Hamas Attacks Israel

[RTH10260]

Another installment of my take from diverse media sources on the current conflict (sorry, do not know how much has been in US news already).

In the last days Israel has started to clean the nothern most area of the Gaza strip, from where small groups of fighters were still shooting into Israel. It successfully retired them. Tens of bodies of Israeli that were taken into Gaza were recovered. Israel was able to pinpoint the norther headquarters and turn it into a pile of rubble, no coordination of remaining Hamas elements from there anymore. The Hamas general for the northers Gaza region was killed. Large sections of the tunnel system made unusable. Israel troops detected a Hamas command bunker that was left intact. They recovered a treasure trove of gold: the whole documentation of the Hamas command structure with names and details. Also exact and complete maps of other command centers, including the maps of the underground tunnel system. I understand it includes the list of armouries and other storage facilities.

Last week there were some breathtaking reports of six groups of US special forces landing in the north of Israel and deploying along the Lebanon border, implying they would actively be fighting alongside the Israeli forces. My take: these special forces are assisting Israel with intelligence gathering and liason with US spy drone operations. Hezbollah has been sending around 100'000 fighters towards the Lebanon border with Israel. Israel and the US are identifying gathering and staging areas as they happen and Israel bombards them. Several local Hezbollah command posts have been taken out of service. Sirmishes along the whole border length, especially in Golan Heightsvregion.

[AndyinPA]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/20 ... palestine/

President Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday. Blinken made the announcement after a nearly eight-hour meeting with Israel’s war cabinet. “He’s coming here at a critical moment for Israel …” said Blinken. “The president will reaffirm the United States solidarity with Israel.” More than 4,000 U.S. sailors and Marines will join a growing American fleet off the coast of Israel. The third ship associated with the unit was in the Mediterranean Sea with plans to head near the Israeli shore, defense officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss planned military movements. Biden has warned that a new Israeli occupation of Gaza would be a “big mistake” — one of his firmest efforts to signal restraint to Israel as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza reaches critical levels. About 600,000 people have been displaced from the north of the enclave, aid agencies say. Food and water supplies in Gaza are dangerously low.

[Suranis]

A rocket hit a hospital in Gaza tonight. Everyone started blaming one another, and the IDF said that the culprit was a rocket fired from one of the Islamic groups which misfired and hit the hospital. Footage has now emerged and it seems that the Rocket was hit by anti-Aircraft fire and came down on the Hospital by accident. There's no way to tell from the footage who launched it, however.



But there's probably a lot of American and other intelligence equipment focused on Gaza right now, and if the Israelis deliberately targeted a hospital I don't think they would let it get brushed under the rug.

[RTH10260]

A rocket hit a hospital in Gaza tonight. Everyone started blaming one another, and the IDF said that the culprit was a rocket fired from one of the Islamic groups which misfired and hit the hospital. Footage has now emerged and it seems that the Rocket was hit by anti-Aircraft fire and came down on the Hospital by accident. There's no way to tell from the footage who launched it, however.

https://twitter.com/yousuf_tw/status/17 ... 7968384106

Yousuf@yousuf_tw
Full recording from @ajmubasher feed.

You can see outgoing rocket fire some distance away. The rocket is intercepted in the air, and breaks apart into shrapnel.

After this 2 explosions are seen: one smaller one, perhaps on the rocket launcher, and a big one on the hospital.
9:48 PM · Oct 17, 2023

But there's probably a lot of American and other intelligence equipment focused on Gaza right now, and if the Israelis deliberately targeted a hospital I don't think they would let it get brushed under the rug.

The video shows a well known pattern of a Iron Dome missile intercepting a identified rocket. The explosion does not nessecarily destroy the object in air, though mostly it destroys it completely with smallish debris falling to the ground. Here it seems that some major part crashed and then exploded. The war head must have separated and hit own territory. This is not Israel targetting a hospital, call it collateral self inflicted damage.


