Gaza of Jihadists, Sympathisers and Innocent Palestinians

Hamas, the Jihadi Rats

After inhuman, barbaric and sordid acts by Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya(Hamas) on the soil of Israel on 7th Oct 2023, Govt of Israel is rightly up in Arms. The grave crimes of Hamas Jihadists made the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to take a firm resolve to wipe them out from the face of the Earth. Whether or not they will succeed in their aim & objectives, remains to be seen. However, they surely seem to be mounting immense pressure on the Jihadists in Gaza. IDF are after those Jihadist rats holed up and hiding inside the complex tunnel systems of Gaza, mostly opening within civilian & public structures.

The current Resolve of Israel against Hamas

In the aftermath of 7th Oct barbarism, Israeli Govt had taken two immediate decisions against Hamas in Gaza where their political wing is in ruling. Firstly, they stopped their essential supplies incl electricity, water and fuel to compel Hamas to return the innocent civilian hostages taken from Israel. Secondly, the IDF started air attacks on Hamas’s militant wing in Gaza. Since IDF has complete air superiority over Gaza airspace, war doctrine prompts them to pulverize the enemy to minimize own casualties during ground operations. That has been going on.

Wiping out Hamas from Earth may not be possible as Hamas has its origin in Iran and its terrorists are in some other countries too, some far away from Gaza. However, it is possible that they could be nearly wiped out in Gaza. There too it is difficult because they have assistance and sympathy of the Palestinians both as their cadre and serving as shields against Israeli attacks. Further, all experts in Islamic affairs believe that no credible Islamic organization of the present times will remain without Jihadi wing. If Hamas is wiped out, some other Jihadi component will fill-in the space in the coming months & years.

Hamas Terrorists assimilated with Civilians

Hamas terrorists are housed in the hundreds of tunnel systems in Gaza most of which are opening in various residential complexes, mosques, schools, hospitals and public places. These tunnels have been made over several decades to hide Hamas terrorists against Israeli air attacks, to hide their weapons & ammunitions for carrying out Jihad and also running their Command, Controls and Communication (CCC) centers, away from direct attacks of the IDF. Although the initial Hamas cadre belonged to Iran, in the subsequent years and decades, local Palestinians joined their cadre that helped them assimilate among the civilian population. Hamas terrorists often enter into temporary marriages (Muta’h) with Palestinian women & girls for their pleasure that many consider as prostitution. Children born out of it live mostly in those buildings in which the tunnel systems open underneath and air defence / small Radar operate from their terraces.

Islamic clerics, the Mullahs also play major role to brainwash the civilians to come to the aid and assistance of Hamas/United Jihad Council Jihadists as their shields who are applauded and lauded, fighting for the cause of Islam. Number/percentage of such civilians inside Gaza may be small but they are fully intermingled/assimilated with ordinary Palestinians, often difficult to differentiate/segregate. Those civilians are propaganda machinery against any or all Israeli attacks in which Hamas relatives and sympathisers serving as their shields get hit. Even Hamas political/administrative wing ruling Gaza encourage civilians to become shields for Hamas. When such buildings are targeted by Israeli anti-radiation/guided missiles/bombs, there are unfortunate collateral casualties among the inhabitants in those buildings…BUT… it gives huge propaganda to Gaza administration, raising Human Rights propaganda both in Gaza as well as on International platforms against Israel.

There is a larger issue of Hamas Jihadists & terrorists assimilating / infiltrating into the UN bodies working in Gaza & West bank. It is believed that most if not all Muslim men belong to the cadres of hamas or United Jihad Council. Even their women are either having jihadi mindset or supporters/sympathisers of their men folks. Statements emerging from the UN agencies in Gaza whether UNRWA or Amnesty seem an effort to set narrative. It is high time UN looks at the background of its Muslim employees esp in Islamic nations.

