Five hard pieces on Israel and the war

January 11, 2024 • 9:30 am

There’s nothing but bad news for Israel today, and this post will summarize five items so I don’t have to put them in separate posts.  The first gives a website where, if you have a strong stomach, you can see photos and videos of the October 7 massacre—taken by Hamas bodycams, Israeli civilians, Israeli police, and the IDF. They are horrifying, so don’t watch unless you have a strong stomach. I looked at them all because I think one can’t comprehend the magnitude of such a horror without visual evidence. But remember, the photos are disturbing and gruesome.

Reader Norman sent me the links and a brief description (indented):

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) National Public Diplomacy Directorate (Israel) has created a web site documenting the Hamas atrocities of October 7. Here’s the link: I learned about it on the JewishPress.com web site.

The photos and videos are extremely graphic. It appears that at least some of them were taken by the Hamas terrorists themselves. Some of the videos were taken by Israeli rescue forces. The web site is not accessible in Israel. These are the most graphic images of October 7 that I have yet seen.  The website was put up just as South Africa’s charges of Israeli genocide are about to be argued at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Click around on the site; I doubt you can see everything without getting either ill or very, very angry. It’s far more graphic than anything that’s been released to the public.

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From  World Israel News (WIN), we have reports of a rumor which is not yet substantiated, though it’s been floating around for a week or so. If it’s true, it’s fiendishly clever of Hamas, for it reports that the IDF’s prime target, Hamas Military head Yahya Sinwar, an architect of the October 7 massacre, has surrounded himself by hostages (some reports add that they’re wearing suicide belts) for protection from capture.

Click to read, and remember, this may be wrong, incomplete, or being withheld by the IDF. I think it’s largely true because it’s been revealed by multiple anonymous sources in the IDF

An excerpt (notice the ironic last line, which I’ve put in bold).

The IDF knows the location of Yahya Sinwar Hamas chief and mastermind of the October 7th massacre but is unable to strike because he is using some of the remaining hostages as human shields, according to several military sources.

Former IDF general and head of IDF Military Intelligence Directorate  Amos Yadlin told Kan radio that the “butcher of Khan Younis” is “surrounded by hostages in the tunnel network in Gaza.”

Although Yaldin didn’t provide details, the statement has been supported by multiple Israeli military sources.

Jonathan Schanzer, vice president at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, DC posted on X that he had been hearing similar reports “from informed people for weeks.

Schanzer told The Times of Israel, “The reports coming out of Israel over the last two days echo what I have heard for a few weeks, namely, the Israelis have a good idea where Yahya Sinwar is hiding.”

He added, “My assumption, although not confirmed, is that he is in the tunnels under Khan Younis.”

Schanzer continued,”What I heard specifically is that he had surrounded himself with Israeli hostages. He is using them as human shields.”

Yahya Sinwar, along with his brother Mohammed Sinwar and Mohammed Deif planned the October 7th massacre that led to a campaign of rape, mutilation, torture, murder, and kidnapping in Israel’s southern communities that left 1,200 dead and 240 hostages.

Sinwar is 61 years old and has led Hamas since 2017 after he was released as part of a prisoner exchange to free Israeli captive soldier Gilad Shalit.

In 2008 while in prison, Sinwar had a life-threatening brain tumor and was operated on and treated by Israeli doctors.

If true, this puts Israel in a very difficult position, for they can’t kill Sinwar without killing a number of hostages. It is of course a war crime, but who cares about that?

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Everybody knows that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been complicit in the crimes of Hamas, allowing the terrorists to put rockets and tunnels underneath their schools, using textbooks that teach Jew hatred to Palestinian children, and, indeed, has members that also belong to Hamas.  When this war is over, UNRWA should be abolished. It’s not only complicit with a terrorist organization, but the only UN refugee organization devoted to a single region.

Now the Times of Israel reports on something that’s not surprising, and is summarized by the headline belo. Click to read:

Excerpt:

An investigation by the UN Watch group finds that United Nations workers in Gaza used an internal Telegram channel, which was meant to facilitate their work, to praise the Hamas massacres on October 7.

The probe finds that many of the workers at the United Nations Relief Works Agency — the UN body for Palestinian refugees — explicitly praised the onslaught in which some 3,000 terrorists crossed into Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages, most of them civilians.

“This is the motherlode of UNRWA teachers’ incitement to Jihadi terrorism,” says Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, a Geneva-based non-governmental organization that monitors the world body.

The report provides examples, including UNRWA teacher Waseem Ula who shared a post of a suicide bomb vest wired with explosives, with the caption: “Wait, sons of Judaism.”

