Sinwar unaffected by recent Israeli Rafah offensive: Israeli officials

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
26 May 2024 00:20

Israeli occupation officials connected to the military and security apparatus highlight Hamas leader Yahya al-Sinwar's steadfastness despite recent confrontations in Rafah.

This photo released by the Israeli occupation forces, on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, shows a ground invasion into the Gaza Strip, Palestine. (AP)

Israeli occupation forces colonel, Michael Milshtein, confirmed that Palestinian Resistance leader Yahya al-Sinwar, the head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, "has not shifted his views and his positions have not altered, nor have the recent military operations in Rafah affected him."

In an interview for Israeli Channel 12, Milstein said, "There are two decisive issues for Sinwar; the first is the return of residents from the south, and the second is the Israeli withdrawal from the sector, while the rest of the issues can be negotiated."

He added that "al-Sinwar has not changed following the military operations in Rafah but has remained committed to the central goal, which is to survive and to say that Hamas persisted after the end of the war."

In this context, former Aman (Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate) President, Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash, told Channel 12, "The final goal of this war has not been defined eight months after it broke out," noting that "the army cannot operate without knowing its final goal."

Ze'evi-Farkash added, "All of these things are leading Israel to this deterioration in the comprehensive system of relations, including political and military relations," adding, "We are at a crucial point in this regard because of what is happening around us, and also because of what is happening vis-à-vis Hezbollah, which has an impact on how we end the war."

Moreover, he continued, "We should have declared the end of the intense battle in the Gaza Strip and that we have other goals, as we have not forgotten what is happening to us in the north."

On his part, former Knesset member Ofer Shelah also mentioned that the problem with the battle in Rafah is that it "does not give Israel progress in anything toward the objectives of the war, eliminating the security threat against it from the Gaza Strip, and releasing the hostages."

'Netanyahu will return your captives in coffins': Al-Qassam video

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, released on Saturday a video addressing the families of Israeli captives held by the Resistance group in Gaza, warning that the occupation government is putting them in real danger.

The Brigades accompanied the video with a message to the families stating: "Your army, under [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's orders, has violated their [captives] dignity, both the living and the dead."

The clip also featured statements made by Netanyahu since the beginning of the war claiming that "efforts are being made to bring back all hostages."

Similar statements indicating that all capabilities are being utilized to reach the captives made by other top Israeli officials were also displayed, including War Cabinet member Minister Benny Gantz and Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari.

After showing footage of the different claims, al-Qassam addressed the captives' families, saying: "This is how Netanyahu, his army, and his war cabinet kill the captives," followed by images of Israeli captives killed by the continuous Israeli bombardment of Gaza.

The Resistance group urged the families to ask Netanyahu and his ministers for the names of those killed captives, asserting that "they know them very well." It then warned that "time is running out" and that the Israeli government would be the reason for the "captives returning to their families in coffins."