Hamas militant group has started a war that ‘Israel will win,’ defense minister says

[Tall Timbers]

Hamas is ‘collapsing,’ captured terrorists tell Israel​

The Hamas terror organization is suffering heavy losses and is collapsing in on itself, captured terrorists have told their Israeli interrogators, according to Israel’s defense minister.

Shifa Hospital, the local headquarters for Hamas in the northern Gaza Strip prior to the Israeli invasion of Gaza, was reoccupied by Hamas forces in recent months, Israeli security officials said earlier this month.

On the night of March 18th, the IDF launched a massive, multi-day raid on the hospital, sparking running gun battles with terrorists inside and outside of the facility.

Hundreds of terrorists were killed during the operation, with over 800 others arrested.

Hamas is 'collapsing,' captured terrorists tell Israel

Hamas paying 'very heavy' price, Israeli Defense Minister says, citing testimony by captured terrorists.

worldisraelnews.com

 

[Anastacia]

Hamas is ‘collapsing,’ captured terrorists tell Israel​

The Hamas terror organization is suffering heavy losses and is COLLAPSING in on itself, captured terrorists have told their Israeli interrogators, according to Israel’s defense minister.

Shifa Hospital, the local headquarters for Hamas in the northern Gaza Strip prior to the Israeli invasion of Gaza, was reoccupied by Hamas forces in recent months, Israeli security officials said earlier this month.

On the night of March 18th, the IDF launched a massive, multi-day raid on the hospital, sparking running gun battles with terrorists inside and outside of the facility.

Hundreds of terrorists were killed during the operation, with over 800 others arrested.

Hamas is 'collapsing,' captured terrorists tell Israel

Hamas paying 'very heavy' price, Israeli Defense Minister says, citing testimony by captured terrorists.

worldisraelnews.com

On Saturday, I listened to an interesting "round table discussion" with Britte Gillette, Pete Garcia, Tom Hughes, and John Haller and they also said everything they hear from sources are that Israel is soooo close to eradicating Hamas! But unfortunately, all these calls and votes for a ceasefire (which the U.S. abstained from even voting, thereby allowing it to pass) are attempts to keep Israel from destroying Hamas. And if Israel is prevented from completing this, they may feel they need to resort to more severe actions.

I truly do not understand how other countries are allowed to vote, or pressure, or have any say in what Israel does, so I just chalk that up to Israel being a "burdensome stone".
Maybe hopefully they ignore the world's calls for a ceasefire and actually eliminate Hamas and they could soon be living securely, having recently recovered from war, like Ez 38 says. Maybe Damascus will be affected by any severe actions Israel may take. Maybe this gets even bigger before Israel finishes the job.

I'm just grateful this thread is active with all the updates and insights!

 

[Tall Timbers]

Israel: We Will Enter Rafah and ‘Achieve Total Victory’ over Hamas​

Israel reiterated its intention Thursday to enter the town of Rafah in Gaza to destroy the remaining battalions of Hamas, promising to achieve “total victory” when it did so.

The Biden administration and Israel have been at odds over whether Israel should enter Rafah, with Israeli officials reportedly arguing with White House officials during a Zoom meeting on the topic earlier this week.

In a press briefing, Breitbart News asked Israeli government spokesperson Raquela Karamson: “Is the humanitarian cost of the delay greater than the humanitarian cost would have been if Israel had entered Rafah right away and ended the war with victory?

While declining to answer specifically, Karamson said that Israel’s entry into Rafah “will be the completion of our war against Hamas,” and that Israel would do so “to destroy the remaining battalions” of the terror organization.

Israel: We Will Enter Rafah and 'Achieve Total Victory' over Hamas

Israel reiterated its intention to enter Rafah in Gaza to destroy the remaining battalions of Hamas, promising to achieve "total victory."

www.breitbart.com

I'm thinking Israel might want to stop dilly-dallying and get it done as the world is putting immense pressure on Israel to end the war pre-maturely.

 

[Hol]

Anti-Netanyahu protests threaten war effort, hostage deal, experts say ​

Anti-government demonstrations, which had been on a low flame since Oct. 7, burst forth with renewed ferocity this week. ​

The demonstrations against Benjamin Netanyahu are back, this time wrapped in calls for the release of the hostages held by Hamas.

Analysts tell JNS that protest organizers, many of whom, like former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, were behind the anti-judicial reform protests, are obsessed with bringing down the Netanyahu government to the exclusion of all else, endangering the war effort and the possibility of a hostage deal.

