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‘Misleading the Public’ – Resistance Roundup – Day 337

Al-Qassam published a video addressed to the families of Israeli captives. (Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

While the strategic goals of the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza are clear, Israel’s are not. 

Palestinians want a complete withdrawal of the Israeli military, and the utilization of that achievement to unify all Palestinians around the Resistance. 

They also want to place Palestine back on the map of regional and global priorities, and, to a large extent, they have done so. 

Finally, they want to show Israel that it is no longer able to use its military advantage to control political outcomes, thus forcing Tel Aviv to concede to Palestinian demands for freedom and respect for international law. 

Israel’s goals, however, are a mix of temporary political gains, personal interests and undefined, or undefinable goals. 

As for the insistence that the very future of Israel’s security is all reliant on maintaining control over the so-called Philadelphi Corridor, well, that too is a sham, or a ‘trick’, according to one of Israel’s most respected military experts. 

Retired Israeli General Yitzhak Brik has publicly disputed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims regarding the strategic significance of the Philadelphi (Salah al-Din) Corridor in southern Gaza, which Netanyahu has argued is crucial for preventing the smuggling of weapons. 

In an interview with FM 103, affiliated with the Israeli newspaper Maariv, Brik downplayed the corridor’s importance in the current war.

He described Netanyahu’s emphasis on it as “the biggest trick since the founding of the state, aimed at misleading the public.”

Brik, a former commander of the Armored Corps, is often referred to as the “prophet of wrath” for his warnings about potential large-scale attacks from Gaza ahead of October 7.

Meanwhile, Palestinian resistance continues to escalate attacks on all fronts. 

Below are the latest statements by the two main Resistance forces in Gaza, and the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah. 

The statements were communicated via their Telegram channels and are published here in their original form. 

Al-Qassam Brigades

“WATCH: Our brave fighters in the areas of incursion inside the Tulkarem camp, specifically the Martyr Izkihim Nafi’ Unit (Engineering Unit), successfully detonated a highly explosive device in the incursion zones in the Agency Neighborhood. The device was detonated and hit its target directly, inflicting direct casualties on the occupation soldiers, resulting in killed and injured during the wide-scale invasion of the camp.”

“The Al-Qassam Brigades broadcast a video addressing a message to the Israeli protesters, entitled Release in a Deal or Kill by a Bombing.

“The video included pictures of a number of Israeli prisoners who were killed by Israeli army fire during the aggression on the Gaza Strip.

“Notes:

0:05 – Bibas family killed by IOF bombing is shown on the wall.

0:07 – November 9th, 2023 message from Al-Qassam announcing death of soldier “Faoul Azai Mark Assyani” by IOF bombing.

0:12 – November 17th, 2023 message by Al-Qassam Brigades announcing death of captive “Arieh Zalman Zdmanovitch,” by panic attacks due to IOF bombing.

0:17 – December 8th, 2023 message from Al-Qassam Brigades announcing the death of captive soldier “Saar Baruch” in a failed rescue attempt.

0:39 – Al-Qassam Brigades announces the death of…

0:42 – The upcoming message!

0:48 – Released in a deal? Killed by bombing?

0:52 – The matter is in Netanyahu’s hands.”

Hezbollah

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, on Saturday, 07-09-2024, bombarded the Mount Neria base (a battalion headquarters currently occupied by forces from the Golani Brigade) with barrages of Katyusha rockets. 

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 8:15 AM on Saturday, 07-09-2024, targeted the Hadab Yaroun site with artillery shells. 

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 8:15 AM on Saturday, 07-09-2024, targeted Israeli soldiers stationed around the Manot settlement with rocket weapons. 

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 2:20 PM on Saturday, 07-09-2024, targeted the Rahib site with artillery shells, hitting it directly. 

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 2:45 PM on Saturday, 07-09-2024, targeted surveillance equipment at the Misgav Am site with appropriate weapons, hitting them directly and leading to their destruction.

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, on Saturday, 07-09-2024, bombed the main intelligence headquarters at the Mishar base with a volley of Katyusha rockets.

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 4:23 PM on Saturday, 07-09-2024, targeted the Al-Marj site with artillery shells, hitting it directly.

“The fighters of the Air Defense Unit of the Islamic Resistance targeted a Zionist Heron drone with a surface-to-air missile in the skies of the Bekaa area, preventing it from completing its goals and forcing it to leave Lebanese airspace.

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted the Samaqa site in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Shuba Hills with appropriate weapons, hitting it directly.

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance launched an air attack with a swarm of attack drones on the newly established headquarters of the 91st Division in Ayelet HaShahar, targeting the positions of its officers and soldiers and hitting its targets precisely.”

