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Three months on, Israel is entering a new phase of war. Is it still trying to ‘destroy’ Hamas?
CNN ^ | Sun January 7, 2024 | Rob Picheta

Posted on 01/07/2024 12:34:31 AM PST by MinorityRepublican

Three months ago, speaking to citizens rocked by a horrific day of attacks by Hamas, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a promise.

“The IDF will immediately use all its strength to destroy Hamas’s capabilities,” Netanyahu said. “We will destroy them.”

Now, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is shifting to a new phase of its war on Hamas in Gaza – and there are signs its objectives are changing too.

“The record is not very friendly to military campaigns seeking to eradicate political military movement that are deeply rooted,” Bilal Y. Saab, an associate fellow in the Middle East and North Africa at Chatham House, told CNN.

“IDF leadership understands very well that the most they can do is severely degrade the military capabilities of Hamas,” Saab said.

Israel has seen some successes in that regard; its forces claim to have killed thousands of Hamas fighters, including some high-ranking members, and have dismantled some parts of the group’s vast tunnel network under the enclave.

But challenges remain and an endgame is far from sight. Few countries at war set deadlines. Israeli officials have warned of a lengthy war that could stretch through the entirety of 2024 and beyond.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Gaza; Hamas; Israel; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bilalysaab; chathamhouse; clintonnonnews; cnn; hamas; idf; israel; robpicheta; war; waronterror
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1 posted on 01/07/2024 12:34:31 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican
This goes back to the basic question of how do you battle an enemy that has not civilized rules of conduct and is basically a barbarian culture.

The things done on the October raid, the rape, murder, mutilation were done by “terrorists” or barbarians. An elected government like Hamas, that uses its own people as human shields, uses hospitals as cover for military operations, uses grade schools to store military arms, and takes humanitarian food and money to use for military purposes and not help all of its people deserves to be treated like barbarians.

The problem with the countries focusing on the plight of the non-combatant people of Gaza, is that their suffering could end if Hamas would surrender. That has nothing to do with Israeli military objectives. Israel is fighting barbarians who observe no civilized code of conduct and use human shields.

Israel needs to convince the non-combatants of Gaza that Hamas is not a legitimate government and that law, order, and civilization need to be established. I have no problems with the IDF killing or jailing anyone who does not get on board with those principles.

One must be barbaric to fight barbarians. My father fought in the jungles of Japanese held islands in WW2. Virtually no quarter was given to the enemy, because the enemy offered virtually none. In some ways he was deeply troubled by what he needed to do to survive. As they say war is hell.

2 posted on 01/07/2024 1:26:40 AM PST by Robert357
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To: MinorityRepublican

Hamas is being supported and supplied by the Iranian government, so to completely wipe out one you’d also have to wipe out the other.


3 posted on 01/07/2024 1:42:53 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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To: Robert357
This goes back to the basic question of how do you battle an enemy that has not civilized rules of conduct and is basically a barbarian culture.

Easy answer. Total war. We did that with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan in WWII.

Israel isn't fighting a total war in Gaza. They're doing a lot of damage. Many of Hamas terrorists will get killed. But Netanyahu will lose power in 6 months. Hamas will rebuild (with help from the International Community and Iran) and attack Israel again.

4 posted on 01/07/2024 1:49:40 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

First biggest thing Israel needs to do is to stop depending on USA for small weapons

Manufacturing its own weapons will dictate their own foreign policy just like France did in the 60’s

USA has its own foreign policy, Israel should have its own with its own weapons and sell these weapons for cash if need be

That’s the first step

Once you become self sufficient you can fight a fight


5 posted on 01/07/2024 2:07:24 AM PST by forYourChildrenVote4Bush
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To: Telepathic Intruder

True.
Beautiful idea!


6 posted on 01/07/2024 2:48:38 AM PST by himno hero (had'nff 8)
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To: MinorityRepublican

“The record is not very friendly to military campaigns seeking to eradicate political military movement that are deeply rooted,” Bilal Y. Saab, an associate fellow in the Middle East and North Africa at Chatham House, told CNN.”
Who in the hell is Bilal Y. Saab anyway? As for his claim, I think Hitler, Mussolini, and many other tinpot dictators would disagree.


7 posted on 01/07/2024 3:49:00 AM PST by Bookshelf
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To: Robert357

“ Israel needs to convince the non-combatants of Gaza that Hamas is not a legitimate government..”

There are no non-combatants in Gaza. And the people there voted overwhelmingly to put Hamas in charge. Jimmy Carter and the UN declared it a free and fair election so it must be true.

