Counting Down
Is the delay in the Israeli army to attack Gaza good or bad? Most analysts say it is good.
Interviewed on Channel 12TV news, Gen (ret) Yaacov Amador “Waiting is good for us. We improve the training, the planning, and receive more and more supplies from the USA. All this is to our advantage. Every day that we wait improves our position.”
Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant talking to troops in the south
Amos Yadlin, former head of military intelligence also thought waiting was good. “We want to go in. But everyday we wait is good. We get better intelligence, troops are better prepared. I advise patience.”
Army spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said on Sunday that the army is ready to go into Gaza and is only waiting for the government’s orders.
Amidor said that “Cleaning up Gaza of Hamas may take ten-days to two-weeks. We will take it slow. But slow is good. The IDF won’t allow the enemy to raise its head. After the initial attack which be extremely massive. And then there’s stage two. That may take between two months to six months., The IDF will search house to house. Slowly. If they come across an elderly person, they’ll leave him alone, but a fighting age man will be eliminated on the spot. The rocket fire from Gaza won’t stop but will be severely curtailed.”
Shmuel Rozner, one of Channel 1 KanTV’s political analysts,, said he went back into the archives and found that in the weeks leading up to the ’67-Six Day War, there was a lot of friction between the political and military branches. Ben Gurion was fighting with Dayan. Abba Eban was trying to make sure the USA was on board.
“And in 2002, (then PM Ariel) Sharon dithered after a Hamas suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest (outside of the Dolphinarium night club) in the Tel Aviv (killing 21 Israelis, 16 of whom were teenagers).
“Sharon didn’t invade Gaza until the bombing on Pesach of the Park Hotel. (where Thirty civilians were killed in the attack and 140 were injured.)
And as far as escalation in the North, Amidor dismissed that as serious at this point. “If there is a second front, the IDF can redirect the air force and ground troops from Gaza to Lebanon to reinforce the troops already there.”
Channel 12TVs military correspondent Nir Dvori agrees with Amidror. “Every day that passes the IDF takes out another Hamas commander. Strengthens the army’s position.”
Former Minister of Defense, and former IDF Chief of Staff Gen (ret.) Moshe “Buggie” Ayalon appeared on Channel 13TV also urging patience. The army knew what it was doing, he said. He also said that he didn’t trust PM Netanyahu to run the war. Ayalon said that Netanyahu had packed his cabinet with yes men who were responsible for weakening Israel’s security. “He was only interested in staying out of jail. He let the security of Israel fall apart. He should have resigned on the third day of the war. He should resign now, immediately. He is not competent to run this war. He is a danger to Israel’s security.”
When asked how the country could shift leadership during a war Ayalon pointed out that Britain did just that at the outbreak of WWII. “They dumped Chamberlain and put in Churchill.”
A recent poll showed that over 80% of the Israeli public thought PM Netanyahu should publicly accept responsibility for the security failure that led to the Hamas massacre in the Gaza Strip.
According to Ynetnews on Monday, “A crisis of trust exists between Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF
“On the brink of ground entry into Gaza, faced with the dilemma of the abductees - and according to the testimonies of political and military officials, the government is having difficulty reaching agreed decisions on key issues today. Netanyahu, they say, is furious with senior IDF officials, who are to blame for his perception of everything that has happened - reacts impatiently to the opinions and assessments voiced by the generals, and is in no hurry to adopt their plans. The relationship between him and Gallant also makes it difficult to work together. The fear of the storm that will come the day after permeates the top ranks of the army.”
International Opinion
However, one of Channel 12TV’s reporters said that as the days go by media attention is shifting from the massacre in the Jewish communities along the Israel-Gaza border to the destruction in Gaza. “Footage of wounded children in hospital beds creates a sympathetic image,” said the reporter.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, 4651 Gazans have been killed and 14,245 injured since Israel began bombing in reprisal for the Hamas massacre of 1400 Israelis. However, one pundit pointed out that this was the same group that posted incendiary fake news when lying about Israel’s culpability in the hospital bombing.
