Middle East security analyst, Phd, author of #TheOctober7War bylines @Jerusalem_Post @BreakingDefense adjunct fellow @FDD Exec Dir @MidEast_Center @GulfIsrael;
- Tweets 185,707
- Following 12,703
- Followers 104,782
- Likes 73,100
Pinned Tweet
I am thrilled to announce the release of my new book, 'The October 7 War: Israel’s Battle for Security in Gaza.'
While I've covered numerous Gaza wars, this one has been harrowing and long. Awakened by Hamas rocket fire on October 7, 2023, I began covering the conflict from its very first day.
341
423
1,891
804,356
What?
This is the first sentence in the article. Israel didn’t launch a war in Gaza. Hamas attacked Israel, and Israel responded. This would be like saying in December 1943 that “it’s been two years since the U.S. launched its war in Japan.”
1,187
2,530
16,736
1,014,417
Zero chance this happened
#BREAKING “They dragged little Greta (Thunberg) by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others,” says Turkish activist and Sumud Flotilla participant Ersin Celik
1,292
895
16,353
519,907
One thing you'll notice after the Israeli raid that rescued four hostages is how deep the divide is on this. Many people are happy with the rescue. Then there are the voices who describe it as a "release" of four hostages and focus primarily on the claims that many people were killed in the operation
289
1,408
10,361
1,725,560
When Hamas launched the October 7 attack, likely with backing and advise from several countries that host and back Hamas, it knew that there would be an Israeli response. It assumed if it took enough a hostages then it could somehow force talks to go on for years...while it benefited.
225
1,378
7,837
1,407,079
The story of the US delaying munitions for Israel is getting a lot of coverage, the BBC call it the "biggest warning yet for Israel."
So here's my question. While countries are growing frustrated with the long war in Gaza, have there been any real repercussions for Hamas since Oct. 7 on the global stage?
224
1,329
7,488
1,399,035
Just trying to understand something. Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire. But none of the protesting groups in the West celebrated this. None of them are happy that hostages are coming home. So it's hard to take their protests seriously. It wasn't about "ceasefire" was it?
728
1,009
6,523
430,381
israel's minor incursion into a buffer zone on the Golan, where no people live, is being portrayed as a major story; while Ankara attacking Tal Rifaat, Manbij and Kobani and killing civilians and displacing tens of thousands of people, primarily Kurds, is not even covered.
247
2,355
6,991
245,410
Why did CNN deel the need to put "peaceful" in quotes. The idea is to make it seem that there is a question as to whether it was peaceful.
215
933
7,166
456,120
Most of those who condemn the operation put up talking points such as "200 killed to release 4". These commentators NEVER condemn the taking of hostages in the first place, and they NEVER condemn Hamas for unlawfully keeping hostages in civilian areas
54
466
6,508
166,493
Yesterday Israel's IDF released two videos that Hamas made in Gaza in October. The videos were found by the IDF in "raw footage filmed by Hamas for their psychological terror videos." The videos show 8-year-old Ela Elyakim 15-year-old sister, Dafna Elyakim,
"Ela’s family asked us to share it with the world to expose Hamas's terror, to expose Hamas's cruelty, to expose Hamas's barbarism," the IDF noted.
Some thoughts on these videos
75
1,315
6,429
1,453,106
What strikes me most about this photo is how it's a sea of men and one woman. It is symbolic about what Hamas and its backers are. It's about more than chauvinism and hatred of women and the way in which thousands of men can be mobilized with rifles to try to kidnap women. It's larger than that. It's about the supporters of Hamas in the West and their links to empowering abuse of women in their own societies. This is certainly a difficult subjec to raise, but support for Hamas is all about oppression, it's all about this photo, it's about a sea of men seeking to abuse women and kidnap women and take women hostage. At the center of Hamas and its backers and what it is, is a movement based on this. It's why it looks like this.
It's why they paraded the body of Shani Louk in Gaza and men and teens ran to spit on the body. We're not supposed to discuss this elephant in the room...but most societies are not composed of large numbers of men who rush to do these things. Hamas represents something more than just what it does in Gaza...it has links to other chauvinist movements and characters and supporters...and one can see through their comments about women, their treatment of women, what they do in their own societies to empower those who harm women and children; that it's something much larger.
Opposing Hamas is part of a larger story of opposing the network that backs Hamas and is at war with women's rights everywhere, and is at war in the west with societies that have women's rights. Where there is more backing for Hamas, women are less safe, less safe at night to walk home by themselves for instance, without gangs of men harassing them. Find the support for Hamas, and you'll find societies where women are less safe, where minorities, such as Yazidis, are persecuted by groups like ISIS and its backers...it's connected. It's not a vacuum, this photo is symbolic.
It's why the struggle against Hamas is a global struggle, and the war that began on October 7 is a much larger war uniting similar evil groups that do the same thing in their societies.
This is Doron Steinbrecher at the handover in Gaza.
To the last moment they surrounded and tormented the hostages.
271
1,327
6,414
277,376
One of the greatest misconceptions of the war, in my view, is that Hamas has taken heavy losses and is somehow on the ropes.
