On the first day, May 10, of Operation Guardian of the Walls, Hamas claimed that Israel had been killing civilians. Here is the report: “Hamas Tacitly Admits That Israel Is Only Hitting Military Targets,” Elder of Ziyon, May 11, 2021:
The official Palestinian Authority (PA) Wafa news agency claimed on Monday night at 7:22 P.M.:
20 civilians, including 9 children, were killed this evening, Monday, in an Israeli raid on Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip.
Local sources told Wafa that the occupation planes held two bombing raids east of Beit Hanoun, and continued targeting our people in the Gaza Strip, which led to the death of 20 civilians, including 9 children, in addition to the injury of about 65 citizens, 3 of whom were seriously wounded, and were transferred to the Beit Hanoun and Indonesian Hospitals. In the northern Gaza Strip, some of them were transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital due to the seriousness of their injuries.
Our correspondent reported that violent raids by the Israeli warplanes targeted homes and civilian properties in different areas of the Gaza Strip, during which dozens of rockets and missiles were fired.
He confirmed that the raids targeted a group of citizens, a vehicle, a motorbike, and two homes in Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip, in addition to an Israeli missile strike in a yard behind the Al-Omari Mosque in the town of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, and a shell fell on a house [of] the Abdul Nabi family in the Al-Jarn area of the town, and the Al-Kashef land in its east was targeted.
Wow — it sounds like the Israeli Air Force (IAF) is only hitting civilians and civilian targets.
But then read this from Hamas at 9 PM:
Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, warned the Zionist enemy of a “strong, painful and above expectations” response if it bombed civilian facilities.
Abu Ubaidah, the Qassam spokesman, said in a tweet: “We warn the Zionist enemy that if they bomb civilian installations or homes for our people in Gaza, our response will be strong, painful and beyond the enemy’s expectations.” [emphasis added]
Sounds like Israel has only hit military targets….
Abu Ubaidah did not say that he was telling the Zionist enemy that they will now suffer because they have already hit civilian structures, but rather, offered the future conditional: that if Israel — in the future — were to hit civilian structures, then Hamas would make sure that Israeli civilians would suffer (of course, Hamas from its very first rocket barrage has aimed only at civilians). That’s a clear admission that, as of Abu Ubaidah’s tweet at 9 p.m., there had been no civilians killed in Gaza.
After the 11-day war ended, Mark Regev, an advisor to Prime Minister Netanyahu, raised another aspect of Hamas’ claims about civilian casualties. The Israelis have determined that about 60 civilians were struck by Hamas’ own misfiring rockets, that never made it to Israel, but fell on Palestinians in Gaza. Regev’s remarks are given here: “Senior Netanyahu Adviser: ‘Many of the Casualties’ in Gaza Conflict Killed by Errant Hamas Rockets,” Algemeiner, May 24, 2021:
Mark Regev, senior adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said in a Sunday interview that “many” of the Gaza casualties in the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas were caused by rockets fired by the Palestinian militant group that fell short in the Gaza Strip, rather than by Israeli military strikes.
“We tried … to hit the terrorists and not to see innocent people caught up in the crossfire,” Regev said on “Fox News Sunday” to host Chris Wallace. “And while our goal was to avoid civilian casualties, Hamas had actually the exact opposite goal … They were brutally abusing Gaza civilians as a human shield for their war machine. We know for a fact that many of the casualties in this operation were caused by Hamas munitions. Almost 20% of their rockets fell short, landing in Gaza, killing Gaza civilians.”
Since the conflict began on May 10, about 4,340 rockets were fired by Hamas from the Gaza Strip toward Israel, with at least 640 falling within Gaza, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The clashes claimed the lives of 12 Israelis, including one IDF soldier. According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, about 240 Palestinians were killed, a count that Israeli officials have called into question.
“We don’t know if these figures are reliable and include only civilians,” said a senior IDF official on Friday. “Past experience has shown that Hamas takes great effort to conceal numbers and the identity of the casualties for example by removing militant insignia from the dead bodies when they are being evacuated.”
After 11 days of fighting, Israel and Hamas entered into an unconditional ceasefire that took effect Friday 2 a.m. local time.
“Ultimately, in the operation we gave Hamas a heavy blow,” said Regev in the Sunday interview. “We dismantled a large part of their terrorist-military machine. We took out part of their leadership. We hit their command and control. Hopefully they will think twice even three times before they strike at Israel again.”