Ohad Hemo, Channel 1 Kan’s Arab affairs correspondent, said that so far 750,000 Gazans have left northern Gaza for safety in UN camps in the south. Although 300,000 still remained in the north of Gaza. He also said that the Gazan population was confused. Had no real leadership. He pointed out that the leadership was in tunnels, without supplies for two weeks, and was beginning to show the strain.
Aid trucks lined up at the Gaza border
Israel has begun to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. 20 trucks yesterday and 17 today, with food and medical supplies. The goods are meant for needy Gazans. More supplies were let in on Sunday.
But Shlomo Haran, former Shin Bet (Israel’s FBI) executive said on Channel 1 Kan TV, “It is naive to think that these supplies will go to anyone but Hamas. They take everything, including money from Qatar that is supposed to go to the poor of Gaza.”
Environmental activists Greta Thunberg was criticized by 100 Israeli environmental activists for what they called an “appalling one-sided, ill informed support of Hamas. Thurnberg had uploaded posts expressing “solidarity with Palestine and Gaza.”
Over 100,000 pro-Hamas protesters gathered in London on Saturday, clashing with police. Other pro-Hamas protests were held in France and various Arab countries.
On Sunday tens of thousands of pro-Israeli protesters showed up in London. A similar number in Berlin. Both called for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
According to reports from the ADL (Anti-Defamation League), anti-semitic acts have increased over 1300% since Hamas broke through the Gaza border fence into Israel.
At Columbia University in New York City, Prof. Shai Davidai said that being Israeli on campus was dangerous. He said he was worried for his safety and that of his children.
Another student told Channel 1KanTV that she no longer spoke Hebrew on campus for fear of attacks. Davidai, whose speech went viral on Youtube, said he’d received many stories from students around the USA who were also afraid. Or sometimes even attacked. Palestinian flags were also hung on a statue on Columbia’s campus. Davidai called on Columbia University’s president to step in and stop the support of the Hamas massacre.
CNN reportedly stated that the USA was trying to delay Israel’s Invasion into Gaza. However, Israel’s Reshet Bet radio reported that the Israeli government denied the USA was delaying the invasion.
US Sec of State Anthony Blinken told reporters that the US was not standing in Israel’s way, but in fact supporting Israel. However, media reports said that the US was pressuring Israel not to invade Gaza as long as hostage negotiations were on going.
Homefront
At least 1400 people were killed, nearly 5,000 wounded , 299 still in the hospital, and 212 taken captive since the start of the war on Oct 7, 2023, when nearly 3,000 Hamas terrorists broke through the “impregnable”” Gaza border fence ostensibly protecting Israeli communities along the border.
Over 120,000 Israelis have been forced from, their homes due to the Hamas invasion in the south and the rocket fire by Hezbollah on communities along the Lebanese border in the north.
Those to be evacuated in the northern city of Kyriat Shmona complained of chaos. “We were told to leave,” one resident told Channel 1 KanTV news,”but there were no buses to take us. People were waiting in the streets and nothing came.”
Hili Tropper, a new cabinet minister in the National Unity Government, said what is needed is “One person who will identify the needs of the people. Find a needy person or family. Get the people all they need, one person at a time.”
According to media reports, 80% of the population of the southern seaside city of Ashkelon have been evacuated, as well as every village, kibbutz and moshav along the Gaza border. Ashkelon was hit by nearly 200 missiles between Saturday and Sunday. Residents of Ashkelon complain that they have received no venue where they are to be relocated. Those that do find housing are expected to pay their own way.
Hamas continues day and night to fire barrages of missiles into Israel usually with a few hours break between barrages. Israeli aircraft can be heard roaring far overhead as they head for their targets in Gaza.
School children’s signs of support on building’s entrance.
Israeli school children, though, joined the country in a show of unity. Doorways were plastered with messages to the country stating, “We are together.”