It is not. Hamas has returned to 90 percent of Gaza, mostly because Israel left every place it "cleared." The evidence for this is that Israel has gone repeatedly back into areas like Zaytun to fight Hamas again...it literally returns immediately after Israel leaves.
The White House indicates that it has taken the far-reaching step of threatening to withhold aid from Israel at this stage in the war because it feels that Hamas has been significantly depleted. (1/5)
308
912
5,733
5,138,927
The reports that almost 1 million people have evacuated Rafah as the IDF operation has taken place there since May 6, in the wake of the Hamas attack on Kerem Shalom...shows that it was possible to get civilians to evacuate. It also shows something else
75
945
5,941
1,142,662
I mean when you see how Israel’s head of Northern Command looks, after a year he and his men had to wait on the defensive waiting for this moment, you understand why Hezbollah is being broken. I’ve met many of these men, and they waited and waited and waited, training and training and training for this.
This is among the most prepared, trained and experienced army Israel has ever put in the field. A year of war steeled them for this. Maj. Gen Gordin embodies this steel and it is being brought to bare on Hezbollah in the most serious way possible. These soldiers have iron will. Hezbollah never expected to meet this kind of iron and steel. Now they have met it.
JUST IN 🚨
IDF Northern Command chief, Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, announced that Hezbollah’s defensive forces have been defeated in all areas where Israeli troops have operated. He highlighted the severe blow dealt to Hezbollah’s command, noting that most of their brigade commanders have been eliminated multiple times. Gordin emphasized the IDF’s commitment to targeting every tunnel, underground site, and weapons stockpile.
211
651
5,461
553,077
INSIGHT into why the loss of Haniyeh matters most of all for Hamas. Hamas wanted to leverage Oct. 7 to come to power in Ramallah. The Iranian axis was working to bring Haniyeh and Hamas to power and replace the PA. China was brokering the talks with the 14 factions to accomplish it
76
867
5,158
1,122,182
What's clear here is just how totally captured these commentators are by the extremist pro-Hamas mentality. Notice how after the operation, knowing that Hamas is hiding hostages in densely populated civilian areas, they NEVER call on Hamas to free hostages and stop this.
26
360
5,069
149,128
I didn’t want to believe that this was possible, even as I privately told colleagues that it seemed likely the wounded hostages must have received medical treatment. But not so openly. We have to ask tough questions about the coterie of international orgs that probably knew.
457
788
4,302
595,508
The bizarre thing about some of these same western media is that if you ask them to describe some center-right politician in their own country they will call them “extremist far-right”…but any extremist group in the Middle East that targets Jews, Yazidis, Kurds or attacks other minorities or women gets the “moderate” treatment
.@SkyNews’ Alex Crawford just claimed that Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh has been considered “very moderate”.
The same Ismail Haniyeh that helped organize and celebrate the Oct. 7th massacre Alex?
109
948
4,537
295,762
Hezbollah attacks Israel for 11 months with 8,000 rockets.
Intl community: This is fine.
Israel carries out major airstrikes on Hezbollah.
Intl community: We need a ceasefire immediately.
446
1,023
4,429
149,455
This is interesting. It turns out the "genocide" claim about Israel's actions in Gaza began just days after the Hamas attack on Israel. Hamas murdered 1,000 people in a day, in an attack that was actually genocidal in its attempts to kill every person Hamas encountered.
However, it appears that very quickly, maybe within hours of the Hamas massacre beginning, people began to try to create a false narrative that Israel was the one committing "genocide." Israel hadn't even identified the huge number of dead and missing, but already scholars and others were mobilizing to accuse Israel of "genocide."
This is the origin of this claim and it is fascinating that it is laid out below in such chronology. On October 15, 2023, while Israel was still identifying the remains of the Hamas genocide of Israelis and others at Nova festival, including foreign workers; scholars warned of "potential" genocide in Gaza. Israel hadn't even begun its offensive in Gaza and this narrative was already created. This is key to understanding how the story was written with the conclusion already.
A consensus is emerging: Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Thanks to the @guardian for pointing to the increasing list of organisations and scholars concluding that Palestinians in Gaza are the victims of a genocide. See a short list below.
The main question though is not whether a genocide is happening. But What are our governments doing to prevent and stop the genocide in Gaza? Unfolding in front of our very eyes, day after day?
