Israel: The Army Will Fight the Next Battle Soon in Gaza Strip

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Pal Telegraph

- Gabi Ashkenazi, chief of staff of the Israeli Army, made a statement this week that “the army will come back to face the rocket launching stages in the overcrowded areas and fight in cities, villages, mosques, hospitals, preschools and schools, because the enemy wants to impose this fighting mode on Israel.”

His announcement followed a statement by Amos Ydleen, chief of Israeli military intelligence, that Hamas took advantage of the calm after the Gaza war, smuggling in more weapons, especially rockets.

Yadlen added that Hamas recently launched a successful rocket experiment, with its 16 km range able to reach Tel Aviv.

Hamas has responded that “the Israeli claims express the depth of the crisis Israel is suffering because of the international affirmation for the Goldstone Report.” Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhom warned, “this statement is a step to cover the crimes which the occupation is planning for, against civilians in the strip.”

Political analyst Yhya Rabah said, “we should take these statements seriously. Israel is preparing for new hostilities in the area, maybe a big part of it in the Gaza Strip.”

Rabah explained that many signs ensure that:

“Israel didn’t accept finishing the Shalit deal, or confessing that Hamas is a real fact on land. Secondly, Israel is facing general international criticism in many cases - settlements, Al-Quds, and the lack of serious negotiation - so it seeks to discharge the depression in other areas, and the nominative area is the Gaza Strip.”

 Salem El Rayyes