ETA. had Israel accidentially bombed the facility the blast would have been much larger than show in the clip, much brighter flash even at the distance and there would have been a huge dust cloud. Also Israel was no longer doing bomb runs in the north.

[keith]

A rocket hit a hospital in Gaza tonight. Everyone started blaming one another, and the IDF said that the culprit was a rocket fired from one of the Islamic groups which misfired and hit the hospital. Footage has now emerged and it seems that the Rocket was hit by anti-Aircraft fire and came down on the Hospital by accident. There's no way to tell from the footage who launched it, however.



But there's probably a lot of American and other intelligence equipment focused on Gaza right now, and if the Israelis deliberately targeted a hospital I don't think they would let it get brushed under the rug.

Except there are reports that that video is from 2021 - so everything is still as clear as mud.

[RTH10260]

Israel says it was a failed rocket launch by Hamas.

[Kriselda Gray]

Israel says it was a failed rocket launch by Hamas.

Which is exactly what I'd expect them to say - just as I expect Hamas to say that it was a deliberate bombing of a hospital by Israel. NEITHER of them is likely to admit it's their fault, so I have a hard time taking what *either* of them says at face value when it comes to something like this...

[RTH10260]

Israel says it was a failed rocket launch by Hamas.

Which is exactly what I'd expect them to say - just as I expect Hamas to say that it was a deliberate bombing of a hospital by Israel. NEITHER of them is likely to admit it's their fault, so I have a hard time taking what *either* of them says at face value when it comes to something like this...

Reports say there were multiple rockets launched by Hamas. The video above is non-conclusive. I interpreted it as remains of a destroyed rocked hitting the hospital. But it well could be a different one that went off its intended path and the depicted hit in the air was a total elimination, eg the explosives exploded high in the air, not reaching ground. To my knowledge Israel has not yet used artillery, only fighter planes.

[busterbunker]

Fuck the blame game. Blame games are Republican shit. Who will have the guts to call for a cease-fire first?

[RTH10260]

A new fuller presentation of the IDF spokesperson, explaining details (plausible) out of their view, includes daytime aerial images of the damage, a intercepted Hamas phone call. Hamas fatality numbers largely inflated. Launch site was from a cementary adjacent to the hospital (i guess assumed sheltered from Israeli airstrikes), was part of a second wave of rockets thhat night. IDF analysis believe the explosion was from the rocket propellant itself, not the warhead, eg no crater to be seen.

[pipistrelle]

Didn't get to watch but possibly consistent with this attempt at analysis.

[RTH10260]

out of the UK

Israel-Hamas War: Piers Morgan vs Palestinian Ambassador Husam Zomlot Over Gaza Hospital Strike

Piers Morgan Uncensored
18 Oct 2023

Piers Morgan Uncensored is joined by Palestinian Ambassador Husam Zomlot for a passionate debate on the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel, Palestine and terrorist organisation Hamas. They also discuss the conflicting reports of the missile that went into a civilian hospital in Gaza.

Piers asks Husam if he will condemn Hamas attacks on October 7th on Israeli citizens. Husam doesn't condemn the attacks, but rejects the notion of killing innocent civilians. Husam adds that if he condemns the attacks, people will cling on to the idea that Hamas are the people who started this conflict and believes it is dangerous because people conflate Hamas with the Palestinian public.

The ambassador then goes on to question Piers on why he did not ask the Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely to condemn the actions of the Israeli government before asking whether he would accept that by the definition of terrorism, Israel's actions should be defined the same way.

[Suranis]

Sthe Palestinian decided to go on the show of a colossally arrogant knob with a tiny audience. Probably no-one else would have him. Pass.

[RTH10260]

Some believe that the Israeli might have been creative ...

[RTH10260]

[RTH10260]

FWIW

[RTH10260]

potential attack on Israel, or just on Saudi Arabia?