SAMPLE OF ORGANISATIONS
15 October 2023: Public Statement: Over 800 Scholars Warn of Potential Genocide in Gaza twailr.com/public-statement-……
2 November 2923: UN experts call to prevent genocide: un.org/unispal/document/gaza……
16 November 2023: UN experts call to prevent genocide: ohchr.org/en/press-releases/……
29 December 2023: South Africa submission to ICJ: icj-cij.org/sites/default/fi…
March 2024: UN Expert Francesca Albanese, first report on the Genocide : ohchr.org/sites/default/file…
3 April 2024: UK Judges’ and Lawyers’ Open Letter Concerning Gaza, lawyersletter.uk
May 2024: University Network for Human Rights report, humanrightsnetwork.org/publi……
19 June 2024: UN Commission of Inquiry: Detailed findings on the military operations and attacks carried out in the Occupied Palestinian Territory from 7 October to 31 December 2023: ohchr.org/sites/default/file……
July 2024: Oxfam, Water War Crimes report: oxfam.org/en/press-releases/……
25 Oct 2024: Forensic Architecture: cartographic analysis of the genocide in support of South Africa’s case in the ICJ: forensic-architecture.org/in…
12 November 2024: 8 aid organisations of the systematic violation ICJ orders on humanitarian assistance, thereby establishing genocidal intent: oxfam.org/en/press-releases/……
14 November 2024: UN Special Committee Report ohchr.org/en/press-releases/……
5 Dec 2024: Amnesty International report, You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2…
19 Dec 2024, Israel’s Crime of Extermination, Acts of Genocide in Gaza hrw.org/news/2024/12/19/isra…
19 Dec 2024, MSF, Gaza death trap, msf.org/msf-report-exposes-i…
SAMPLE of LEGAL and GENOCIDE Scholars:
13 October 2023, Raz Sejal, A Textbook Case of Genocide jewishcurrents.org/a-textboo…
16 November 2023: William Schabas: ccrjustice.org/sites/default…
16 November 2023: Holocaust and genocide scholars John Cox, Victoria Sanford, and Barry Trachtenberg declaration, ccrjustice.org/sites/default……
14 March 2024: John Quigley, “Legal Standard for Genocide Intent: An Uphill Climb for Israel in Gaza Suit”, EJIL: ejiltalk.org/legal-standard-…
9 May 2024: Nimer Sultany, “A Threshold Crossed: On Genocidal Intent and the Duty to Prevent Genocide in Palestine”: tandfonline.com/doi/full/
6 June 2024: Aryeh Neier, NYRB, nybooks.com/articles/2024/06…
2 August 2024, Maryam Jamshidi, On Genocidal Intent, August: opiniojuris.org/2024/08/02/r…
13 August 2024: Omer Bartov, theguardian.com/world/articl…
29 Octobre 2024, Amos Goldberg, lemonde.fr/en/opinion/articl…
See also the threads and contributions from @AdHaque110 ; @Alonso_GD ; @dirkmoses;
theguardian.com/commentisfre…
379
1,085
4,448
358,857
Increasingly the pro-Palestinian narrative of October 7 mostly boils down to "October 7 is the beginning of a genocide in Gaza."
This take never wrestles with the fact that Hamas started this massive war that led to devastation in Gaza. Their response is only "it didn't begin on October 7"
177
399
4,054
256,431
I'll admit over the years to supporting many causes. But there has to be a red line in any cause. Why did supporting Palestinians become an excuse for every Hamas crime imaginable? A normal person would be shocked to find out hostges were held by civilians.
25
345
3,978
109,839
Israel's IDF said today that "The bodies of the hostages Yitzhak Gelernter, Shani Louk, and Amit Buskila were rescued overnight during a joint IDF and ISA operation. Based on verified intelligence in our possession, Yitzhak Gelernter, Shani Louk, and Amit Buskila were murdered during the October 7th Massacre at the Mefalsim Intersection, and their bodies were abducted to Gaza."
35
685
4,038
405,972
It's important to understand that Hamas has been able to carry out massacres and attacks for three decades because each time it does it, it relies on the international community to quickly rush to make sure there is a ceasefire. So the process is:
1. Hamas attacks
2. Israel responds
3. Ceasefire.
4. Hamas attacks again.
72
672
3,909
316,098
Even when they find out that people like journalists and doctors are being brought into the Hamas crimes by keeping hostages in their homes, there is never a Road to Damascus moment here, where these people say "oh this is a red line, how dare Hamas do this."
9
264
3,919
121,972
What is particularly depressing about how Hamas has caused so much suffering, is the fact the international community has not held it to account, has not indicted it for using schools and hospitals to hide behind civilians; and that its leaders feel MOST safe in Doha and Ankara, two western allies in the region
109
901
3,948
119,583
There is one brutal enduring fact about the war in Gaza.
Hamas sees the entire war as a success and if it could go back to October 6 it would do it again.
183
502
3,950
218,205
The ripping down of hostage posters, which has been common among the extremist pro-Hamas activists in the West since the war began, has always revealed what this war is about. This is a genocidal war launched by Hamas and its powerful backers, and the backers of Hamas fund groups in the West and told them early in the war to rip down the posters
bbc.com/news/articles/cml2nn…
57
661
3,788
255,722
Last night I went out with IDF forces for a series of raids to detain suspects in neighborhoods of Bethlehem. The IDF characterized this as an operation in which security forces made arrests of wanted individuals, interrogated dozens of suspects, and searched and found weapons and incitement materials. A thread of my photos and how it went down.
133
388
3,760
607,001
I remember when the Taliban blew up the Bamiyan Buddhas, I was in university at the time and I remember a professor excusing it and others making excuses because we needed to “understand” the Taliban and why statues “offend” them
Six months later came 9/11 carried out by Al Qaeda which was being hosted by the Taliban. Those who excused the destruction of the Buddhas basically coddled the extremism that led to 9/11
We don't talk nearly enough about what islamic extremism did to Afghanistan and its pre-islamic heritage.
