Latest news with #Sderot
Fox News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Fox News gets rare access inside a Gaza aid center
'America's Newsroom' co-anchor Bill Hemmer details the effort of the Trump administration to distribute food in Gaza from Sderot, Southern Israel.
Irish Times
27-07-2025
- Irish Times
From a viewing platform in Israel, observers watch Gaza's destruction through binoculars
The tour guide directed his group towards the binoculars, which cost five shekels (€1.27) to look through for 2½ minutes and could be paid for with a contactless card. 'You'll be able to see ruined territories, but it's important to remember it's a result of their aggression towards us and our need to secure ourselves,' he said. He was standing at a viewing point in Sderot, western Israel, last week. Behind him were the ruins of Gaza, its blockade starting just over one kilometre away. Even with a naked eye, it is possible to see something of the scale of destruction and the constantly rising smoke, but through the binoculars the lengthy expanse of toppled buildings and decimated neighbourhoods is staggering. READ MORE Earlier, the same guide had warned his group – one of whom said they had individually opted to come on this day tour led by a 'licensed tour guide' – that they may hear 'a lot of booms today'. 'We can only pray that Nazis are being killed and our soldiers are safe,' the guide said. He pointed towards the destruction. 'We see some dust rising up, that's a territory called Jabalia.' He was referencing what was once Palestine's largest refugee camp and a home for more than 110,000 people – largely descendants of those displaced in what is known as the 1948 Nakba, or 'catastrophe'. By November last year, Haaretz reported that Jabalia 'no longer has a single habitable residential area'. Gaza City was behind Jabalia, the guide said. He added that he hoped his group would have the chance to see the city from another perspective later in the day, but the view may be blocked as 'there's always an opportunity of dust because it's very active over there'. Through the binoculars, he also told them that they would be able to spot a few high-rise buildings inside Gaza City still standing: this was proof, the guide said, that Israeli forces are not destroying 'everything' but are only going after 'terrorists' and acting to bolster 'security'. The blockaded enclave of Gaza is just 365sq km in total, making it smaller than any Irish county. The smallest Irish county, Louth, is 2.25 times its size, with about one fifteenth of its population. Gaza's more than two million residents have been trapped in the enclave for nearly two years now. In that period, nearly 60,000 have been killed by Israeli forces, according to Gazan health authorities. This includes more than 17,000 children – the equivalent of 28, or a 'classroom', every day, the United Nations children's agency, Unicef, notes . Over 33,000 more children have been injured, with Unicef saying that the Gaza Strip has the highest number of child amputees per capita anywhere in the world. [ The Irish Times view on starvation in Gaza: the world cannot look away Opens in new window ] Mass starvation is spreading fast. Eight months after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu and former minister of defence Yoav Gallant, who are accused of using starvation as a method of warfare, the United Nations says one in three Gazans are going multiple days without food. More than 100 NGOs this week called for urgent action, including a permanent ceasefire, an end to weapons transfers, for the opening of borders and for the restoration of effective humanitarian aid systems. 'States can and must save lives before there are none left to save.' A tour group at a viewing platform at Sderot, on the Israeli side of the border with Gaza. Photograph: Sally Hayden Israeli government officials have openly called for the destruction or displacement of Gazans, as have others inside Israel. This month, hanging from a building in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City was a sign reading 'Make Gaza Jewish Again'. Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, who spoke to The Irish Times this month and last year, said they think Gaza should be settled by Israelis. Yet, unlike populations in most of the rest of the world, who can only see what is happening in Gaza through online postings and the news reports of Palestinian journalists, in Israel the destruction of Gaza is taking place in full view. Kilometres away from the bombardment and starvation are supermarkets, shopping centres and people with access to unlimited food. At the viewing point in Sderot there is a vending machine dispensing water and fizzy drinks. In a cafe a short drive away, civilians and off-duty uniformed and armed soldiers alike chat over coffees, or eat salads and sandwiches. 'Most Israeli citizens – living in abundance half an hour's drive away – are reacting to the disaster on their doorstep with indifference or gaslighting,' tweeted Amjad Iraqi, senior Israel and Palestine analyst for the International Crisis Group, on Wednesday. 