In the News
Resistance Continues to Advance
As of January 1, 2024, Israel's ongoing genocide and murderous bombing campaign in Gaza has killed 21,822 Palestinians and wounded 56,451 since October 7, 2023, the majority women and children. The numbers have doubled since the temporary truce ended on December 1, 2023.
The
Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ and
Ex-Detainees’
Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) reported that the
total number of prisoners in Israeli prisons, by the end of December,
has reached 8,800, and the number of administrative detainees, held
without charges or trial was 3,291. Many of them are women and
children. Released prisoners report that prisoners, especially Gazans,
are being repeatedly tortured and humiliated. People from Gaza are also
being disappeared and there is little information about
them. The
Israeli Prison Service has reported only that in one prison, Damon,
there are about 51 women from Gaza, including elderly, adults, and
children. There are 661 Gazan detainees arbitrarily classified as
“unlawful combatants,” much like the U.S.
classification of
“enemy combatant,” that allowed for elimination of
any
rights and detention at Guantánamo prison.
Samidoun
Palestinian Prisoners Solidarity Network issued a statement condemning
the January 1 murder of 23-year-old Palestinian detainee, Abdul-Rahman
Bassem Al-Bahsh, assassinated by occupation forces while in detention
inside the colonial Zionist Megiddo prison.
Israel has
prioritized the use of massive, U.S.-supplied munitions to destroy
residential areas in Gaza. Israel has used 2,000-lb bombs to kill up to
100 Palestinians in one strike. However, reports also indicate that
Israel is not able to succeed as it had hoped and announced.
Palestinian reporter in Gaza Yousef Fares, writer at Al-Akhbar
News, informed on December 27:
"Perhaps the most notable thing that was observed last week was the ability of both the Qassam Brigades and the Al-Quds Brigades to resupply the defensive lines with men and equipment, and to develop operational tactics that have qualitatively improved their defensive operations. This has directly led to increased human losses in the ranks of the occupation army on the one hand, and has reduced losses in the ranks of the Resistance on the other.
"The tactical deployment of the Resistance cells consists of no more than a handful of people who are responsible for the task of confronting the enemy within the geographic bounds of one residential area. When those cells complete their tasks, they are replaced with new groups. The total number of active cells at this moment does not exceed 20 per cent of the total number of capable fighters of the Resistance -- this leaves tens of thousands of fighters on standby ready for deployment.
"This strategy of troop rotation has given the resistance the space to sustain the fighting, even in the areas and neighborhoods that the occupation forces 'captured' early on in the war. For example, in Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun, where the 'Israeli' ground incursion began two months ago on October 26, the Qassam Brigades announced on December 22 that their fighters were involved in heavy clashes with the ground forces and inflicted direct casualties on the occupation army. The Palestinian Resistance is exploiting the occupation's reduction in human and vehicle strength in those areas that the occupation assumed it had already secured from the resistance. Clearly, the Resistance fighters still have active supply lines through underground tunnels to resupply their cells, who continue to effectively carry out operations on the ground.
"The Resistance knows that time is on its side, and that the enemy is exhausted and demoralized. The Resistance is preparing for a new phase of the war, and it is confident that it will be victorious."
Fares also reports that the resistance fighters have sufficient ammunition.
Military manufacturing units and workshops have been working for five years to produce the Yassin-105 rocket in abundance. "This is in addition to the imported weapons that reach the Gaza Strip, such as RPG-7 and PG-29V Tandem shells. Other explosive devices are also available in abundance, especially since the Resistance has been domestically producing many of them for over 15 years.
"Additionally, sources close to the Resistance revealed to Al-Akhbar that the Resistance factions developed the technical capacity to manufacture Kalashnikov (AK-47) ammunition locally, more than seven years ago, despite the fact that the production process requires about 60 complex operations. It is worth noting that the locally manufactured ammunition has proven to be just as effective as imported bullets.
"A field source in the Al-Quds Brigades, whom we met while preparing a file following the Battle of Sword of Al-Quds in 2021, revealed that it is official policy that the minimum stockpile of ready-to-use mortar shells in the field must exceed 15,000 shells. Naturally, the number is several times greater for the Qassam Brigades, given their greater size, capabilities, and resources.
"In conclusion,
the Resistance maintains stable field conditions in this phase of the
war. The fighters have studied the elements of the battlefield, adapted
to the intensity of the enemy surveillance, artillery, and bombing, and
have gained a deep understanding of the psychology of the enemy's
soldiers and their way of working. All of this leads to the
Resistance's stability and continuous successful operations, the
results of which can be seen in the performance of its negotiating
delegation behind the scenes, such as the unanimous position on the
release of the captured soldiers, and the adherence to the demand that
there is no negotiation except with a complete ceasefire. Even
temporary truces, which have in the past allowed them to re-calibrate
the course of the battle, are no longer a necessary concession for the
Resistance."
Meanwhile, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said in its English edition that five Israeli combat brigades operating in the Gaza Strip, including the 551st and the 114th reserve brigades as well as three training brigades, have been pulled out. According to the paper, soldiers from these brigades were returning to Israel to help in the replenishing of the Israeli economy.
The reports indicate that of the estimated 17 brigades operating in Gaza, four are still fighting in the north and the battles there are far from over. "Moreover, the battles in central Gaza have not yet exceeded the eastern borders of Al-Bureij refugee camp. Several Israeli army brigades have tried and failed to control a very small area of only a few square kilometres.
"No serious fighting has yet taken place in Nuseirat, Maghazi or Deir Al-Balah, which continue to be subjected to relentless bombardments and massacres. Though it is true that seven brigades have been reportedly fighting in the Khan Yunis region in the south, they are yet to achieve any significant military gains."
The Walla news website reported that additional forces were most likely to also be pulled out from Gaza in the following week.
Meanwhile, the Palestine Chronicle reported that "A single Israeli hospital today, the Barzilai Medical Centre, reported that they have treated 3,500 Israeli soldiers since October 7.
"This is the highest rate of Israeli casualties ever recorded in the 75 years of Israel's history, and it goes against all the official announcements made by the Israeli military, or even independent estimates published by Haaretz and Yedioth Ahronoth.
"There is no other way of interpreting this, especially with the massive reduction of Israeli military presence in Gaza, except that the Palestinian Resistance is winning and the Israeli military is failing."
This article was published in
Volume 54 Number 2 - January 5, 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/MS54024.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca