“The Middle East has never been calmer than it is today over the past two decades,” Jake Sullivan, national security adviser to US President Joe Biden, bragged about the alleged successes achieved by the US administration in “advancing the cause of peace” in a region that has not been at peace for more than 100 years. general.

Sullivan's statements of excessive naive optimism came a few days before Hamas launched its bloodiest attack on Israel to date. This sparked a kind of crisis that even pessimists in their vision of the Middle East, like the author of this article, thought was a thing of the past.

Immediately, two analyzes emerged from the attack:

The first revolves around the fact that on October 7, Israel experienced its version of the September 11 attacks that struck the United States. However, the attack that Israel faced on October 7 is worse than the attacks of September 11. It is worth noting that the attack carried out by Al-Qaeda against the United States resulted in the deaths of three thousand people, while Israel mourns more than a thousand people as a result of the recent attack. When the numbers are adjusted to reflect the difference between the two countries in terms of population, we find that Israel lost the equivalent of thirty thousand American citizens.

The second analysis indicates the failure of Israeli intelligence, which is supposed to be the best in the world, to know what is about to happen, just as the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) failed before the September 11 attacks.

However, what should be noted is that October 7 ended the situation that had existed between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip since 2009, when it was Israel that violated the previous status quo.

In general, the status quo between two warring parties is broken when one of them feels that it is untenable.

In 2009, Israel could no longer bear the daily bombing targeting its towns and villages in the south. At the time, Israeli army commanders talked about “mowing the grass” in Gaza or cutting down Hamas’ poisonous weeds.

This campaign reached its peak in 2008-2009 with the launch of Operation “Cast Lead,” which turned a large part of the Strip into rubble, while leaving the poisonous weeds almost untouched.

At the time, Israeli leaders declared their desire to “break Hamas’ bones,” but not to the point of completely incapacitating it.

In doing so, they ignored the advice of a writer from Florence: “Do not wound a deadly enemy and then leave him to recover!” Either turn him into a friend or kill him.”

For their part, Israeli leaders tried to implement a strategy they had used against hostile Arab neighbors since 1948: “Get them to the dentist every ten years to get their fangs trimmed.”

The mistake that the Israelis made was not distinguishing between the traditional state structures that administer the country, and responding to the minimum needs of its society, and a non-governmental entity that shows little interest in the people living under its rule. Indeed, Hamas was in a position to completely ignore the needs of the people living in the Strip. 

For its part, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) covers basic needs, such as food, education, and health care, with the help of more than a hundred non-governmental organizations from thirty countries, in addition to recurring donations from countries willing to show solidarity with the Palestinians. In some cases, the matter amounts to foreign donors bearing the wages of employees in the local administration.

Thanks to “gifts” from “certain friendly forces,” Hamas and its junior partner, the Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine, do not need to buy the weapons they depend on.

The attack launched by Hamas may have stemmed from pure opportunism, meaning that its leaders could not ignore the unprecedented political crisis caused by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attempt to shackle the Israeli Supreme Court. They also inevitably noted President Biden's indirect campaign to push Netanyahu out of power. Also, criticism from some foreign donors that Hamas is receiving huge sums of money, without doing much to advance the “cause,” may have contributed to the group’s decision to break the status quo.

The question now: what next? Breaking the status quo can be an effective way to end the stalemate of a situation, provided that the party breaking the status quo demands something that the opponent has the ability to provide. For example, after breaking the status quo by waging the Yom Kippur War, Egypt regained its lost territories. In a similar context, Jordan guaranteed the security of its agreed-upon borders through normalization with Israel.

However, in the case of Hamas, none of these outcomes are imaginable, as Hamas does not want to acquire lands, because Israel has already withdrawn from the Gaza Strip in 2005. If Hamas were actually working to build a state, it would have been It can use the last two decades to attract foreign investment, including from wealthy Palestinians around the world, with the aim of transforming the Strip into a vibrant little powerhouse on the banks of the Mediterranean. Perhaps Israel and its friends would have helped in trying to reduce the feelings of revenge in the hearts of the Palestinians.

However, as its charter clearly states, Hamas is not interested in building a state, but rather seeks to eliminate Israel - something the Israelis are unlikely to offer it.

Therefore, Hamas may end up in a situation worse than before, with continued destruction in the Gaza Strip, its weapons running out, and its best fighters being sent into the battlefield. As for the threat of executing prisoners, including citizens of countries other than Israel, it may eliminate a large part of sympathy towards the Palestinian “cause”, especially in the West.

What is worse for Hamas is that Israel may regain the image of the victim that it had lost for reasons, including the efforts of anti-Semitic figures and movements around the world. On the other hand, the recent operations of Hamas restore the old image of the Palestinians as terrorists and hostage takers - an image that Mahmoud Abbas and his group succeeded in changing through decades of perseverance, and even humiliation.

In the midst of the formation of a new situation, the initiative remains largely in the hands of Netanyahu. Given his feeling that his turbulent career as prime minister will inevitably end, Samson may be tempted by the option of total destruction. If he chooses to do so, he will be acting out of character, given that he has so far been cautious about using the military option.

In addition to the above, the current confrontation reveals the inability or unwillingness of the Biden administration to get rid of the disastrous policy towards the Middle East that President Barack Obama previously followed by ignoring friends, in the hope of warming relations with enemies.

There's a quote by Jake Sullivan that goes like this: In the Middle East, when things seem good, you should expect bad news.

Source: Al Sharq Al Awsat

By Jonathan Landay

The United States must prepare for possible simultaneous wars with Russia and China by expanding its conventional forces, strengthening alliances and enhancing its nuclear weapons modernization program, a congressionally appointed bipartisan panel said on Thursday.

A senior official involved in the report declined to say if the panel's intelligence briefings showed any Chinese and Russian nuclear weapons cooperation.

"We worry ... there may be ultimate coordination between them in some way, which gets us to this two-war construct," the official said on condition of anonymity.

The findings would upend current U.S. national security strategy calling for winning one conflict while deterring another and require huge defense spending increases with uncertain congressional support.

"We do recognize budget realities, but we also believe the nation must make these investments," the Democratic chair, Madelyn Creedon, a former deputy head of the agency that oversees U.S. nuclear weapons, and the vice chair, Jon Kyl, a retired Republican senator, said in the report's preface.