'Few care for Gaza's parallels to the ghettos, starving and awaiting death. The dehumanisation is too deep, empathy is absent.' [ A conversation begins: How Israelis view Gaza's unfolding hunger crisis Opens in new window ] Omer Bartov, a professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University in Rhode Island, is among an ever-increasing number of experts who call what is happening in Gaza a genocide. On July 15th he wrote in The New York Times: 'Having grown up in a Zionist home, lived the first half of my life in Israel, served in the IDF as a soldier and officer and spent most of my career researching and writing on war crimes and the Holocaust, this was a painful conclusion to reach, and one that I resisted as long as I could. But I have been teaching classes on genocide for a quarter of a century. I can recognise one when I see one.' People on Kobi Hill in Sderot, on the Israeli side of the border with Gaza, watch an Israeli airstrike being carried out near Beit Hanoun. Photograph: Abir Sultan/EPA When he heard what The Irish Times saw and heard in Sderot, Prof Bartov said it reminded him 'of what the Germans called in World War II 'execution tourism', ie touring and photographing (as souvenirs) one's own atrocities'. Multiple tours came and went in the hour or so that The Irish Times was at the main Sderot viewing point. One, among a big group of young people, said they were Americans who travelled to Israel with an organisation 'like Birthright'. They listened to their tour guide describe how Israel first 'conquered' Gaza, and then engaged in other efforts, including 'pass[ing]a lot of luggages filled with cash to maintain the status quo' because it was 'good for Israel and our ideology'. The guide was seemingly referring to widespread reports that Netanyahu allowed Qatar to send billions of dollars to Hamas, with the Israeli prime minister accused of strengthening the militant group on purpose to break ties between Gaza and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and destroy dreams of a Palestinian state, a reasoning Netanyahu denies . Everything Israel did up to the current bombardment of Gaza was a 'Band Aid' when it came to halting attacks and guaranteeing the security of Israeli citizens, the guide said, 'the wall, the fence, the Iron Dome'. He then moved the students away, out of the hot sun, into a shaded area. Dozens of soldiers arrived next, following a guide whose T-shirt declared him to be from the 'Sderot tourism team'. A fellow Israeli and former soldier identified them as reservists, because some had long hair and they carried rifles rather than larger weapons. The Israeli military controls access to Gaza. Another high point with a wider panoramic view, a little outside Sderot, has been declared a closed military zone – but soldiers gave The Irish Times permission to stay for a few minutes. There, it was possible to see smoke rising from at least four sites inside Gaza, while there were multiple bombings in those few minutes, and heavy gunfire and at least one drone were also audible. The main viewing point in Sderot is called Givat Kobi , with online descriptions saying it was built as a memorial to two soldiers killed during the 2014 Gaza war. It is listed on Google Maps, where visitors leave reviews. Any recent online complaints tend to be about access. One recent poster complained about potholes on the path to the viewing point.
CNN
12-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Battered but not beaten, Hamas embraces guerilla tactics with deadly force
The deadly surprise attack in Gaza was almost as shocking as its location. On Monday night, a group of Israeli soldiers walked across a route used by tanks and armored vehicles about a mile from the border fence when a bomb exploded. Remotely operated, it tore into the troops from the Netzah Yehuda battalion, a unit made up of ultra-Orthodox soldiers. More Israeli forces rushed to their aid as a second bomb exploded, also remotely operated. When a third bomb went off moments later, it came with a hail of small arms fire from a Hamas cell that had been hiding nearby. Within minutes, five Israeli soldiers had been killed and 14 more wounded, some with critical injuries. The attack took place in the city of Beit Hanoun in Gaza's northeast corner, easily visible from the Israeli city of Sderot, in territory that was supposed to be under Israeli military control. An initial investigation found the Hamas cell placed the bombs within the previous 24 hours, preparing an ambush against Israeli forces, who likely believed they were operating in relative safety so close to Israeli territory. The complex attack highlights a Hamas shift to guerilla-stye tactics as the militant group, battered and weakened after nearly 21 months of war, wages an insurgency campaign against the Israeli military. But even in its depleted state, Hamas has continued to mount deadly attacks against Israeli forces in the strip. Throughout the war, Israeli forces have had to return to parts of Gaza multiple times as Hamas reemerges in areas Israel claimed it had cleared. The recent string of attacks shows that Israel's goal of eradicating Hamas remains very elusive. Hamas' military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said Monday's attack happened 'in an area the occupation thought was safe after leaving no stone unturned.' In a statement, Hamas described the war as a 'battle of attrition' waged against Israel, one in which it would attempt to add to the soldiers it seized during the Oct. 7 attacks. 