Over 5,650 Israeli soldiers treated for injuries sustained in north
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Israeli hospitals report that more than 5,650 Israeli soldiers were admitted within the north since Hezbollah started bombarding the occupation.
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A military helicopter transfers a wounded soldier to a military ambulance near the Gaza Strip, in southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, January 18, 2024 (AP)
Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Tuesday that over 5,650 Israeli occupation forces soldiers have been injured or fallen ill on the northern front since October 7. The soldiers have been receiving treatment at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya and Ziv Hospital in Safed, according to the report.
Hospital directors have expressed deep concern over the uncertain duration of the confrontations in the north, which have now dragged on for 11 months. "We have been underground for 11 months, and we cannot see the end," the hospital officials stated.
Salman Zarka, the director of Ziv Hospital, revealed that his facility had treated approximately 450 soldiers injured in operations carried out by Hezbollah. "I'm not talking about operational accidents; I'm talking about gunfire, shrapnel, direct injuries. These are very large numbers," Zarka emphasized.
He further noted that the Israeli occupation was unaccustomed to prolonged wars. Zarka stressed the need to balance "life-saving treatment" with preparedness for treating a large number of wounded soldiers. He added that this balancing act was "exhausting and difficult, especially when there is no end in sight."
Masad Barhoum, the director of the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya, echoed Zarka's concerns, reiterating that he "cannot see the end." Barhoum stated, "No one prepared us to stay underground for 11 months. It is a very, very significant challenge."
Barhoum also revealed that his center had treated about 1,700 wounded soldiers, in addition to 3,500 others who were admitted due to various illnesses contracted on the northern front.
He warned of the potential failure of the medical system to cope with the influx of wounded, despite the hospitals in the region being well-equipped. Moreover, many of the wounded soldiers, he noted, are requesting treatment away from the border with Lebanon.
Hezbollah eroding Israeli deterrence
Former major general and former head of the Military Operations Division in the Israeli occupation forces, Israel Ziv, expressed concern that "the achievements of the war are gradually eroding due to the complete lack of clarity in its objectives." He warned that this ambiguity is undermining the initial successes, casting doubt on the long-term strategic gains.
Channel 12 quoted Ziv as saying that Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah "imposed a long-term war of attrition on Israel," describing the situation as Hezbollah "mainly fueling a smoldering conflict in Israel for about a year, with dozens of settlements being subjected to intense bombardment that has now become a regular, daily routine."
He highlighted the persistent nature of the threat, which has entrenched itself in the daily lives of those in the affected areas.
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Ziv also noted that these attacks, which have been met with silence from the Israeli government, are "an admission of the erasure of Israeli deterrence." He characterized this as "a great achievement for Hezbollah."
From a strategic standpoint, Ziv stressed that "Israel is in a state of continuous erosion, which is leading to the loss of points against Hezbollah." He warned that this gradual weakening of "Israel's" position is a concerning trend, further emboldening Hezbollah and diminishing "Israel's" regional standing.