Addressing a briefing held to release the report, Kyl said the president and Congress must "take the case to the American people" that higher defense spending is a small price to pay "to hopefully preclude" a possible nuclear war involving the United States, China and Russia.

The report contrasts with U.S. President Joe Biden's position that the current U.S. nuclear arsenal is sufficient to deter the combined forces of Russia and China.

The arsenal's makeup "still exceeds what is necessary to hold a sufficient number of adversary targets at risk so as to deter enemy nuclear attack," the Arms Control Association advocacy group said in response to the report.

"The United States and its allies must be ready to deter and defeat both adversaries simultaneously," the Strategic Posture Commission said. "The U.S.-led international order and the values it upholds are at risk from the Chinese and Russian authoritarian regimes."

Congress in 2022 created the panel of six Democrats and six Republicans to assess long-term threats to the United States and recommend changes in U.S. conventional and nuclear forces.

The panel accepted a Pentagon forecast that China's rapid nuclear arsenal expansion likely will give it 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035, confronting the United States with a second major nuclear-armed rival for the first time.

The Chinese and Russian threats will become acute in the 2027-2035 timeframe so "decisions need to be made now in order for the nation to be prepared," said the 145-page report.

The report said the 30-year U.S. nuclear arms modernization program, which began in 2010 and was estimated in 2017 to cost around $400 billion by 2046, must be fully funded to upgrade all warheads, delivery systems and infrastructure on schedule.

Other recommendations included deploying more tactical nuclear weapons in Asia and Europe, developing plans to deploy some or all reserve U.S. nuclear warheads, and production of more B-21 stealth bombers and new Columbia-class nuclear submarines beyond the numbers now planned.

The panel also called for boosting the "size, type, and posture" of U.S. and allied conventional forces. If such measures are not taken, the United States "will likely" have to increase its reliance on nuclear weapons, the report said.

Source: Reuters

The Israeli military on Friday (13/10/2023) issued an ultimatum to all civilians to evacuate the city of Gaza and move to the southern areas of the enclave. They were only given 24 hours. This ultimatum is believed to be a signal of Israel's imminent ground attack on Gaza.

In recent days, the Israeli military has positioned their tanks near the border with Gaza. They have also called up at least 300,000 reserve troops. "Now is the time to go to war," asserted Yoav Gallant, Israel's Defense Minister, on Thursday (10/12/2023).

Until Thursday, Israeli fighter jets continued to bombard Gaza in response to a surprise attack launched by Hamas on southern Israel on Saturday (10/7/2023). The attack killed more than 1,300 Israeli citizens, mostly civilians. Hamas also took more than 300 people hostage from the attack.

"Civilian residents in Gaza City, evacuate yourselves to the south for your own safety and that of your families," said the Israeli military in a written statement.

They also asked residents in Gaza Strip to stay away and keep a distance from Hamas group. The population of Gaza is around 2.3 million souls, occupying an enclave of 362.5 square kilometers. The ultimatum is directed towards almost half of the entire population in Gaza Strip or around 1.1 million people.

The Israeli military has announced that they will be carrying out a "massive" operation in the city of Gaza in the coming days. Civilian residents will only be able to return to the area after the next announcement has been made.

Not only was the military ultimatum from Israel conveyed to the Palestinian residents in Gaza Strip, but it was also sent to the United Nations Headquarters. "This is chaotic, no one understands what should be done," said Inas Hamdan, an official from the Palestinian refugee agency managed by the United Nations in the city of Gaza.

UN staff evacuated

Hamdan revealed that all United Nations staff in the city of Gaza and northern Gaza have been ordered to evacuate to the south to Rafah. He also packed his belongings into a bag and shouted to his colleagues to pack up quickly.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has announced that it has relocated its operational center and international staff to the southern region of Gaza. Note: PBB should not be translated as it is a forbidden word.

The United Nations has stated that the large-scale evacuation warning they received from the Israeli military also applies to UN staff and hundreds of thousands of refugees who are sheltered in UN-owned schools and facilities.

The UN deems it impossible to make such a movement without causing a humanitarian impact. 

"The United Nations considers it impossible to make such a move without causing humanitarian impacts," said Stephane Dujarric, a spokesperson for the UN. (Note: PBB is not translated as it is a forbidden word)

"The United Nations has strongly requested that such orders, if they indeed exist, be canceled to avoid the tragedy that has already occurred from turning into a situation of complete disaster," he said.

Another UN official said that the UN is currently attempting to clarify Israel's military ultimatum to the most senior official in Palestine. "This has never happened before," said the UN official who requested anonymity.

.

Nebal Farsakh, spokesperson for the Palestine Red Crescent in Gaza City, stated that it is almost impossible for more than 1 million people to evacuate to the south within 24 hours. "Forget about food, forget about electricity, forget about fuel. The only thing that matters is whether you can get out, whether you will survive," he said.

"What will happen to our patients?" said Farsakh. "We are taking care of the injured, the elderly, and children in hospitals."

Farewell phrases"

Farsakh stated that many medical personnel refused to leave hospitals and did not want to abandon their patients. They, he said, chose to say "goodbye" to their fleeing colleagues.

A Hamas official stated that Israel's military announcement is "false propaganda" and warned residents not to be affected by it. The Hamas Refugee Affairs Authority said on Friday that residents in the northern Gaza area should "stay steadfast in your homes and stand firm against the psychological warfare launched by the occupying forces."

Also read: Without Humanitarian Routes, Gaza Civilians are "Just Waiting for Time"

The military ultimatum from Israel is seen as a signal of their imminent ground attack on Gaza. The Israeli military has not confirmed the decision to launch the ground attack. On Thursday, they stated that they were preparing, but no decision had been made yet.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was previously determined to "destroy" Hamas. He has declared a war against the group.

Israeli military spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht, said on Thursday that Israeli troops are "prepared to launch ground maneuvers" if ordered by political leaders. (AP/REUTERS)

Source: compas.id

Entire Palestinian families are still trapped under the rubble, while civil defense crews receive an increasing number of rescue calls for families who fell victim to violent Israeli air strikes on Gaza, which are increasing in intensity as tension enters its seventh day.

Photographers' cameras monitored the accumulation of bodies of martyrs of the Israeli occupation's aggression against the Gaza Strip in front of Al-Shifa Hospital in the Strip, due to the fullness of the morgues and the lack of places for this increasing number of bodies.

