, after the link is open, simply replace the "www" with "old" on the reddit page URL.

 

[Feanor]

https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFootage/comments/17mg5s3
Watch this video before it gets deleted again! This is almost fantastical. This is something I thought I would see in a video game and not in real life. Shows just how desperate and fanatical the Hamas fighters are. The guy literally crawled out a tunnel, ran and placed an IED below the Merkava APS and then ran back to his shelter and shot it with an RPG.

I saw that one on Military Observer. It raises some serious questions. Where's the infantry? Why is the MBT rolling around on its own? It reminds me of that goofy video from early in the Ukraine war where a T-80BVM is rolling around an intersection while a Ukrainian ATGM team is desperately trying to hit it with an NLAW. They miss and it returns fire, possibly hitting them, but it's the same kind of nonsense. MBTs shouldn't be within this kind of range of enemy infantry without friendly infantry nearby. By the way, I don't think that's an IED, I think it's an RPG round.

 

[Big_Zucchini]

I saw that one on Military Observer. It raises some serious questions. Where's the infantry? Why is the MBT rolling around on its own? It reminds me of that goofy video from early in the Ukraine war where a T-80BVM is rolling around an intersection while a Ukrainian ATGM team is desperately trying to hit it with an NLAW. They miss and it returns fire, possibly hitting them, but it's the same kind of nonsense. MBTs shouldn't be within this kind of range of enemy infantry without friendly infantry nearby. By the way, I don't think that's an IED, I think it's an RPG round.

This is open ground with no hard cover, infantry is there but it's not going to be hanging tight with the MBTs. There is a safe distance to stay from MBTs after all.

As you can see, the tunnel entrance was well concealed and there was plenty of dust all around. It also happened to be very close to the tank.

 

[Feanor]

This is open ground with no hard cover, infantry is there but it's not going to be hanging tight with the MBTs. There is a safe distance to stay from MBTs after all.
As you can see, the tunnel entrance was well concealed and there was plenty of dust all around. It also happened to be very close to the tank.

You think the infantry is outside the positions of the Hamas tunnel exit? I guess it's possible. I distinctly recall that infantry is supposed to be closer then that in dense terrain, but of course the IDF might differ here and they certainly have plenty of experience. But he ran right up to the tank, plopped the rocket on it, ran back, and then fired at it with an RPG. That's quite the suicide mission if there are a bunch of enemy infantry right next to him.

 

[Big_Zucchini]

You think the infantry is outside the positions of the Hamas tunnel exit? I guess it's possible. I distinctly recall that infantry is supposed to be closer then that in dense terrain, but of course the IDF might differ here and they certainly have plenty of experience. But he ran right up to the tank, plopped the rocket on it, ran back, and then fired at it with an RPG. That's quite the suicide mission if there are a bunch of enemy infantry right next to him.

This area is in front of a built-up area but is itself an empty flat ground, if infantry stands right beside the tanks they'll themselves be blasted by any incoming RPG, or killed much faster by the tunnel dwellers.
As of yet, there is no order to enter the tunnels, itself a massively risky undertaking.

If you have to storm a line of buildings through open and exposed ground, it makes sense that the armored vehicles are a little ahead, with infantry in positions within line of sight to assist. Due to the absence of hard cover in those areas, D9s are working 24/7 to create new ones for them. But that's only applicable in cleared areas.

 

[OPSSG]

Post 1 of 6: The 6 unspoken phases of Operation Swords of Iron

…video from early in the Ukraine war where a T-80BVM is rolling around an intersection while a Ukrainian ATGM team is desperately trying to hit it with an NLAW. They miss and it returns fire, possibly hitting them…

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720152340999598407

1. With so many tunnels it is not surprising that shit happens & an armoured vehicle gets hit. See next point on why it looks like the attack failed.

​

(a) Ultimately, I don’t think there was penetration of the armoured vehicle in the first video.​

​

(b) Hamas is not incompetent but they are not SEAL Team 6 in TTPs. If they were, IDF casualties would be higher.​

​

(c) We know for certain that the IDF lost a Namer to an ATGM (no IFV is invincible, no matter how thick the armour). The IDF also lost a Merkava to a mine/IED.​

​

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720314833306816815

2. The militant video is referred to in-directly by the IDF as they talk about clashes of the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion and the Armored Corps’ 53rd Battalion.

