The expanding Israel-Hamas war

[TX-Beau]

All the signs point toward Raisi's death meaning nothing in this war. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard have all the power here. Raisi had no mandate from the people and no real power...it is as likely that the IRG had him killed in order to cement even greater power for themselves.

Whether or not he had any real power. If he's dead, there will be blame. The Gubmint in Iran is not popular with Iranians, so even if this guy is a nan-entity, it's a problem if they couldn't or wouldn't protect him or if they did him in. If they say it was just an accident, it might be better press for them. In any event, this is not positive news for the gubmint.

Unless, of course, the military wants to shed the fiction of a republic and just have a junta.

 

[Yuki Sohma]

So what really took place (happened) there in the skies above Artaxerxes'land

The more things change the more things don't change

​

 

[KaraBulut]

Apparently, Hamas is hiding in the bookshelves of Gazan libraries...

 

[NotHardUp1]

Apparently, Hamas is hiding in the bookshelves of Gazan libraries...

France24 did a forensic analysis and researched the video and found it to be true.

 

[KaraBulut]

Apparently, Hamas is hiding in the bookshelves of Gazan libraries...

France24 did a forensic analysis and researched the video and found it to be true.

The posted video is the forensic analysis.

This seems to be the latest excuse for destroying infrastructure in Gaza and the West Bank. The IDF has run out of hospitals to bomb under claims that hospitals were harboring terrorists, so they've moved on to bombing or torching schools under claims that terrorists are hiding there.

The Israeli government claims that 9 Hamas terrorists were sleeping in one of the schools that they bombed this week, as if that justifies blowing up the other 32 civilians, including the 7 children whose body parts were scattered about the site of the bombing. The bombs Israel is using to destroy schools in Gaza were provided to them by the United States.

https://www.npr.org/2024/06/06/nx-s1-4995090/israel-gaza-school-strike-us-bomb

The Israeli military made improper use of a U.S.-made bomb in a deadly airstrike Thursday on a United Nations school compound in Gaza, according to current and former U.S. defense officials who analyzed an image of the bomb remnants documented by NPR at the site...

Israel’s army said it was targeting a group of militants inside two classrooms at a U.N. school in Nuseirat, a central Gaza refugee camp. But the 2 a.m. strike killed at least 32 people, including seven children, according to Dr. Khalil Doqran, director of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in central Gaza.

Families displaced in the war are sheltering in the school. At the hospital morgue, NPR documented one body bag labeled as containing the body parts of five children.

US weapons parts used in Israeli attack on Gaza school: Al Jazeera analysis

Parts recovered from an Israeli attack on Thursday, which killed 40 Palestinians, made by US manufacturer.

www.aljazeera.com

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/06/middleeast/israel-airstrike-un-school-gaza-intl-hnk/index.html

This bombing in the Nuseirat refugee camp is latest incident where Israel has bombed a school in a United Nations refugee camp. There were two other documented incidents of Israel bombing UN schools this month.

Attacks on schools during the Israeli invasion of Gaza - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has conducted numerous airstrikes on more than 200 educational facilities, including universities, in the Gaza Strip as part of its military operations in the Israel–Hamas war. The IDF claims such airstrikes are the result of the placement of military infrastructure and rocket launching from civilian areas, including schools. By late-March 2024, the United Nations recorded more than 200 Israeli attacks on schools in Gaza, with at least 53 schools totally destroyed.

 

[NotHardUp1]

It is entirely possible that Hamas is in all of the places the Israelis claim. But, it is not germane. The scorched earth campaign of the Israelis constitutes war crimes, and our government's dalliance about it, justification of it, and refusal to stop it will result in terrorrism finding us as the culpable party.

What happened to Israel in October is tragic, but it is not a valid premise for this bulldozing of an entire population.

It is beyond me why Hamas hasn't summarily executed the hostages. They can't possibly be causig Israel to go light on the attacks.

 

[KaraBulut]

...It is beyond me why Hamas hasn't summarily executed the hostages. They can't possibly be causig Israel to go light on the attacks.

If they've killed over 30,000 people and destroyed most of the utility infrastructure, roads, schools and hospitals with hostages, can you imagine what would happen if there weren't hostages? Israel has been so reckless in their use of bombs that they have killed at least 3 of the hostages themselves.

 

[NotHardUp1]

I honestly believe Israel's regime is using the hostage situation as another justification within the ranks of the hardliners to continue prosecuting the war and the atrocities.

It seems curious to me that Hamas has not used the hostages more effectively, to begin executing them on a timetable until Israel withdraws. The pressure on Netanyahu would be incredibly multiplied. It could possibly bring down his government when 10 more bodies are handed over every week with filmed executions.

 

[TX-Beau]

I don't believe that Netanyahu wants the hostages back. I suspect he wants bodies to weep crocodile tears over. I also suspect he knew something was coming and ignored it, and he's using this to interfere in our elections.

 

[KaraBulut]

I don't believe that Netanyahu wants the hostages back. I suspect he wants bodies to weep crocodile tears over. I also suspect he knew something was coming and ignored it, and he's using this to interfere in our elections.

Right answer, wrong reason.

The minute all of the hostage are returned, Netanyahu get fired and goes to trial. It's in his best interest to drag out the destruction of Gaza for as long as possible.

He and Trump have that in common... they want the position to avoid the accountability.