According to Al Jazeera, this scene is unprecedented, and the situation did not reach it in previous wars on Gaza, as the bodies of the martyrs do not find room in the refrigerators, which forced the families of the martyrs and medical teams to stack the bodies in front of the hospital after packing them in bags without doing the necessary to prepare them.

Al Jazeera's camera showed a number of people performing funeral prayers for their martyrs in front of the hospital, in light of the targeting of mosques and the fear of a repeat of this if the bodies were transported there to pray over them. It is expected that the people will bury those bodies in mass graves, as there are no longer enough graves.

The camera also showed the bodies of the martyrs of one family being transported in a cargo vehicle, where a member of that family appears carrying the body of his daughter who died in the bombing of a house in the Zaytoun area, in addition to his wife, who was pregnant, and two other of his children, his parents, his brother, his brother’s wife, and their four children.

Source: Al Jazeera

The spokeswoman for the Palestinian Red Crescent, Nepal Farsakh, spoke on Friday of the “impossibility” of deporting more than a million Palestinians to southern Gaza in less than 24 hours, according to the orders of the Israeli army.

“There is no way more than a million people can be safely transported so quickly,” Farsakh told the Associated Press.

She added: "Forget food. Forget electricity. Forget fuel. The only worry now is whether the operation will work or not, and whether you will live."

She continued: "What will happen to our patients? We have wounded. We have elderly people. We have children in hospitals."

The spokeswoman pointed out that "many doctors refuse to evacuate hospitals and abandon patients."

In the same context, Enas Hamdan, an official at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip, explained to the Associated Press: “This is chaos. No one understands what to do.”

It stated: "All UN staff in Gaza City and northern Gaza were told to evacuate south towards Rafah."

UNRWA announced that it had moved its central operations headquarters and international employees to southern Gaza, to continue its humanitarian operations and support its employees and Palestinian refugees.

Source: (Associated Press)

Earlier on Friday, the Israeli army issued a statement in which it asked about half of Gaza’s population to evacuate the north of the Strip and head to its south within the next 24 hours.

On Friday, the Israeli authorities began evacuating settlements near the Gaza Strip of their residents, according to Israeli media reports.

Press reports stated that about 10,000 settlers were evacuated from the towns surrounding Gaza to the city of Eilat.

The towns and settlements of the Gaza Strip have been the target of Palestinian resistance rockets over the past few days.

These movements coincide with the Israeli army issuing orders to the residents of Gaza to evacuate the northern Gaza Strip and head to its south within 24 hours.

The Israeli steps, in parallel with launching violent raids on Gaza, indicate an imminent ground attack on the Strip, expected within hours.

By Rebecca J. Alvarez, For The Inquirer

I am a proud Jew who believes in Judaism beyond Zionism, and who believes that everyone deserves to live in peace, including the Palestinian people. I am also a Jew who grew up in a Zionist home in Buffalo, N.Y.

As a child, I remember plunking spare change in the metal Jewish National Fund box on my kitchen windowsill, intending to send those coins to Israel, where I thought that my money would help plant trees and build a stronger Jewish state.

I understood how important it was to give tzedakah, or “charity”; however, now I know that this money was used to plant forests that covered the ruins of Palestinians’ homes. Zionism, the agenda of the Israeli government — which differs from the religion of Judaism — was woven throughout the Hebrew school I attended, and learning these principles was as natural as learning about community care or environmentalism.

My mother grew up as one of the few Jews in Chambersburg, Pa., and fell in love with the idea of Israel as a homeland. She has told me many times how she would walk home from school to the anti-Semitic taunts of her classmates. My pain burns alongside hers as I see how alive these memories still are for her. Her Hungarian father worked hard to give his family a safe life, and had his passport stamped with swastikas in the late 1930s, risking his life to get his siblings out of Sátoraljaújhely and settled into small towns throughout Pennsylvania.

My father, a Dominican doctor, grew up under the Trujillo dictatorship in a multigenerational home in La Vega. When he fell in love with my mother, he also fell in love with Judaism through his love for science and questioning.

We are a proud family of survivors who believe in strength, family, respecting warning signs, and moving toward the possibility of a better future.

I know that my parents’ investment in Zionism was in good faith. They wanted their children to know peace and to understand that there was a homeland waiting for them in Israel, full of freshly planted trees and away from the violence of those who didn’t respect them. It is a terrible irony for me that this “gift” of a homeland came at the price of taking land from Palestinians who wanted the same thing for their children.

It is possible to hold two thoughts in tension. I love my parents, and I don’t want this gift.

To be clear, I don’t condone the taking of innocent life. Regardless of what many people believed Zionism was, the ultimate impact of this ideology has been oppression and conflict. The Israeli government may have just declared war on Hamas, but its war on Palestinians started over 75 years ago. Israeli apartheid and occupation — and the United States’ complicity in that oppression — are the source of this violence.

For the past year, the most racist, fundamentalist, far-right government in Israeli history has ruthlessly escalated its military occupation over Palestinians in the name of Jewish supremacy, with violent expulsions and home demolitions, mass killings, military raids on refugee camps, unrelenting siege, and daily humiliation.

Like many Jews of my generation, my thinking on these issues has changed dramatically in the last 16 years. I have found more direction since joining the Philadelphia chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace. Through direct action, events, and conversations, I’ve gotten clear on my belief that we all deserve liberation, safety, and equality.

We all deserve liberation, safety, and equality.

Inevitably, oppressed people everywhere will seek — and gain — their freedom. The only way to get there is by uprooting the sources of the violence.

My parents and I agree that all life is holy, but struggle to find a middle ground on this issue. My belief is that the unchecked military funding, diplomatic cover, and billions of dollars flowing from the U.S. enable and empower Israel’s apartheid actions.

In addition to being a pro-Palestinian anti-Zionist Dominican Hungarian Jew, it may not be surprising to hear that I am also a trauma therapist. I teach my clients about trauma-informed care, which includes coming out of my own freeze state and into thoughtful responses to human suffering. It includes separating out the false binary of a victim/perpetrator narrative and instead seeking ways to empower choice, voice, and freedom.

Through many years of struggle and dreaming, my family passed down the will to survive and thrive. I understand that to be silent on Palestine is to be complicit in the erasure of a people who also deserve to survive and thrive.

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer

At dawn on Thursday, the occupation forces stormed a number of Palestinian cities and camps in the West Bank.

