Operation Al-Aqsa Flood has taken the Zionist entity by storm. After 3 days, battles are still raging between the Ezzeddin Al-Qassam Brigades and the occupation forces. Dozens of Zionist settlers and soldiers have been taken hostage and brought to the Gaza Strip. According to sources at Al Mayadeen, “Al-Qassam's statement reveals stark details regarding the Palestinian Resistance's ability to advance through enemy lines by land and, by air and sea”. This reveals the qualitative increase in the military capabilities of Hamas and the resistance factions of the joint operations room.

Hamas has also drawn a red line: NO to Saudi-“Israeli” normalization, NO to violations of Al Aqsa and Palestine’s sanctities, NO to occupation and colonialism. So how did this happen? How were the Zionists–who have been “trained thoroughly” for such an event–caught off guard? I suppose that three factors have influenced this victory. Firstly, the popular cradle–the term coined by Palestinians for the support given to the resistance by our people–has allowed the freedom of movement of resistance fighters. Secondly, the unity of fields among the Axis of Resistance; Hezbollah has struck Israeli military posts, and Iran has provided technological know-how as well as weapons to Hamas, PIJ, and PFLP. Thirdly, Hamas was able to catch the Zionists by surprise with an offensive strike, rather than a retaliatory salvo of missiles, which is par for the course due to daily Zionist aggression.

In a statement released by Abu Obeida, the spokesperson of Al-Qassam Brigades, he revealed that the resistance is currently embroiled in battles all along the borders of Gaza. “Fighters of the Brigades are engaged in a "fierce confrontation in several sites" including "Ofakim", "Sderot", "Yad Mordechai", "Kafar Azza", "Be'eri", "Yated", and "Kissufim". This is only possible with the steadfast support of the Palestinians in liberated Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The popular cradle is a term coined by Palestinians; "the popular cradle denotes a state of cohesion between the resistance and the masses, leading the resistance to become a general state of being." Videos showing the masses aiding the resistance in this heroic operation went viral on social media; videos of people helping Hamas fighters to transport IOF hostages, and the masses taking to the streets in Gaza to display the spoils of this victory. Without the popular cradle, we wouldn’t have Areen Al Osoud, the Jenin Brigades, or any of the older factions (Hamas, PIJ, PFLP). In practice, the popular cradle is our version of the CPC “mass line”; to paraphrase Mao, ‘the people are the soil, and the resistance is the seeds’. Without the support of our brave and heroic people, the resistance is nothing. In the West Bank, the brave masses have declared a general strike in support of the resistance operation. The support given to the resistance by the Palestinian masses is only matched by the support given by our steadfast friends.

Videos released over the weekend by Hamas showed the military capabilities of the Ezzeddin Al-Qassam Brigades. In one video, a camera mounted on a drone shows the drone approach an unmanned turret from above, delicately deposit an explosive on the gun, and then fly up in time to catch the turret exploding on camera.

This type of precision comes only after years of indigenous engineering and support from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hezbollah, and the Syrian State. This mixture of recycling and reverse engineering missiles used against Gaza, and the reception of drones, missiles, and small arms from Iran has proved decisive in Operation Al Aqsa Flood. A statement was released by Areen Al Osoud, calling for a general mobilization against the colony:

“‘March out with whatever weapons you [possess], no matter how simple they may be, go out to the streets, block the roads for the occupation army and its settlers’. The group described the Israeli occupation entity as being "paper-like", adding that "Gaza has thrown the occupation into a pit of hell.”

Echoing Mao Zedong’s ‘paper-tiger’ speech and Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s declaration that “Israel” is ‘weaker than a spider’s web’, the Lion’s Den understands the fragile nature of the imperialists and their Zionist lackeys. The Zionists have been forced to stop their PR practice of obfuscating the death count, with major military figures dying in firefights with Hamas, including “head of the elite Israeli Multidimensional unit, also known as the Ghost unit, Colonel Roi Levy”. Hezbollah, in its turn, has also been striking Israeli military sites near Shebaa Farms and the Palestinian-Lebanese borders, thus signaling that the Lebanese resistance stands firmly with the Palestinian people. Given that the Israeli usurpers do not only occupy Palestinian land, but also land across Bilad Al Sham: namely Shebaa Farms in southern Lebanon, and Golan Heights in Syria, this is a huge victory in the attempt to restore sovereignty and dignity to the Arab and Islamic peoples. Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi released a statement congratulating the Palestinian people on their steadfast resistance. The Syrian foreign ministry also congratulated the people of Palestine for their heroism. Tehran, Sanaa, and Damascus have the capability–and justification–to strike “Tel Aviv”, the only question that remains is when?

The third element that makes Operation Al Aqsa Flood a success is that Hamas was able to strike the Zionists in a series of surprise operations in over 50 separate sites. This offensive strike differs from Hamas’ usual tactic of retaliatory missile strikes and marks a qualitatively new equation in the liberation of Palestine. It took 45 minutes for occupation PM Netanyahu to be alerted to what was happening and get over to the Ministry of War building, which shows that despite all the training for this eventuality, Goliath still underestimates David. Zionist music festival goers, radical settlers, and IOF troops were all taken by surprise. As stated above, the Al-Qassam brigades have shown capabilities to strike on land, in the air, and from the sea; the land yearns to return to those who nourish it with the blood of the martyrs.

Commander-in-Chief of Al-Qassam Brigades, Mohammad al-Deif is sending direct orders over the radio waves. He is calling for unity of all the factions and banners in attack, including foreign allies, as well as Arab neighbors. Much like Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, when Mohammad al-Deif speaks, he fulfills his promises. al-Deif reiterated that Al Aqsa Mosque and the other sacred sites in Palestine are red lines for the resistance and the people and thus Operation Al Aqsa Flood began.

Citing the fact that particularly women worshippers at Al Aqsa are victimized, al-Deif highlights the hypocrisy of the Zionist colony’s PR campaigns pink-washing colonialism and occupation.

Operation Al Aqsa Flood is a victory for the brave and heroic people of Palestine, this operation has struck the Demon of Babylon in its wicked heart. The Zionists have not suffered a military defeat of this scale since their 2014 invasion of Gaza, or even their 2006 defeat at the hands of Hezbollah. The death toll inside the colony has exceeded 1,200, while 1,100 Palestinians have been martyred so far. As mentioned above, the three elements which have decidedly turned this into a victory are the popular cradle, material support from our allies, and the element of surprise from Hamas. As this operation unfolds, we take a decisive step towards victory and liberation within our lifetime, InshAllah.