Hamas has not yet admitted how many – Israel says 640 — of its rockets fell short and landed in Gaza, killing dozens of civilians. Perhaps it has decided not to admit to such massive malfunctioning. It also is careful to remove insignia from the uniforms of its dead fighters before showing them to the foreign media. Thus do Hamas fighters metamorphose into dead civilians. The foreign press, already so biased against Israel, allows itself to be deceived.
The data so far suggest the following casualties: on one side, 12 Israelis were killed, of whom 11 were civilians, which certainly suggests Hamas was trying to harm Israeli civilians; 700 Israeli civilians were also wounded. On the other side, Israel reports having killed 200 Hamas and PIJ fighters. including 25 senior commanders of both Hamas and PIJ. The IDF believes, according to Mark Regev, that about 60 Palestinian civilians were victims of Hamas’ own malfunctioning rockets that fell in Gaza. Hamas says that 243 Palestinians, civilians and fighters, were killed. Even if the figures given are not exact, needing slight corrections up or down, the overall picture is clear. If we accept Israel’s figure about the number of Hamas figures it killed – 200 – and Hamas’ claim that 243 Gazans had died, that means there were only 43 civilian casualties. In 11 days of fighting, with more than 1,600 targets hit by Israeli airstrikes in the thickly-populated Gaza Strip, with Hamas’ weapons, Hamas intelligence offices, command and control centers, hidden among and in civilian buildings, to result in a total of only 43 civilian dead – or of twice, or even three time that number– is an astonishing feat of precision bombing, likely never before equalled in the history of modern warfare.
When you are pressed by enemies of Israel to justify “all those civilian casualties” to which they so airily refer, provide them with both the Israeli and Hamas estimates of fighters and civilians killed, mention how many — 640 — of those Hamas rockets that were aimed at Israel instead fell on civilians in Gaza, explain what our experience with the data provided by each side after the three previous Gaza wars has taught us about the relative trustworthiness of the IDF’s figures, as compared to those dispensed by Hamas. And then quote to them what the head of UNRWA in Gaza, Matthias Schmale, has said about Israel’s airstrikes: “I have the impression there is a huge sophistication in the way the Israeli military struck over the 11 days,” Schmale said. “Yes they didn’t hit, with some exceptions, civilian targets, but the viciousness, the ferocity of those strikes were heavily felt.” Naturally, his pointing out the “sophistication” — i.e., precision — of the IAF attacks, and that the IAF “didn’t hit, with some exceptions, civilian targets” has caused the Palestinians to erupt in fury. They want Schmale fired. How dare someone working for UNRWA admit even once that Israel was not targeting civilians? Clearly, Palestinians cannot bear too much reality. And they needn’t worry: having, in a single explosion of candor, told the truth, Schmale has now been asking forgiveness from the Palestinians who want his scalp, by returning to the usual anti-Israel boilerplate. But for one brief shining moment, he managed, nolens-volens, to tell the truth about the Gaza war.
Adam El-Yousseph says
Here is a list of deceptive terms Israel uses in its war against Palestinians that often parroted by mainstream media.
* “Israeli Arabs” is a false term to describe Palestinians with Israeli citizenship. The more proper term is 48-Palestinians. Palestinian who never left Palestine when Israel was created.
* A rubber bullet is a rubber-coated steel bullet- “not like a Nerf Gun Blaster.” It can cause death, injuries, and permanent disability. IDF soldiers are notorious for firing them on children’s eyes.
* “Terrorism” is not the correct term to describe resisting a brutal foreign occupation. Even the NYT runs an op-ed saying that “legitimate resistance” to violence is a Palestinian right.
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* The Separation wall should be called the Apartheid wall.
* Eviction is a sugarcoated term for ethnic cleansing.
* Colonial occupation of Palestinian homes is not a real state dispute.
* The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) is a better term to refer to the IDF.
* “Noble Sanctuary”, better known as the Dome of the Rock, is not the Temple Mount.
* Tear gas canisters are considered a chemical weapon. IOF uses them illegally by firing them in the faces of peaceful protesters.
* “Israel war against Hamas” is a deceptive term and should be substituted with Israel war against Palestinians. Remember, 48- Palestinians who rose up, in Lodde, Akka”, and Yafa in support of Gaza and Jerusalem were not Abbas, Jihad, or Hamas fans.
gravenimage says
Let’s parse this load of tripe, shall we?
Adam El-Yousseph wrote:
Here is a list of deceptive terms Israel uses in its war against Palestinians that often parroted by mainstream media.
* “Israeli Arabs” is a false term to describe Palestinians with Israeli citizenship. The more proper term is 48-Palestinians. Palestinian who never left Palestine when Israel was created.
………………………
This Mohammedan is saying that no Muslims consider themselves to be citizens of democratic Israel. Given how many of them acted like a Fifth Column during Hamas’ latest attack, this is all too common.