Where's the infantry?

…I don't think that's an IED, I think it's an RPG round.

3. There seems to be very little cover & concealment for any IDF infantry in the immediate area; plus the force seems to be static for a long time. I suspect this attack failed — as the militants were baited to attack. If we:

(a) don’t know, where & when it happened (or wh. year the footage was obtained); &​

​

(b) don’t have the context (that is deliberately stripped by these terrorists), I can’t comment if it is a tactical failure of the IDF.​

Why is the MBT rolling around on its own?

4. I think there are more forces around, we just can’t see them.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1719370808408113525

5. Hamas terrorist give RT a tour of their tunnel network in Gaza - called the Metro. Video shows Hamas fighters with weapons (ATGMs, RPGs, Snipers, machine guns) waiting in advanced tunnels to conduct surprise counterattacks.

 

[Big_Zucchini]

Footage of a tunnel demolition effort.
In the left side video, we can see halfway through a heat line going through a field. That's the tunnel itself after demolition. We can see it was a small, localized tunnel.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720388465425063986

A breakdown of the Nasrallah's (stop laughing Feanor), Hezbollah's leader, upcoming speech.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720238279885193532

 

[SinisterMinister]

Recognition is not a condition for sovereignty nor independence. See: Taiwan.

My point was in direct reference to Israel's approach to Gaza. If they wanted Gaza to be seen as sovereign, they would recognize it as such. Currently no country, not even the PNA or Hamas, recognize Gaza as sovereign. They do not control their borders or their coastline. The Israeli military operates in Gaza with impunity; Israel does not engage in diplomacy with them. This idea that Gaza is sovereign or independent is not one that anyone outside of a few people online are buying, so I'm not sure why you think it is a legitimate position.

The document quotes the UN IICIOPT, which is currently in the middle of 2 antisemitic scandals. First, its very existence as a permanent inquiry into Israel alone of all countries has been widely condemned in the west as singling out Israel, itself an antisemitic act. Were there any such inquiries into approximately 150 other countries, all much more deserving of scrutiny, perhaps this would not be a point of criticism. But alas.
This comes amid wider criticism of other bodies like the UNHRC which was previously dismantled due to excessive anti-Israel bias and later reformed with a higher degree of bias, to the point none really takes it seriously on any topic anymore, or the ICC who has taken upon itself a mandate which the western nations claim is not its to take.

Further, the panel is composed of 3 members. All 3 have a history of antisemitic remarks, or if you want to argue such remarks are simply "healthy criticism", then at the very least they constitute a predetermined opinion that judges should not have before even gathering evidence.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1584905379586211842

I invite you to read the following quotes from the same article:


Further:


Essentially, the only actual court decision on the issue - has ruled that Gaza is no longer occupied. Any notion that Israel somehow still occupies Gaza is based on the argument that the definition of occupation should be revised or re-interpreted. Until that reaches a court and there is a verdict, the only applicable decision is the IHCJ decision of 2008, and the literal interpretation of the Hague Convention.

I have personally never seen a court decision overturned outside of court or an attached legislative authority.

Just a whole slew of problems here.

1. 2 of the 3 quotes attributed to the members of the UN IICIOPT to tar them as anti-semitic are far from anti-semitic, and it is absolutely true that the international Israel lobby throws around accusations of anti-semitism whenever anti-Zionist or anti-Israel commentary is heard. Here is a fantastic interview with the head of the ADL in which the problems with that methodology should be obvious.

https://archive.ph/6sXU5

2. The UN IICIOPT is far from the only international body that considers Palestine to be occupied territory. It is also recognized as such by the UN OCHA, UN Special Rapporteur Richard Falk and most importantly, by the UN General Assembly and Security Council, according to this statement issued by the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary General in 2012.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

There really is no international body that I have seen that is not explicitly pro-Israel that takes a different view. So if you want to talk about international law, Gaza's status is quite clear. Even the US State Department refers to Gaza as part of the "Occupied Territories"

Israel and The Occupied Territories - The Occupied Territories - United States Department of State

www.state.gov

3. The decision of an Israeli court has no bearing on international law and its bias here should be quite clear. The idea that anyone outside Israel should accept what Israeli law says about any part of Palestine as binding is laughable.