48
397
3,800
153,754
The pro-Hamas extremist crowd in the US has moved from ripping down posters of hostages…to denying Hamas sexual assaults…to targeting the Nova festival victims. Their new talking point is that any memorial for the victims of the Nova festival is “genocide propaganda” and they compare the victims of the festival to Nazis and claim that protesting the victims is “antiZionism”
75
659
3,564
133,328
The IDF has concluded an investigation into the targeting of three vehicles and killing seven aid workers with WCK (three of whom were security coordinators).
The findings still leave a few questions, I'll detail in the thread.
The conclusion says the brigade fire support commander of the sector will be dismissed, and the brigade chief of staff will also be dismissed. "Additionally, the brigade commander and the 162nd Division commander will be formally reprimanded. The IDF Chief of Staff decided to formally reprimand the commander of the Southern Command for his overall responsibility for the incident."
272
842
3,546
2,011,093
The number of civilians already implicated in the crimes of Oct. 7 and kidnapping and holding hostages is already a large number. This illustrates a radicalized society. We need to ask tough questions about this.
20
258
3,495
92,343
It's weird how so many in the West have latched onto this debate about "were kids beheaded." For some reason a lot of people in the West don't find murdering children to be a problem. They need to debate, were they beheaded. As if murdering kids is ok. The discussion is odd.
478
672
3,192
665,629
Here is a question. Medical charities that work in Gaza and NGOs such as the ICRC should have all asked for access to the hostages. It's likely that through international mediation they could have gotten access to the hostages. But have you noticed that none of the NGOs or the intl community ever even tried to do this?
151
700
3,462
216,613
The narratives appearing this morning after the unprecedented Iranian attack on Israel (the largest use of drones at a single time in a long range attack) is that the attack can be kind of dismissed because they were intercepted. This is wrong, and here is why.:
First of all this is one of the catch-22s of having good air defenses, which is that attacks are downplayed and Israel especially is told not to respond because the defenses are successful
85
681
3,354
552,287
Disgusting. He only became concerned after Israel retaliated; but a year of Houthi attacks never received a statement
101
471
3,370
122,968
The IDF reveals that it found a car stolen by terrorists from Israel on Oct. 7 at the Indonesian Hospital compound in Gaza. This is very disturbing. Blood was found in the trunk, suggesting that a hostage could have been transported there.
"During operational activity, IDF soldiers found evidence connecting Hamas’ terrorist activities to the Indonesian Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip. In the inner compound of the hospital, a white Toyota truck of the same type used by Hamas terrorists during the October 7th massacre was located, along with additional weapons. Furthermore, in the same inner compound and demarcated area, a Toyota Corolla vehicle with an Israeli license plate was found that belonged to the family of the late Samer Talalka. RPG remnants and bloodstains were found in the vehicle, which were identified as belonging to another hostage. The finding of the vehicle directly links the hospital to the brutal events of October 7th."
"The Indonesian Hospital was opened in 2015 near Jabalya and is the largest hospital in the northern Gaza Strip. It is one of the hospitals that the Hamas terrorist organization uses in order to hide behind sick civilians, and from which it operates terrorist infrastructure. The Indonesian Hospital serves as a meeting place to conduct fighting and a base for senior officials and operatives of the Hamas terrorist organization. The hospital has extensive terrorist infrastructure and near it there are tunnel shafts leading to a tunnel route in the hospital area. The Indonesian Hospital is the strategic underground center of Hamas’ Jabalya Battalion. During the war, armed Nukhba operatives were sighted in the hospital. They used it as a gathering point before leaving to carry out their activities."
Link to footage of Shayetet 13’s operational activity in the Indonesian Hospital area: bit.ly/3GY3aPM
79
759
3,169
580,429
Watch carefully which countries and orgs condemn this massacre in the Golan and see who does not. Watch which UN types condemn and which ones “both sides” it. Watch carefully. Now is the time to hold those accountable who won’t condemn the massacre of children in the Golan.
215
860
3,256
259,353
I'm trying to understand something. Hamas' demands and pre-conditions are to return to October 6 basically. So why did Hamas start this war in the first place, if its demands are to go back to October 6? The answer to that question is that Hamas was advised by its handlers/hosts/patrons and this war was designed to set in motion much larger processes.
137
626
3,156
410,449
Some talking point is circulating asking how Israel was able to carry out a precision strike in Iran but "then why were there so many civilian casualties in Gaza." This talking point misses the truth about Hamas. In Iran, Hamas feels comfortable and doesn't have human sheilds.
57
463
3,187
221,155
If human rights groups were doing their job, they'd ask tough questions about how Hamas was able to get civilians to hold hostages, including journalists and medical personnel. This endangers these people obviously.
10
245
3,114
83,578
We need to talk about this phrasing. There is a tendancy among the international organizations involved with Gaza to never mention Hamas. This isn't because of lack of knowledge. Hamas has ruled Gaza for 18 years. They know Hamas is everywhere. They know it goes into schools and hospitals and uses them.