Another UNRWA teacher, Abdallah Mehjez, explicitly called on civilians not to heed IDF evacuation orders and remain as human shields for Hamas

Some tweets about it:

The report provides examples, including UNRWA teacher Waseem Ula who shared a post of a suicide bomb vest wired with explosives, with the caption: “Wait, sons of Judaism.”

There are many more tweets in this thread, and of course all the information can be checked. Will the liberal US mainstream media report that a UN organization is poromoting terrorism and is infested with members of Hamas. I wouldn’t hold my breath.

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Finally, another report from WIN, also to be taken with a soupçon of salt.  Again, if true it is both depressing and fiendishly clever of Hamas. But geez, the organization’s absolute determination to use the hostages to get what they want—and who care if they’re tortured, medically untreated, raped, or killed?—is one of the worst absences of a moral compass I’ve seen.

Click to read:

The piece:

According to sources in Lebanon, Israel officials believe weapons are being smuggled into Gaza from Egypt and there is a suspicion that Hamas leaders are escaping with Israeli hostages into Egypt through Gaza’s tunnels, a Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported on Wednesday.

The report also says the IDF is engaged in an operation to check for tunnels under the Philadelphi route from the Gaza Strip to Egypt.

Hamas leaders may be escaping using hostages as human shields and from Egypt they may be going further afield to Lebanon and Iran where they are likely to be protected.

The IDF is reportedly also extending its intelligence operations in Sinai, Sudan, and Libya.

Although Cairo assured Israel and the Americans that there was no indication of the presence of Hamas operatives on the Egyptian side of the border, Egyptian intelligence expressed willingness to cooperate in examining the information.

However, actual cooperation has proven difficult as Israelis have reported Egypt’s refusal to allow Israeli drones in the area between Egypt and the Gaza Strip to target detected terrorist activity such as rebuilding terror tunnels.

Although Cairo agreed to install a warning system that would alert Israel about attempts to rebuild underground tunnels for smuggling arms, terrorists and hostages, it denied permission for Israeli drones to enter the area saying that it “would be a violation of Egyptian sovereignty.”

Earlier negotiations over the installment of the security system have stalled after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said publicly that Israel should have security controls over the Philadelphi route.

The report that Hamas leaders are using hostages as human shields as they flee or hide was supported by IDF military intelligence officials.

Former IDF general and head of IDF Military Intelligence Directorate  Amos Yadlin told Kan radio that the “butcher of Khan Younis” is “surrounded by hostages in the tunnel network in Gaza.”

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This is perhaps the low sport of the war for Israel, what with the country also defending itself against genocide in the Hague when, in fact, there is no genocide of Palestinians in any sense of the word: what we have is Palestinian genocide: a rapacious terrorist organization (more than one, actually) whose own charter calls for the elimination of both Israel and Jews, and who have been actually carrying out that program for years. As the video below asserts, the ratio of civilian deaths in Palestine to the deaths of terrorists is among the lowest known in modern warfare.

When I told Malgorzata how depressing I find all this, with mass ignoring of the facts and of the history of the Middle East, she said she was a “Jewish optimist” in the sense of this joke (partly true, of course):

Jewish pessimist: “Things can’t get much worse.”
Jewish optimist:   “Sure they can!”

Here’s a 17-minute video about the International Court of Justice trial sent by Tom Gross in his newsletter on the war. He’s featured in the video and says this:

(I am joined by Colonel Jacques Neriah, the former deputy head of Israeli military intelligence. Before that, he served as Policy Adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and was also part of the Israeli Camp David team which negotiated the Peace accords with Egypt and accompanied Menachem Begin to Egypt as his personal Arabic translator with Anwar Sadat. Dr. Neriah was born and brought up in Lebanon.)

The anchor is Albert Lewitinn, for I24 news, January 11, 2024.

Note that two “journalists” killed by the IDF, and used as an example of civilian deaths in Palestine, were actually terrorists.

I’ll write later about the BBC’s egregious regurgitation of false propaganda provided by Hamas, and the BBC’s subsequent apology.

31 thoughts on “Five hard pieces on Israel and the war”

  1. It’s quite ironic – and a tad hypocritical – of South Africa to accuse Israel of committing genocide.

    1. South Africa seems to have got religion on genocide. They were recently trying to bring Canada up on charges of genocide, too. Canada, unlike Israel, would have had its feelings seriously hurt if these had gone forward….although our Prime Minister has been oddly glib and cheerful about admitting such a serious crime. He even engineered the passage of a Parliamentary resolution condemning us all of genocide. I trust Prime Minister Netanyahu will not be so accommodating.