Anti-Netanyahu protests threaten war effort, hostage deal, experts say - JNS.org

Anti-government demonstrations, which had been on a low flame since Oct. 7, burst forth with renewed ferocity this week.

www.jns.org

 

[Anastacia]

Anti-Netanyahu protests threaten war effort, hostage deal, experts say ​

Anti-government demonstrations, which had been on a low flame since Oct. 7, burst forth with renewed ferocity this week. ​

The demonstrations against Benjamin Netanyahu are back, this time wrapped in calls for the release of the hostages held by Hamas.

Analysts tell JNS that protest organizers, many of whom, like former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, were behind the anti-judicial reform protests, are obsessed with bringing down the Netanyahu government to the exclusion of all else, endangering the war effort and the possibility of a hostage deal.

Anti-Netanyahu protests threaten war effort, hostage deal, experts say - JNS.org

Anti-government demonstrations, which had been on a low flame since Oct. 7, burst forth with renewed ferocity this week.

www.jns.org

The article explains:
"The hostage issue is really the latest pretext, he said. “Whether the excuse is the price of cottage cheese, judicial reform, bringing back the hostages—it doesn’t matter. It’s not really about that. The bottom line is to get rid of the right-wing government.”

The activists hope to create rifts within the government coalition, to promote infighting. “They’re even appealing to religious Zionist elements, whom they only recently demonized as extremists, to join them against the ultra-Orthodox for refusing to serve,” Avivi said.

The coalition recognizes the protests for what they are and will resist attempts to dismantle it, Avivi said. He predicted: “This government is not going anywhere.”

And like another thread @Tall Timbers posted today in Anything Goes, this article also confirms that "International money, mainly from Germany and the U.S. — “at least the progressive part of the U.S.”—and funneled through all kinds of NGOs is essentially directed towards “the destruction of the State of Israel."

Everything and everyone really is coming against Israel, even some Israelis and Jews (which isn't new but I just find so unbelievable).

 

[Spartan Sprinter]

Something seems fishy to me, why would the IDF take out or kill those world kitchen people who went to provide aid?

There was nothing suspicious at all to justify why they were killed?

 

[Hol]

Something seems fishy to me, why would the IDF take out or kill those world kitchen people who went to provide aid?

There was nothing suspicious at all to justify why they were killed?

It is almost impossible to trust any news source, and the only thing that makes sense is that it was a tragic 'friendly fire' event. That makes sense to me because the Israeli govt. approved this effort to provide aid to Gaza. Israel should have placed IDF soldiers on the truck as escort.

 

[Tall Timbers]

Biden Demands ‘Immediate Ceasefire’ from Netanyahu in Phone Call​

President Joe Biden demanded an “immediate ceasefire” from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call on Thursday between the two leaders, threatening a loss of U.S. support for the war if Israel does not comply.

Biden’s statement confirms that the U.S. has effectively adopted Hamas’s demand that a ceasefire precede a deal to release the remaining 130 or so Israeli hostages. The U.S. previously agreed with Israel that a ceasefire depended on a deal.

The effect of Biden’s demand is that Israel will find it extremely difficult to achieve its war goals. If it chooses to pursue the last Hamas battalions in Rafah, it will do so without U.S. support. And if it tries to reach a hostage deal, Israel will have to do so without the leverage of U.S. support for continued military operations against Hamas in Gaza.

Biden Demands 'Immediate Ceasefire' from Netanyahu in Phone Call

Biden demanded an "immediate ceasefire" from Netanyahu in a phone call Thursday, threatening a loss of U.S. support if Israel does not comply.

www.breitbart.com

I'm very disappointed in the US govmint in stabbing Israel in the back, which is what it is doing.

 

[Hol]

I'm very disappointed in the US govmint in stabbing Israel in the back, which is what it is doing.

Same here.

There's a couple of reporters from the Jewish News Syndicate who have podcasts that I listen to. One is Carolyn Glick, and another is Johnathan Tobin.

On Jonathan Tobin's update he addressed concerns in Israel re: Trump. The issue was due to comments Trump made during an interview on Israel's Channel 12. Trump bluntly said that Israel should go in and finish the job [sic of destroying Hamas]. Some took that as him telling Israel that if he's president he won't help. Tobin is pro-Trump and did a good job explaining what he'd meant.

Momentarily my hopes were up, thinking, yeah, a few more months and Biden will be gone...

Then I had to remember that the US is not going to be Israel's backer at some point in the future. It's possible that now is that time

 

[Margery]

Something seems fishy to me, why would the IDF take out or kill those world kitchen people who went to provide aid?

There was nothing suspicious at all to justify why they were killed?

