Insights into Gaza: Israeli Soldiers’ Confessions Amid Paratroopers Brigade Withdrawal
Watan-A report by the American newspaper “The Wall Street Journal” documented the failure of the Israeli occupation army to achieve its brutal war objectives in the Gaza Strip.
The report quoted Israeli soldiers as saying that the occupation army did not find a systematic solution to locate the tunnels of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip.
The soldiers added that extracting fighters of the Palestinian resistance from the tunnels remains the biggest challenge for the occupation army.
Difficulty in eliminating Hamas
Israeli soldiers confirmed to the newspaper that achieving the declared Israeli goal of “destroying Hamas” would be extremely difficult, expressing concerns that the accumulation of what they described as “tactical victories” might not lead to a permanent victory in Gaza.
The soldiers added that victory over the Hamas movement would only come through eliminating the tunnel network, which seems impossible.
Questions from Israeli soldiers
The “Wall Street Journal” quoted an Israeli soldier working in Khan Younis as saying that many soldiers wonder about the purpose of their efforts in the absence of a clear plan, especially since the Israeli government lacks a precise plan for post-war Gaza.
Israeli military personnel stated that Hamas is trying to kill Israeli forces by setting deceptive traps in buildings throughout Gaza.
The military personnel explained that Hamas’ combat tactics include using tools ranging from rocket shells to recorded sounds of detainees seeking help to lure Israeli forces into traps.
The newspaper noted that groups of Hamas fighters carried out coordinated attacks, with one group attempting to prevent an Israeli advance unit while another group attacked from the flank to inflict human losses, then disappearing into destroyed buildings or tunnel mazes.
Israeli leaders and analysts told the newspaper that Hamas learned lessons during the humanitarian ceasefire in November last year and shifted to hit-and-run attacks by small groups of two or three men, sometimes even a single individual.
Withdrawal of the paratroopers brigade
The Israeli army radio announced that the occupation army withdrew the paratroopers brigade from the Gaza Strip, replaced by other forces.
Neither the radio nor the army provided details about the number and equipment of the paratroopers brigade, which was replaced by other forces after its withdrawal from Gaza.