      1. When did Canada carry out genocide? Surely not “first nation” claims. The tribes of North (and south) America were hell bent on killing each other off long before Europeans arrived and the colonists never practiced genocide.
        How did sock boy get this through the Canadian Parliamentary system?

        1. It would be off-topic to elaborate, Robert, much as I appreciate your interest. I was only trying to undermine the credibility of South Africa’s genocide charge against Israel which should be our main focus for the duration of hostilities.

          2. @ Leslie MacMillan

            I tried to find some information about this accusation of genocide but could not find any. Would you be kind enough to give a link ?
            Tanks for your attention.

        2. As a Canadian, Canada was not quite guilty of genocide but supported a system of residential schools that had a goal of eradicating the native culture. Yes there was also abuse, both physical and sexual, but eliminating the native culture was a main goal. I’m not sure what ‘cide’ that is.

          1. Is “ not quite guilty of genocide “ like being “not quite pregnant”
            The Romans, Vikings, Danes and latterly the Normans had a policy of “eliminating native culture in the British Isles but these of course were a long time ago and predominantly white, so it didnt really count, however this is now taken up by successive incompetent UK governments by way of unsustainable immigration.
            So much for history.

          2. Roert Ladley – Seeking to eradicate a groups culture is not pure genocide but it is close. Unlike pregnancy some things like genocide are not black and white. It’s still terrible, perhaps one could call it a form of cultural ethnic cleansing. And it happened and we must not forget it.

          3. The notion that eliminating a culture or large part of it is a type of genocide is not supportable unless, of course, some types of genocide are acceptable.

            Was the British Empire guilty of genocide when it eliminated the culture of the Hindu sect known as Thugees? For those who don’t know, the Thugees were a cultural and spiritual offshoot of Hinduism. They were distinguished by the fact that hey saw killing Indian travellers and dedicating their kills to the goddess Kali as a type of sport. It was practically all they did, find victims, befriend victims, kill them.

            There is no doubt that Nazism was a cultural movement in the truest of senses. It was also a despicable and diabolical cultural movement and the Allies spent millions of lives eradicating it. It’s hard to think of any cause nobler and more valuable than the eradication of Nazi culture and its institutions over the last few hundred years. Was eradicating Nazi culture genocide?

            The Japanese were if anything, even crueller that the Nazis in the 2nd World War. The evil they inflicted was a direct result of their toxic culture of militarism and bushido, this sadistic Japanese militarism was undeniably a culture. – that’s how it took such an indelible hold over millions. Again, did the West commit genocide in ridding the world of this evil culture?

            The British Navy started blockading Atlantic slave ships in the early 1800s using their West African Squadron. They seized slave ships and returned slaves to Africa, freeing them in Freetown, Liberia (hence the name). Nearly all those slaves were initially captured and sold by fellow Africans. Some tribes centred their very identity on their abilities to enslave other tribes, almost their entire culture – their myths, legends, goals, morals, child rearing, notions of success, and expression of state power, was based on their moral conviction that slavery was justifiable, desirable and a signifier of power and greatness. Children were taught to enslave others from infancy – a culture if there ever was one. Is eradicating that a form of genocide?

            What about ISIS and Jihadism etc. or the toxic celebratory murder culture of Hamas – these are now culturally implanted into millions of human beings. Killing the people indoctrinated by that culture is genocide, ridding them of backward, harmful wholly immoral ideas is most certainly not.

            Human beings always deserve respect and protection, their cultures don’t.

  2. I replied on this topic to an article about solutions to this conflict on the NYTimes website on an article about this war drawing on my Irish heritage and hundreds of years of conflict there saying, like in Ireland, the only long term peace in a religious war is for both sides to become much less religious.
    They refused to print my comment.

    1. Now there is a surprise, no religious comments allowed and unfortunately despite the “peace” agreement the violence still continues in NI and sometimes in the Republic, not as bad but still there and shows no signs of disappearing completely.

    2. I find that comment superficial and old-fashioned. I wouldn’t have printed it either. Catholics and Protestants around the world don’t hate each other no matter how devout. There is something peculiar to Ireland that must relate to power, not to whether or not the crosses have Christ nailed to them.

      What if only one side becomes less religious and the other side continues to hate them and seek their deaths because of what they used to be and, more important, in the eyes of the haters what they still are? After all, Muslims are supposed to convert or kill atheists, too. An atheist Jew doesn’t get a free pass in the Caliphate, nor does he forfeit the Right of Return to Israel.

      1. But they did hate each other in Ireland because of the history of how England and Ireland conflicted over the centuries. It’s not superficial, it was reality in Ireland.

        My point was a main impetus behind the lessening of violence in Ireland was both the growing secularization of the people and for those that remained religious a realization that religious difference is not a reason to kill over.