Caroline Glick explained it well in her most recent YT. I think Amir covered it too. Friendly fire. Tight quarters and not a lot of ability to be super precise. Aid workers in Gaza are not part of the IDF so the IDF doesn't track them. Civilians get hurt in all wars and this is no exception. What is unusual is the double standard the media and the US govt is using. They were not criticized in Afghanistan, Iraq, or anywhere else but the media and the US govt leadership is holding Israel to a standard of perfection.

 

[Tall Timbers]

Something seems fishy to me, why would the IDF take out or kill those world kitchen people who went to provide aid?

There was nothing suspicious at all to justify why they were killed?

‘Serious failure’: IDF fires 2 top officers over deadly drone strike on Gaza aid convoy​

Attack on World Central Kitchen cars was carried out in grave violation of orders, probe finds; commanders believed Hamas gunman was in one car; WCK insists on independent probe

Two senior officers were to be dismissed and several other top commanders in the Israel Defense Forces were formally censured for their involvement in a deadly drone strike against a group of aid workers with the World Central Kitchen organization in the central Gaza Strip earlier this week, the military said Friday.

The investigation into the incident late Monday, which left seven humanitarian workers dead, was carried out by the General Staff Fact-Finding Assessment Mechanism, an independent military body responsible for investigating unusual incidents amid the war.

The probe found that the strike was ordered against the convoy of WCK vehicles after officers suspected they carried a Hamas gunman, despite a low level of confidence, and against army regulations. The officers did not identify the vehicles as belonging to WCK when the strike was ordered, according to the investigation.

‘Serious failure’: IDF fires 2 top officers over deadly drone strike on Gaza aid convoy

Attack on World Central Kitchen cars was carried out in grave violation of orders, probe finds; commanders believed Hamas gunman was in one car; WCK insists on independent probe

www.timesofisrael.com

Mistakes happen in the fog of war. I think it's unfortunate that anyone is getting punished for this accident. This sort of thing could lead to more casualties among Israeli war fighters if they slow down their decision making process while fighting.

 

[Tall Timbers]

IDF ends active ground invasion, completely withdraws from southern Gaza​

The IDF on Sunday announced that it had concluded the active invasion stage of the war for now while leaving open the possibility of a future new invasion of Rafah in deep southern Gaza.

In terms of IDF soldiers, this means that the IDF has withdrawn all of Division 98 from Khan Yunis in southern Gaza while maintaining one plus brigades - the Nahal brigade and portions of Brigade 401 – in northern and central Gaza.

Although a top IDF official said that this change had nothing to do with US pressure, the timing was unmistakable in coming right after the IDF’s disastrous mistaken killing of seven humanitarian aid workers last week.

IDF ends active ground invasion, completely withdraws from southern Gaza

The decision came less than two days after Israel opened the Erez Crossing and Ashdod port to transfer humanitarian aid.

www.jpost.com

Hopefully this is some kind of ruze... but Israel may have concluded that they can't continue without an active flow of parts to keep their war machines operational, especially their fleets of American made fighter aircraft.

 

[Tall Timbers]

After U.S. Pressure, IDF Leaves Southern Gaza; Hamas Declares Victory​

Biden demanded an “immediate ceasefire” in response to the accidental killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers last Tuesday, when an IDF drone team mistook them for Hamas terrorists.

The incident was Hamas’s greatest success in the war: there is evidence that the terrorists deliberately confused the IDF about the vehicles. Hamas uses human shields and civilian casualties as part of its asymmetric war strategy.

Biden’s demand came after the U.S. had already allowed the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution that separated a ceasefire from a deal to return the remaining 130 or so Israeli hostages, adopting Hamas’s core demand.

After U.S. Pressure, IDF Leaves Southern Gaza; Hamas Declares Victory

The IDF pulled its forces from southern Gaza, following a demand from Biden last week for an "immediate ceasefire." Hamas declared victory.

www.breitbart.com

 

[Tall Timbers]

Israel Is Risking Losing This War By Caring What People Who Hate It Think​

Israel is risking losing this war because it is focusing more on avoiding criticism from its enemies than winning. I blame Benjamin Netanyahu in large part, but also our incompetent and loathsome alleged president. Now, I’m not one of those reflexive Bibi haters, and while I certainly don’t think the United States should have a say in who Israel chooses to lead it, I do believe in accountability. The disaster of October 7 happened on his watch, and he should’ve resigned the day after, but that’s not up to me or up to any American. What is up to me as an American is who our president will be next year, and it can’t be Biden again. But the desiccated old zombie aside, Bibi needs to go. He screwed up on October 7, and now he appears to be screwing up this war.

