Free Republic

Despite the significant damage Hamas has suffered, it is expected to recruit more terrorists to replenish its ranks. Israeli leadership is debating a crucial decision that will determine the war’s outcome.Critical questions include the advantages and disadvantages of an Israeli military administration in Gaza and its implications for the IDF, and the significance of the Gulf states’ proposal for the “day after” the war.In recent weeks, the “day after” discussion has resurfaced, pressing for an urgent decision. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s speech last month emphasized the necessity of this decision to prevent Hamas from regaining power, implying that Israel would...

The events of Oct. 7 were shocking, not only for their sheer brutality, they for another reason: Hamas, with limited resources, and using simple methods, overran Israel's sophisticated border security system, and operated unchallenged for several hours, even after the fact that the invasion was clearly taking place. The conglomeration of failures exceeds the explanation of mere hubris, or over-reliance on technology. The government’s failure to respond quickly to the situation, to engage the enemy with the full might of the IDF, and to issue statements to a troubled population – explaining what it was doing to bring the situation...

The ceasefire agreement didn’t give Hamas everything it wanted, but it gave Israel nothing at all.Israel’s insistence on demilitarizing Gaza fell by the wayside.Why? Here’s one answer. Nabil Shaath, a senior PLO official and confidante of PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas, said that Israel dropped the demand that Hamas be demilitarized, due to American pressure, in an interview with the Arabic Ma’an News Agency. As usual the war was won on the battlefield and lost at the negotiating table. Which means it will have to be repeated in a year or two with a stronger Hamas.Without demilitarizing Gaza, the entire...

<p>In a dramatic statement issued Tuesday evening, the 28 foreign ministers of EU member states called for the disarmament of Hamas and other militant groups in the Gaza Strip.</p> <p>The statement, which was issued at the end of the monthly meeting of the Council of the European Union, included a ...</p>

Cairo (AFP) - Egypt's military said militants firing machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades attacked a border guards checkpoint Saturday, killing 21 soldiers in one of the biggest assaults since Islamist president Mohamed Morsi's ouster. The attack in a desert area 630 kilometres (390 miles) west of Cairo left four soldiers wounded, the military said in a statement, blaming "terrorists". It said a rocket propelled grenade fired by the militants set off an explosion in an ammunition depot at the El-Farafrah post, killing the soldiers. Militants have stepped up attacks on the security forces since Morsi was toppled in July 2013...

As the IDF’s Operation Pillar of Defense in Gaza continues, Hamas has made several totally false claims about damages it has supposedly done to Israeli cities and soldiers. This is done in order to give the public in Gaza a false image as though Hamas is defeating Israel. In response, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit has put together and distributed several videos which present the truth and disproves the Hamas lies. Among other claims, Hamas said its missiles directly hit Tel Aviv. In fact, despite sirens having been sounded in Tel Aviv in recent days, there were no direct hits on...

In recent minutes, the IAF assassinate Ahmed Abu Jalal, a senior Hamas terrorist, in and air strike. The IAF also hit another car in the strike.

Video of Car Bombing of Hamas Military Wing Commander We've never seen anything quite like this. The verified social media accounts of the Israeli Defense Forces are providing live updates on a concerted military effort against Hamas. Using the hashtag #PillarOfDefense, the verified Twitter account @IDFSpokesperson is posting ominous messages, headline-style updates, and YouTube videos of strikes. It's brilliant in its way. By controlling the messaging so tightly, the IDF ensures that the media coverage of the operation is framed the way Israel wants it. Why dig deeper when the information is so carefully presented right there? That's a rhetorical...

Shin Bet: Hamas funded last week's foiled attack at Karni YAAKOV KATZ and HERB KEINON, THE JERUSALEM POST Apr. 30, 2006 Senior Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) revealed on Sunday, funded and trained Palestinian terrorists who last week launched a thwarted terror strike on the Karni Crossing into the Gaza Strip. This was the first time since winning the Palestinian elections in January that Hamas was directly connected to anti-Israel terror activity. A cell consisting of operatives from the Popular Resistance Committee (PRC), the Shin Bet revealed, arrived at the Palestinian side of...