        As to your second paragraph, it needs to apply to both sides of a religious war. Ireland took 300 years after the Battle of the Boyne to come to this agreement. I expect the Israeli – Palestinian conflict to possibly take the same amount of time.

  3. Evil incarnate.

    I’d like to see this post reach a major news outlet somehow. Perhaps someone reading this has a contact in the media.

    1. I think that sounds like you are thinking of evil almost religiously.

      All those things that happened in October were terrible, but does that justify the deaths & destruction of those not responsible that have followed?

      If you think so. Personally I would urge restraint.

      1. Are you urging restraint with respect to Israel defending itself against Hamas? Why not restraint with respect to Hamas continuing to hold hostages and launch attacks against Israel (over 11,000 rockets launched from Gaza since October 7)?

      2. How do you determine who is and who is not responsible? If not directly? What about indirectly? Providing succour to a known and Illegal organisation? Teaching your children and dependents to call for the complete destruction of your enemies country and its citizens? Deliberately allowing and encouraging suicide bombings and insurrection? Firing munitions from the safety of your hospitals and schools to avoid response. Practice and follow the dictates of a violent and dangerous religion?
        If this applies for example to the citizens of Gaza, what do you suggest? These self same citizens voted for known terrorist organisations to govern and manage the affairs of their country, hide these organisationst then allow their children, dependents and sick to be used as shields from attack and persist in the calling for genocide of the Jewish people and the destruction of its country,Israel.
        Israel is not guilty of any of the preceding but is defending its rights to exist and wherever using restraint, would that this restraint be shown the same from its enemies.
        What if this was your country, Israel?
        No, Gaza has no right for restraint, they gave that up a long time ago and particularly after the events of October 7 2023.
        To plagiarize and misquote from Otto Von Bismark about the pacification of the Balkans and analogous to Obamas concern for the people of Syria. “None of the buildings, homes, infrastructure, industry and citizens of Gaza are worth the bones of a single Israeli”

      3. I didn’t express an opinion regarding “the deaths & destruction of those not responsible.” My statement decried the atrocities committed by Hamas, and how I would like major media outlets to read the five pieces of news in Jerry’s report.

  4. The news is certainly discouraging for Israel and those of us who love her. However, I tend to believe that the truth will out.
    You are doing your part to make that happen with this website. A lot of ugliness has been revealed which is terrible, but it also means that it is out in the open where it can be fought and dealt with. I feel optimistic that there are better days ahead for Israel. I also see signs that some of the root causes of antisemitism in your country and mine will also finally be addressed.

    1. Lianne wrote: “I feel optimistic that there are better days ahead for Israel.”

      Me too!

      am yisrael chai

  5. Ahmet, I guess when you lack the ability to argue a point you have to resort to an ad hominem attack. (Ad hominin means attacking the person).

  6. As a South African I am appalled by our govt’s. part in this ICJ case. I await tomorrow when Israel has a chance to make its case. South Africa does not have the moral high ground to make such accusations. Many of us wonder if our govt. has been bribed? We live in the post-truth era and I’m not good at handling it.

  7. I am a South African citizen, and I feel ashamed about the hypocrisy of my government, especially in siding with Russia in the unjustified war against Ukraine, which I find disgusting.

    I unconditionally condemn the Hamas terror attack on October 7. Israel had to respond forcefully, and I understand that. However, I am concerned about the collateral damage to civilians in Palestine. Are all these civilians Hamas collaborators? The damage seems disproportionate.

    Below is a link to Hans Pienaar’s article in South Africa’s Business Day published yesterday—just some food for thought.

    To quote Hans Pienaar: “Hamas is a death cult, a practitioner of what philosopher Achille Mbembe calls necropolitics, governing through getting its own people killed.”

    https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/life/2024-01-09-big-read-why-we-must-support-sas-legal-action-against-israel/

    1. What alternative does Israel have? (Serious question.) If they don’t eradicate Hamas, Hamas will just rebuild and attack again, causing more civilian deaths.

      Hamas is using the Gazan populace as human shields. The IDF is doing their best to minimize civilian casualties but that Hamas tactic makes it impossible.

      The ugly calculus seems to be that wiping out Hamas now will cause fewer casualties over time than allowing them to fester. I would love to hear an alternative solution.

  8. I hope this doesn’t post twice.. wrote a comment and, evidently, hit the wrong button (I’m very good at that)!

    I said: Thank you, Jerry, for sharing the reporting, videos, etc of Tom Gross. The last one with Jaques Neriah is great. Can’t find stuff like this anyplace else and I appreciate it.

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