(The Palestine Chronicle)

8:57 pm | Posted in Blog | News | Read More »

‘The Biggest Trick’ – General Brik Disputes Netanyahu’s Stance on Philadelphi Route

Israeli Major General Itzhak Brick and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Image: Palestine Chronicle)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Brik, a former commander of the Armored Corps, is often referred to as the “prophet of wrath” for his warnings about potential large-scale attacks from Gaza ahead of October 7.

Retired Israeli General Yitzhak Brik has publicly disputed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims regarding the strategic significance of the Philadelphi (Salah al-Din) Corridor in southern Gaza, which Netanyahu has argued is crucial for preventing the smuggling of weapons. 

In an interview with FM 103, affiliated with the Israeli newspaper Maariv, Brik downplayed the corridor’s importance in the current war. 

He described Netanyahu’s emphasis on it as “the biggest trick since the founding of the state, aimed at misleading the public.”

Brik, a former commander of the Armored Corps, is often referred to as the “prophet of wrath” for his warnings about potential large-scale attacks from Gaza ahead of October 7.

In the interview, the former general recounted his conversations with Netanyahu, particularly during the October 7 attacks, noting that the prime minister’s current stance is at odds with his earlier position. 

Brik said he had informed Netanyahu that the only way to stop tunnel smuggling under the Philadelphi Corridor was to dig a 14-kilometer-long, 50-meter-deep trench and build a wall. 

According to Brik, Netanyahu had rejected this suggestion, saying that this was not possible.

 Netanyahu had also expressed concerns about straining relations with Egypt, reportedly saying, “The Egyptians are not ready, and I don’t want to jeopardize peace or turn them into a hostile force against us.”

Brik added that Netanyahu told him the Egyptians deny the existence of the tunnels and oppose any Israeli presence in the area, even if supported by US aid. 

Brik also said that Netanyahu proposed an alternative solution: building a wall between Rafah and Khan Yunis in southern Gaza. 

However, the Israeli general argued that smuggling occurs primarily underground, not above ground, and even if some smuggling happens through the Rafah crossing, it would still rely on tunnels.

Brik accused Netanyahu of being primarily concerned with maintaining his political power, stating that the prime minister’s policies are leading Israel into prolonged war, which could cause economic collapse, harm international relations, and weaken the military.

Brik also criticized the Israeli military leadership, expressing disappointment that the Chief of Staff had not resigned to take responsibility for what he described as the failure of the war. 

‘Gazan Mud’

This is not the first time Brick expresses his criticism of Netanyahu’s actions.

In an article published in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on August 22, he stated that Israel could face collapse within a year if the ongoing war of attrition against the Palestinian movement Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah continues. 

“After the occupation of Gaza City, (Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant) said that Israel was in total control of the city and its tunnels, and within a short time, Hamas would surrender. (…) With these pronouncements, Gallant, along with his colleagues IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been throwing dust in the eyes of the Israeli public,” the former Israeli general wrote.

‘Sinking Deeper into Gazan Mud’ – General Brick Predicts Israel’s Collapse within a Year

“Israel is sinking deeper into the Gazan mud, losing more and more soldiers as they get killed or wounded, without any chance of achieving the war’s main goal: bringing down Hamas.”

The former Israeli general further warned that all current political and military strategies are leading Israel towards disaster. 

“The country really is galloping towards the edge of an abyss. If the war of attrition against Hamas and Hezbollah continues, Israel will collapse within no more than a year,” he warned.

Ongoing Genocide

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza. 

Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.  

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 40,939 Palestinians have been killed, and 94,616 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.

Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip. 

Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’. 

GAZA LIVE BLOG: Massacre in Beit Lahia | Rockets from Lebanon | West Bank Raids Continue – Day 337

Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.

The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children. 

The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.

Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety.  

(PC, AJA)

7:36 pm | Posted in Blog | News | Read More »

Israel Refuses to Receive Josep Borrell as EU Considers Sanctions on Ministers

EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell slammed Israel’s plan for settlement expansion. (Image: Palestine Chronicle)

On August 29, prior to an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Borrell announced that he had taken steps to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers.

Tel Aviv informed the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell that they could not accommodate his visit on the proposed dates, Israeli media reported on Saturday.

According to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Borrell had notified the Israeli Foreign Ministry of his intention to visit on September 14 and 15.

Israeli officials responded by saying that those dates were not feasible and suggested coordinating the visit after the holidays, which would push the trip to late October after Borrell’s term ends, the report noted.

This development follows sharp criticism of Borrell from Israeli officials over his efforts to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The sanctions are a response to accusations of incitement to hatred and war crimes.

‘To Intimidate the Voices’ – France Detains Nurse Who Served at Gaza Hospital

On August 29, prior to an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Borrell announced that he had taken steps to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers for their hate speech targeting Palestinians and proposals that violate international law. 

Although he did not name the ministers directly, diplomats confirmed that the sanctions were aimed at Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, both of whom belong to far-right political factions.

Borrell has previously called for these ministers to be held accountable for their statements, which include calls to cut off humanitarian aid to Gaza. 