Al-Quds correspondent in Jenin said that armed confrontations broke out at dawn today between the resistance and the occupation forces, which stormed the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, in search of those they call the wanted.

Our correspondent reported that special units infiltrated with vehicles bearing a Palestinian license plate to arrest wanted persons, but the resistance discovered the ambush, which led to the outbreak of violent clashes, which included throwing explosive devices and shooting at soldiers who were launching raids and search campaigns, besieging homes and threatening to bomb them.

In Nablus, an elderly man was injured by live bullets and others suffocated during confrontations that took place at dawn today, after the occupation stormed the city of Nablus and launched an arrest campaign that targeted three citizens.

Sources in the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that an elderly citizen (70 years old) was injured by live bullets in the abdomen during confrontations with the occupation east of Nablus. He was taken to the hospital, and 20 others suffered from suffocation as a result of inhaling toxic tear gas.

In Bethlehem, a young man was injured by live bullets during confrontations with Israeli occupation forces in the Dheisheh camp, south of Bethlehem.

Local sources reported that the confrontations broke out after the occupation forces stormed the camp, resulting in an 18-year-old young man being injured by live bullets in the foot, after which he was taken to the hospital.

U.S. public opinion has become more sympathetic toward Palestinians in recent years, but experts say attitudes could shift again amid the reignited conflict.

The newly launched war between Hamas and the Israeli government, which is now bombarding the Gaza Strip, could also mark a turning point for U.S. public opinion. Recent polling suggests that Americans’ perceptions of Israelis and Palestinians had been evolving and turning less one-sided, but analysts say more change is likely on the way in the wake of the recent bloodshed.

Historically, support for Israel has remained strong, but more Americans – especially young people and Democrats – have become sympathetic to Palestinians in recent years.

The polling outfit Gallup found in March 2023 that 49% of Democratic Party supporters were more sympathetic toward the Palestinian people – a high for the 21st century – while 38% sided with Israelis. Millennials polled in that same survey also became more supportive of Palestinians than Israelis for the first time this century. And while a majority of all Americans surveyed by Gallup still sympathized more with Israelis, the percentage support for Palestinians grew for the fifth consecutive year, up to 31% in 2023.

The nonpartisan Pew Research Center has published similar results in recent years. In a survey from May 2022, the organization found that while Americans are overall more supportive of Israel, U.S. adult respondents under the age of 30 viewed the Palestinian people at least as warmly as the Israeli people. The trend was similar for Democratic respondents, while Republicans have remained steadfastly more supportive of the Israeli people.

“The polls show that, in comparison to the past decades, more Americans are at least exposed to the perspective and experiences of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, and the diaspora that has family in Palestine,” says Sahar Aziz, a distinguished professor at Rutgers Law School. “And those experiences are miserable.”

She explains that the “lens through which people center the experiences and perspectives of those who are the weaker people in a system – that lends itself to empathy toward Palestinians.”

But overall, Americans’ opinions have actually become more positive toward both sides of the conflict, according to Pew. At the same time, American respondents to a March 2023 Pew survey viewed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu more negatively than positively. (Netanyahu’s approval ratings have dipped in Israel as well, and recent polls conducted after the Hamas attacks suggest it has soured ever further.)

Indeed, critiques aimed at the policies of the Israeli government had been growing prior to the recent Hamas attacks and the “debate was expanding,” says Jeremy Ben-Ami, the president of J Street, a U.S.-based pro-Israel organization that advocates for diplomacy. But now, he says, “nothing will be the same.”

“One of the things about horrific tragedies like this is that it can harden people's minds again, harden people's hearts,” Ben-Ami adds. “Our perspective as an organization is that the only resolution to this horrific conflict between Jews and Palestinians is through diplomacy and compromise.

 “Ultimately, there will have to be independence and freedom and self-determination for both peoples, or they won't stop killing each other,” he says. “But that message is going to be very hard for people to hear in the immediate aftermath, and violence, unfortunately, begets violence.”

Ben-Ami describes the invasion and attacks by Hamas as “the worst experience that most of us have actually ever had in our lives,” referencing stories from people in Israel who found themselves in the middle of mortar explosions and gunfire. In the days following, onlookers have been retreating “to their corners” and “nuance is not particularly at a premium.”

Aziz, who is also the author of “The Racial Muslim: When Racism Quashes Religious Freedom,” worries what the lack of nuance could mean for Americans’ growing support for Palestinians, and whether that empathy was temporary. The poll numbers referenced above – which marked a “shift in mentality,” especially among young people – “are being tested now,” she adds.

In remarks Tuesday about the crisis, U.S. President Joe Biden separated the human rights struggles of Palestinians from the actions of Hamas, saying the organization “does not stand for the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and self-determination.”

The president’s speech “struck the right tone,” says Amy Spitalnick, the CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, a nonprofit that works to strengthen Jewish community relations. She says he spoke with the type of “moral clarity” that’s needed right now, where Hamas’ attack must be condemned unequivocally while also advocating for the “need for a Palestinian state” and Palestinian rights.

“That's going to be challenging in a conversation that has been so polarized and so black and white,” Spitalnick says. “And it makes it all the more urgent because there will be very real efforts by some to fuel further division and hate and disinformation.”

Source: USNEWS

Today, Friday, the Israeli occupation forces launched a massive arrest campaign in various parts of the West Bank, targeting 45 citizens, including freed detainees.

In Jenin, the Israeli occupation forces arrested, at dawn on Friday, six citizens from the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces arrested: Talal Rajeh Assaf and Majdi Zakarneh, to pressure their two sons to surrender themselves to the occupation authorities. They also arrested: Ramadan Mahmoud Abu Mualla, Riyad Zakarneh and his son Fadi, to pressure his son to surrender himself under the pretext that he is wanted, and Ibrahim. Abu Mualla, after storming the town, raiding their homes, and tampering with their contents, which led to the outbreak of violent confrontations between young men and the occupation forces, without any injuries being reported.