[RTH10260]

US hostages held in Gaza by Hamas released after two weeks in captivity

Guardian News
21 Oct 2023

Two US nationals who were taken captive by Hamas militants during their deadly attack on 7 October have been released in an agreement brokered by Qatar. Natalie Raanan, 17, and her mother, Judith, 59, were transferred through the Rafah crossing into Egypt, where they were met by Israeli security forces. Family members of the two women delivered a statement welcoming their release. Uri Raanan, Natalie's father and Judith's ex-husband, said: 'I spoke with my daughter earlier today. She sounds very good. She looks very good.' Secretary of state Antony Blinken said the US believes some 200 captives are still held in Gaza, of whom 10 are American

US mother and daughter released from Hamas captivity after Qatar brokers deal
Israeli ground assault on Gaza looms as Hamas releases first hostages

[RTH10260]

New analyses suggest Israeli artillery shell responsible for al-Ahli Hospital blast

Middle East Eye
21 Oct 2023

New analyses by researchers and rights groups have suggested the blast that destroyed al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City came from an Israeli artillery shell, disputing claims that it was a misfiring Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket

[RTH10260]

Artillery shell sounds more alike to the damage observed. Though i still need to see images of "a hospital destroyed". And noone has shown pictures "of hundreds killed".

[Suranis]

Honestly, I don't really care. If a direct strike by an artillery shell was only capable of doing that little damage they wouldn't be used. That has all the hallmarks of fuel burning off and getting set on fire. The Cars were not moved around like a serious explosion would have done

So there was no way the Hospital was deliberately targeted.

There's going to be arguments back and forth about who launched it, but I'm happy that it was an accident, so who launched it is really a misinformation war at this point.

Besides, Biden said it wasn't an Israeli shell, and that's pretty much good enough for me. He wouldn't lie about that in the midst of delicate negotiations. The USA has pretty much got a ton of stuff tracking everything down there right now.

[p0rtia]

Has anyone seen confirmation that 500 people died?

It appears that the hospital is still standing, no?

[RTH10260]

Has anyone seen confirmation that 500 people died?

It appears that the hospital is still standing, no?

No reliable numbers available as far I can tell. A high number is possible cause the hospital grounds were sought as (relative secure) shelter.

old NYT article, guest link https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/18/worl ... =url-share

[busterbunker]

Let's go Brandon.

[Volkonski]

QasimRashid@mastodon.social
Qasim Rashid, Esq.
@QasimRashid@mastodon.social
My God. A Texas man stabbed to death a Muslim woman named Talat Khan (52) in broad daylight as she sat in a park with her dog.

Police have arrested & charged him w/murder. No motivation determined yet. I am getting horrific deja vu of Wadea Al-Fayoume.

Man charged with murder after woman stabbed to death at Conroe apartment complex

https://www.click2houston.com/news/loca ... t-complex/

A man was charged with murder after a woman was fatally stabbed at an apartment complex in Conroe, Texas, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.

Miles Joseph Fridrich, 24, was identified as the suspect in this case and charged with 1st degree murder. His bond was set at $500,000.

On Saturday, police were dispatched to an apartment complex in the 15000 block of Mansions View Drive around 12:36 p.m. regarding a disturbance with weapons.

But, before officials arrived, the sound of children screaming alerted Matthew Amador to rush outside.

“I looked out, and they were all running. I grabbed my sword, and I grabbed my phone,” Amador said.

Amador was a witness and said he saw a man stabbing 52-year-old Talat Khan multiple times at a picnic table at the apartment complex.

“The perpetrator was checking her pulse which was really bad. I saw him checking her pulse, and then he stabbed her three times. Then as I yelled, ‘hey,’ he turned around and looked at me then ran,” Amador said.

About 17 people walked out of their homes with guns. Amador said the police quickly showed up.

“I started yelling out the description, tall white guy, purple shirt, tall white guy, purple shirt!” He said.

Conroe police caught up to the suspect and took him into custody. It is unclear what his relationship is to Khan.