A continuing IDF investigation into the number of civilian Palestinian casualties during the Israeli offensive in Gaza indicated that only 250 of the fatalities were civilians. The military estimates that between 1,100 and 1,200 people were killed during the offensive. Some 700 of are believed to be militants and most are believed to be Hamas operatives.The Palestinian Group figures are all well and good as far as it goes but will the Gazan’s understand the full implications of the Palestinian Group numbers?
The IDF is still trying to ascertain the identity of the remaining fatalities, but security sources said many would probably turn out to be militants as well. "Hamas is familiar with the numbers and is doing everything it can to concealed them," said an IDF source.
The data presented by the Palestinian is vastly different: Palestinian Groups operating in the Strip have reported 92 of the fatalities as gunmen, 48 of whom were affiliated with Hamas, 32 with Islamic Jihad, 10 with the Popular Resistance Committees' Salah a-Din Brigades and two with the Mujahedeen Brigades.
By that I mean, if current estimates of Hamas’ Executive Force number approximately 10,000 it implies Hamas didn’t deploy more than a token force to meet the ‘Zionist” invasion and what’s the point of 10,000 armed and trained men if the government won’t use them to ‘protect’ the civilian populations.
Of course, by extension, it would also imply Hamas deliberately and cynically used the lives of its civilian population to score photo-ops and get brownie points in the propaganda wars with Israel.
5 comments:
I absolutely agree.
Yaakov, I always wanted to know if a gay suicide bomber gets 70 Arafat look-a-like virgins - maybe you could ask your husband's sources?
I am highly skeptical of statements made by the Israeli government - have you forgotten the initial categorical denials regarding the use of white phosphorus that were ultimately followed by admissions of use?
Quite frankly statements by both sides of this conflict are suspect from the moment official mouths start to open and, unfortunately, because of numerous instances of UN General Assembly stupidity when it comes to Israel, compounded by numerous other instances of American stupidity in the UNSC, there is no credible and unbiased third party that can be trusted to verify the validity of any statements by anyone.
Such is the world that the world has created.
I really like your blog and the links as so much of the American media is blindly following the Arab line on this. I have been shocked at the blogs that I read who buy the Hamas line, hook line and sinker and will not, will not admit any other intrepretation. They find a piece of graffiti from the Israeli army and make it into an international case but Hamas using civilians for shields and their cynical and opportunist behavior gets a free pass.
Stageleft, re white phosphorus - its really a question of translation and semantics. The IDF weren't using "bombs", hence the denial. Secondly, the first rule of war should be - all government statements are questionable in times of war.
Your missing my point here, the Hamas Executive force numbers approx 10,000 in the Gaza Strip (that's an Israeli intelligence figure, Hamas claims 40,000) but 10,000 heavily armed and allegedly trained men were not deployed to meet the IDF. In fact, I suspect fewer than a 1,000 EF men were engaged in the field of battle.
I also suspect, the alleged resistance was more a case of Hamas men setting the initial boobie traps, and then distributing light arms to the locals youths and telling them to fight for their homes.
This should lead us to ask 'why'?
Post a Comment