In response, Israeli officials have harshly criticized Borrell. 

Energy Minister Eli Cohen accused him of hypocrisy, claiming that Borrell supports the Palestinian Authority financially while seeking to punish Israeli ministers combating terrorism. 

Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz echoed the criticism, accusing Borrell of spreading false information about Israeli policies.

Ongoing Genocide

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza. 

Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.  

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 40,939 Palestinians have been killed, and 94,616 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.

Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip. 

Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’. 

Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.

The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children. 

 The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.

Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety.

(PC, AJA)

7:16 pm | Posted in Blog | News | Read More »

‘Israel’s Assault on Gaza Could Exterminate Almost Entire Population’ – UN Special Rapporteur

UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation in Palestine Francesca Albanese. (Photo: via QNN)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Israel has flouted a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire and has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza.

The UN Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese, has warned “with horror” that if Israel’s military assault on Gaza is not stopped, it “could end up exterminating almost the entire population” of the enclave “over the next couple of years.”

Citing a recent report by The Guardian, Albanese said: “The range of presumable direct and indirect deaths could be between 15 and 20% of the population already by the end of this year, according to Prof. @devisridhar (and that’s in line with the work of other academics).”

“Once the dust settles, I can’t imagine how the world will go on after having allowed that. Again,” Albanese added in her post on X on Friday.

Professor Devi Sridhar, in her article, referenced the Lancet medical journal’s estimation that “about 186,000 total deaths could be attributable to the current conflict in Gaza, which is roughly 7.9% of its population, by mid-June 2024.”

Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, said: “If deaths continue at this rate – about 23,000 a month – there would be an additional 149,500 deaths by the end of the year, some six and half months from the initial mid-June estimate.”

“Using the method, the total deaths since the conflict began would be estimated at about 335,500 in total,” the professor stated.

‘Half a Million Deaths’

Sridhar said she made a “crude estimate” last winter based on other conflict situations and assessing the number of fatalities there would be “if fighting continued without international intervention.”

“In December 2023, my estimate was about half a million deaths without a ceasefire,” she said.

This, Sridhar added, roughly aligns with the Lancet estimates, “they used a very conservative estimate, but allowed that the number could easily be much higher.”

She pointed out that the figure also shows “what could have happened had the international community not acted, and taken advantage of the brief windows available to deliver aid and medical care.”

“Many have been saved by these various pauses in fighting and humanitarian interventions, even if patchily enforced,” the professor stressed.

UN Resolution Ignored

Israel has flouted a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire and has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza.

Tel Aviv is currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, due to its ongoing devastating war on Gaza since October 7.

‘Deeply Traumatized and Exhausted Population’ – Doctors’ Testimony of Gaza Experience 

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 40,878 Palestinians have, to date, been killed, and 94,454 wounded. Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the enclave.

Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.

Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.

The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.

Israel’s aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.

Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

10:52 am | Posted in Blog | News | Read More »

‘Assistance to Enemy in War’ – Israeli MK Requests Death Penalty for B’Tselem’s Director

Likud MK Revital Gotliv. (Photo: video grab)

The move followed a speech delivered by Novak on September 4 at the United Nations Security Council.

The Israeli Likud Party Knesset Member Revital Gotliv requested the death sentence or life imprisonment for Yuli Novak, the executive director of the Israeli rights group B’Tselem, for what she labeled as “the suspected serious crime of assistance to the enemy in war,” the Anadolu news agency reported.

Gotliv reportedly made her request in a letter addressed to the Israeli Chief Police Commissioner Daniel Levy, in which she demanded the detention and interrogation of Novak.

The move followed a speech delivered by Novak on September 4 at the United Nations Security Council.

The Knesset member said that ‘aiding the enemy’ is a crime under the penal law, “which carries the death penalty or a life sentence.”

“Novak has shamefully put the state of Israel, currently engaged in a war for survival, at risk and assisted Israel’s enemies on various fronts,” she wrote in her letter.

“Who needs enemies when you have Yuli Novak?” she questioned.

She further accused Novak of telling lies about Israel committing war crimes.

Novak’s Speech

The executive director of B’Tselem told a UN Security Council session via video call on September 4 that Israel has promoted “Jewish supremacy” since its inception.   

“To understand the Israeli government’s criminal conduct over the last 11 months, you have to understand the overall goal of this regime. Since Israel was founded, its guiding logic has been to promote Jewish supremacy over the entire territory under its control,” Novak said.

B’Tselem’s executive director accused the Israeli government of war crimes in the besieged Gaza Strip embodied in “expulsion, starvation, killing and destruction on an unprecedented scale,” to make the enclave “inhabitable.”

She further accused Israel of exploiting the events of October 7 “to violently advance its project of cementing Israeli control over the entire land.”

