Hamas launches a military attack on the wall separating Gaza and Israel – Juventud Rebelde

On Saturday, activists from the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) crossed from several points with relative ease the border wall that Israel built along the Gaza Strip at a cost of $1.1 billion.

On December 7, 2021, the Israeli government announced the completion of construction of the 65-kilometre-long wall. Then-Defense Minister Benny Gantz justified the fence under the pretext of preventing Palestinian militia attacks from the coastal enclave, where more than two million Palestinians live.

The engineering works consist of an underground reinforced concrete wall equipped with sensors to detect potential tunnels, a six-metre-high steel fence, a network of surveillance radars and remote-controlled weapons.

However, Hamas was able to surprise the Israeli Armed Forces on Saturday by crossing the border line with dozens of commandos, some of which some media reported hundreds, and attacking towns and military bases in that country.

What began as a multi-focus incursion into Israeli territory quickly turned into a large-scale infiltration in several locations, reinforced with engineering tools from the Gaza Strip, the Walla news portal highlighted.

The attack began through multiple breaches of the border fence and the penetration of vehicles and motorcycles. At the same time, he confirmed that dozens of militia members who arrived on boats from the sea attacked the Zikim and Petah military bases.

This is an unprecedented attack by Hamas that has not been seen since the group came to power in that region in 2007, the online edition of the Jerusalem Post agreed.

For its part, Hamas announced the capture of many Israelis during its operation in that country, as its fighters still control many towns near the Gaza Strip.

Hamas stated in a statement that it has 35 Israelis in its possession who were transferred to the coastal strip to be exchanged for Palestinian detainees.

Abu Hamza, spokesman for the Al-Quds Brigades, the military arm of the Jihad movement, confirmed that the group includes “many Israeli soldiers in its force.”

Although Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has not yet confirmed any information on the matter, Palestinian media and social media accounts have shown photos of allegedly detained Israelis as well as of several Asian workers working in that country.

At least 40 Israelis lost their lives and more than 740 were injured, according to the Health Ministry, while on the Palestinian side, deaths were also reported amid air strikes on the Gaza Strip, where more than two million people live. .

Journalists and former Israeli soldiers attacked the government, army and security services due to the lack of information about Hamas’ campaign and the ease of its entry into the national territory.

All of Israel is wondering: Where are the defense forces, where are the police, where is the security?, asked Eli Maron, the former commander of the navy, during an interview with Channel 12.

Mahmoud Abbas: The Palestinian people have the right to defense

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas chaired an emergency meeting in this city on Saturday with civilian and security officials, hours after the attack launched by Hamas against Israel.

A statement carried by the official Palestinian News Agency (Wafa) highlighted that Abbas called on various government institutions to provide protection for the people, although the brief message did not mention the conflict between Hamas and the neighboring country.

In this context, Minister of Health Mai Al-Kaila declared a state of emergency in all Palestinian hospitals.

In the morning, Hamas fired thousands of rockets at Israel, then dozens of its fighters crossed the heavily guarded Gaza Strip border and entered that country, where they occupied military bases and several towns, according to press reports and photos published on social media networks. .

Muhammad Al-Deif, head of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, indicated in a statement that his group fired about five thousand rockets, although army spokesman General Daniel Hajary reduced the number to 2,500 rockets.

The Israeli Armed Forces declared fighting in at least 21 locations in the south of this country.

The Palestinian militias supported the operation launched by the Islamic Resistance Movement, noting that it comes within the framework of the struggle for national liberation.

Abu Hamza, spokesman for the Al-Quds Brigades, the military arm of the Islamic Jihad movement, said in a statement, “We are part of this battle and our fighters stand side by side with their brothers in the Al-Qassam Brigades until victory.”

The Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades, affiliated with the Popular Resistance Movement, spoke in similar terms.