Are you willing to hold Poland to the same standard for sealing Belarus off from the outside world?
Or Bolivia for sealing off Chile?
If not, I don't see your point. Borders, as a matter of fact, typically exist between 2 states. It is in each of these states' right to regulate what goes in and out. Typically we just call it customs. When there is a clear military threat, it's reinforced into a blockade. And if reinforced further, we call it a siege. All are perfectly legal and legitimate practices, depending on the practical need.
I mean, when Mexicans cross the border into the US, they're referred to illegal immigrants. But we don't really call that a blockade on Mexico, do we?

I'm not clear on why you think any part of these examples are applicable to the situation in Gaza. None of these countries forcibly blockade every part of the border (including the coastline) of these other states. If it were a real border, Israel would not be able to violate it with impunity without becoming an international pariah. Again, this idea that Gaza is something akin to a state is so far from reality that I have no idea how you think anyone else will buy it. Gaza is a prison camp.

Even if we accept for a moment that Israel is obligated to provide all these, and ignore the fact you purposely left out all the caveats to these assertions, can you provide an example of a violation? I find it hard to debate this specific subject without an example.

Is this a joke? Gaza's civilians are currently in dire need of food and medical supplies. Israel will not provide these, and will not allow international organizations to do so either. This is a clear violation of the above. I'd love to know what "caveats" you think apply to these other than "to the fullest extent of the means available". Israel clearly has the means to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Which I am sure you are going to provide an example for, right about now.

You're a little belligerent about this considering how ridiculous your position is. The idea that I should have to provide such examples when Israel has killed over 8,000 civilians in less than a month and deprived all of Gaza of humanitarian relief, and when the director of the UN Human Rights Office in New York has resigned in protest of the UN's inaction in the face of what he sees as "textbook genocide" in Gaza, is a bit insulting to my intelligence and I very much doubt that any evidence of such would be regarded by you as legitimate. Nevertheless, knock yourself out. I'm sure you'll have reasons why these organizations are "anti-semitic".

How Does International Humanitarian Law Apply in Israel and Gaza?

In the aftermath of Hamas’s attack on Israel, and Israel’s ensuing bombardment campaign of the Gaza Strip, there is much discussion, by both experts and non-experts, about international humanitarian law (IHL), the law governing armed conflict and military occupation, and its application in the...

www.hrw.org

Israeli attacks wipe out entire families in Gaza

Amnesty International has documented damning evidence of war crimes.

www.amnesty.org

War crimes in the Israel–Hamas war - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[OPSSG]

Post 2 of 6: The 6 unspoken phases of Operation Swords of Iron

6. I agree with @SpencerGuard that it is possible to destroy the military capability of Hamas. They might still exist after the war, but Hamas will no longer be capable of the type of complex cross border raid they did, for the next decade. As I said earlier, there are 5 phases:

​

(a) Phase 0, shaping with raids in an attempt to rescue hostages, but only getting some intel.​

​

(b) Phase 1, commencement of ground operations with a 3 pronged attack, whose goal for the next phase is to cut-off Gaza city from the south — to enable a classic hammer & anvil move. That's a standard tactic on any battlefield, says Gian Gentile, a senior historian at the Rand Corp, and a retired colonel in the U.S. Army. "Isolating an objective is a basic approach to war-fighting," he says. As a surprise, the 1st hostage was also rescued early in this phase.​

​

(b) Phase 2 has started & the clock is ticking for the next rescue attempt. On 31 Oct 2023, Israeli fighter jets conducted a massive airstrike on a section of the Jabalia refugee camp just north of Gaza City. The Americans are flying 6 unarmed Reapers/Predators for ISR support, while the IDF are flying even more UAVs in Gaza. Most American observers are wondering why there are so few forces — in fact, the IDF forces in Gaza city is too small to occupy that cut-off area. This is a feature, not a bug of the IDF plan.​