Moreover, Novak emphasized that Israel has taken advantage of the ongoing war on Gaza “to turn Israeli prisons into a network of torture camps for Palestinians. This violence is possible because Israel has enjoyed impunity for decades,” quoting a recent report by B’Tselem titled ‘Welcome to Hell’.

Novak concluded her speech by condemning the failure of the international community to put a halt to the war and to protect Palestinians in Gaza from “Israel’s criminal policy of massive harm to civilians in Gaza,” adding that this policy is at present extending to the West Bank.

Ongoing Genocide

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza.

Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 40,878 Palestinians have been killed, and 94,454 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.

Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.

Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.

GAZA LIVE BLOG: Massacre in Beit Lahia | Rockets from Lebanon | West Bank Raids Continue – Day 337

Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.

The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.

The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.

Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety. 

(PC, Anadolu)

10:48 am | Posted in Blog | News | Videos | Read More »

Biden Urged to Order Independent Probe – World Reacts to Israel’s Killing of US Citizen

International activist Aysenur Ezgi was killed by Israeli occupation forces in Gaza. (Photo: via social media)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, during a protest against illegal Jewish settlements in the town of Beita in the Nablus district, has been condemned worldwide.

The family of the Turkish-American activist who was shot and killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on Friday has urged the US government to order an independent investigation into her death.

At the same, the killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, during a protest against illegal Jewish settlements in the town of Beita in the Nablus district, has been condemned worldwide.

“A U.S. citizen, Aysenur was peacefully standing for justice when she was killed by a bullet that video shows came from an Israeli military shooter. We welcome the White House’s statement of condolences, but given the circumstances of Aysenur’s killing, an Israeli investigation is not adequate,” Eygi’s family said in a statement.

“We call on President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary of State Blinken to order an independent investigation into the unlawful killing of a U.S. citizen and to ensure full accountability for the guilty parties,” they added.

Witnesses reported that Israeli soldiers opened live fire on a group participating in a demonstration condemning the illegal settlements on Mount Sbeih in Beita, south of Nablus.

They said Eygi, an International Solidarity Movement (ISM) volunteer, was standing away from the main protest area when she was fatally shot. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, medical workers were unable to save her.

‘Killed in Cold Blood’ – ISM

In a statement, the ISM refuted some media reports which it said “repeated false claims that ISM activists threw rocks” during “the peaceful demonstration” in Beita.

“All eye witness accounts refute this claim. Aysenur was more than 200 meters away from where the Israeli soldiers were, and there were no confrontations there at all in the minutes before she was shot. Regardless, from such distance, neither she, nor anyone else could have possibly been perceived as posing any threat. She was killed in cold blood.”

“Aysenur, who we consider a martyr in the struggle,” was the 18th demonstrator to be killed in Beita since 2020, the statement said.

ISM volunteer Mariam Dag (a pseudonym), who witnessed the fatal injury of her comrade, said “This is just another example of the decades of impunity granted to the Israeli government and army, bolstered by the support of the US and European governments, who are complicit in enabling genocide in Gaza. Palestinians have suffered far too long under the weight of colonization.”

‘Barbaric’ – Turkish President

Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, condemned “Israel’s barbaric intervention against a civilian protest against the occupation in the West Bank.”

“As Turkey, we will continue to work on every platform to end Israel’s occupation and genocide policy, which has been continuing for almost a year and has killed 41 thousand people, including children, young and old, and to make it account for its crimes against humanity before the law,” Erdogan said.

‘Full Investigation’ – United Nations

The UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference on Friday: “I can tell you that we would want to see a full investigation of the circumstances and that people should be held accountable.

“Again, civilians must be must be protected at all times,” he added.

‘Tired Sham’ – Euro-Med Monitor

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said, “We know Israel will at best claim ‘we’ll investigate’ & the international community will call on Israel to investigate itself.”

“This would be a tired sham; a stunt that we have seen countless times whenever the IDF is caught red-handed. Only sanctions can deter such atrocities!,” the organization said on X.

‘Heinous Crime’ – Qatar

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the “heinous crime” against Eygi is in line with “the series of repeated brutal Israeli occupation crimes against the Palestinian cause and human rights.”

It warned that “the silence of the international community in the face of these horrific violations is a renewed incentive for the occupation to commit more atrocities.”

‘Daily Violations’ – Egypt

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the killing is “a new example of the Israeli daily violations against Palestinian civilians and solidarity activists.”

In a statement, the Ministry reportedly the international community is facing an “unprecedented moral dilemma” due to the atrocities committed against the civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories.

‘Accountability’ – Jordan

​​Jordan’s Foreign Ministry demanded that those responsible for Eygi’s killing be held accountable.

In a statement, the ministry strongly condemned Eygi’s killing, describing it as a “heinous crime that requires holding those responsible accountable.”

It reportedly added that the killing of Eygi is a continuation of Israel’s crimes against Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the West Bank.