And there is no such thing as a “Palestinian”. Local Muslims never called themselves this. This term was ginned up by the Soviets after 1967.
More:
* A rubber bullet is a rubber-coated steel bullet- “not like a Nerf Gun Blaster.” It can cause death, injuries, and permanent disability. IDF soldiers are notorious for firing them on children’s eyes.
………………………
This last is just crap–doesn’t this Mohammedan realize that he is peddling this bs on a story about Hamas admitting that Israelis are not targeting civilians, let alone chidren? Like most Mohammedans, Adam El-Yousseph is not actually all that bright.
More:
* “Terrorism” is not the correct term to describe resisting a brutal foreign occupation. Even the NYT runs an op-ed saying that “legitimate resistance” to violence is a Palestinian right.
………………………
In other words, Muslims have the right to slaughter Jews. This is actually canonical Islam.
Israel is a tiny state compared with the huge Muslim world–but Muslims don’t want Jews to be allowed to live in freedom *anywhere*. Never mind that Muslims have equal rights in Israel.
Then, the NYT also whitewashed Stalin’s savagery in the Ukraine–citing this rag as a moral authority is just bizarre. And if Muslims become powerful enough, they will take down the western press, as well.
More:
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* The Separation wall should be called the Apartheid wall.
………………………
The wall is used to keep out Muslim terrorists attacking Israel. As Muslims see it, they have the *right* to slaugher Jews–it is, after all, a core part of their creed.
There is no apartheid in Israel–Muslims and other non-Jews have equal rights there. This is not true of any Muslim country.
More:
* Eviction is a sugarcoated term for ethnic cleansing.
………………………
This is just eviction for non-payment. This is a non-issue–no one should be able to occupy another’s property free of charge.
But it’s OK if Muslims are taking advantage of Jews…
More:
* Colonial occupation of Palestinian homes is not a real state dispute.
* The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) is a better term to refer to the IDF.
………………………
No, Israelis are not “occupying” their nation. Muslims want to see the entire democratic state of Israel destroyed.
More:
* “Noble Sanctuary”, better known as the Dome of the Rock, is not the Temple Mount.
………………………
That this is the Temple Mount is amply documented, dating back many centuries. Muslims always want to eradicate all signs of pre-Islamic history, which they refer to as “useless Jahillya”. Just their saying so does not make it so, though. But ignorant stooges like this don’t think they have to back upo their ludicrous claims.
More:
* Tear gas canisters are considered a chemical weapon. IOF uses them illegally by firing them in the faces of peaceful protesters.
………………………
No one considers tear gas a chemical weapon. And does this Mohammedan have any evidence that tear gas has been used in non-violent protests? I didn’t think so.
More:
* “Israel war against Hamas” is a deceptive term and should be substituted with Israel war against Palestinians. Remember, 48- Palestinians who rose up, in Lodde, Akka”, and Yafa in support of Gaza and Jerusalem were not Abbas, Jihad, or Hamas fans.
………………………
Really, Muslims have been waging a Jihad against Jews predating the founding of the modern state of Israel. Local Muslims did not use the term “Palestinians” then–they were just local Muslim intent on murdering Jews. This hasn’t really changed. Not something to be proud of, actually…
Simone says
Love you Graven for all your efforts.
gravenimage says
Thank you, Simone.
Keith O says
Adam, I had to go away, try to calm down, and even meditated before attempting to answer you in a civil manner. Unfortunately all those steps failed you lying sack of shit!.
Your levels of arrogance are mind boggling, you think the readers of this site are stupid infidels and lie accordingly.
I’ll only address a couple of your blatant lies, so I can go and meditate again.
1. Rubber bullets are hollow rubber. Not coated metal and they are not accurate enough to “shoot at children’s eyes”. I know because I’ve used them and been on the receiving end of them.
2. If CS gas is so bad, then why does every police department in the world use the stuff? and firing the canisters in the air to lob them at the Palestinian rioters 50m away is not “Firing them in the faces of peaceful protesters”.
3. It was called the Temple mount as far back as the Roman occupation, you know? when Jesus was wandering around the place a few hundred years before the fat dwarf started raping children!
While we are in the process of relabeling things, how about we start calling Hamas “Freedom fighters”? Because that is what they are fighting, they want to eliminate freedom of thought, speech, religion and freedom from slavery.
Finally, I will apologize to everyone else for my rant, I try to stay calm when I read these pages and comments, but this turn just flipped the old digger switch in me.
