Israel-Gaza war

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When was the last time Arab forces took control of Israeli territory inside the Green Line, even ephemerally? It can't be 48, can it?

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Total war it is.

Invasion of Gaza?

_{(honestly we've gotten to the point that 'liberation' would be a more appropriate word, especially from the POV of ordinary Gazans)}

I wouldn't be surprised if this expands to Iran given they probably helped

If iran was behind it, surely Hezbollah would probably be involved or taking advantage of the situation, given they are Tehran's proxy forces. Instead they seem just as taken by surprise as anybody else.

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Talking of people dicking around have Fatah made a statement?

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What a horrifying series of events

Like Ukraine, it was Israel that was attacked this time in a 9/11 or Pearl Harbor-style terror attack.

I think they can respond accordingly, because time and time again it seems the nearby Arab countries want to destroy Israel and wipe it off the Middle-Eastern map.

What year are you posting from? The only nearby country (aside from Palestine itself) that is really at odds with Israel these days is too busy killing its own citizens these days. (Lebanon and Iraq don't really count because the militants don't actually control their countries).

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So, the reason why hamas managed to enter so easily is because the military are busy babysitting the security of west bank settlers? If I was Israeli I would be furious at the selfishness.

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https://twitter.com/DrDavidInDC/status/1711126327250534484

That seems so idiotic (on the part of the protester) i wouldn't be surprised if it was some attempt to be an agent provocateur.

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Hamas have just released a statement: they will execute the hostages (on video) if the unannounced (i.e. no roof knocking) airstrikes continue.

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Hamas have just released a statement: they will execute the hostages (on video) if the unannounced (i.e. no roof knocking) airstrikes continue.

Are they actually stupid?

It strikes me as latter day Da'esh style nihilism: you accept you are dead so you take out Israel's credibility as a safe space along with the entire arab reconciliation project with you.

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Egyptian officials are also claiming that the political leaders of Hamas were unaware of the planned attack. I strongly doubt the veracity of that. We'll probably need to wait a while longer to get the full picture of the events of this past week.

Egyptian statements should be treated with as much suspicion as Israeli statements: part of the Sisi regime's function is as mediator/restraints on hamas, so if they've lost control that's a major failure in their own credibility.

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Hamas have just released a statement: they will execute the hostages (on video) if the unannounced (i.e. no roof knocking) airstrikes continue.

Are they actually stupid?

What should they do according to you?

As of now? Surrender completely and call upon both the Palestininian and Israeli people to work towards a deal in which 1967 border are completly respected. Of course it likely wouldn’t work but it’s better than further provoking their much stronger neighbor into committing a genocide against their own people.
Escalation on both sides for decades brought us here, the solution is not the same thing that has caused so much pain in the first place.

That will only happen once hell freezes over. Hamas is a terrorist organization.

Not that i expect hamas to, but terrorist groups do and can surrender - Fatah itself did.

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The Church of Saint Porphyrius, one of the oldest in the world, has been destroyed in an airstrike.

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The Church of Saint Porphyrius, one of the oldest in the world, has been destroyed in an airstrike.

Haven't been able to verify this — have only seen posts from Jackson Hinkle and "Christian Mario." At least one source on the ground says it's not true:

https://twitter.com/khaliljeries/status/1711442249681080778

Thankfully the church has confirmed this news is false (see their latest post). If Jackson Hinkle posts something you can always assume the opposite is true anyway.

Thanks for the correction, sorry for the fake news guys.

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The Church of Saint Porphyrius, one of the oldest in the world, has been destroyed in an airstrike.

Haven't been able to verify this — have only seen posts from Jackson Hinkle and "Christian Mario." At least one source on the ground says it's not true:

https://twitter.com/khaliljeries/status/1711442249681080778

Thankfully the church has confirmed this news is false (see their latest post). If Jackson Hinkle posts something you can always assume the opposite is true anyway.

Thanks for the correction, sorry for the fake news guys.

Was Jackson Hinkle actually your source?

No: I just saw a bunch of blue checks share it and forgot that Twitter has been Elonified.

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Dutch NRC had a very correct observation: "The Prime Minister who always claimed only he could ensure security is responsible for the biggest breach of security in fifty years." He needs to go immediately on the day this war ends.