81
646
3,088
281,742
The more evidence that emerges of how Hamas tunneled under civilian areas and used hospitals, schools and other civilian institutions for cover, points to this as a systematic case. Meaning Hamas mapped out all these areas and systematically made sure to base itself in areas that it knew would be the hardest to strike.
74
563
2,998
330,034
If you ask Israel supporters if they would like to go back to October 6, 2023 and prevent these terrible wars, they will say yes. Prevent war.
If you ask Hamas supporters if they would go back to October 6, 2023 and prevent these terrible wars, they will say no. They wanted this war and despite all the destruction they support more war.
147
537
2,982
93,518
A number of people who claim to be doctors and medical professionals have been involved in a coordinate series of posts about one doctor from Gaza. What surprises me is none of these medical professionals called for the release of the Bibas brothers, a baby and a toddler, kidnapped by Hamas on October 7.
As medical professionals isn't it an obligation to want to save a baby and toddler and call for their release? Why were none of these people active on October 7 and in the days after calling for the children to be released and making sure the hostages had access to medical treatment? Isn't that a basic part of the medical profession?
126
589
3,009
77,713
Can pro-Palestinian activism recover from October 7? What I mean is that in the wake of that awful attack, a lot of the activism now openly embraces one state and backs Hamas, a lot of it denies Hamas crimes, dehumanizes women victims and openly calls for more attacks (“floods” etc).
393
366
2,823
370,529
Israel's Defense Minister gave an interesting briefing today and one thing stands out and leads to questions about October 7.
He said: "There is a common misunderstanding. Indeed we were attacked by people operating under the terrorist flag of Hamas, but it was not a terrorist group. We were attacked by an organized commando division. This is the military formation that we are fighting – not just terrorists. When we say that we are going to destroy Hamas as a military organization, it means that we will not allow them to attack us in a military way again. We cannot let this evil phenomenon to exist near us – just a few hundred meters away from our communities.”
87
393
2,831
843,312
Isn’t it strange that Hamas leaders are not safe in Tehran or Beirut, but they ARE safe in western allies Doha and Ankara? Oddly, the place that Hamas leaders seem to be most safe are in two western allies in the region. That says a lot about those “allies.”
75
544
2,806
105,989
🧵 Key Hezbollah and Hamas terror leaders eliminated: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was in Tehran for the inauguration of the new Iranian president. He had completed key meetings with the Iranian Supreme Leader yesterday. He met with the head of the PIJ also. They likely coordinated actions against Israel.
33
305
2,875
324,307
Instead what happens is that all the Hamas men who dress as civilians are described as civilians when they are killed and all these other civilians who take part in hostage taking are all described as civilian professionals when they also end up killed in this war.
12
198
2,778
74,590
A lot of voices are correctly calling today for Hamas to be destroyed, for it to not be allowed to control and run Gaza in the future. I hope we will all remember this in the months ahead when pressure will again begin to keep Hamas in charge of Gaza and excuses will emerge claiming they are mostly defeated or 90% defeated or most of their capabilities destroyed so they can't do "another Oct. 7 anytime soon."
90
485
2,818
107,700
It's important to understand that Hamas was able to do this BECAUSE it never had to take responsibility for civilians in Gaza. Instead it outsourced that to various int'l groups who were basically partners in propping up Hamas rule.
110
725
2,602
155,908
I just want to see one time a UN organization say “we have become aware that Hamas is using one of our facilities. We call on Hamas to vacate the premises and we reiterate that the presence of armed men or Hamas members in civilian clothes illegally using our facility is unacceptable. We call on the ICC and relevant authorities to investigate Hamas for these continued abuses of civilian sites for militant purposes which endanger civilian lives.”
If they had done that before Oct 7 and throughout this war, many areas in Gaza would have been saved from fighting and a Hamas would have crawled away from these sites having been put on notice.
Instead what happened is everytime a UN org or NGO became aware of Hamas members invading classrooms or sites they would immediately tell their members not to mention it and probably have them sign NDAs and keep silent like omertà. Their only reference was to generic “armed groups.”
Gaza could have been saved. The UN, NGOs and the intl community betrayed Gazans and let Hamas hide in and under every civilian facility.
112
617
2,680
158,042
The pro-Hamas crowd is trying to portray Sinwar’s death above ground as some kind of heroic last stand. The fact is he strayed outside with several of his men when he believed the IDF was focused on Hezbollah. He ordered the massacre of a 1,000 people, most of them civilians and the hostage taking of children and the elderly.
38
368
2,626
82,161
The whole process is directed toward trying to "civilianize" Hamas completely, such that, with the exception of Oct. 7, everyone in Gaza is portrayed as a civilian.
9
166
2,612
63,121
The authorities in Lebanon haven’t released full details on the number killed in the Sept. 27 airstrike that killed Nasrallah, right? This is in contrast to the Hamas-run health authorities in Gaza who always claimed to know the precise number killed an hour or so after every incident?