L


8 posted on 01/07/2024 3:52:18 AM PST by Lurker ( Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is. )
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To: Robert357

The goal of “total destruction of Hamas” cannot be met regardless of how much indiscriminate violence the Israelis use in Gaza. Netanyahu needs to tone back his goals unless his plan is the killing of all 2 million Palestinians. It’s similar to the total destruction of the Viet Cong, it was never going happen regardless of how many locals were slaughtered in the attempt.


9 posted on 01/07/2024 4:23:19 AM PST by hardspunned (Former DC GOP globalist stooge)
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To: MinorityRepublican
Is it still trying to ‘destroy’ Hamas?

They better be. It's the ONLY way to stop them.

10 posted on 01/07/2024 4:23:42 AM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus…)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Despite the headline Israel continues to wipe out Hamas fighters by the hundreds.

https://www.youtube.com/@RaptorNews

and

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjq2W_mSIG1gmxA6TpYO-qA


11 posted on 01/07/2024 4:34:07 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: Telepathic Intruder
Hamas is being supported and supplied by the Iranian government, so to completely wipe out one you’d also have to wipe out the other.

"I find your terms acceptable." </Edgar the Bug>

12 posted on 01/07/2024 4:53:05 AM PST by null and void (I identify as a conspiracy theorist. My personal pronouns are told/you/so.)
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To: hardspunned
Netanyahu needs to tone back his goals unless his plan is the killing of all 2 million Palestinians.

The killing or expulsion of 2 million Palestinians is the only solution for the security of Israel. Everybody is hemming and hawing to avoid saying that.

By contrast, HAMAS proudly demands the killing or expulsion of 9 million Jews in Israel as the only solution that is acceptable for the Palestinians. And a very large part of the "world community" finds that acceptable.

Both sides are correct in their goals. These aren't directions which allow "compromise". The history of the Middle East is one of hostile populations expelled from their former homelands. Same as it ever was.

13 posted on 01/07/2024 4:53:34 AM PST by flamberge (He who rides the tiger can never let go.)
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To: Robert357

Amen brother. My Dad was there as well including Iwo Jima. He was a good man but clearly affected by his experiences in battle. As kids, especially in our teens, we would attempt to ask him about his experiences. He just couldn’t talk about it other than to say he lost a lot of friends over there.


14 posted on 01/07/2024 5:01:43 AM PST by No Party Affiliation
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To: MinorityRepublican

Rob doesn’t grasp the fact that Hamas is in fact very nearly eradicated. The assault methods have changed because there is no longer the necessity to bomb every structure housing Hamas associated people.

In most of Gaza what was once Hamas is now just dirt. For a brief while Hamas was turned to dust and chunks and rebar tangles but the big IDF D9’s have transformed that rubble to just plain old dirt.

Presently, those Hamas remaining alive are being systematically killed, shot or buried. Some have surrendered. Few. Most of the fanatics just get killed.

The change in the war is the result of Hamas being dead.


15 posted on 01/07/2024 5:13:06 AM PST by bert ( (KWE. NP. N.C. +12) Hamasci de is required in totalhe)
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To: Robert357

Am I sick or something? I get such a surge of joy when I see an IDF airstrike take out a bunch of fleeing terrorists!


16 posted on 01/07/2024 5:27:09 AM PST by 2nd Amendment
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To: MinorityRepublican

“But Netanyahu will lose power in 6 months”

Always with the negative waves, Moriarty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xyh-JpWdGmQ


17 posted on 01/07/2024 5:54:16 AM PST by Texas Fossil (Texas is not about where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind and Attitude.)
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To: flamberge

“HAMAS proudly demands the killing or expulsion of 9 million Jews in Israel as the only solution that is acceptable for the Palestinians.”
Kindly provide documentation for that slander.

It’s a shame you weren’t around to advise the Brits back in the 70s. Just bomb the schools of those guilty Irish Catholic kids who were responsible for those horrific IRA terrorist attacks. Just kill 10,000 Catholic kids and if that didn’t work you could have advised, kill them all. It’s got to pi$$ you off knowing those terrorist Irish children got away with it!


18 posted on 01/07/2024 5:54:38 AM PST by hardspunned (Former DC GOP globalist stooge)
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To: Bookshelf

This is not a political war; it is clearly a religious war and must be prosecuted as such. Political “solutions” are no solution at all ... as history has shown for millennia.


19 posted on 01/07/2024 6:00:20 AM PST by glennaro (Never give up ... never give in ... never surrender ... and enjoy every minute of doing so.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

“The record is not very friendly to military campaigns seeking to eradicate political military movement that are deeply rooted,”

Unconditional surrender and the total annihilation of whole cities worked against Nazis and the Japanese.

See tagline.


20 posted on 01/07/2024 6:12:22 AM PST by Uncle Miltie (Objective: Permanently break the will of the population to ever wage war again.)
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