 

[Norri]

It seems curious to me that Hamas has not used the hostages more effectively, to begin executing them on a timetable until Israel withdraws. The pressure on Netanyahu would be incredibly multiplied. It could possibly bring down his government when 10 more bodies are handed over every week with filmed executions.

I get your point but I wouldn’t poke that irrational bear. I wouldn’t think the Israeli could do much worse in Gaza but start shooting hostages and we’ll find out.

 

[TX-Beau]

Netanyahu isn't going to prison any more than Toad is.

Perhaps the universe will prove me wrong.













But I doubt it will.

 

[TX-Beau]

I get your point but I wouldn’t poke that irrational bear. I wouldn’t think the Israeli could do much worse in Gaza but start shooting hostages and we’ll find out.

It doesn't matter what Hamas does with the hostages. They never should have kidnapped in the first place (what a stupid plan.)

If they release them now, Bibi won't stop; if they disappear, Bibi won't stop. If they kill them all, Bibi won't stop because I agree with one thing Kara said: this isn't about the welfare of hostages to the Israeli gubmint; the hostages, for whatever reason, are a plus for Bibi and his stormtroopers.

 

[rareboy]

They only ever were a pretext for annihilation and genocide.

 

[Norri]

It doesn't matter what Hamas does with the hostages. They never should have kidnapped in the first place (what a stupid plan.)

If they release them now, Bibi won't stop; if they disappear, Bibi won't stop. If they kill them all, Bibi won't stop because I agree with one thing Kara said: this isn't about the welfare of hostages to the Israeli gubmint; the hostages, for whatever reason, are a plus for Bibi and his stormtroopers.

I thought taking the hostages was foolish too but events convinced me otherwise. It worked for Hamas in two ways, first it complicated the Israeli response and continued to hamstring the government as it became a huge issue for the voting public. It is about the welfare of the hostages not because Bibi cares but because the public does.

Israel past trading of a 100+ prisoners for a single Jewish soldier showed Hamas the way……so much so that they brought dead Jewish bodies back to Gaza just for trading purposes.

It’s been the best strategic move for either side so far.

 

[TX-Beau]

I thought taking the hostages was foolish too but events convinced me otherwise. It worked for Hamas in two ways, first it complicated the Israeli response and continued to hamstring the government as it became a huge issue for the voting public. It is about the welfare of the hostages not because Bibi cares but because the public does.

Israel past trading of a 100+ prisoners for a single Jewish soldier showed Hamas the way……so much so that they brought dead Jewish bodies back to Gaza just for trading purposes.

It’s been the best strategic move for either side so far.

None of this has worked out for anyone. Hamas is no stronger; Israel is not threatened and has lost the sympathy of the planet, and all that has happened is the deaths of thousands of people who didn't make any of the decisions.

Status Quo, in other words, for the lot of them.

 

[rareboy]

^ It didn't even work out for the Hamas puppetmasters in the Kremlin and Iran who triggered the attacks in October in hopes of creating a distraction from Ukraine and a funneling of resources into this middle east war.

Of course they don't care about the tens of thousands dead either.

 

[Norri]

None of this has worked out for anyone. Hamas is no stronger; Israel is not threatened and has lost the sympathy of the planet, and all that has happened is the deaths of thousands of people who didn't make any of the decisions.

It’s worked out for Hamas better than expected. As you admit Israel has lost the sympathy of the world a plus for Hamas. In the US pro- Palestinian protests have shown that Palestinians have more political support in this country than anyone thought a plus for Hamas. The hostages put Israel on their back foot a plus for Hamas. They found new friends in the Houthi rebels another plus and the whole world is talking about them and their cause whereas before October 7th there were only cricket noises.

If you believe the leaders of Hamas regret taking this gamble on their own I can’t imagine why.

 

[rareboy]

Some good points...but Hamas as a political force is done.

It will now only be a guerilla warfare militia.

And I don't think the world is lining up behind Hamas...it is lining up behind all the innocent Palestians used as fodder by Hamas and Israel.

And Houthi are not the friends you necessarily want to have.

 

[TX-Beau]

It’s worked out for Hamas better than expected. As you admit Israel has lost the sympathy of the world a plus for Hamas. In the US pro- Palestinian protests have shown that Palestinians have more political support in this country than anyone thought a plus for Hamas. The hostages put Israel on their back foot a plus for Hamas. They found new friends in the Houthi rebels another plus and the whole world is talking about them and their cause whereas before October 7th there were only cricket noises.

If you believe the leaders of Hamas regret taking this gamble on their own I can’t imagine why.

I don't agree. I don't hear anyone claiming Hamas is suddenly vindicated of any of the blood on its hands. No one has found any new sympathy or started believing in what we all know is still a fucking bloody terrorist group - that started this with a bloody terrorist attack. Hamas cares no more for Palestinian children than Bibi does. I have no idea how the terrorists in charge of Hamas feel about anything, but no one is suddenly blowing up their phones with offers of support, now are they? They have lost support, not gained it. I also don't see American protests demanding we support Hamas.

Nor does Israel appear to be on any back foot; Israel has exploited the hostages to the maximum extent it possibly can. The right-wingers in charge are using them as an excuse to pursue ethnic cleansing, and it certainly doesn't appear to be making any good-faith attempts to retrieve them.