‘Predetermined Plans’ – Palestinian Foreign Ministry

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called Eygi’s killing “an integral part of the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people.”

It added that such a crime is “a direct outcome of the implementation of the instructions” of Israeli politicians with the aim of killing Palestinians and solidarity activists.

The ministry held the Israeli government fully responsible for the crime that confirms its predetermined plans to escalate the situation to cover its colonial projects across the occupied territories, reported the Anadolu news agency.

‘Unprovoked’ – Jill Stein

US Presidential candidate, Dr Jill Stein, said on X her killing was “unprovoked.”

Israeli soldiers “murdered her in cold blood with a killshot directly to the head,” she added.

Stein said months ago, following the deaths of three US soldiers in Jordan by “rebels”, Biden “forcefully declared: ‘If you harm an American, we will respond.’”

“Well, they murdered an American today. Will you finally stop arming the murderers, @JoeBiden?” she asked.

‘Deliberate Crimes’ – Hamas

The Palestinian Resistance Movement  Hamas condemned “in the strongest terms the crime committed by the zionist occupation army in targeting” the activist.

“We consider this heinous crime an extension of the occupation’s deliberate crimes against foreign solidarity activists with our Palestinian people, which have claimed the lives of dozens of them, perhaps the most prominent of whom is the solidarity activist Rachel Corrie, who was crushed under the tracks of the occupation’s tanks in 2003,” the movement said in a statement.

The Sequence of Events that Led to the Murder of American-Turkish Activist – Eyewitnesses

“These crimes continue in the West Bank with systematic and continuous attacks on solidarity activists by the occupation army and its settler gangs, as happens in all peaceful solidarity events and marches in the villages and towns of the West Bank threatened by settlement and Judaization project,” Hamas said.

The movement called on the international community, the United Nations, and all its political, humanitarian, human rights, and judicial institutions, “to act immediately to rein in the occupation government, and hold it accountable for its fascist behavior that denies all international laws.”

‘Terrible Tragedy’ – US Rep Pramila Jayapal

US Rep Pramila Jayapal said Eyge’s killing was a “terrible tragedy.”

“I am very troubled by the reports that she was killed by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers. The Netanyahu government has done nothing to stop settlement expansion and settler violence in the West Bank, often encouraged by right-wing ministers of the Netanyahu government.

“The killing of an American citizen is a terrible proof point in this senseless war of rising tensions in the region,” Jayapal said in a statement.

“My heart goes out to Aysenur’s family, friends, and loved ones. This is a terrible tragedy, and I extend my condolences to all those in mourning today.

“My office is actively working to gather more information on the events that led to her death,” Jayapal added.

(PC, Anadolu)

10:05 am | Posted in Blog | News | Read More »

‘You are a Murderer’ – Ben-Gvir Kicked Out from Tel Aviv Beach by Angry Protesters (VIDEO)

Itamar Ben-Gvir was kicked out from a beach in Tel Aviv from angry protesters. (Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir was kicked out on Friday from a beach in Tel Aviv by dozens of Israelis.

The far-right minister had apparently just arrived with family members when a group of beachgoers started yelling at him to leave the beach.

“You are a murderer, you are a terrorist, and because of you, the hostages are dying in Gaza; how dare you walk on the beach?” one Israeli was heard telling Ben-Gvir in videos circulating online.

The minister was later escorted away by security forces.

The Times of Israel reported that an Israeli woman was arrested and questioned for throwing a handful of sand at the far-right minister.

This is not the first incident in which Ben-Gvir is attacked by Israelis who see him as staunchly opposing a ceasefire agreement and a swap deal between Israel and the resistance movements in the Gaza Strip.  

Ben-Gvir against a Deal

The far-right minister urged on September 4 an end to Tel Aviv’s involvement in ceasefire negotiations with the Palestinian Resistance as well as the halt of electricity and fuel to the Gaza Strip.

“Working to stop the negotiations with Hamas, Ben-Gvir said on X. 

“A country that murders six hostages in cold blood does not negotiate with the murderers but stops the negotiations, stops supplying them with fuel and electricity, and crushes them until they give up,” he added in reference to the six captives who were allegedly found by Israel’s occupation army in a tunnel in Rafah, south of Gaza.

Israel accused the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas of their killing while Hamas confirmed in a statement that the detainees were killed in the ongoing Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip.

‘Working to Stop Negotiations with Hamas’ – Ben-Gvir Demands End to Ceasefire Talks

Hamas had previously stated that dozens of detainees were killed by Israeli bombings across the Strip during the 11-month genocidal war.

Israel estimates that over 100 captives are still held by Hamas in Gaza, some of whom are believed to have been already killed.

For months, the US, Qatar, and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and a ceasefire as well as allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands to stop the war.

