Israeli Defense Minister: “Hamas losing control in Gaza”
“Civilians looting bases, mistrusting Hamas”
Entire command structure and 260 members killed, near destruction of Hamas Northern Brigade
Israeli military claims “Hamas using hospitals as underground command center”
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On the 13th (local time), Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant assessed that the Palestinian armed group Hamas had lost control in the Gaza Strip.
After finishing his assessment of the situation, Gallant said, “There is no force in the Gaza Strip that can now stop the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF has advanced everywhere in the Gaza Strip,” according to reports from Times of Israel (TOI) and others.
◇ Israeli Defense Minister Gallant: “Hamas, fleeing south, losing control of Gaza Strip… Civilians do not trust Hamas, looting bases”
Gallant went on to say, “Terrorists are fleeing south, and civilians are looting Hamas bases.” “They do not trust the (Hamas) government.”
He emphasized, “Recently, we have intensified attacks targeting Hamas tunnels,” and “As a result, terrorists will either be eliminated from the tunnels or will have to surrender unconditionally. There is no third option.”
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◇ Israeli army, killing all commanders of Shati battalion in northern Gaza Strip, 260 members… Hamas Northern Brigade on the verge of destruction
The Israeli army has been focusing on killing the commanders of the Hamas brigade and battalions, especially the Hamas Shati base and the Daraz-Toufa battalion in the northern Gaza Strip, which suffered heavy damage. In the case of the Shati base, all the high-ranking commanders, including the battalion commander, deputy commander, and company commander, and 260 members were killed by Israeli airstrikes and ground operations.
According to the Israeli army, Hamas had about 30,000 troops in the Gaza Strip, with five regional brigades, 24 battalions, and about 140 companies until the surprise attack on Israel on the 7th of last month. Each brigade was equipped with anti-tank missiles, snipers, engineer corps, air defense trenches, rocket launchers, etc., with several forward bases in their jurisdictions.
However, the TOI reported that the Israeli army said, “We have occupied some of the main bases of the Shati base battalion,” but “the main command center under Al-Shifa Hospital is still a target of operations.”
In addition, the Israeli army announced that 21 Hamas members were killed in a battle with Israeli forces protecting civilians who had fled from Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City.
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◇ Israeli army: “Hamas, the command center in hospital basement… supports safe evacuation of patients”
The Israeli army believes that the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip, Al-Shifa Hospital, is being used as a Hamas command center and is playing the role of a Hamas base.
Senior spokesman of the Israeli army, Colonel Daniel Hagari, reported that the Israeli navy’s elite Shayetet 13 special forces and the 401st Armored Brigade raided the Rantisi Children’s Hospital in Gaza City, where Hamas members were hiding, and found evidence that hostages were being held there.
Colonel Hagari said, “We found a Hamas command and control center, suicide bomb vests, grenades, AK-47 rifles, explosive devices, rocket-propelled grenades, computers, money, etc. in the basement of the hospital,” and found evidence that hostages were being held there and that Hamas terrorists returned to the hospital after massacring Israelis in southern Israel on October 7.
Colonel Hagari emphasized that the Israeli army has been working over the past week to safely evacuate patients not only from Rantisi but also from other hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip.
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◇ President Biden: “Gaza Strip hospital intrusion should decrease, must be protected”
As the Gaza Strip hospital becomes a major battlefield between the Israeli army and Hamas, there are concerns about mass casualties among patients and civilians who have sought refuge there.
In this regard, U.S. President Joe Biden said at the White House today, “My hope and expectation is that the intrusion into (Gaza Strip) hospitals will decrease,” and “There is a little bit of hope left, and hospitals must be protected.”
President Biden said that U.S. officials are in constant contact with the Israeli side to temporarily halt (pause) the battle so that hostages held by Hamas and other armed groups can be released, and later National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the U.S. and Israel do not want a battle in the hospital, according to the NYT.
Advisor Sullivan emphasized, “The U.S. position is clear,” and “Hospitals must be protected, they should be able to operate effectively, and evacuation routes must be safe.”
By. Ha Man Joo
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