Hamas

War Diary: Day 61

This is Beirut brings you a daily recap of the situation in Gaza. Here are the main highlights for December 6, 2023.

‘Al-Aqsa Flood Vanguards’: a Political Message to the PLO and Lebanon?

Hamas’ Lebanon branch has been going out of its way to “clear up” what it called “the misunderstanding” provoked by its announcement on Monday, December 4, of the establishment of the “al-Aqsa Flood Vanguards.” “We want to clarify the confusion and misunderstanding that the statement has caused. We want to assure the Lebanese that ...

Israeli Army Intercepts Missile Targeting Eilat

The Israeli Army reported that it had intercepted a surface-to-surface missile targeting Eilat, a southern town in Israel. In a post on X, the Israeli Army spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, said, “Following the warning in the area of the city of Eilat, a surface-to-surface missile was detected, launched into the territory of the State of Israel and ...

Hezb Instrumentalizes Hamas in Resolution 1701

Hamas’ announcement in Lebanon regarding the formation of the "Vanguards of the Al-Aqsa Flood" didn’t come as a surprise to observers. Hamas shares a political, security and military operations room with Hezbollah, and some of its key figures are based in Beirut in order to coordinate with the so-called Axis of Moumanaa (Iran and its allies) ...

Editorial – Hamas’ Announcement: Double Standards

A serious misstep... Both in presentation and principle. On Tuesday, while using convoluted language, the spokesperson for the Hamas movement in Lebanon felt it necessary (upon whose advice?) to elaborate on the previous day's announcement regarding the establishment of "Al-Aqsa Flood Vanguards." Thus, the Palestinian fundamentalist figure ...

China-US Talks on De-Escalating Israel-Hamas Conflict

The top diplomats from China and the US weighed in on the Israel-Hamas dispute, emphasizing the urgent need for de-escalation and the necessity for all sides to take action to halt the conflict's spread. However, China warned against US support for Taiwan, insisting on non-interference in its internal affairs. The top diplomats from China and ...

Intense Clashes as Israel Encircles Khan Yunis

The Israeli army intensified its encirclement of southern Gaza's main city, Khan Yunis, engaging in fierce combat with Hamas militants and prompting the displacement of civilians. The conflict has shifted south, causing extensive damage in the north and resulting in a high death toll. The Israeli army encircled the main city in southern Gaza on ...

Israel Presses On with South Gaza Invasion

Israel pressed on with its expanded ground operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday following the end of a seven-day truce last week. The Israeli army said its ground forces were engaged in fighting in Gaza's second-biggest city, Khan Yunis, in the south of the territory. The Israeli military confirmed that its ground forces were ...

US Sanctions Extremist Israeli Settlers

The United States on Tuesday announced its decision to deny visas to extremist Israeli settlers involved in attacks against Palestinians. This move is aimed at increasing pressure to mitigate a surge in violence in the West Bank amid the Gaza war. The United States said Tuesday it would refuse visas for extremist Israeli settlers who attack ...

Mistreatment and Abuse in Israeli Prisons

Former Palestinian detainees, released as part of a prisoner-hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas, have reported incidents of beatings, deprivation and a significant deterioration in conditions in Israeli jails, particularly following Hamas's violent attacks on October 7. Released under a prisoner-hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas, ...

Hamas in Lebanon Tries to Put Things Right

Hamas's branch in Lebanon tried on Tuesday to put things right after the wave of indignation caused by its announcement the previous day that it had set up a group dubbed the Al-Aqsa Flood Vanguards with the mission of "liberating Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque." Its representative in Lebanon Ahmad Abdel Hadi told the Al-Nashra website that ...

Al-Aqsa Flood Vanguards: An Attack on Lebanon's Sovereignty

The announcement on Monday by the Lebanese branch of Hamas of the creation of a new group called the "Al-Aqsa Flood Vanguards" with the mission of "liberating Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” continued on Tuesday to provoke widespread criticism from the ranks of the opposition, who denounced it as a flagrant attack on Lebanon's ...