WHAT’S “VICTORY”?
Until Victory—Swords of Iron: Ofer Shelah, Anat Shapira and Idit Shafran Gittleman, INSS, Special Publication, March 6, 2024 — On December 24, during the 11th week of the war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared: “We are intensifying the war in the Gaza Strip. The war has a price, a very heavy price in the lives of our heroic soldiers, and we are doing everything to safeguard the lives of our fighters. But there is one thing we won’t do—we won’t stop until we achieve victory.”
Devistation of Gaza Was Inevitable: A Comparison to US Operations in Iraq and Syria: Barry R. Posen, Times of Israel, Mar. 2, 2024 — As of the middle of February, the Gaza Health Ministry had reported more than 28,000 Palestinians dead in the war precipitated by the murder, rape, and kidnapping conducted during Hamas’s raid on Israeli border settlements and towns on October 7, 2023.
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The Precondition for Victory: Conquer Rafah and Control the Philadelphi Corridor: Brigadier General (res.) Amir Avivi, IDSF, Mar. 6, 2024
The Gaza Dilemma: Israel’s Complex Road to Victory Amidst Calls for Ceasefire: Seth J. Frantzman, The National Interest, Mar. 4, 2024
Arming Hamas: Mohammed Deif’s Clandestine Weapons Project: Yoav Zitun, Ynet News, Mar. 3, 2024
Hamas Is Losing Every Battle in Gaza. It Still Thinks It Could Win the War.: Marcus Walker, Anat Peled and Summer Said, WSJ, Feb. 29, 2024
Hamas Leader Sinwar’s “Holy War” Strategy for Ramadan: Yoni Ben Menachem, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Mar. 6, 2024 — The indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas have reached an impasse, with Israeli security officials suspecting that Yahya Sinwar is deliberately stalling the talks to incite conflict during the month of Ramadan.
The Far-Reaching Consequences of Thursday’s Gaza Aid Disaster: David Horovitz, Times of Israel, Mar. 1, 2024 — From early on in Israel’s vital war to dismantle Hamas and ensure it could not rise again to commit further October 7 atrocities, the United States, Israel’s key supportive ally, implored the government to do its best to ensure sufficient humanitarian aid was brought into the Gaza warzone and to give thought to alternative civil governance for the Strip to replace Hamas.
IDF Review of Gaza Aid Convoy Deaths Finds Most Killed in Stampede: Reuters and ILH staff, Israel Hayom, Mar. 3, 2024 — The IDF completed Sunday a preliminary review of civilian deaths at a Gaza aid convoy last week, determining that the forces did not strike the convoy and that most Palestinians died in a stampede.
Understanding the Israel-Hamas War: George Friedman, Geopolitical Futures, Mar. 5, 2024 — Understanding why Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 requires an understanding of Hamas’ fundamental goal: the creation of a Palestinian state.