Military and strategic expert, Colonel Hatem Karim Al-Falahi, believes that the Israeli army is suffering from a real problem in the military operations it is carrying out in various regions of the Gaza Strip, at both the strategic and operational levels.
Colonel Al-Falahi said – in the military analysis on Tel Aviv Tribune – that there is a very major flaw in the Israeli strategy that was developed to deal with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), and the evidence is that it was not eliminated as the occupation leaders claimed, and the prisoners held by the Palestinian resistance were not released. Which means that the military goals set by the occupation army were achieved very little.
He referred to the statement of Israel Ziv, the former director of the Operations Division in the Israeli army and commander of the Gaza Division, in which he said, “The political leadership has made Israel turn into an uncontrollable thug in the region as a result of the killing and destruction in Gaza.” He adds, “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is striking everywhere and in all directions without achieving anything.”
Regarding the increase in the pace of resistance operations in the recent period, the military and strategic expert links it to the Israeli army’s incursion into Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, and its incursion into the northern axis of the Strip, especially in Zaytoun in central Gaza City.
He confirms that the American army provided advice to its Israeli counterpart that remaining inside the cities of Gaza would cause it great exhaustion, which is what happened to the American forces in Iraq after 2003.
Colonel Al-Falahi said that, in accordance with American advice, the occupation forces withdrew from the Khan Yunis area, south of the Gaza Strip, and from the rest of the areas, except for the Netzarim axis. He noted that the Israeli army remaining inside the Gaza Strip would incur very heavy losses.
He pointed out – in the same context – that the resistance brigades in the city of Rafah are still fully equipped and well fortified, and can use tunnels and construction properly to achieve their goals.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported – from sources in the army – that the Hamas movement will remain in Rafah even if military operations continue in the entire city, and that there are no magic solutions.