📌 Nine months ⏳ have passed since the horrific Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7…
…three weeks later, on 27 October, Israel’s defensive ground operation in Gaza began…
…according to the statements of the political and army leadership, it is still far from ending.
🚩 Lebanon: the situation on the northern borders remains extremely tense
🚩 Hostages: despite the optimism, negotiations have not yet resumed
🚩 The sirens sounded 22 times in Israel Saturday (Friday 7 times, 356 times last week)
🔷 IDF eliminated senior Hezbollah air defense official Meitham Mustafa Altaar in targeted strike deep into Lebanon on Saturday while driving his car some 100 km from Israeli border. Terrorist had significant knowledge of Hezbollah’s air defense system and took part in the planning and executing of a variety of terrorist acts against Israel. Man seriously wounded as Hezbollah fires some 20 rockets at Lower Galilee. https://lnk.sk/gua5 ; https://lnk.sk/cbjw ; https://lnk.sk/dryi
🔷 Israel Air Force struck several terrorists operating in structures located in the area of UNRWA’s Al-Jaouni School in the central Gaza Strip on Saturday. The facility was used by Hamas operatives as a command center. Army carried out steps to mitigate risk to civilian harm, including use of precise aerial surveillance. https://lnk.sk/hc26 ; https://lnk.sk/kzwv
🔷 A Hamas weapon manufacturing site embedded within a school in Gaza City was struck earlier Sunday where also Hamas operatives were gathered. IDF says it carried out “many steps” to mitigate harm to civilians. https://lnk.sk/icy1
🔷 WATCH Video: IDF bodycam, drone footage reveals Hamas tunnels in civilian buildings in Rafah. Tunnel shafts were also revealed to store weapons and explosives underneath residential areas. The soldiers carried out searches in living spaces used by terrorists for combat purposes and located operational tunnel shafts in residential buildings. https://lnk.sk/yin2
🔷 In phone call, new UK PM Starmer urges Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire in Gaza. New UK foreign secretary: Country needs to ‘get back to balanced position’ on Gaza war. David Lammy says fighting in Strip ‘has to stop’ and hostages must be freed, after party’s win marred by Muslim voters’ anger. https://lnk.sk/npvc : https://lnk.sk/sxp5
🔷 Mossad warns Egypt no changes should be made to hostage deal, CIA chief Bill Burns heads coming week to Qatar. While in Qatar, Burns will reportedly hold a joint meeting with the Prime Minister of Qatar, head of the Mossad, and head of Egyptian intelligence. https://lnk.sk/vyu2
🔷 Anti-government protesters to set off ‘week of resistance’ with Saturday rallies. Sunday will be ‘day of disruption’ with protests and rallies across the country demanding hostage deal and new elections, culminating outside Netanyahu’s Jerusalem home. https://lnk.sk/iu04
🔵 COMMENT of the day: „Oct. 7 Was Part II of 9/11“ Anna Mahjar-Barducci, Los Angeles Jewish Journal
Israel is the heart of the West’s Judeo-Christian roots and values. The battle in Gaza is not just between Israel and Hamas, as what is at stake is not only the existence of Israel but of the whole collective West, of which Israel is a part.
Hamas is not fighting merely to create a Palestinian state because, as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, it does not recognize the idea of the nation-state and regards Islam as the homeland. It is part of the Brotherhood’s jihad to establish a global Islamic caliphate.
On Oct. 7, Hamas launched a long-prepared attack against Israel with the goal of defeating the strongest component of the weakening West. The Islamists want to see permanent ferment and revolt until ultimate victory is achieved. If Israel falters, the whole liberal collective „West“ will be deeply wounded. Yet the collective West still does not understand what is at stake.
The writer is a MEMRI Senior Research Fellow.
© ICEJ Slovakia; peter.svec@icej.sk