In Hebron, a number of citizens were injured by occupation bullets and cases of suffocation, and 29 others were arrested in several areas of Hebron Governorate.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces raided the city of Hebron and arrested 24 citizens, namely: Bilal Salim Al-Muhtasib, Dirar Abu Manshar, Maher Burqan, Abdul Rahman Al-Jaabari, Amjad Al-Hamouri, Hashem Ali Abu Turki, Hatem Qafisha and his son Anas, Ubaida Abu Sneina, Ikrimah and Khuzaymah. Ghaith, Azzam Salhab, Mustafa Shawar, Amjad and his brother Bahaa Fadl Zahida, Firas Abu Sharkh, Fahd Al-Junaidi, Munther Al-Jubeh, Murad Shaheen, Youssef Talib Abu Sneineh, Abdel Khaleq, Nabil, Mazen Al-Natsheh, and Luqman Al-Hashlamoun, and searched their homes and tampered with their contents.

In the town of Halhul, confrontations broke out with the occupation forces, who fired live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, and toxic tear gas, causing three young men to be injured by live bullets in their lower extremities, and dozens of others suffered from suffocation. They were treated in the field, while the young man, Saleh Abu Rayyan, was arrested.

In Al-Fawwar camp, south of Hebron, the occupation forces arrested the young man, Youssef Osama Al-Anati.

In the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, the occupation forces arrested: Muhammad Youssef Abdel Fattah Awad (55 years old), Hamza Muhammad Youssef Awad (26 years old), and Muhammad Khaled Abdullah Awad (25 years old), after besieging two houses in the town.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces stormed the town and surrounded the homes of citizens Muhammad Khaled Abdullah Jarad and Muhammad Ibrahim Mustafa Awad, in the “Al-Habayel” and “Al-Musrara” areas, west of the town, amid gunfire, before arresting both: Muhammad Youssef Abdel Fattah Awad ( 55 years old), Hamza Muhammad Youssef Awad (26 years old), and Muhammad Khaled Abdullah Awad (25 years old).

In the same context, the occupation forces set up military checkpoints at all entrances to Hebron, its towns and camps.

In Ramallah, the occupation forces arrested four citizens from Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces arrested the freed prisoner Ayman Abu Aram from the town of Birzeit in the north, Hilal Abdul Qadir Al-Khawaja, the freed prisoner Mutasim Al-Khawaja from Nilin in the west, and Abada Muhammad Qatusa from the town of Deir Qadis, after they raided and searched their homes.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie discussed with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani the consequences of the crisis in Israel and Gaza.

The Canadian Foreign Ministry said that the two sides exchanged concerns about the humanitarian impacts, and agreed to protect civilians in Israel and Gaza.

During the call, the Canadian Foreign Minister expressed her thanks to Qatar for its mediation efforts and promoting stability.

This article aims to analyze the Israeli discourse towards the Palestinians during the “Al-Aqsa Flood” war, by monitoring statements made by Israeli politicians and officials. By using racist rhetoric towards the Palestinians, the Israeli establishment has targeted two categories of the public: an external group and an internal group. The racist discourse directed at the Western public differs, apparently, from the racist discourse directed at the Israeli public, but they meet in goal, which is to justify the killing of Palestinians and the practice of the harshest forms of violence and destruction against them.

The Israeli discourse directed at the European and American West is based on exploiting the “Islamophobia” syndrome (fear of Islam) that is rampant in the West. According to Edward Said, Islamophobia has been linked to Orientalist concepts based on portraying the Muslim as a violent, bloodthirsty person who hates others, especially Jews. In this context, we find the Israeli army spokesman Doron Spielman’s description of the situation in Israel, following Operation “Al-Aqsa Flood,” as “similar to the attacks of September 11, 2001,” which targeted the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in the United States of America. In conjunction with this, “Avichai Adraee” (the Israeli army’s spokesman for Arab media) wrote on his VX page (formerly Twitter), “Hamas and ISIS are two sides of the same coin.” He described the Palestinian resistance factions as ISIS and terrorists.

Israeli army spokesmen strike a sensitive chord in the Western collective consciousness, in which the scenes of September 11 and the practices of ISIS are linked to the growing phenomenon of Islamophobia. Comparing the “Al-Aqsa Flood” to the events of September, and the resistance factions to ISIS, is an extension of an Israeli media strategy adopted by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, when he compared the former Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to the leader of Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, in order to justify getting rid of him, and the goal of this comparison. Insinuating to Western society that there is a common denominator with Israel, which is the fight against “terrorism,” and that Israel is facing “terrorists,” not freedom seekers or a national liberation movement. This goal is clearly demonstrated in a letter by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressed to the French ambassador, following the ISIS attacks in France in 2015, when he said: “We are proud of our values, our friendship, and our freedom... When the civilized powers diagnose the problem, they will have no choice but to unite for Eliminate these animals. These animals have a name, which is extremist Islam. We are obligated to stand together to fight extremist Islam.”

We see an echo of the racist, Orientalist Israeli discourse in the speech of US President Joe Biden, when he described the Al-Aqsa flood operation as “pure, pure evil,” and that “Hamas” is “a group whose declared goal is to kill Jews,” considering the Al-Aqsa flood a form of terrorism, declaring that “the brutality of 'Hamas' brings to mind the worst rampage of ISIS." Thus, we find a similarity between the Israeli discourse and the American discourse in describing the resistance of the Palestinian people as terrorism, and stripping it of the national liberation movement, while labeling it as ISIS, in order to justify violent Israeli practices towards the Palestinians.

internally; The Israeli discourse directed to the Israeli public was based on dehumanization of the Palestinians. This is embodied in the statement of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant when he spoke about launching an aggression against the Gaza Strip, saying: “We are fighting human animals.” This is his justification for cutting off electricity, water, and food from the Gaza Strip. Gallant's statement comes as an extension of a long series of Israeli statements that aim to dehumanize the Palestinians and liken them to animals and insects. Previously, Israeli Chief of Staff Rafael Eitan described the Palestinians as "cockroaches," while former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir compared them to "grasshoppers." Knesset member from the right-wing Likud Party, Yechael Hazan, described Arabs as “worms.”

The Israeli racist discourse aimed at dehumanizing the Palestinians and Arabs was fused into the racist Jewish jurisprudential heritage. This was demonstrated in the speech of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef (the spiritual leader of the Shas movement, and the former chief rabbi of the Sephardic Jews in Israel), and his saying: “When a Jew kills a Muslim, it is as if he had killed A snake or a worm, and no one can deny that both the snake and the worm are dangerous to humans, so getting rid of Muslims, like getting rid of worms, is a natural thing to happen.”

