Israeli media analyses suggest that Israel failed to achieve its goals in Gaza, facing international isolation, particularly in light of strained relations with the US.
Israel failed to achieve its goals in Khan Yunis and is more and more isolated internationally, according to two political analyses that appeared in Israeli media on Sunday.
‘Goals Haven’t Been Achieved’
According to an analysis written by Israeli journalist Amos Harel in Haaretz, Israel’s main goals in Khan Yunis “haven’t been achieved”.
On Saturday night, the Israeli army decided to withdraw from the southern Gaza City following a four-month brutal military operation.
The decision came after, earlier on Saturday, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas, announced the killing of fourteen soldiers in two separate operations in the Zanna area and Al-Amal neighborhood, east and west of Khan Yunis respectively.
On Sunday, Israeli Army Radio reported that the 98th Division, comprising three brigades, withdrew from the Khan Yunis area after four months of conflict, with the Nahal Brigade remaining in the Netzarim Corridor to control movement between northern and southern Gaza.
Growing Stronger – Fourteen Israeli Soldiers Killed, Others Wounded
“The 98th Division, with its three brigades, withdrew from Khan Younis last night after the end of the operation there after fighting that lasted four months,” the Army Radio reported.
This essentially means that “effectively, the Israel Defense Forces (Israeli army – PC) no longer has any ground troops in the southern Gaza Strip,” according to Harel’s report.
The Israeli analyst went on as saying that “the two main goals of the Khan Yunis operation haven’t been achieved”.
Notably, the two goals were the capture of top Hamas officials in Gaza and the rescue of the Israeli captives currently held by the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza.
“The IDF and Shin Bet did find tunnels where Sinwar hid during the war,” Harel said.
“The public should be told the truth: The enormous death and destruction the IDF is leaving behind in Gaza, alongside quite a few losses on our side, aren’t currently bringing us any closer to achieving the war’s goals,” he continued.
The report also analyzed possible scenarios, highlighting Israel’s growth at an international level, and particularly the rift between Tel Aviv and Washington.
“Israel doesn’t seem to be taking the change in Western attitudes toward a possible invasion of Rafah seriously enough,” Harel said, adding:
“The Biden administration no longer hesitates to publicly voice its opposition.”
Israeli Government ‘Lost the War’
According to another op-ed, written by Israeli political analyst Nadav Eyal in Yedioth Ahronoth, the Israeli government lost its war in Gaza and is more isolated than ever.
“Not only has (Israel) lost support in most of the West, and is very close to an arms embargo from Europe, even among its great ally the tectonic plates are in motion,” Eyal wrote.
The Israeli commentator cited as an example the “jaw-dropping news” of a letter calling for US arms transfer to Israel and endorsed by US Representative Nancy Pelosi, who has been a staunch supporter of Israel throughout the years.
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Eyal explained that Israel’s goals in this war were “to regain the power of deterrence, and eliminate Hamas,” along with the rescue of the Israeli captives.
“Israel’s failure is not based on presenting the goals of the war – which were fully supported by all Western countries. The failure lies entirely in the execution,” Eyal wrote.
“The entire failure is rooted in the failed politics (of the Israeli government – PC),” the report continued, adding that “war is not won just by killing. A complementary political act is needed”.
The first failure, according to the report, “the civilian suffering in Gaza”.
“Those who want to overthrow the rule of Hamas in Gaza do not conduct a Roman-style revenge campaign, carry out a protective wall or retaliatory action as if it were the 1950s.”
Israeli politicians, according to Eyal, “have shown a rare combination of flattery, vindictiveness and cowardice”.
The Israeli commentator also blamed Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for his attitude towards Washington. “Netanyahu’s public and evil confrontation with the Biden administration only emphasized Israel’s weakness,” he said.
Gaza Genocide
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 33,207 Palestinians have been killed, and 75,933 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
Moreover, at least 7,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire.’
(The Palestine Chronicle)
I’m surprised it’s taken this long for an Israeli journalist to analyze one of Israel’s problems with the current Pogrom against Gazan residents as cowardice amongst Israel’s leadership. That was obvious during the Great March of Return. You don’t order troops to fire on unarmed protestors out of courage – that’s the coward’s way of doing things.