Insights from Brigadier General Fayez Al-Dweiri on Escalating Gaza Battles and Hamas’s Strategic Shift
Watan-Military expert Brigadier General Fayez Al-Dweiri revealed a surprise about the reason for the return of battles between the Palestinian resistance and the Israeli occupation army in the northern Gaza Strip, after the confrontations had been concentrated in the southern areas of the Strip in recent days.
Al-Dweiri stated in remarks to Al Jazeera that the return of clashes around Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City is due to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) gradually rebuilding its administrative capabilities.
According to Al-Dweiri, there are currently four brigades fighting around Gaza City, including commando forces, armored units, and paratroopers, in addition to the Givati Brigade.
Fayez Al-Dweiri pointed to previous statements by the Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Galant, who initially declared the elimination of Hamas and then retreated, stating that it is not possible to eliminate the pockets of the movement without specifying specific areas.
Hamas reorganizes its forces
He added that after entering the third stage and the reduction of clashes in the north, Hamas has begun a gradual return to civilian administration in that area.
Al-Dweiri noted that Hamas has started a gradual return to civilian administration in the north, which alarmed the Israeli Chief of Staff, leading him to speak earlier about the possibility of erosion of achievements and the need for a broader military operation.
He pointed out that Israeli forces are stationed about 15 kilometers from the fence, and whenever they detect movement or information that leads to engagement, as happened in Jabal Al-Reis and Jabalia, they withdraw from those areas.
He added: “In the area from Juhur Al-Dik to Rashid Street, Israel used fire barriers to prevent the return of residents, but it did not prevent the Qassam Brigades – the military wing of Hamas – from intervening, leading to the escalation of clashes and the arrival of Israelis to intelligence and Shifa towers, but they move in these areas and do not stabilize in them.”
Israeli admission of 3 casualties in Gaza battles
The Israeli occupation army admitted on Wednesday to the killing of an officer and two soldiers and the injury of others with serious injuries in battles in the northern and southern Gaza Strip.
Following that, the Israeli occupation army announced the injury of 26 soldiers within 24 hours in the battles in the Gaza Strip.
The number of casualties in the Israeli occupation army – as announced – has risen to 2,797 since the beginning of the war, including 1,283 who were injured since the start of the ground offensive on October 27 last year.
Fierce battles
This comes at a time when fierce battles continue between the advancing occupation forces and the Palestinian resistance factions, especially in the south of the Strip.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that the army’s progress in Khan Yunis is “very slow.”
It added that the forces’ penetration of a distance of 200 meters in the city takes a long time.