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720456500059975807

​

(c) Phase 3 & 4 will be the longest phases of the ops. In phase 3 of the Israel-Hamas war, Israel may decrease the scale of its air campaign and shift focus on tactical ground operations. Part of these 2 phases are to create a new security strip 2 km deep into the territory of the Gaza strip along the entire border — Palestinians will not be allowed there. Imagine bulldozers simply leveling the area. Will talk more about it when it occurs.​

​

7. This volte-face on the 3 Nov 2023 speech by Hassan Nasrallah is a big relief. It has been suggested that President Biden's posture made Hassan Nasrallah rethink about opening another front to attack Israel. The 3 Nov 2023 speech by Hassan Nasrallah, has the potential to be one of Joe Biden's biggest foreign policy successes. Two aircraft carriers and "don't" rather focus the mind.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720467287168147697

8. Biden and his top aides have in the past week have adjusted the administration’s public message to emphasize concern for Palestinian civilians and U.S. efforts to get them humanitarian relief. "I think the humanitarian conditions on the ground are an Achilles heel for the operation," he says. "That needs to get addressed, and addressed very, very quickly," Alex Plitsas (a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council) said.

9. NPR has interviewed American military experts but I believe that the coverage seems to mis-understood the IDF. This is in part because NPR has its own view & they interviewed Marc Garlasco.

​

(a) Garlasco used to work for HRW, & he is smearing the IDF’s targeting process without actual information. As expected Garlasco said, "I'd say Israel is playing pretty fast and loose with the laws of war right now."​

​

(b) As others have noted, Israel is not engaged in the "deliberate mass killing of civilians". I will repeat that as many times as needed despite the obtuse trolling to the contrary.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720163452319105184

​

(c) The more objective, Gian Gentile, a senior historian at the Rand Corp, and a retired colonel in the U.S. Army said, "warfare in general is highly destructive against civilians, and it becomes even more so in a dense urban environment like Gaza City."​

​

(d) In a statement, the UN’s human rights office appeared to echo those concerns, warning that strikes on the Jabalia camp "could amount to war crimes." Given that the 15 member Human Rights Council has appointed Iran's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva Ali Bahreini as the chair of the two-day meeting, the unending accusations of Israeli war crimes — should come as no surprise.​

 

[Big_Zucchini]

@SinisterMinister I'm moving this to the appropriate thread. Please respect this decision and comment there on the subject as it is far more appropriate than this thread:

Middle East Defence & Security

It's funny to call this a crisis because we have always been at war. Anyway, Does you have any strategic insight to share about the growing ISIL threat in the region? I'm particularly interested with Jordanian defense capability against the group. As voices inside Jordan claim that ISIL...

www.defencetalk.com

 

[Big_Zucchini]

Gazans fleeing south were reportedly gunned down by Hamas. I will consider this more or less verified considering the video and the narrative both come from the Palestinians themselves.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720457311951499372

There are fakes spreading right now about Israel targeting an ambulance. In itself it is true, but that is highly unlikely to be a medical vehicle. Hamas routinely uses ambulances as transports, and it has a large base under the Shifa hospital, making ambulances an important part of its logistical and communication network.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720529988921799079

 

[Feanor]

Gazans fleeing south were reportedly gunned down by Hamas. I will consider this more or less verified considering the video and the narrative both come from the Palestinians themselves.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720457311951499372

Sad but unsurprising. You want the civilians there to die in Israeli strikes. Which won't happen if they're not in the area. It's typical ISIS tactics.

 

[SinisterMinister]

There are fakes spreading right now about Israel targeting an ambulance. In itself it is true, but that is highly unlikely to be a medical vehicle. Hamas routinely uses ambulances as transports, and it has a large base under the Shifa hospital, making ambulances an important part of its logistical and communication network.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720529988921799079

So every time Israel strikes civilians they can just say "there were Hamas operatives there" and we are supposed to believe it? Has a strong, "who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?" Vibe to it. The video from this scene is awful. I will not post it as I don't think anyone benefits from seeing it, but clearly many civilians were killed. If you doubt it I'm sure you can find it quickly on Twitter/X.