Maybe it's an inappropriate time for me to ask this, but based on what we know now, who do you think walks out of this mess in the best position: Gantz, Ben Gvir, or someone else? The leftist opposition I assume will be even more irrelevant than before, since "land for peace" was their thing and now it's been clearly demonstrated as a failure.

Is Ben Gvir tied to the Draft Exemption Law, or is those solely UTJ and Shas? Because that's going to be the least popular thing by far.

You'd think an actual military figure like Gantz would be more a popular wartime leader than Bibi, but who knows.

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The other issue with attempts to destroy hamas is they're probably the most likely to survive a siege - even ignoring the fact a lot of the senior cadre don't even live in gaza (including the leader, who lives in Qatar), the hamas local leadership will be the ones with stockpiles. It will be civilians that starve.

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In general, the issue with intelligence agencies and their complicity in this sort of thing is not because they have been ordered by the man from the top to conduct a false flag, but because they have totally lost control of their own "assets". A reliable double agent is a triple agent, an agent provocateur goes way too far etc. Then because of smoke and mirrors, every person in the chain has to cover their own culpability

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What's the deal with Netanyahu's tense relationship with the IDF? Do the rank and file hate him or the officer corp/senior leadership? Is it just because of the haredi issue?

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More confusion: Shani Louk, the german woman seen in the viral video apparently dead in the back of a truck, may be alive.

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Why doesn't mossad launch an operation eichmann style raid to grab the hamas top brass in qatar? Seems kind of ridiculous that gaza is being obliterated ostensibly to wipe hamas out while these fat corrupt creeps live in luxury?

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Wartime coalition government agreed. A special cabinet consisting of Bibi, Gallant, and Gantz as members, and Dermer and Eisenkot as observers will be formed.

What's been the response of the Arab parties?

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Why is aid or relief from the sea apparently a non-starter?

Israeli naval blockade.

This is occasionally punctured by sealed barrels containing supplies, but nothing else at the moment. We may see more USVs, UUVs and midget submarines sneaking through in the years to come.

If there is an Israeli blockade at the border entrance points and the sea, how did Hamas get all the rockets, weaponry and ammunition into the country to carry out the terrorist attacks?

Tunnels under the Sinai

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Ultimately, Palestinian liberationism will be defeated only when foreign sympathy for it is completely destroyed.

In that case, the israeli response may have sustained it for years.

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Is the bombing of the hospital confirmed?

The hospital is confirmed yes, although the who, how and why are all up in the air

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54 of the hostages, one quarter of all, are Thai, agricultural workers from the Kibbutzim.

This is completely irrelevant to the broader conflict, but that surprised me: i always thought kibbutzim were basically self-sustaining enterprises.

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A Pope's speech that inspired a war against the "Moslems" of Palestine and Syria which was written 928 years ago.

"They have occupied more and more of the lands of those Christians, and have overcome them in seven battles. They have killed and captured many, and have destroyed the churches and devastated the empire. If you permit them to continue thus for awhile with impurity, the faithful of God will be much more widely attacked by them. On this account I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christ's heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends. I say this to those who are present, it meant also for those who are absent. Moreover, Christ commands it.

"All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins. This I grant them through the power of God with which I am invested. O what a disgrace if such a despised and base race, which worships demons, should conquer a people which has the faith of omnipotent God and is made glorious with the name of Christ! With what reproaches will the Lord overwhelm us if you do not aid those who, with us, profess the Christian religion! Let those who have been accustomed unjustly to wage private warfare against the faithful now go against the infidels and end with victory this war which should have been begun long ago. Let those who for a long time, have been robbers, now become knights. Let those who have been fighting against their brothers and relatives now fight in a proper way against the barbarians. Let those who have been serving as mercenaries for small pay now obtain the eternal reward. Let those who have been wearing themselves out in both body and soul now work for a double honor. Behold! on this side will be the sorrowful and poor, on that, the rich; on this side, the enemies of the Lord, on that, his friends. Let those who go not put off the journey, but rent their lands and collect money for their expenses; and as soon as winter is over and spring comes, let hem eagerly set out on the way with God as their guide."

November 27th 1095 CE,
Pope Urban II


Taking of Jerusalem by the Crusaders, 15th July 1099, Émile Signol, oil on canvas (1847)

Of course, the crusades were great for the Jewish people.