Protests for Exchange Deal

The discovery of the six bodies has led to increased protests in Israel, with growing accusations against Netanyahu for obstructing prisoner exchange and ceasefire negotiations.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have demonstrated across Israel over the last couple of months to demand a prisoner swap deal with the Palestinian Resistance in the Gaza Strip.

Mobilization and General Strike – What Do Protests in Israel Reveal about Netanyahu’s Regime?

The peak of these protests by the families of captives in Gaza took place on September 2 when a general strike hit the country with Israel’s largest and most influential trade union Histadrut calling for it to pressure the government into a ceasefire deal.

Histadrut Labor Federation chief Arnon Bar-David announced September 1 a general strike in response to the failure to secure the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza, according to Israeli media.

Gaza’s Ongoing Genocide

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza.

Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 40,878 Palestinians have been killed, and 94,454 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.

Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.

Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.

GAZA LIVE BLOG: Massacre in Beit Lahia | Rockets from Lebanon | West Bank Raids Continue – Day 337

Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.

The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.

The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.

Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety. 

(PC, Anadolu)

9:45 am | Posted in Blog | News | Videos | Read More »

GAZA LIVE BLOG: Half Million Protest in Israel | UN: Starvation Campaign | US Postpones Proposal | Massacre in Beit Lahia – Day 337

Israel continues to carry out massacres against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.(Photo: Mahmoud Ajjour, Palestine Chronicle)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

At least 33 Palestinians were wounded in the Israeli artillery shelling of the Beit Lahia project in the northern Gaza Strip.

Residents of the Hula Valley towns were advised to stay near protected areas for fear of renewed shelling and drone infiltration after the Israeli army monitored the launch of at least 30 rockets from Lebanon.

The Israeli army continued to storm several villages, towns and refugee camps in the occupied West Bank.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 40,878 Palestinians have been killed, and 94,454 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.

This blog has been discontinued. Click here for the new blog.

Sunday, September 8, 12:00 am (GMT+2)

WASHINGTON POST (citing US officials): US officials say they have indefinitely postponed presenting a final proposal to Hamas and Israel.

KAN: The commander of the US Central Command will arrive in Tel Aviv tomorrow to hold talks with senior officials.

Saturday, September 7, 11:00 pm (GMT+2)

KAN: Half a million people are demonstrating in Tel Aviv, and 250,000 in the rest of Israel.

LAPID: Netanyahu must stop politics and make a deal.

Saturday, September 7, 10:20 pm (GMT+2)

CNN (Citing a senior administration official): We know that the Ministry of Defense and the Israeli army  want to end the war. The army needs a break and reequipment in anticipation of a war in the north.

ISRAEL MEDIA: Thousands of Israelis are taking part in a demonstration in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem.

‘Assistance to Enemy in War’ – Israeli MK Requests Death Penalty for B’Tselem’s Director

KAN (Israel Broadcasting Corporation):

The US administration has called the deal proposal being drafted a “last chance.”

The proposal may be presented tomorrow or within the next few days.

The US administration has expressed hope for a deal, at least in the media.

The US settlement proposal includes all the points of contention, foremost of which is the Philadelphia axis.

MEDIA: The Association of Families of Israeli Prisoners said more than 400,000 people were taking part in the Tel Aviv demonstration.

Israel Refuses to Receive Josep Borrell as EU Considers Sanctions on Ministers

Saturday, September 7, 8:00 pm (GMT+2)

UN RAPPORTEUR ON RIGHT OF FOOD: Israel began a starvation campaign in Gaza only two days after the start of its war on the Strip.

AL-JAZEERA: Air raid sirens are sounding non-stop in several locations in the Upper Galilee, fearing the infiltration of drones.

LEBANESE HEALTH MINISTRY: Three civil defense personnel were killed and 2 others were injured in an Israeli raid on the town of Frun, south of Lebanon.

AL-JAZEERA: Thousands of Israelis took part in a march in the city of Haifa, demanding a prisoner exchange deal.

Saturday, September 7, 7:00 pm (GMT+2)

HEZBOLLAH: We intercepted an Israeli Heron drone with a missile in the Bekaa Valley, forcing it to leave Lebanese airspace.

AL-JAZEERA: Israeli forces stormed the entrance to Al-Fawar camp, south of Hebron, and fired live bullets and tear gas bombs intensively.

Saturday, September 7, 6:00 pm (GMT+2)

AL-JAZEERA: Israeli forces stormed the entrance to Al-Fawar camp, south of Hebron, and fired live bullets and tear gas bombs intensively.

HEZBOLLAH: We shelled the Israeli Al-Marj position with artillery shells, achieving a direct hit.

Saturday, September 7, 5:00 pm (GMT+2)

PALESTINIAN MEDIA: Four Palestinians, including two children, were killed and others were injured as a result of Israeli shelling of a house east of the Nuseirat camp.

AL-JAZEERA: There were casualties after the occupation bombed Amr Ibn Al-Aas School in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, west of Gaza City.