According to the Times of Israel 15,000 volunteers were filling the gap left by what they call a ‘leadership vacuum.’ This has been called an unprecedented volunteer relief and rescue effort.
Over 2000 Haredi, ultra-Orthodox Jewish, men have volunteered for army service.
Hostages
Posters on wall in Tel Aviv
On Friday, two American citizens Yehudit and Natalie Raanan, who were
held hostage by Hamas. were released from Gaza. U.S. Sec. of State . Blinken said, “We don’t know why Hamas chose these two.”
There was talk in the media that more hostages would be released if Israel refrained from invading Gaza.
Tomer Heyman, former head of military intelligence, told channel 12TV news said there was no connection between the freeing of hostages and the invasion of Gaza by the IDF.
Every day heart-wrenching stories appear on Israeli media, interviews with parents, spouses, children, pleading with the government to help get their relatives back home. This is beside the funerals of those killed on Oct 7 that take place on a daily basis.
As of now nearly 800 bodies have been identified but hundreds have not.
Ehud Yaari, of Channel 12TV news, reported that Hamas is sending messages through intermediaries that they will release the hostages if Israel doesn’t invade Gaza. Yaari also said that the recent Arab forum that included the UN, EU, USA and Arab countries failed to reach a conclusion.Yaari added that both Egypt and Jordan will ask the Israeli ambassadors to leave their countries should Israel invade Gaza.
Pundits point out that Jordan has a huge Palestinian population and Jordan’s King Abdullah needs to keep his locals happy or risk getting overthrown. Egypt, say experts, has shuttered its border with Gaza and will not let any refugees in that country. Egypt has been fighting its own war with the Moslem Brotherhood, a sister organization to Hamas, and is not interested in allowing even more Hamas militants into the country.
Qatar has been criticized for pouring money into Gaza aware that the money has been syphoned off by Hamas. Qatar also houses the nominal head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, who reportedly lives in a mansion in Qatar. According to Avi Issacharoff, writing in Ynetnews, “Qatars financial support of Hamas and its hospitality towards Haniyeh and others, must end.” (Avi Issacharoff was one of the creators of the popular TV show ‘Fauda.’)
Avi Issacharoff also said that the current head of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, had “shifted gears” from restraining attacks on Israel to allowing the Gaza massacre. Issacharoff wrote that Sinwar was losing popular support by going soft on Israel but was now nearly assured of being elected. Analysts considered this view and said, “If he survives the Israeli invasion.”
North
Tank on northern border
In the north the army has ordered evacuation of every community within 4 kilometers of the Lebanese border. Missiles have flown into the Galilee towns, even Kyriat Shmona. All, including Kyriat Shmona, have been told to evacuate. According to media reports, seven Israelis have been killed so far in the north by missile attacks since the war began.
According to Gen (ret.) Yaacov Amidor, ““A few more days is okay. So far, there is no real escalation in the north. Each side is trying to be careful. We are hitting them (Hezbollah) more than they are hitting us. We are strong ad prepared in the north.”
Reportedly, Hezbollah has already lost 36 terrorists in the conflict. Hezbollah terrorist squads have been eliminated by artillery fire and armed drones. Rubi Hammerslog of Channel 1KanTV reported that five terrorist squads were eliminated today in the north.
Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Channel 12TV news that “The action we took in 2006 (flattening much of Beirut) lasted 17 year. Nasrallah (head of Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon) said that “if he knew just 1% of the damage Lebanon would face when he started that war he wouldn’t have done it.”
Olmert also took the opportunity to belittle Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “In 2006 I took responsibility (for the unpreparedness and the mistakes) Today, I have full confidence in IDF Chief of Staff Herzi HaLevi.” Olmert said he thought that Netanyahu was trying to shift the blame from himself to HaLevi. “He should admit he’s responsible. He was the one with the concept to back Hamas instead of the PA (Palestinian Authority) who were willing to make peace.”