'Even if it miraculously succeeded recently in freeing its soldiers from hell, it may fail later, leaving us with additional prisoners,' Hamas said. On Wednesday, Hamas militants targeted an Israeli military engineering vehicle in Khan Younis, launching a rocket-propelled grenade and charging the vehicle as the driver tried to flee, as seen in a video of the attack released by Hamas. According to the Israeli military, the militants tried to abduct the soldier, killing him in the process. The attempt was thwarted by Israeli forces operating in the area. In a statement posted on Telegram two days later, the Al-Qassam Brigades vowed 'the fate of the next soldier will be better as our new prisoner.' The brutal, grinding war of Gaza contrasts sharply with Israel's quick and precise operation in Iran, a campaign carried out by air and on land without any military casualties. Since the end of the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict, at least 19 soldiers have been killed in Gaza, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), including the attack in Beit Hanoun. On the day of the Israel-Iran ceasefire, a Hamas militant threw an incendiary device down the open hatch of an armored engineering vehicle in southern Gaza, killing all seven soldiers inside. The attack was one of the deadliest incidents in months for the IDF in Gaza. Former IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said in January that Israel had killed 20,000 Hamas fighters since the beginning of the war. Israel has also assassinated much of the terror organization's top leadership. But Hamas has recruited new fighters as well, a senior Israeli military official said earlier this year, replenishing their ranks. In March, Israel's public broadcast, Kan News, reported that Hamas had recruited 'hundreds' of new fighters. What remains is a loosely organized group of militant cells, able to carry out hit-and-run attacks, using what remains of Gaza's underground tunnel network to move and stay hidden, according to Retired Maj. Gen Israel Ziv, former head of the IDF's Operations Directorate. Hamas has had time to study how the IDF operates, Ziv told CNN, and they are turning that to their advantage. 'Their war is built around our weaknesses. They don't defend territory — they seek targets,' he said. Ziv said the strain on Israel's military manpower has allowed Hamas to exploit vulnerabilities, even in its weakened state. 'Hamas has undergone a transformation — it has become a guerrilla organization operating in small cells. It has an abundance of explosives, much of it from the munitions the IDF has dropped there. This is a war of IEDs. Hamas is creating ambushes and taking initiative by controlling key bottlenecks,' said Ziv. Operating as decentralized, independent groups has made it harder for Israel to target a cohesive leadership structure. Last month, an Israeli military official told CNN that it has become more difficult to effectively target what remains of Hamas. 'It's harder now to achieve tactical goals,' the official said. Hamas long ago expended the vast majority of its rocket arsenal, able now to launch only sporadic rockets that have near-zero impact. But their ability to move among the ruins of Gaza, armed with improvised explosive devices culled from tens of thousands of Israeli munitions, has turned the rubble of the besieged enclave into a source of resilience. Challenged by armed gangs in southern Gaza and a population that has expressed open anger at Hamas, the militant group has nevertheless found a way to continue the fight, exacting a deadly price with each passing week that goes by without a ceasefire. Even with talks ongoing in Doha and signs of some progress, a ceasefire remains elusive, with mediators so far unable to bridge the key gaps between the sides. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during his recent trip to Washington, DC that Hamas must lay down its arms, ceding its military and governing capability, or Israel will resume the war. But Hamas has shown no willingness to make such major concessions in negotiations, and the recent attacks are an indication of the power they still retain. CNN's Ibrahim Dahman contributed to this report.
CNN
12-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Battered but not beaten, Hamas embraces guerilla tactics with deadly force
The deadly surprise attack in Gaza was almost as shocking as its location. On Monday night, a group of Israeli soldiers walked across a route used by tanks and armored vehicles about a mile from the border fence when a bomb exploded. Remotely operated, it tore into the troops from the Netzah Yehuda battalion, a unit made up of ultra-Orthodox soldiers. More Israeli forces rushed to their aid as a second bomb exploded, also remotely operated. When a third bomb went off moments later, it came with a hail of small arms fire from a Hamas cell that had been hiding nearby. Within minutes, five Israeli soldiers had been killed and 14 more wounded, some with critical injuries. The attack took place in the city of Beit Hanoun in Gaza's northeast corner, easily visible from the Israeli city of Sderot, in territory that was supposed to be under Israeli military control. An initial investigation found the Hamas cell placed the bombs within the previous 24 hours, preparing an ambush against Israeli forces, who likely believed they were operating in relative safety so close to Israeli territory. The complex attack highlights a Hamas shift to guerilla-stye tactics as the militant group, battered and weakened after nearly 21 months of war, wages an insurgency campaign against the Israeli military. But even in its depleted state, Hamas has continued to mount deadly attacks against Israeli forces in the strip. Throughout the war, Israeli forces have had to return to parts of Gaza multiple times as Hamas reemerges in areas Israel claimed it had cleared. The recent string of attacks shows that Israel's goal of eradicating Hamas remains very elusive. Hamas' military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said Monday's attack happened 'in an area the occupation thought was safe after leaving no stone unturned.' In a statement, Hamas described the war as a 'battle of attrition' waged against Israel, one in which it would attempt to add to the soldiers it seized during the Oct. 7 attacks. 