Head counts of Hamas Demons

The counts of Hamas heads are not available in accurate terms. It is believed that there are about 40K to 50K Militant terrorist elements and four times of that headcount (ie ~2 lakh) the political bodies and administrators most of whom are Palestine themselves. Of the terror cadre, it is estimated that over 60% are Palestine and the remaining 40% terrorists have prostitute Palestine women as temporary wives under Islamic arrangements of Muta’h mentioned above. Thus, all in all, there are 50K Hamas terrorists, their 2 lakh women & children; about 1 lakh of political & administrator and 5 lakh of their women & children totalling about 14 lakh of Hamas members and their family. In addition, thanks to the Islamic clerics in their Mullahs, 25% of a total 2.2 million Palestinians sympathise with Hamas as serving the cause of Islamic faith.Thus, there are about 5.5 lakh sympathisers too.

This all makes the percentage of Jihadists, political/admin Hamas, their families and the sympathisers as almost a worrisome over 65%. These population size will obey the instructions of Hamas if told not to vacate their residential premises despite Israeli threats. They will surely be subjected to the collateral casualties but also volunteer to become the propaganda machine of the Islamists against Israel.

Sufferings of Innocent Palestine

All sensible nations, international bodies and experts will wish that innocent civilians are spared from any collateral deaths and injuries in a raging war. Yet, they do suffer whether it be Ukraine, Nagorno-Karabakh, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq or elsewhere. Just like the earlier Hamas-Israel conflagrations, it is for sure that there will be civilian casualties too. Every bomb dropped on inhabited premises by both terrorists and civilians, will inflict casualties on both sides. Israel is fighting a war not for territorial gains but to inflict lethal body blow to avenge the inhuman treatment meted out by Hamas Jihadists. Any sovereign nation will do the same. IDF had issued warning to vacate northern Gaza but Hamas is keeping their relatives and sympathisers as captive along with them. Any casualties arising out of IDF attack, Hamas ruling administration must be questioned. Israel has also issued a warning that any rocket fired from Gaza (north or south), will be retaliated. This is the reason, there are occasional isolated strikes in southern Gaza too where Hamas takes out the rocket systems from their tunnels, fire on Israel and when Israel retaliates, they cry foul of attack on innocent civilians.

It has already been explained above that ~65% population of Gaza are Hamas cadre, their relatives or sympathisers. Only ~35% civilians are innocent lot including the handful of non-Muslims. It is unfortunate that Hamas administration is using everyone as their shields. If they let themselves to be used, they will also suffer. Although women & children of Hamas cadre come under the category of civilians, all of them may not be innocent. Recently a dreaded hardline Hamas woman was killed in Israeli attack. It is a war. It is for innocent civilians to leave the war zones but most of them are avoiding it to assist the terrorists. Hence, they may not be called innocent.

Since many buildings/ apartment complexes house Hamas tunnel openings, of which the mixed population are fully aware of, it is their obligation to vacate it and shift out at safer places to avoid collateral injuries. Israel very well knows that both Mr Antony Guterres, the UN Secretary General and Mr Volker Turk are biased towards OIC, speaking their languages. They seem least concerned for Israel. Thanks to USA, a P5-member nation which is standing with Israel, ready to apply veto should UNSC decision go against. With all these, it is extremely difficult for Hamas to escape annihilation in Gaza esp after PM Netanyahu authorized ground attack on 25 Oct 23.

Concluding Thoughts

Hamas had mounted a Jihadi attack on the Jews of Israel on 7th Oct 23. Israeli govt has taken a firm resolve to wipe out Hamas from Gaza. With the aerial attack initiated the same day and ground attack launched on 25 Oct 23, the IDF seem moving forward to achieve their immediate goal. There is no doubt that there will be enormous collateral damages of lives and properties. Humanitarian catastrophe may also arise. If any agency wants to prevent such catastrophe, the war must be stopped. The only way it can be done is thru’ some immediate, mid- and long-term bases mentioned above.