I'm sure all these aid workers have been killed in the last several weeks because they got too close to Hamas operatives

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1719996213309702172

 

[Big_Zucchini]

So every time Israel strikes civilians they can just say "there were Hamas operatives there" and we are supposed to believe it? Has a strong, "who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?" Vibe to it. The video from this scene is awful. I will not post it as I don't think anyone benefits from seeing it, but clearly many civilians were killed. If you doubt it I'm sure you can find it quickly on Twitter/X.

Operative words are "highly likely". I always leave some room for doubt, but not too much as it quickly becomes a substitute for critical thinking and a moral compass.
Either way, although I have served, I'm not the IDF Spokesperson. This is:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720510816930157050

I also highly doubt Hamas will take responsibility for this.
Can you provide some evidence to the claim that "clearly many civilians were killed"? You say it confidently. It is probable that we've seen different footage, indeed this is a trending topic. But from what I've picked up so far, which isn't much, I have yet to find any evidence confirming they were civilians.

I'm sure all these aid workers have been killed in the last several weeks because they got too close to Hamas operatives

That is a safe assumption. UNRWA does provide shelter to Hamas's rockets as well as to civilians.
Their sites are also used for transfer of humanitarian aid destined for civilians - to Hamas.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1713917915060224168

 

[Big_Zucchini]

Lebanese terrorist eliminated close to the border fence.

I say Lebanese because not all terrorists in Lebanon are Hezbollah. Hamas and other Palestinian factions have significant presence there as well.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720558743593623904

Some mesmerizing Iron Dome footage. Last time there were serious rocket attacks on my city, we didn't have any Iron Dome and had to live for days inside a bomb shelter. Today people got this spectacular show and integrated bomb shelters at home.
https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFootage/comments/17myn3z
Expected, to be honest. That's how they get most of their things. I'm sure many items are missed on inspection.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720563604489949603

Nasrallah's speech today was not welcomed well by supporters of Hamas. Israeli TV aired Blinken's speeched which occurred simultaneously, and generally it's about 40 minutes of "We were surprised just like everyone else, they didn't tell us anything, but good job on doing that and good luck in the future".

In much-hyped speech, Nasrallah makes threats but does not commit to broader war

Hezbollah chief mocks 'weak' Israel, warns America not to intervene, but keeps options open on wider conflict; Netanyahu tells him: You cannot imagine how much a war will cost you

www.timesofisrael.com

 

[SinisterMinister]

Operative words are "highly likely". I always leave some room for doubt, but not too much as it quickly becomes a substitute for critical thinking and a moral compass.
Either way, although I have served, I'm not the IDF Spokesperson. This is:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720510816930157050

I also highly doubt Hamas will take responsibility for this.
Can you provide some evidence to the claim that "clearly many civilians were killed"? You say it confidently. It is probable that we've seen different footage, indeed this is a trending topic. But from what I've picked up so far, which isn't much, I have yet to find any evidence confirming they were civilians

Fine. Please be advised this is graphic.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720454194891489397

 

[Big_Zucchini]

Fine. Please be advised this is graphic.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720454194891489397

Thanks for the link.

No hallmarks of an aerial munition or an ATGM. Blast seems to have occurred between the ambulance and the Fiat Panda whose door seems to have been pushed in. Small blast but excessive casualties. Most peculiar is how no vehicle seems to have burn damage.

The IDF said it conducted the strike, but I'm not sure if that is the same incident. Evacuations from Shifa - Hamas's largest northern base, 3 weeks in, when the first deadline was 24 hours? And it just so happens to be in the heart of Gaza city when Hamas leaders are at peak pressure to escape?

I was always skeptical of on-the-ground footage from Gaza, I'll continue to be here as well. Circumstances alone indicate that this is in high likelihood a convoy meant for Hamas.

According to this war map, the IDF is closing in on Shifa.