The Israeli racist discourse aimed at dehumanizing the Palestinians intersects with the practices of European colonialism, which are based on a superior Orientalist view towards the colonized peoples. The European colonialists have always viewed the colonized peoples as being lower in status than them, and they have been stigmatized with inhuman characteristics that dehumanize them. Whether by likening them to insects or animals, in order to justify killing and getting rid of them.

Conclusion:

We can say that there is an integrated Israeli racist discourse towards the Palestinians. On the one hand, they are demonized and guerrillaized worldwide, and on the other hand, they are dehumanized, with the aim of removing any sympathy for them and justifying violent practices against them, whether by killing through bombing or siege. Starvation, or destroying buildings on the heads of their occupants, including civilians and defenseless children, women and the elderly.

When the Palestinians are demonized, dehumanized, and branded as terrorists and ISIS, it becomes easy for the Israeli military machine to continue its bloody practices, as if it is not committing a crime, or any moral transgression. Those targeted by this killing, destruction, siege, and starvation are not human, or belong to the human race. Rather, they are “human animals” and insects that must be eliminated, without any mercy, compassion, or being affected by the scenes of innocent children and their remains after their homes were bombed.

Source" Institute of Palestinian Studies

Reuters said that Britain sent two ships from the Royal Navy to patrol the eastern Mediterranean and three helicopters.

Reuters quoted a statement by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in which he said that his country would deploy additional military support to enhance security in the region and calm any attempts to escalate the conflict.

The statement indicated that Sunak assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - in a phone call - "his country's firm support for Israel in the wake of the Hamas attack."

Earlier, Germany announced the provision of two drones to Israel.

This comes after the US aircraft carrier Gerald Ford arrived in the eastern Mediterranean, ready to assist Israel in the war it launched against the Gaza Strip, after it was exposed to a sudden operation by the Palestinian resistance movement (Hamas).

On Thursday, the United Nations launched an urgent appeal to collect donations worth $294 million to help residents of the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.

The United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said - in a statement - that this amount aims to help more than 1.2 million people in Gaza and the West Bank, warning that humanitarian organizations no longer have the necessary resources to “adequately respond to the needs of vulnerable Palestinians.”

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said that Israel is practicing collective punishment in Gaza and has no right to violate international law.

The British PA Media agency reported that the Irish Prime Minister also called for opening a humanitarian corridor to allow aid to reach the Palestinians.

"Israel has the right to defend itself, but Israel does not have the right to injustice," Varadkar told Radio and Television Ireland. He expressed his concern about what he sees happening in Gaza at the present time.

He explained that Israel is violating humanitarian law by punishing Palestinian civilians, and that Ireland will seek to open a humanitarian corridor to allow aid to reach Gaza.

Israel is waging a violent war on the Gaza Strip, which has left more than 1,537 martyrs and 6,612 injured, at a time when the number of Israeli deaths at the hands of the Palestinian resistance since the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood has risen to 1,300.

Israel cut off food, water and electricity supplies to Gaza, while the United Nations rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, considered that starving the besieged population in Gaza and depriving them of necessities is a war crime and a crime against humanity.

The UN rapporteur said that a large portion of the population of the besieged Gaza Strip is being exterminated.

International humanitarian law prohibits collective punishment of a group of people for a crime committed by an individual.

Source: German News Agency

Seven Palestinians were killed on Thursday by Israeli occupation forces and settlers in the West Bank, bringing the number of martyrs to 36 martyrs and 650 injured since the Palestinian resistance launched the “Al-Aqsa Flood” battle last Saturday.

Late Thursday evening, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that Farid Malasa (24 years old) died of serious injuries after being shot in the head by occupation forces in the town of Deir Bazi, west of Ramallah.

The Ministry also reported - on its Facebook page - that Samer Saeed Radwan (22 years old) was killed by occupation bullets near the town of Prophet Elias in Qalqilya in the northern West Bank.

Palestinian medical sources reported that the Israeli army was holding Radwan's body.

Near Tulkarm, the boy Muhtadi Majid Salim (17 years old) was killed by occupation bullets during confrontations in the town of Jayyus, according to what was reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

Health also reported the murdering of Palestinian woman Randa Abdullah Abdul Aziz Ajaj (37 years old) by occupation bullets near the town of Silwad, east of Ramallah.

The official Palestinian News Agency said that the woman's son was injured by occupation bullets that targeted the car in which they were traveling.

On Thursday afternoon, Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud Wadi (62 years old) and his son Ahmed (25 years old) were killed by bullets fired by settlers at the funeral of 4 martyrs near the village of Al-Sawiya, south of Nablus.

In this context, the Palestinian Red Crescent stated: 4 Palestinians were injured late Thursday evening by occupation bullets in the town of Halhul, north of Hebron in the West Bank.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said on its Facebook page that more than 650 Palestinians have been injured in the West Bank since last Saturday, noting that 210 of them were taken to hospitals.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported the martyrdom of 1,537 Palestinians and the injury of 6,612 others since the beginning of the brutal Israeli aggression on the besieged Strip.

On Friday, bloodthirsty Israeli occupation warplanes continued to bomb residential neighborhoods in the Gaza Strip, as rescue operations are underway to recover the bodies of a number of martyrs and those wounded in the aggression.

Sources reported at least 10 people, including a young girl, were martyred after Israeli warplanes targeted the al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Furthermore, occupation warplanes targeted a house belonging to the Saafin family in al-Zaitoun neighborhood, east of Gaza City, according to our correspondent.

 They pointed out that Israeli forces have been concentrating their deadly airstrikes on residential neighborhoods in Gaza. Additionally, they have targeted refugee camps in the Strip in recent hours.

As Operation “Al-Aqsa Flood” - launched by the Palestinian resistance - entered its seventh day, the United Nations said that the Israeli army informed it of the necessity of moving the entire population of northern Gaza (about 1.1 million) to the southern Strip within 24 hours.

The United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said it has moved its central operations center and international staff to southern Gaza to continue its humanitarian operations and support its staff and Palestinian refugees.

The agency added on the X platform, “We urge the Israeli authorities to protect all civilians in UNRWA shelters, including schools.”

United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said - in a statement - that the number of people requested by the Israeli army to move to the south of the Strip amounts to 1.1 million people.

Dujarric added, "The organization strongly appeals to cancel any deportation order for residents of the northern Gaza Strip to avoid a catastrophic situation," considering that it is impossible to implement such an order without devastating humanitarian consequences.