The problem is not that Netanyahu has been too harsh, as our idiot president claims. It’s that Netanyahu has been too gentle (Yes, I understand a war cabinet is leading Israel, but he is still the face of it.). And too slow. Joe Biden has betrayed every ally America has had, from South Vietnam to Afghanistan and Bibi somehow imagined that creep would not sell-out Israel? Speed was of the essence. Why was Rafah not glass months ago? Netanyahu waited, and that gave Biden the time to sell out Israel.

Restraining was a mistake. The fact is that Israel has, to a far too great extent, tried to fight this war on terms that would satisfy its leftist enemies in the United States and other anti-Semites around the world. That was an error from the beginning. Israel’s strategy should have focused on victory, not on trying to mollify its critics. They will cry no matter what. Let them cry over defeated terrorists. Do you know what mollifies critics most effectively? Winning. Israel should’ve done that, and fast. But it didn’t. Despite the courage and skill of the IDF, who are a credit to their great nation, Israel’s leadership chose to fight this war and is still fighting this war in a manner that allows others who do not have Israel’s best interest at heart to dictate its strategic and tactical prerogatives. That is a grave error. That is putting Israel in danger.

Israel Is Risking Losing This War by Caring What People Who Hate It Think

townhall.com

 

[Tall Timbers]

Israel Denies that Troop Withdrawals Mean Giving Up on Destroying Hamas​

The Israeli government denied Monday that the withdrawal of ground forces from southern Gaza on Sunday meant that it was giving up on its plan to attack Hamas in the city of Rafah and destroy the last four terrorist battalions.

Israeli officials described the withdrawal as a tactical decision that would allow Israel to prepare to attack Rafah — an attack that the U.S. has opposed without an effort to evacuate civilians.

In response to a question from Breitbart News, Israeli government spokesman Avi Hyman said: “I wouldn’t read too much into the fact that we have moved soldiers in and out of anywhere.” He added that “we can move soldiers in and out very easily, and very quickly.”

Asked whether Israelis are united enough to continue the war, Hyman replied that for Israelis, April 8th is really more like October 185th. ” We still feel the pain … we still remember the sights and smells of October 7th.” Israelis were united, he said, in the conviction that the only way to make sure October 7th never happens again is to destroy Hamas. So we will plow ahead to destroy Hamas.”

Israel Denies that Troop Withdrawals Mean Giving Up on Destroying Hamas

The Israeli government denied that the withdrawal of ground forces from southern Gaza meant it was giving up on an attack on Hamas in Rafah.

www.breitbart.com

 

[mattfivefour]

In my opinion, based on his extensive and varied background --including as a 27-year army veteran and warfighter (both Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom)-- Colonel Schlichter is worth listening to. He makes valid points.

 

[Kaatje]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

"Today I received a detailed report on the talks in Cairo, we are working all the time to achieve our goals, primarily the release of all our hostages and achieving a complete victory over Hamas.
This victory requires entry into Rafah and the elimination of the terrorist battalions there. It will happen - there is a date.'

Amir on Telegram

 

[Kaatje]

Hamas this evening also rejects the new US proposals, even though they include more Israeli concessions.
Hamas claims that in the new proposal:

There is no permanent ceasefire, and there is no immunity for his people in Gaza (he wants a victory parade for Sinwar);
There is no Israeli withdrawal from the entire strip;
And the return of the refugees that Israel is ready for to northern Gaza is to shelter camps and not to their homes.
Also, the return is filtered by Israel, which should not even be there.
As far as Hamas is concerned, there is nothing to talk about, when this is the case.

Amir on Telegram

 

[Kaatje]

Iranian Foreign Minister, Amir Abdollahian: Here in Damascus, I proclaim loud and clear, America bears responsibility for the Israeli attack on our consulate, and the Zionist regime will be punished.

"The coming days will be difficult for Israel"

Beginning of Sorrows News on Telegram

 

[Batman]

Hamas this evening also rejects the new US proposals, even though they include more Israeli concessions.
Hamas claims that in the new proposal:

There is no permanent ceasefire, and there is no immunity for his people in Gaza (he wants a victory parade for Sinwar);
There is no Israeli withdrawal from the entire strip;
And the return of the refugees that Israel is ready for to northern Gaza is to shelter camps and not to their homes.
Also, the return is filtered by Israel, which should not even be there.
As far as Hamas is concerned, there is nothing to talk about, when this is the case.

Amir on Telegram

Those are awful concessions for Israel and still Hamas is stubborn beyond imagination. If I was Israel it would be rejected, but for Hamas to reject it shows their reprobate and hate filled state.