While Israel is consumed with election results, the IDF continues daily operations in Gaza against Hamas terrorists, striking from the air. Arafat al-Ariri, a senior Hamas operative eliminated several days ago, was the nephew of Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari, who was killed in 2012. Together with his uncle, he was one of those responsible for holding Gilad Shalit captive. On Saturday, he received a massive funeral—another reminder of the reverence Hamas still commands among a significant portion of Gazans today.
2+On Sunday night, Gazans reported a mysterious incident. Four members of the Barbakh clan were allegedly kidnapped in the Khan Yunis area. Gazans claim the clan members were abducted by Gaza militias—known to have been backed by Israel in the past—and that the Israeli Air Force provided cover during the operation. Yesterday, Husam al-Astal, the militia leader from Khan Yunis, took responsibility for the act, saying in a video he posted: “Last night, we carried out an operation to purge the tents.”
2+He added: “This operation is going to continue. We’re telling Hamas: you’re finished, and inshallah we’ll reach every tent where there are terrorists.” Al-Astal also explained in an exclusive conversation we held with him at Channel 14: “Our message is that we’re telling all the people not to let Hamas terrorists stay inside the tents, because we’re coming.” Al-Astal added: “We won’t beat people, and we won’t beat civilians. Our mission is to purge the terror even inside the tents.”
2+Gaza may have been pushed to the margins of the news cycle, but what is happening there is far from over. The strikes continue, Hamas remains in place, and the reality inside the Strip continues to generate threats and challenges that Israel will have to confront in the near future.