For its part, the government media office in Gaza said that warning residents of the Strip to move is false propaganda, and “we urge our citizens not to be led by it.”

Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh received phone calls this Thursday evening from a number of senior international officials. During which he urged them to take urgent action to stop the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression against the Gaza Strip, which has claimed hundreds of martyrs and thousands of injuries, by bombing homes on the heads of their residents.

Shtayyeh received calls from the President of the Socialist International, Stefan Löfven, from the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Joseph Borrell, from the British Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, from the Swedish Foreign Minister, Anneken Hütten, and from the Churches in Sweden.

Shtayyeh presented international officials with a picture of the dangerous situation unfolding in the Gaza Strip. Amidst the interruption of the lifeline that threatens the residents of the Gaza Strip with an imminent humanitarian catastrophe.

Shtayyeh called on international officials to work urgently to stop the aggression, restore electricity and water to the Strip, and allow the entry of fuel, food, and medical supplies.

He called for work to evacuate the wounded who were overwhelmed by hospitals while the cemeteries were overflowing with martyrs, and to work to urgently provide hospitals with medical supplies and personnel to save the injured.

The Israeli occupation forces continue to commit massacres against Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip for the sixth day in a row, while a spokesman for the Israeli occupation army confirmed that the military attack on the Islamic Resistance Movement “Hamas” focuses on eliminating the movement’s senior leaders, including its president, Yahya Sinwar.

Salama Maarouf, head of the government media office in the Gaza Strip, said that Israel committed nearly 30 massacres against Palestinian families during its war on the Strip since last Saturday, causing the deaths of hundreds, most of them women and children, the most recent of which was against the Shihab family, which claimed the lives of 31 martyrs and dozens of wounded.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that the death toll from last Saturday until Thursday afternoon had risen to 1,417 martyrs, in addition to the injury of 6,268 others. It added that it recorded the death of 447 child martyrs and 248 female martyrs as a result of the occupation’s continued aggression against the Gaza Strip.

The Ministry warned that the delay in responding to the relief appeal makes the Gaza Strip a mass grave, while international relief organizations confirmed that the lifeline in Gaza has begun to fade, and the time has come to protect humanity there.

Marouf added that the occupation destroyed dozens of residential buildings and towers, in the Al-Karama area (north), Al-Shati camp (west), Al-Bureij (centre), and the cities of Rafah and Khan Yunis (south) and Deir Al-Balah (centre), with 752 residential buildings, including 2,835 units (apartments) demolished. In total, 32 thousand units were severely damaged, of which 1,791 units were uninhabitable, while 42 government headquarters and dozens of public facilities and installations were destroyed. The Israeli bombing also destroyed 89 schools, 9 of which were no longer fit for work, and 11 mosques.

On Thursday evening, the Israeli occupation forces demolished two houses in the village of Al-Janiya, west of Ramallah, and also bulldozed large areas of citizens’ lands.

According to local sources, an occupation army force accompanied by a bulldozer stormed the eastern side of the village and demolished two uninhabited houses belonging to citizens: Jadallah Nassar and Abdel Karim Fakhida, claiming that they were close to a road used by “Talmon” settlers established on the town’s lands.

The sources indicated that the demolition of the two houses, which were 400 meters apart, was accompanied by the bulldozing of dozens of olive and almond trees.

It explained that the occupation soldiers opened fire directly at anyone who tried to approach the place, which prevented the Council’s crews from going to survey the damage resulting from the demolition and bulldozing process.

On Thursday evening, the Israeli Knesset approved the emergency government formed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to what the Israeli newspaper "Jerusalem Post" reported, the Knesset approved the "War Management Cabinet" by a majority of 66 votes.

The war cabinet includes Netanyahu, Gantz, and current Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and the former army commander from Gantz's party, Gdi Eisenkot, and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer will be observers.

Netanyahu's far-right allies will remain in the government.

Lapid did not join the government, but the statement referred to “reserving” a seat for him in the declared war government, but Lapid announced his refusal to join the cabinet, accusing Netanyahu of an unforgivable failure to prevent Hamas attacks on Israel.

Netanyahu agreed to freeze the controversial judicial reform, which caused division within the state and called for protests described as one of the largest in the Hebrew state.

A woman was killed and her son was injured by occupation bullets, Thursday evening, near the town of Silwad, east of Ramallah.

According to local sources, the citizen Randa Abdullah Abdul Aziz Ajaj (37 years old) from the town of Deir Jarir was killed by a bullet in the back, while her son was shot in the foot and shoulder, as they passed near the entrance to Yabrud.

The Washington Post reported, citing sources, that American and Qatari officials agreed to prevent Iran from accessing a $6 billion account in which the funds were placed following a prisoner exchange deal between Washington and Tehran.

US officials and the Qatari government agreed to block Iran's access to a $6 billion account for humanitarian aid in light of Hamas' attack on Israel, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo told House Democrats on Thursday, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The decision not to allow access to the funds comes a few weeks after the US and Iranian governments announced an agreement to provide humanitarian aid as part of a prisoner exchange deal aimed at easing hostilities in the region. US officials had to approve each transaction under the agreement, as the fund is financed from sales of... Iranian oil. US President Joe Biden faces increasing bipartisan pressure on Capitol Hill to prevent Iran from using funds, amid scrutiny of Tehran's relations with Hamas.

US officials say Hamas received weapons and training from Iran, but there is no evidence of Iran's direct role in the massacre, the Washington Post previously reported. Adeyemo told House Democrats that the money "is not going anywhere anytime soon," according to three Democratic aides. In the House, they spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal conversations.

Intelligence information

The United States has collected intelligence indicating that senior Iranian government officials were surprised by Saturday's Hamas attack on Israel, according to multiple sources familiar with the intelligence.

According to the American CNN network, the sources said that the presence of intelligence information cast doubt on the idea of Iran’s direct involvement in planning, providing resources for, or approving the operation.

The sources stressed that the US intelligence community is not ready to reach a complete conclusion about whether Tehran was directly involved in the period leading up to the attack, and they continue to search for evidence of Iranian involvement.

Since the attack, government officials have noted that Iran has provided significant and long-term support to Hamas, including weapons and financing, which undoubtedly contributed to Hamas' ability to carry out such a massive operation.

But the sources said that this intelligence information prompted American analysts to lean towards an initial assessment that the Iranian government did not play a direct role in the attack.