48
403
2,654
181,555
The narrative is now going to go all-out to stop an operation in Rafah…because Hamas needs to control the border so it can control humanitarian aid and work with its partners around the region and around the world who quietly backed it for years. When you see the voices exaggerating about Rafah, you’ll know who is behind the goal of keeping Hamas in power in Gaza
48
591
2,639
354,833
Hamas is one of the most cowardly groups. on Oct. 7 when it massacred civilians at places like the Nova festival its members wore uniforms, but the second they had to have a stand-up fight against the IDF offensive, the same men took off their uniforms and pretended to be civilians. They placed hostages in civilian homes purposely to harm civilians. They hide in civilian shelters, schools, hospitals. Their leaders live abroad while they destroy Gaza.
In history there can’t be many groups that have been more vile and cowardly than Hamas. Imagine how these Hamas men, many of them in their thirties and forties, hide in schools…in places designed for children to shelter…they are the most disgustingly vile group. They purposely attacked civilian kibbutzim on Oct 7, and kidnapped kids and the elderly.
You just cannot get lower than Hamas. And it’s a group backed by western allies and which gets indirect backing from international organizations who use it as a tool in their war against Israel. They literally provide cover for these privileged criminal Hamas men who hide among civilians.
97
595
2,560
90,497
I don’t know why people compare Sinwar’s death to some heroic battle, he died more like Escobar, on the run, deserted by most of his men. Hamas didn’t even have enough guys in the sector to try to bring up reinforcements to rescue him as he sat wounded. He had no fighters left.
Billy the Kid had more guys with him at McSween’s house than Sinwar did.
103
340
2,580
92,510
I'm not going to post the video of the IDF women soldiers being kidnapped by Hamas.
A few thoughts on it.
First of all I think it's traumatic and I think also that the victims in the video should be rescued and then they can decide if it should be released. I understand the motivation of the families is to help raise a cry to get the women released.
It's obvious that already the video is not being used to get them released, it's being used for other talking points.
82
293
2,530
762,393
One thing that I’ve never been able to get out of my thoughts since Oct. 7 is that Hamas, which massacred 1,000 people and took 250 hostages, killing some of them over the last six months, is hosted by the closest U.S. ally in the Middle East…and it took American hostages on October 7…and yet it faces no repercussions for doing so. No war crimes charges, no expulsion from the U.S. allies that back and host it.
Do you think if a U.S. ally hosted another terror grouping that targeted a different country and kidnapped Americans that this would be the case?
94
443
2,505
299,838
Let’s be clear here. Hamas got two weeks of ceasefire since March 1 and did not release any hostages. It believed it had received a Ramadan ceasefire for free and was relaxing in Gaza and Doha. It thought Israel would do nothing. It had two weeks to decide to extend the deal. It chose to keep almost 60 hostages because it believed it can always get away with this since Oct 7.
BREAKING: Hamas says in a statement it holds Netanyahu and his government fully responsible for overturning the ceasefire and for the repercussions of the renewed attacks on Gaza, “exposing the hostages in Gaza to an unknown fate.”
143
530
2,577
115,247
The attack in LA, the targeting of the Nova exhibit in NYC and the ripping down of posters of hostages are all part of a coordinated effort and it is linked to Oct. 7. Oct. 7 was the main attack, but it was immediately followed by coordinated extremist activism in the West targeting Jews.
The main excuse people have given for the attack on innocent Jews yesterday at a synagogue was that they were selling "stolen land." Let's unpack that, shall we?
Israel is NOT stolen land. But let's say it was. Why target a synagogue for that? All of the United States is on land stolen from Native Americans. Why are there no demonstrations in front of real estate agencies where thousands of acres of stolen land are sold daily? Why only a synagogue? We all know the answer.
31
403
2,517
386,524
This is an interesting framing…a man is kidnapped illegally by a terrorist group from his home, his mother is released and his father murdered by the terrorists…but the conclusion is the video made of him in captivity might have been made “freely”…
And then in the next paragraph “Mr Katzir was murdered by his captors in mid-January, soon after the video was published.”
106
555
2,431
214,267
How the anti-Israel obsessed mind works:
Norway-UAE relations: OK
UK-UAE relations: OK
US-UAE relations: Ok
France-UAE relations: Ok
Mexico-UAE relations: OK
Pakistan-UAE relations: OK
Russia-UAE relations: OK
Israel-UAE relations: "Israel emboldens oppressive regimes"
38
462
2,305
Today the narrative among some is that Iran’s unprecedented massive attack with missiles and drones is just “symbolic” and didn’t harm much so therefore it can be shrugged off.
That was the same mentality about the rocket fire from Gaza two decades ago and also the Hezbollah rocket fire and the Houthi attacks. The always change the goal posts so hundreds or thousands of missiles are no big deal. And then when Hamas massacres 1,000 people and takes 250 hostage then they are surprised.
62
444
2,458
296,031
If Hamas and the pro-Palestinian crowd had been held to an equal standard many years ago this wouldn't have happened. Hamas was given excuses and empowered to create a criminal terrorist empire in Gaza in which everything is hijacked to help Hamas.
