IOF spox tells AIPAC: 'The scenes out of Gaza will be hard to stomach'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
14 Oct 2023 11:59
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The Israeli occupation army has wiped out 50 Palestinian families in its aggression on Gaza so far.

Palestinian women and children walking over the rubble of a mosque destroyed by the Israeli occupation entity in Gaza City on October 9, 2023 (AFP)

The Israeli occupation army has requested that the AIPAC Zionist lobby in the US support its ongoing atrocities in Gaza when the "ugly" scenes from Gaza start to surface.

Referring to the ongoing aggression on Gaza and the Israeli plans of forced displacement, a spokesperson for the Israeli occupation military told the organization in a video conference call on Thursday that "the scenes out of Gaza will be hard to stomach," and once these scenes come out, that it is the time when "Tel Aviv" would need the support of parties that want to "stand up for what's right."

"Even when the going gets ugly and the scenes out of Gaza will be hard to stomach — not as hard as the things that were coming out of Kibbutz Be’eri and Kfar Aza, but they will be hard to stomach — then we will need the support of anybody who loves freedom wants to stand up for what’s right,” Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said.

"The things" in his address refer to media reports that emerged alleging that babies were beheaded, among other unsubstantiated actions. The reporter who made the initial claim denied that they had seen evidence of such an event and said they were told by one Israeli soldier. Additionally, the US President and several officials have admitted to not seeing any evidence. Moreover, the CNN reporter who made the false story go viral later apologized for her report, stating that she "needs to be more careful with [her] words," admitting that she was "misinformed".

Yesterday the Israeli Prime Minister's office said that it had confirmed Hamas beheaded babies & children while we were live on the air. The Israeli government now says today it CANNOT confirm babies were beheaded. I needed to be more careful with my words and I am sorry. https://t.co/Yrc68znS1S
— Sara Sidner (@sarasidnerCNN) October 12, 2023

His comments came after the Israeli entity gave over one million Palestinians in Gaza a 24-hour ultimatum to leave their homes amid warnings of a looming ground invasion of the devastated Strip.

The United Nations warned that this would be "impossible" to take place, sounding the alarm on "devastating humanitarian consequences.”

In the past few days, the Israeli aggression on Gaza was so brutal and the targeting of entire residential areas was so atrocious that it was described even by some Western media that it is unprecedented since WWII.

Tens of residential buildings were bombed to the ground while families were still inside them. The United Nations revealed that over 5,540 housing units in the Strip had been destroyed so far, while 3,750 were damaged and rendered uninhabitable.

This forced displacement policy pursued by the Israeli occupation army has left - according to the UN - over 423,000 Palestinians stranded due to the ongoing Israeli aggression targeting their homes and areas.

Israeli crimes, however, were not limited to people sheltered at home, as they expanded to include civilians fleeing the IOF war machine. Palestinian media reported on Friday that a bus carrying forcefully displaced families was targeted by an Israeli airstrike while it was on its way to safer areas. The Israeli crime resulted in the martyrdom of over 70 individuals, as per the reports.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, over 50 families in Gaza have been completely wiped off of civil registries. In its latest report, the Ministry announced that the number of martyrs so far has reached 1,900; 614 of which are children and 370 are women.

However, the IOF announced that the Saturday deadline will not be changed.

“In the following days, the IDF will continue to operate significantly in Gaza City," Conricus told AIPAC members.

Expressing dismay on previous reactions of some "powerful countries" regarding Israeli aggressions, the spokesperson complained that external pressure has forced the occupation army to "limit its movements."

“Whenever fighting starts usually it’s the enemy that takes an initiative attack, Israel enjoys a small window of international legitimacy and support then flips and Israel is forced by powerful countries around the world to limit its movement,” he said. “We have seen that and that is unfortunately what we’ve faced in the past. This time must be different.”

Earlier this week, the Israeli occupation government announced that it has imposed a complete blockade on Gaza. It also warned Egypt that any supply truck that tries to pass into the besieged Strip would be bombed.

"There will be no electricity, no food, and no fuel. Everything is closed," said the Israeli Security Minister Yoav Galant on Monday. Two days following this statement, Gaza's only operational power station announced shutting down after it ran out of fuel.

The United Nations warned that the medical sector is on the brink of collapse. Medicines, medical equipment, and basic supplies will run out shortly.

Israeli airstrikes have also targeted hospitals, as well as medical teams working on aggression sites. Over 20 medics have been martyred so far, and 11 ambulances have been destroyed.

Responding to a question by AIPAC’s digital engagement director, Cory Meyer, on how long the entity expects the war to extend, Conricus said, “It will probably take a very long time, and we are preparing for a long time, weeks, months, however long it will take."

“That is the scope and that is the I think understanding in the military and in the government is something that will take time if we want to do it right and we want to do it right.”