HEZBOLLAH: We targeted and destroyed the espionage equipment at the Misgav Am site.

Saturday, September 7, 4:00 pm (GMT+2)

DIRECTOR OF BRITISH INTELLIGENCE: Hamas’s military capabilities have been severely degraded, but not eliminated. Hamas is a movement and an idea, and you can only kill it with a better idea.

CIA DIRECTOR: We are seeking to reach a mutually acceptable exchange proposal, and look forward to submitting a proposal soon.

Saturday, September 7, 2:30 pm (GMT+2)

HEZBOLLAH: We targeted a deployment of Israeli occupation soldiers around the settlement of Manot with rockets.

PALESTINIAN MEDIA: A Palestinian was killed as a result of gunfire from an Israeli drone on a group of citizens in Wadi Gaza, west of the Nuseirat camp.

Saturday, September 7, 2:00 pm (GMT+2)

ISRAELI ARMY RADIO: The Israeli Army Radio reported a direct hit on a house in the town of Shlomi in the Western Galilee as a result of a rocket fired from Lebanon.

AL-JAZEERA: Rockets were fired from southern Lebanon towards Israeli sites in the Upper Galilee.

JERUSALEM POST: Some of the rockets fired from Lebanon damaged a house in Shlomi and caused a fire in Liman, the Jerusalem Post reported.

LEBANESE MEDIA: Israel launched two raids, one on the outskirts of the town of Qabrikha and the other on the outskirts of the town of Bani Hayyan in southern Lebanon.

Saturday, September 7, 1:00 pm (GMT+2)

AL-JAZEERA: A Palestinian was killed by Israeli occupation forces’ fire near the Kerem Shalom crossing, southeast of Rafah city.

GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY: 40,939 Palestinians have been killed, and 94,616 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.

Saturday, September 7, 12:00 pm (GMT+2)

ISRAELI HOME FRONT: Residents of the Hula Valley towns should stay near protected areas for fear of renewed shelling and drone infiltration.

LAPID: We must make a deal and end the war.

CNN: Obstacles to negotiations over Gaza have raised White House doubts about the end of the war before the end of Biden’s presidency. It is not clear what effect the arms embargo on Israel would have on the behavior of a government that includes Ben-Gvir and Smotrich.

Saturday, September 7, 11:00 am (GMT+2)

HEZBOLLAH: We targeted the Hadab Yaroun site with artillery shells.

ISRAELI HOME FRONT: Sirens were sounding in Eyelet Hashahar in Upper Galilee due to the suspected infiltration of a drone.

NABLUS GOVERNOR (to Al-Jazeera): The autopsy of the American-Turkish activist confirmed that she was killed by an Israeli sniper.

PALESTINIAN MEDIA: The bodies of two martyrs were recovered after an Israeli bombardment on the Araba area, north of Rafah city.

Saturday, September 7, 10:00 am (GMT+2)

PALESTINIAN MEDIA: Five people were killed and others were injured in an Israeli raid on the Al-Hasayna area, west of the Al-Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip.

AL-JAZEERA: Injured in an Israeli raid on a group of Palestinians west of the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip.

FORMER HEAD OF SIN BET: Israel is not qualified for long wars and this war should have ended a long time ago.

Saturday, September 7, 09:00 am (GMT+2)

MEDICAL SOURCES: The number of people injured in the Israeli artillery shelling of the Beit Lahia project in the northern Gaza Strip has risen to 33 Palestinians.

Saturday, September 7, 08:00 am (GMT+2)

ISRAELI ARMY: We monitored the launch of about 30 rockets.

HEZBOLLAH: We bombed the Mount Neria base with Katyusha rockets in response to Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon.

AL-JAZEERA: Air raid sirens are sounding in the Ras al-Naqoura and Western Galilee areas after a suspected drone infiltration from Lebanon.

PALESTINIAN SOURCES: Intermittent artillery shelling targeted the vicinity of the electricity company north of the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Saturday, September 7, 07:00 am (GMT+2)

AL-JAZEERA: Sirens are currently sounding “in the vicinity of Mount Meron and Matat in the Western Galilee, northern Israel.”

Saturday, September 7, 06:00 am (GMT+2)

PALESTINIAN MEDIA: The Israeli occupation artillery is renewing its shelling of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.

Saturday, September 7, 04:00 am (GMT+2)

PALESTINIAN MEDIA: Several people were killed and wounded as a result of the Israeli bombardment of a residential apartment in Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Saturday, September 7, 03:00 am (GMT+2)

AL-JAZEERA: The occupation forces stormed the town of Beitunia, west of Ramallah, and Baqa al-Hatab, east of Qalqilya, in the West Bank.”

The Sequence of Events that Led to the Murder of American-Turkish Activist – Eyewitnesses

Saturday, September 7, 02:00 am (GMT+2)

AL-JAZEERA: The Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Samou, south of Hebron, and raided citizens’ homes.