11
160
2,411
58,131
If the int'l community had been responsible it would have isolated Hamas and made it clear that its crimes are unacceptable and it would have supported peace and moderate groups; instead of excusing how Hamas radicalized Gaza and took over civilian institutions to exploit them.
63
199
2,410
45,196
If the Sinwar details are confirmed, imagine Doha today, their prized asset of Hamas and its genocidal leadership may be in question. They've been stringing along the US and others for a year of "talks" over a hostage deal, representing Sinwar and talking on his behalf to slow down the deal and sabotage it.
44
326
2,385
122,301
I've noticed a trend in discussions about the attack on Israelis, Jews and others in Amsterdam after a game. Those who support the attacks or excuse them always claim it was Israelis who "provoked" it via chants or some other activity.
282
243
2,371
112,970
So wait...a country that was invaded is supposed to be "neutral"...and supply water to a place you claim was part of Russia since 1783...and is supposed to let Russia occupy part of its country and "redo" illegal elections under the UN...
How about Ukraine decide instead.
63
57
2,254
You can tell how much the int'l community is connected to Hamas by looking at statements after the June 8 raid in Nuseirat. Has even one organization called on civilians in Gaza to stop holding hostages? Has even one? No.
5
205
2,304
49,392
Reconstruction is a huge elephant in the room. It’s likely Hamas partners with NGOs and even the UN to use them to hide its terrorist infrastructure. Each side benefits from this. We have to understand the Hamas empire of terror is unprecedented in the world. No where else in the world were there so many tunnels and weapons stockpiled to this extent. It was made possibly by intl NGOs and their decision to partner with Hamas rather than critique it
Another UNRWA building that “miraculously” had a tunnel shaft in it and no one knew. Not a single UNRWA employee knew I’m sure
24
473
2,301
186,088
We are going to hear a lot about reconstruction in Gaza in the coming year. The same international orgs that ignored or partnered with Hamas are going to want to get a piece of the billions that will be sent. BOOKMARK this:
75
330
2,237
108,330
What I don't understand is the lack of willingness by the intl community to demand Hezbollah stop its rocket fire.
After 12 children were murdered in Majdal Shams, isn't it essential that the illegal rocket fire from Lebanon cease?
506
455
2,208
114,041
What I mean is this. Hamas is hosted by two western allies, in Doha and Ankara. There were no repercussions for Hamas leaders in Doha after Oct. 7. While the US and western leaders expressed support for Israel, they didn't move to sanction those leaders more or put them on trial for crimes against humanity.
12
245
2,225
171,995
This is the site at Kibbutz Magen where they saw two dozen Hamas terrorists coming on Oct 7. The local security team was ready, they had prepared for this moment for years, because one of them had warned about this kind of attack, even acquiring extra rifles and ammo. They waited until the terrorists came close, and then they eliminated them. One member of the team was killed and two badly wounded. The rest of the community was saved. Hamas retreated. A massacre was prevented. I spent time with an older member of the community who told me the story. He was initially evacuated but came back to tend his garden and show steadfastness in the face of this horror. We spent the day together.
47
378
2,172
238,016
International organizations that worked to empower Hamas for almost two decades in Gaza are worried that its control of Rafah will end, meaning their partnership with Hamas gunmen who steal the aid will end. They partnered with Hamas and profited immensely. Hamas could not have become what it is, a terror empire, without the collaboration of all the international organizations who work with it and who want its gunmen controlling aid. Hamas is a vast criminal enterprise like Escobar’s cartel was. It’s hard to dismantle a group like this. But it must be done.
66
566
2,158
149,303
Is there any other conflict that is treated like the Israeli conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah? Let's think specifically of the attack on Majdal Shams. Despite Hezbollah's denial, it's clear that Hezbollah was behind this attack. Hezbollah could call it a "mistake" but it did it.
86
316
2,188
291,567
As Hamas hijacked every aspect of civilian society in Gaza, the int'l community was there beside it to whitewash its conquest of that society, and always turn Hamas into "armed groups" and never condemn or mention them.
8
146
2,152
53,202
Hezbollah felt it had total impunity and was arrogant because it felt the intl community and the UN gave it a blank check to carry out 6,000 attacks and now to massacre kids. It’s a criminal organization but like Hamas, it was empowered by the intl community that appeased these groups
#Hezbollah in panic mode - suddenly they released a statement and talked to media (@Reuters) denying responsibility for the #MajdalShams massacre. Hezbollah made a big mistake/miscalculation that will cost them a lot, ad they might have just dragged #Lebanon into the all-out-war.
146
550
2,137
142,751
This is why when Hamas members turn up at hospitals or UN facilities...it's never a shock to the managers of the facility...in fact they always welcome Hamas. When Hamas places hostages in civilian homes, there is never condern or shock.
3
131
2,087
49,629
The excuses for Hamas crimes aren't helping Palestinians. Obviously Hamas crimes have always been a setback for two states. Hamas only exists in order to sabotage peace and two states and to create endless war.