Some missiles have also landed in the Golan Heights. Two reportedly landed on a moshav in the southern Golan, but caused no damage or injury.
On Saturday, according to Ynetnews, Israel struck at air ports and storage facilities in Damascus and Aleppo, destroying advanced weapons sent from Iran and Iraq that were to be used by Hamas and Hezbollah.
Veteran Arab affairs correspondent Ehud Yaari told a panel on Channel 12TV news yesterday that there is a possibility Israel would be engaged in a four front war, one front would be Gaza, a second Lebanon, a third Syria, where Iranian-backed militia fire into Israel. An Iranian backed militia reportedly fired into US army bases in Syria.and the fourth in the West Bank.
Israel yesterday attacked a terrorist cell in the West Bank city of Jenin, destroying a terrorist cell preparing to launch attacks on Israeli communities. This was the first time Israel has used a jet fighter to bomb a Palestinian target in the West Bank since the Second Intifada in 2002. Military sources said that if Israel had another way to destroy this arms depot and terrorist headquarters they would have.
The terrorist cell hit was using a Mosque as their headquarters. Gen (ret) Eliezer “Cheni” Maron, former commander of the Israeli navy, told Channel 12TV news that bombing of a religious location was legal if that location was used for terrorist activities.
According to Reshet Bet radio, while touring an army base in the north, Prime Minister Netanyahu warned Hezbollah, “They’ll regret getting involved. They’ll yearn for what happened in the last war in Lebanon.”
Self-Defense
According to Ynetnews, a Nachbal. terrorist, part of the Oct 7th invasion, stole a car and drove away as Israeli troops approached. The car was tracked to a field near the Gaza boarder using a GPS anti-theft device on the car. The terrorist was apparently trying to return to Gaza.
The Israeli media runs stories daily about heroism, how this person or that stood up and fought the terrorists and died. One story told of an 85-year old grandfather at his home in the Gaza strip settlement who knew the terrorists were coming to the house and told his family to hide. When the terrorists arrived he convinced them he was the only one home. The terrorists killed him and then moved on. He gave his life to safe his family.
The Home Front Command has issued a warning that citizens should remain alert. Some say that local protection groups should be formed as existed in the Gaza border communities. Some of those self-defense groups saved many lives, others gave up their own in the uneven battle. In some instances the self-defense groups heard the terrorists and raced to the armory only to find the a terrorists’ awaiting them, since the terrorists had already learned where the armories were and cut down the Israelis as they approached.
Even so, Gaza border community spokesmen, like Ashkelon veterans, say that they’ve been begging for more weapons and ammunition for years and have been ignored.
A spokesman for the city of Sderot, that has been completely evacuated, told Channel 1Kan TV, “The government poured an ocean of money into Sderot. Making it attractive. But security? They forgot that."
According to military correspondent Nir Dvori, “The Ministry of the Interior has over 12,000 automatic rifles in storage but has so far only passed out 800.” He admitted the police claim that 3,000 rifles were distributed. “Still, there’s a big difference between 3,000 and 12,000.”
Israel Ziv said that the police were responsible for passing out weapons. And every distribution had to be coordinated with the Army. But in this case it was the Minister of National Security who was holding the distribution of weapons.
Media reports a rising call for local communities to take control of their own self-defense. Gen (ret.) Eliezer ‘Cheni” Maron said that when he immigrated to Israel with his family his father was given a Czech rifle and told to defend where they lived. “I volunteer now to patrol the neighborhood with a weapon.”
General (ret.) Israel Ziv told Channel 12TV that during the Yom Kippur war in the Golan, it was the company commanders and the squad leaders who initially fought the battle since the high command was caught by surprise and had no orders to give. “In this Gaza war it was the ‘Ravshatzim’ (local volunteer security unit heads) who went to fight the terrorists until the army arrived. …We need to rebuild these units and strengthen them so citizens can protect themselves. “