The documents were found on the bodies of Hamas terrorists by Israeli first responders and shared with NBC News. They include detailed maps and show that Hamas intended to kill or take hostage civilians and school children.
One page labeled “Top Secret” outlines a plan of attack for Kfar Sa’ad, saying “Combat unit 1” is directed to “contain the new Da’at school,” while “Combat unit 2” is to “collect hostages,” “search the Bnei Akiva youth center” and “search the old Da’at school.”
Another page labeled “Top Secret Maneuver” describes a plan for a Hamas unit to secure the east side of Kfar Sa’ad while a second unit controls the west. It says “kills as many as possible” and “capture hostages.” Other orders include surrounding a dining hall and holding hostages in it.
Odd. The media reported that the IDF issued a statement to Northern Gazans that they had 24 hours to evacuate, but I don’t see any mention of a time period in the statement:
The IDF calls for the evacuation of all civilians of Gaza City from their homes southwards for their own safety and protection and move to the area south of the Wadi Gaza, as shown on the map.
The Hamas terrorist organization waged a war against the State of Israel and Gaza City is an area where military operations take place. This evacuation is for your own safety.
You will be able to return to Gaza City only when another announcement permitting it is made. Do not approach the area of the security fence with the State of Israel.
Hamas terrorists are hiding in Gaza City inside tunnels underneath houses and inside buildings populated with innocent Gazan civilians.
Civilians of Gaza City, evacuate south for your own safety and the safety of your families and distance yourself from Hamas terrorists who are using you as human shields.
In the following days, the IDF will continue to operate significantly in Gaza City and make extensive efforts to avoid harming civilians.
To be fair, telling someone who is raging that they should calm down tends to escalate rather than deescalate.
I’m not an expert in diplomacy, but it seems like publicly siding with them and empathizing at least affords one the opportunity to try and privately talk them down.
Whether we’re doing that or not though, I have no idea. I can only hope.
You really think the warning wasn’t to do with the message, but out of concern the professional diplomats might deliver it in an undiplomatic way? That’s not being fair, that’s inventing excuses.
The to be fair part was strictly limited to the first sentence. Telling someone who is caught in a fit of rage to calm down has never, in the history of the world, led to them calming down.
The second half was speculative hope that is why we were doing it and not that we’re actually backing this action of death and destruction.
I don’t think that Netanyahu is out of his mind with rage, nor do I believe that this framing works in the context of international relations. Whether he listens or not, he needs to be told by his allies to deescalate. The world is watching.
Netanyahu doesn’t need to be told to deescalate. He needs to deescalate.
I don’t care if the word “deescalate” or “calm” isn’t being said in public if whatever is being said in private leads to deescalation.
This article frames it closer to what I suggested, that emotions are running high and they’re privately trying to keep the Israelis from committing genocide:
I really and truly believe that a strong public message to the effect that Netanyahu does not have impunity is going to be more effective in that regard. If deescalation is the goal, perhaps take both approaches simultaneously for best results.