11
149
2,074
45,620
This is the second body found next to Shifa hospital. I can’t stop thinking about the fact that international organizations were involved with Shifa and so much media there and hostages were suffering nearby. They could have been saved.
IDF: The body of IDF soldier Corporal Noa Marciano, who was abducted by the Hamas terrorist organization, was extracted by IDF troops from a structure adjacent to the Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip and was transferred to Israeli territory.
Following an identification process that was conducted by military medical and rabbinate personnel, yesterday (Thursday), IDF representatives informed her family that her body was extracted and returned to Israeli territory.
204
549
1,928
199,661
I just realized that one outcome of Iran launching such a massive unprecedented attack using drones and missiles is that it wanted to create a new bar for such attacks in the future so it can attack Israel with fewer projectiles directly and then have it portrayed as normal and acceptable
62
307
2,054
361,707
As Israel destroys Iran’s military capabilities, humbling its missile and drone arsenal; free peoples across the Middle East can say that the days of cowering in fear of Iran’s militias and threats are over.
The days we we had to worry about Hezbollah are over.
Assad is gone.
The Houthis are weakened.
Hamas if broken.
The Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq should fear that its days are numbered.
Breathe the new freedom. Stand up and take it in. The era of fear of Iran’s threats is ending.
A new day is dawning
83
322
2,120
101,272
It's the opposite, the attempt to hijack the US elections by forcing everything to be about Hamas and Iran and try to push the electorate to be anti-Israel was a massive misreading of how people vote. The voters didn't want a more anti-Israel candidate, they wanted a candidate who stands up to Hamas and Iran.
A new political era has begun.
Blind support for Israel has cost the Democrats the elections.
Blind support for Israel has always been a bad policy. It's now clearly also terrible politics.
It may take a while, but this new political reality will sink in sooner or later.
72
231
2,051
76,526
This is when it was clear it was the big war. On the drive back from the front on October 7, 2023 I drove past a base where an endless line of cars from reservists who responded to the call had parked to join their units. It was endless
29
190
2,160
90,866
I've been thinking a lot about the push for a ceasefire two weeks ago. There was an increasing chorus demanding a ceasefire even without a deal for hostages. There was a lot of pressure on Israel. It seems that Hamas and PIJ believed the ceasefire would happen and they likely had some advise that they could go to Shifa hospital and reconstitute themselves for the next phase.
39
352
2,028
488,643
The worst takes on the Iranian attack of April 13-14 are those who call it “symbolic”. This was a massive, unprecedented attack of historic proportions. Never before in history were so many drones, ballistic, missiles and cruise missiles (350 in total) used at the same time in an attack, and from several different fronts and directions, including attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon and from the direction of Yemen and over Iraq and Jordan, and almost all of it timed to arrive within around ten minutes of eachother…
Those who think it was “symbolic” or designed not to succeed either know nothing about the weapons involved, the complexity of planning this, know nothing about history, know nothing about the complexity of the air defenses involved and billions of investment it took over four decades to meet this attack, or are simply being purposely disingenuous (more likely).
86
511
1,968
179,616
Disgusting of the ICRC to parade them this way. Insensitive, vile, awful. They could have put something over the windows. Did they even ask the parents of the kids if the kids deserve privacy? Shocking. Awful. another crime against the hostages and kids.
First images of the hostages being transported by the @ICRC
According to Israeli Ch 12 the hostages were given a preliminary eye exam (after being held captive in the dark tunnels for nearly 50 days) and were given water and a change of clothes.
149
366
1,911
238,246
I've been thinking about the Second Battle of Shifa raid that the IDF conducted since March 18....an important raid that has netted hundreds of terrorists. It is being portrayed as one of the greatest successes of the war so far. On the one hand that's true, which doesn't necessarily tell us much because it's kind of a low bar being set here.
I will explain.
66
319
1,959
678,955
This is a reminder that Hamas has not been charged with crimes against humanity yet and it continued to receive a lot of backing from intl NGOs...and it is ALSO a reminder of how so many voices tried to prevent an IDF operation in Gaza because they wanted to let Hamas keep holding bodies as leverage, just as Hamas did with the bodies of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, which Hamas illegally held for a decade and which Hamas continues to hold.
17
295
1,965
72,409
Note: in the future Iran should not be allowed to stockpile and build a massive ballistic missile program.
This kind of situation cannot continue
208
198
1,938
78,769
The current ceasefire plan is a plan to keep Hamas in power. The result will be that Hamas will return to running most of Gaza in a year and the reconstruction effort will obviously empower Hamas as it has in the past, with Hamas partnering with the donors and then each house that is reconstructed will have a Hamas minder who plans the tunnel shaft entrance and where to place launchers in or near it…and so in a few years Hamas will be back to where it was on Oct 6
101
393
1,948
150,835
There was a major escalation on Oct 7. Massacring more than 1,000 people and kidnapping 250 was THE major escalation. Murdering more Jews in one day than at any time since the Shoah was the escalation. Now the perpetrators are receiving Justice for their crimes.
We are heading toward a major escalation. It is inevitable at this point. #Hezbollah #Israel #Hamas #Iran
30
300
1,911
66,006