The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued attacking Hamas positions in northern Gaza this weekend, despite a growing international outcry claiming that Israel is committing “genocide” by seeking military victory.
The IDF released video footage of operations by troops near the area of Jabaliya, near Gaza City, a key Hamas stronghold. The maneuvers intend to close in on the last area of Gaza largely untouched by the war thus far.
The IDF said in a statement:
In recent days, troops of the 401st Brigade, under the command of the 162nd Division, have returned to combat in the Jabaliya area in the northern Gaza Strip.
The troops are operating to further degrade the military capabilities of the Hamas terrorist organization. The troops are dismantling terrorist infrastructure above and below ground, eliminating terrorists, and strengthening operational control in the area.
The troops’ activity enables the expansion of combat into additional areas and prevents Hamas terrorists from returning to operate in these areas.
So far, the troops have located an underground terror tunnel, eliminated terrorists, and dismantled a military structure that Hamas terrorists used to plan and carry out attacks against IDF troops.
IDF troops under the command of the Southern Command will continue to operate against the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip in order to maintain the security of the State of Israel.
The IDF has avoided key parts of Gaza City thus far out of concern for the fate of the last Israeli hostages, 50 of whom — possibly 20 living — are being held there.
In the absence of a deal to release the hostages in exchange for a ceasefire, the IDF is pressing ahead with plans to defeat Hamas completely and destroy its capabilities.
International critics claim that Israel is committing “genocide.” They cite the tens of thousands of Gazans who have died thus far (without distinguishing between Hamas terrorists and civilians, or noting that Hamas intentionally places Palestinian as risk); false media reports of starvation, despite a massive aid effort; and plans by Israel to relocate Palestinians temporarily outside of Gaza City, which will save them from harm.
Israel intends to ignore the international criticism and proceed with its dual plans to defeat Hamas and free the hostages — though those two efforts may contradict one another, with the hostages in harm’s way.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Zionist Conspiracy Wants You, now available on Amazon. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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