'Even if it miraculously succeeded recently in freeing its soldiers from hell, it may fail later, leaving us with additional prisoners,' Hamas said. On Wednesday, Hamas militants targeted an Israeli military engineering vehicle in Khan Younis, launching a rocket-propelled grenade and charging the vehicle as the driver tried to flee, as seen in a video of the attack released by Hamas. According to the Israeli military, the militants tried to abduct the soldier, killing him in the process. The attempt was thwarted by Israeli forces operating in the area. In a statement posted on Telegram two days later, the Al-Qassam Brigades vowed 'the fate of the next soldier will be better as our new prisoner.' The brutal, grinding war of Gaza contrasts sharply with Israel's quick and precise operation in Iran, a campaign carried out by air and on land without any military casualties. Since the end of the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict, at least 19 soldiers have been killed in Gaza, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), including the attack in Beit Hanoun. On the day of the Israel-Iran ceasefire, a Hamas militant threw an incendiary device down the open hatch of an armored engineering vehicle in southern Gaza, killing all seven soldiers inside. The attack was one of the deadliest incidents in months for the IDF in Gaza. Former IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said in January that Israel had killed 20,000 Hamas fighters since the beginning of the war. Israel has also assassinated much of the terror organization's top leadership. But Hamas has recruited new fighters as well, a senior Israeli military official said earlier this year, replenishing their ranks. In March, Israel's public broadcast, Kan News, reported that Hamas had recruited 'hundreds' of new fighters. What remains is a loosely organized group of militant cells, able to carry out hit-and-run attacks, using what remains of Gaza's underground tunnel network to move and stay hidden, according to Retired Maj. Gen Israel Ziv, former head of the IDF's Operations Directorate. Hamas has had time to study how the IDF operates, Ziv told CNN, and they are turning that to their advantage. 'Their war is built around our weaknesses. They don't defend territory — they seek targets,' he said. Ziv said the strain on Israel's military manpower has allowed Hamas to exploit vulnerabilities, even in its weakened state. 'Hamas has undergone a transformation — it has become a guerrilla organization operating in small cells. It has an abundance of explosives, much of it from the munitions the IDF has dropped there. This is a war of IEDs. Hamas is creating ambushes and taking initiative by controlling key bottlenecks,' said Ziv. Operating as decentralized, independent groups has made it harder for Israel to target a cohesive leadership structure. Last month, an Israeli military official told CNN that it has become more difficult to effectively target what remains of Hamas. 'It's harder now to achieve tactical goals,' the official said. Hamas long ago expended the vast majority of its rocket arsenal, able now to launch only sporadic rockets that have near-zero impact. But their ability to move among the ruins of Gaza, armed with improvised explosive devices culled from tens of thousands of Israeli munitions, has turned the rubble of the besieged enclave into a source of resilience. Challenged by armed gangs in southern Gaza and a population that has expressed open anger at Hamas, the militant group has nevertheless found a way to continue the fight, exacting a deadly price with each passing week that goes by without a ceasefire. Even with talks ongoing in Doha and signs of some progress, a ceasefire remains elusive, with mediators so far unable to bridge the key gaps between the sides. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during his recent trip to Washington, DC that Hamas must lay down its arms, ceding its military and governing capability, or Israel will resume the war. But Hamas has shown no willingness to make such major concessions in negotiations, and the recent attacks are an indication of the power they still retain. CNN's Ibrahim Dahman contributed to this report.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
IDF begins encircling Beit Hanun, destroying Hamas infrastructure in northern Gaza
The encirclement began shortly after five IDF soldiers were killed and an additional 14 wounded due to a Hamas ambush and several IEDs in the area. The Givati Brigade and troops from the 99th Division have begun operations to encircle Beit Hanun in the northern Gaza Strip, the IDF announced Wednesday. Under the command of 162nd Division, soldiers have been working to kill terrorists, as well as dismantle infrastructure and damage Hamas' military capabilities in the area. The Israel Air Force reportedly conducted a 'fire belt,' or continuous gunfire followed by airstrikes, in the area, as well as additional airstrikes in Gaza City, according to Palestinian reports. The encirclement began shortly after five IDF soldiers were killed and an additional 14 wounded due to a Hamas ambush and several improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the area on Monday. Beit Hanun is in the buffer zone. The Gaza town, which is very close to the Israeli city of Sderot, has long been a hot spot for terrorists, often used by Hamas and other groups to launch rockets at Israel. The IDF operated in Beit Hanun many times during the 640 days of the Israel-Hamas War. Most of the city has been badly damaged or destroyed in the war. Although D-9 armored bulldozers and other vehicles have combed through essentially all of Beit Hanun and northern Gaza multiple times so far, by setting the IED in the last 24 hours before the soldiers entered, Hamas was able to avoid the early detection or destruction of the IEDs by these explosive-clearing vehicles. Seth J. Frantzman and Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.