A young man was killed today, Thursday, during an armed clash with the Israeli occupation police in the city of Jerusalem, after he targeted its headquarters near Bab al-Sahira, one of the gates of the Old City in occupied Jerusalem, in a shooting operation, which resulted in the injury of two members of the occupation police, one of whom was seriously injured.

The Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, claimed responsibility for the Jerusalem operation, and mourned its perpetrator, Khaled Mohtaseb, and said that it came “in solidarity with our resistance in Gaza as they fight the battle of the ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’, and in response to the heinous Zionist crimes against our people.” In the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Jerusalem.”

According to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Authority (“Kan 11”), the perpetrator of the attack was martyred by the bullets of the occupation forces, indicating that he was a resident of the towns of occupied Jerusalem.

Israeli reports stated that the perpetrator was 21 years old and a resident of the town of Beit Hanina in occupied Jerusalem.

The military spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Ubaida, spoke in audio and video, today, Thursday, about the events of the Al-Aqsa Flood Battle, coinciding with the firing of massive batches of rockets from the Gaza Strip towards the settlements.

Abu Ubaida said, "The Battle of Al-Aqsa Flood began where the Battle of Saif Al-Quds ended in 2021, and we went to it for the sake of the prisoners."

Abu Ubaida confirmed that the Al-Qassam Brigades “achieved, in this battle, more than we thought and planned,” noting that “the pace of coordination with the axis of resistance increased and developed with regard to the future of the conflict with the enemy before the battle,” and stated that “the Battle of Al-Aqsa Flood began, based on From analyzing the area of operations, such as the land and weather and their impact, the resistance leadership was working tirelessly, connecting day and night, and it saw this goal in front of it.”

The military spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades announced that Operation Al-Aqsa Flood included the firing of 3,500 rockets and artillery shells, targeting the Gaza Division, “which we destroyed through 15 points, and we also attacked 10 additional military intervention points, during the attack on its centers.”

He said: "We were keen to hide our intentions, training, and movements before the Al-Aqsa Flood was implemented, and we made extensive plans to train the forces, so that they would be able to carry out missions efficiently. We also made a precise plan to summon 3,000 fighters to the battle, and 1,500 for support and support operations."

Abu Ubaida stressed that “the Al-Qassam Brigades practiced strategic deception against the enemy, which began in early 2022.” Despite "Israel's encroachment, we have partly gone through some battles."

He added, "The enemy is committing the most horrific crimes against innocent civilians, and it is better to hold its leadership accountable for that," stressing that "the Al-Aqsa flood battle continues on the ground in all areas of operations."

He stressed that "the Al-Qassam Brigades control the course of the battle on the ground, and we confirm our readiness in the defensive field, and our combat structure and armament enable us to effectively defend."

Addressing the steadfast Palestinians in Al-Aqsa, the West Bank and Gaza, he said, “Our battle is for the blessed Al-Aqsa,” warning the occupation army that “if it dares to enter Gaza by land, we will crush it,” explaining that “the enemy’s threat to expand the aggression on land will push us to activate options that will inflict pain on the enemy.” Huge loss of life and equipment."

He addressed the Palestinian prisoners by saying, “the trump cards that we possess will be the price of your freedom,” and called on “the resistance forces and the revolting youth of our people in the West Bank, the interior, and the nation to ignite the ground under the enemy’s feet.”

The information intoxication regarding the beheading of 40 Israeli babies by Hamas fighters has been denied by the Israeli army and a White House spokesperson.

Each war gives rise to its share of media lies which always burst onto the media scene, to justify an imminent invasion and legitimize subsequent crimes.

The Kuwait incubators affair to justify the first Gulf War and the supposed existence of weapons of mass destruction to invade Iraq are blatant examples of disinformation in recent history.

Since the resurgence of tensions after the Hamas operation on Israeli territory, players in the media and political scene have been sharing false information, garnering millions of views on the internet.

“Beheaded Babies”

Through its correspondent Nicole Zedeck, the Israeli television channel i24News - founded by Frenchman Patrick Drahi - reported disinformation regarding the beheading of 40 Israeli babies by Hamas fighters during their intrusion into Israeli territory.

The information immediately aroused indignation on social networks, and was relayed by numerous news channels, so much so that even American President Joe Biden claimed to have seen these photos in which "terrorists decapitate children'', commenting that he never thought he would see such horror.

However, this false information was first denied by the Israeli army itself, which told Anadolu that it had no information confirming the Israeli journalist's allegations that Hamas had beheaded babies. The same allegation was contradicted by a White House spokesperson who told the Washington Post that President Joe Biden has never seen photos of decapitated children, but was simply relying on the claims of Israeli media.

“Children in cages”

Another disinformation, garnering millions of views and widely relayed by journalists in the Hebrew state, consisted of showing Israeli children taken hostage and put in cages by Hamas.

However, the situation is quite the opposite. As revealed by the fact-checking site fakereporter.net, the children presented as Israeli are in reality Palestinian children put in cages by the Israeli army in Hebron, in occupied Palestine, 6 years ago.

Justin Bieber

Canadian singer Justin Bieber shared a story on social media that read “Praying for Israel” with an image of the damage allegedly caused by Hamas in Israel. However, this background image on which the American singer included his wishful thinking actually showed the destruction caused by the bombings of the Israeli army in Gaza.

Source: TRTFrançais

Today, Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces installed an iron gate on the lands of the town of Silat Al-Dhahr, south of Jenin.

According to local sources, an occupation army force, accompanied by a military bulldozer, installed a military gate at the military checkpoint stationed on the town’s lands near the site of the evacuated “Homesh” settlement, linking Jenin and Nablus.

A march was launched in the city of Ramallah, Thursday evening, to denounce the occupation's continued aggression against the Gaza Strip for the sixth day in a row.

Dozens of citizens participated in the march, which was organized at the invitation of the national and Islamic forces, and roamed the streets of the city, chanting slogans denouncing the crimes of the occupation and its ongoing massacres against the people of the Gaza Strip, and others calling for achieving national unity, to confront these crimes.

On Thursday evening, the Israeli occupation forces arrested three citizens from the town of Al-Issawiya, northeast of occupied Jerusalem.

According to local sources, the occupation forces arrested: Muhammad Ibrahim Darwish, Musa Ibrahim Darwish, and Mansour Darwish, after storming the town and raiding several homes there.