The release of an Israeli woman and her two children by Palestinian fighters on Wednesday was welcomed by many. However, the gesture raised the question why the three were taken hostages in the first place.
Amid a massive Israeli propaganda campaign, many began asking questions about the conduct of the Palestinian Resistance which attacked the Gaza border from inside besieged Gaza on Saturday, October 7.
Though videos, circulating on social media, showed fighters belonging to Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, exhibiting discipline in the way that fighters treated women and children, others didn’t.
But those ‘others’, mostly in civilian clothes, were not part of the Resistance, Hamas say.
Even Mohammed Deif, the leader of Al-Qassam, made it a priority to highlight, in his first speech on Saturday, that Israeli civilians, especially elders, women and children should be treated with respect.
So, what happened exactly?
This question was answered by Saleh al-Aruri, deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau, in an interview with Aljazeera.
Arouri explained the reasons of why civilian casualties occurred during the fighting on the first day:
“Qassam fighters stormed the Israeli army’s ‘Gaza Division’ in the morning of the first day of the battle, and their attack ended with the rapid collapse of the division responsible for the aggression on the Gaza Strip and the implementation of the siege, assassinations and restrictions on the Palestinians.”
Not even the Resistance had expected such a rapid collapse in Israeli defenses, especially as the whole episode was concluded within three hours.
Blinken: Israel Has Suffered Ten 9/11s – No Mention of Palestinian Death Toll
“Gaza’s borders (along) with the settlements became open,” Aljazeera said, citing Arouri, “which encouraged a number of Gazans and some militants to storm the settlements, and this ended in a state of chaos in which Israeli civilians fell and others were captured, but not at the hands of Qassam fighters.”
Hamas points to other causes of civilian casualties, including the fact that “occupation forces not only failed to protect themselves or their civilians, but also implemented what is often referred to as the Hannibal’s plan, which allows the Israeli army to kill prisoners with their captors.”
This plan has been used in the past, especially following the capture of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli paratrooper, in 2006.
In 2011, Shalit was released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian political prisoners held inside Israeli prisons. Israel didn’t want a repeat of that scenario, as not to give Palestinians groups any political leverage.
There is another reason, according to Hamas, and that is the clashes that took place between the Al-Qassam Brigades and the Israeli guards of some settlements during their incursion.
Day Six: Mass Displacement; Thousands Dead, Wounded; Resistance Continues – LIVE BLOG
Nearly 1,600 Palestinians, mostly civilians were killed and over 5,500 wounded since the start of the Israeli bombing campaign of Gaza. Estimated 1,300 Israelis were killed, and thousands wounded, mostly on the first day of the war.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
Why are the US TV announcers reporting one-sided news?Why are they not reporting about the 76 years of occupation, the 16 year siege and blockade of Gaza?? About the settlements and the wall, about the forcible taking of Palestinian homes by settlers armed with US arms. About the destruction to homes & land, and abduction of little children 7 yrs old put in solitary confinement. Why are the atrocities committed by the Zionist Apartheid Govt not reported in the media? This has happened due to 76 years of oppression.The creation of Israel by Britian, USA and UNations.What is the UN doing about bringing Justice to the Palestinians?USA gives 13 million a day to Israel as aid of tax payers money
“76 years of occupation” means you actually admit that the conflict is not and never was about the occupied territories which were taken in 1967 (The Gaza Strip and the West Bank) and what you actually wish for is a complete demolish of the Israeli state from the river to the sea. This is exactly the reason why this conflict never ends. Israel already withdrawn completely from the Gaza strip in 2005, and was a step a way from giving back most of the occupied territories in the west bank.
The fences were built after bloody years of suicide bombers terror attacks which murdered over 700 Israeli’s and wounded thousands.
Peace will come when you love your children more than you hate us.
To close the Gaza from receiving food, energy medication and all that the occupation controls is a war crime. 4th Geneva convention art. 33 prohibits collecitive punishment of civilians.
All nations must uphold the laws protecting human rights and cut the support of apartheid Israel.