PALESTINIAN MEDIA. Several Palestinians, including children, were killed as a result of an Israeli bombardment of a house in the Al-Nasr area, west of Gaza City.

ISM: Israel deliberately targeted and killed Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

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Resistance Growing – Resistance Roundup – Day 336

An Al-Quds fighter in Gaza. (Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Below are the latest statements by the two main Resistance forces in Gaza, and the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah. 

On the 336th day of the Israeli genocide in Gaza, Palestinian Resistance in the Gaza Strip continued to prevent Israel from achieving any of its strategic goals aimed at permanently occupying the Strip. 

The al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, said in a statement that it had seized an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft while carrying out intelligence missions over the central Gaza Strip.

In addition, the military media of the Al-Quds Brigades published scenes documenting the shelling of Israeli soldiers and vehicles in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City, with mortar shells.

For its part, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades of the Fatah movement shelled Israeli military vehicles with mortar shells, east of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, according to a statement.

Additionally, the forces of Omar al-Qasim, the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine – one of Palestine’s two major socialist movements – said in a statement that it had fired mortar shells at the Israeli occupation forces in the Al-Tanour neighborhood, east of Rafah.

Below are the latest statements by the two main Resistance forces in Gaza, and the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah. 

Al-Quds Brigades

We have taken control of a zionist reconnaissance drone of the type “EVO Max” while it was carrying out intelligence missions in the skies of the central region of the Gaza Strip.

Hezbollah

In support of the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their brave and honorable resistance, the Islamic Resistance carried out several operations against the positions and deployments of the Israeli enemy army along the Lebanese-Palestinian border on Friday, 06-09-2024, as follows:

  1. At 9:30, targeted the Mayan Baruch site, with attack drones, accurately hitting its target.
  2. At 12:25, targeted the Zebdine Barracks with rocket weapons, hitting it directly.
  3. At 12:15, targeted buildings used by enemy soldiers in the Metulla settlement with appropriate weapons, hitting them directly, in response to the Israeli enemy’s attacks on the steadfast southern villages and safe homes.
  4. At 12:25, targeted the Ruwaisat Al-Qarn site with rocket weapons, hitting it directly.

  1. At 12:15, targeted the espionage equipment at the Metulla site with appropriate weapons, hitting it directly.
  2. Launched an aerial attack on Friday, 6-9-2024, using swarms of attack drones on enemy forces positioned around the Abirim settlement, striking its targets precisely, in response to the Israeli enemy’s attacks on the steadfast southern villages and peaceful homes, especially the attack and assassination in the town of Kafra.
  3. At 15:55, targeted a building used by enemy soldiers in the Manara settlement with appropriate weapons, hitting it directly.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

10:58 pm | Posted in Blog | News | Read More »

Settler Attack – 13-Year-Old Palestinian Girl Fatally Shot near Nablus

Bana Amjad Bakr, 13, was killed by Israeli forces in Qaryut, near Nablus. (Photo. Via social media)

Bana’s father, Amjad Bakr, explained that his daughter was struck by Israeli army gunfire while she was in her room with her sisters.

A Palestinian girl was killed on Friday evening in an attack by illegal Jewish settlers in the village of Qaryut, located south of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.

The PRCS reported that its paramedics treated a 13-year-old girl, identified as Bana Amjad Bakr, who sustained critical gunshot wounds to the chest after being shot by Israeli forces during confrontations in the village.

Bana was quickly transported to Rafidia Government Hospital in Nablus, where she was pronounced dead shortly after her arrival.

American-Turkish Activist Killed by Israeli Gunfire in Military Raid in Beita

Bana’s father, Amjad Bakr, explained that his daughter was struck by Israeli army gunfire while she was in her room with her sisters, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Local sources reported that settlers had stormed the village, attacking homes in the southern part by throwing stones and setting nearby farmland on fire.

Earlier in the day, Israeli settlers shot and injured a 34-year-old man, wounding him in the hand. Another man, aged 30, was brutally beaten, resulting in severe bruising.

Additionally, in the near village of Beita, a 26-year-old international activist died on Friday from critical head injuries after being shot by Israeli occupation forces.

The activist, identified as Aysenur Ezgi, an American of Turkish descent, was shot in the head with live ammunition while participating in the weekly protest against settlement expansion, the Palestine Chronicle correspondent from the West Bank reported.

The Sequence of Events that Led to the Murder of American-Turkish Activist – Eyewitnesses

Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their property is common in the West Bank, with little accountability from Israeli authorities. 

Settler attacks include arson targeting properties and mosques, stone-throwing, destruction of crops and olive trees, and assaults on vulnerable homes, among other forms of violence.

Currently, over 700,000 Israeli settlers reside in settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, in violation of international law.

(PC, WAFA)

6:41 pm | Posted in Blog | News | Read More »
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