2024-04-26 06:26:12
Netanyahu’s political fortune is preparing for a major battle
Operational readiness of two brigades in Gaza Strip
Hamas engages in psychological warfare by bringing up ‘hostage safety’
Mentioned, “If we recognize independence, we will disarm”
“The ground war in Rafah will begin ‘very soon’” (Israeli daily Israel Hayom)
After exchanging attacks on the mainland with Iran, Israel, which turned its attention to eliminating Hamas rather than expanding the war due to dissuasion from the United States, has begun the countdown to the ground battle in Rafah, the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to be betting his political fortunes on advancing on Rafah despite strong anti-war public opinion both inside and outside the country. On the other hand, Hamas, which is at a disadvantage in an all-out war, is touching Israel’s weak link by suddenly releasing a video of the hostages being held.
● Ground war preparation vs. hostage video released
The Israeli media Times of Israel reported on the 24th that “two brigades of the Israeli army that were conducting operations in the border area of northern Lebanon are preparing for a new military operation in the Gaza Strip.” This is interpreted as preliminary work to deploy ground troops in Rafah, where approximately 1.5 million refugees are currently gathered. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are said to have completed all necessary preparations for the Rafah attack and can begin operations immediately upon receiving government approval.
Satellite images recently obtained by the Associated Press from a private satellite company also show preparations for ground warfare. In the photo, Israel is building a large-scale tent village in Khan Yunis, the largest city in the southern Gaza Strip, near Rafah. As the international community, including the United States, maintains its stance of ‘opposing ground warfare without a plan to evacuate civilians,’ mass refuges are being created. An Israeli Defense Ministry official told Reuters, “We are ready to evacuate civilians before the attack. We have secured 40,000 tents that can accommodate 10 to 12 people each.”
Israel has consistently emphasized the necessity of the Rafah ground battle. This is because most of the Hamas leadership, as well as four key Hamas brigades, are stationed here. In addition, it is highly likely that the remaining Israeli hostages are also being held in Rafah.
In a situation where the atmosphere was unusual, Hamas launched a psychological war by releasing a video containing the voices of the hostages they had detained.
Hershey Goldbergpaulin (23), an American-Israeli who was reportedly kidnapped at the Nova Music Festival on October 7 last year, appealed in a three-minute video for the Israeli government to negotiate for the release of the hostages. He said, “While the Israeli leadership was eating with their families and enjoying Passover (Jewish holiday), the hostages were in hell. Netanyahu should be ashamed of himself for failing to rescue the hostages for 200 days.”
The fact that Hamas released the video at this time can be interpreted as an attempt to show that the ground battle in Rafah cannot guarantee the safety of the hostages. The Washington Post (WP) also assessed, “The hostage made a statement that seemed to have read a script prepared in advance by Hamas.”
● Israel and Hamas are at war with public opinion
Hamas is aiming to spread anti-war public opinion in the international community by stating that if there is a ceasefire on this day, ‘disarmament’ is possible. Khalil Al-Haiya, a high-ranking Hamas figure, said in an interview with the Associated Press on the 25th, “We are willing to have a ceasefire with Israel for more than five years,” and “Once an independent state of Palestine is established, we will disarm.” It refers to the ‘two-state solution’, which is a plan to recognize Palestine as an independent state and coexist with Israel.
However, this is not likely to come to fruition. The Associated Press said, “Hamas’s offer to disarm appears to be a significant concession, but Israel will not even consider this scenario.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is rushing the Rafah ground battle, is wary of the spread of anti-war public opinion in the United States. Regarding the demonstrations in support of Palestine that are spreading in American university areas on this day, he said, “The anti-Jewish excitement is reminiscent of German universities in the 1930s (during the Nazi regime),” and emphasized, “Immoral behavior must be stopped immediately.” Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who is close to Prime Minister Netanyahu, also called the protests at U.S. universities “riots” and claimed, “President Joe Biden doesn’t know what to do now.”
Cairo = Correspondent Kim Ki-yoon pep@donga.com
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2024-04-26 06:26:12