Simone says
I fully understand and sympathise, all the falsehoods everywhere I look have a horrible effect on me.
gravenimage says
Excellent reply, Keith.
gravenimage says
The population in Gaza is *growing*–there is no genocide there.
Israel only acts to defend herself–as Muslims see it, Jews have no right to defend themselves–or to live free of the Islamic heel.
And pious Muslims *hate* “the Good Ol, U.S.A”–remember 9/11 and all the Jihad terror attacks since? I have not forgotten.
mortimer says
So-called ‘friendly fire’ from Hamas is killing Arabs in their areas. No wonder so many Arab families have emigrated from Israel to safe, stable, prosperous and FREE Western countries. They have had enough of the thuggish dictators of Hamas, Fatah and others. The PA is a total dictatorship. The Pally population is not known because they won’t admit that most of the youth have left the region.
gravenimage says
Maybe–but they are bringing their hatred of Jews to the west. Very few of them have left Islam behind.
mortimer says
The Pallies want to implement a canonical Islamic teaching of RETRIBUTION and REVENGE.
-K.11.173 “Believers, retaliation is decreed for you in bloodshed.”
-K.2.178 “O you who believe! Retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the slain.”
-K.5:33 “The reprisal against those who wage war on Allah and His Messenger, and go about the earth corrupting it, is that they should be killed or crucified, or have their alternate hands and feet cut off, or be banished from the land.” Waging war against Allah is rejecting Him.”–Tafsir of Imam al-Bukhari
-Imam AbdulLatif ibn AbdurRahman rahimullah said, “It is not possible for someone to realize Tawheed and act upon it, and yet not be hostile against the mushrikeen. So anyone who isn’t hostile against the mushrikeen, then it can’t be said that he acts upon Tawheed, nor that he realizes it.” [ad-Durar as-Saniyyah 8/167]
Retribution is a COMPULSORY Islamic teaching! Honor is restored to a Muslim through the shedding of blood. There is no honor is a peace agreement.
Keith O says
With luck the Israeli military will have something in their arsenal that can cheaply and efficiently take down Hamas’s rockets over Gaza, before entering Israel’s airspace, negating the need to carry out airstrikes.
That way, anything that falls on Gaza will be the property of Hamas and Israel can’t then be blamed for the casualties they cause among their own people.
But then the media will find some other way to blame Israel.
gravenimage says
Yes–many will blame Israel in any case.
zul says
You are right. In case of Gaza Strip, the condition is the same with the attacking a village at night at the time of Prophet who wasn’t blame accident killing of women and children:
As Sa’ab ibn Jath-thamah (RAA) narrayed, “The Massanger of Allah was asked about polyheits whose land was attacked at night with the probability that some of their women and offsprings were killed or hurt.” He said , “They are from among them.” (Aggreed upon, Bulughul Maram, No. 1311. It doesn’t meant that women and children are killed intensionally, but if the are killed by accident then the Messanger of Allah means they are not to be blamed.)
I’m, as a Moslem, a “lone wolve” to intofuce this hadits thar is being hidden by islamist ulema in order to make them continuously condem IDF attack on Gaza. For me, condemning IDF attack is also condemning our Prophet. Unfortunely, there is fuc**ng islamist commend about this hadits.
zul says
… there is NO …
gravenimage says
So glad you are a supporter of Israel, zul.
Unfortunately, Islam’s own texts–including the Qur’an, and not just the Hadith–are viciously antisemitic.
gravenimage says
Hamas Admits the Truth About Israel and Those ‘Civilian’ Casualties
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Yep–more Taqiyya.
Adam El-Yousseph says
Thank you, Ireland, for recognizing the Palestinian suffering. After the 11 days of the Israeli bombing of Gaza, Palestine raised the Irish flag and played the Irish national anthem in Ramallah in gratitude to Ireland for standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
For those who are not in the know, the Irish Parliament passed a motion condemning the “de facto annexation” of Palestinian land, making Ireland the first EU nation to use the phrase in relation to Israel’s action in the occupied Palestinian territories.
What that motion means is declaring that Israel illegally has annexed Palestinian lands and the mandate should be used to hold Israel to account for its crimes.
Ireland is more sympathetic to Palestinians than most Western countries because the Irish people have first-hand experience in fighting against a ruthless and brutal occupying power and they know what it is like to be colonized.
It was a moment of pride for me as a Palestinian to see such a show of solidarity by the Irish people when Ireland raised the Palestinian flag over Dublin’s City Hall along with the Irish and EU flags. It gave me hope that freedom and independence for the Palestinian people are not far off.
A big shout-out to Ireland!
gravenimage says
This fool is now just spamming under various usernames.