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Insurgency in the North Gaza Strip

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Insurgency in the North Gaza Strip
Part of the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip in the Israel–Hamas war, and the Blockade of the Gaza Strip

Reported military situation in March 2024
Date7 January 2024 – present
(10 months, 1 week and 5 days)
Location
Northern Gaza Strip, Palestine
Status Ongoing
Belligerents
Palestinian Civil Police Force[1]		  Israel
Commanders and leaders

Hamas Yahya Sinwar †
Hamas Mohammed Deif †[a]
Hamas Izz al Din al Haddad
Hamas Ibrahim Biari[2]

Faiq Al-Mabhouh †[1]		 Israel Benjamin Netanyahu
Israel Yoav Gallant
Israel Yair Palai [he]
Israel Yisrael Shomer
Israel Ami Bitton [he]
Israel Liron Betiteo [he]
Israel Benny Aharon [he]
Israel Neri Horowitz [he]
Israel Ido Mizrahi [he]
Israel Sebastian Haion †[3]
Israel Yitzhar Hofman †[4]
Israel Eyal Shuminov †[5]
Israel Lior Raviv †[6]
Israel Matan Vinogradov †[6]
Units involved

Israel Israeli Defence Forces

Casualties and losses
State of Palestine 20+ militants killed (in early stages, per IDF)[15]
1+ policemen killed		 Israel 31+ soldiers killed[6][16][17][18][19]
Israel 1 Namer APC destroyed
Israel 1 Merkava tank damaged
Israel 1 IDF Caterpillar D9 bulldozer destroyed

The insurgency in the North Gaza Strip is an armed conflict centered in the North Gaza Governorate, around the besieged Gaza City after Israel announced it had dismantled 12 Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades battalions on 7 January.[20][21][22]

Several Palestinian militant groups, led by the Al-Qassam Brigades began resurging in territories formerly cleared, after 4 months of bombardment and 3 months of ground invasion.

Course of the insurgency

Palestinian brigades organised and consolidated areas that Israeli forces had withdrawn from, and rehabilitated civilian services such as police forces.[23]

The brigades launched offensives on areas in the northern Gaza Strip held by Israeli forces. As a result, Israeli troops moved into areas that they have previously withdrawn from.[24] A Namer APC repositioning in Sheikh Radwan on 19 January was ambushed by a militant with a dual attack, first by a Shawadh IED detonation succeeded by a Yasin-105 rocket-propelled grenade fired by a Al-Qassam Brigade militants.[25] Al-Qassam brigades ambushed Israeli forces in the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood on 31 January, targeting two Merkava tanks, damaging one and an IDF Caterpillar D9.[26]

In 13 May 2024, fighting has been reported in Jabalia refugee camp. The armed wings of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed that their militants are targeting nearby IDF forces with mortars, anti-tank missiles, and machine guns.[27]

According to the BBC, unnamed senior Israeli military figures told Israeli media that Hamas's resurgence in northern Gaza was due to a lack of a specific plan from Israel's government for the "day after" the war.[27] In January 2024, Channel 13 News said that IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi warned Israeli leadership in private that their military gains could be eroded without a plan for the post-war management in Gaza.[28]

Israeli operations

Zeitoun operation

In late February, Israeli forces targeted the Zeitoun district in southwestern Gaza City with two brigades, announcing they were attacking paramilitaries in close quarters combat and with missile strikes.

The Israeli army acknowledged stiff resistance from paramilitaries in Zeitoun but not while Israeli vehicles advanced on the district, admitting casualties in three different engagements on penetrating forces on February 21. Fighting was mainly led by the Al-Qassam and Al-Quds Brigades, with minor support from smaller paramilitary groups.[29]

Al Shifa Hospital raid

Al-Shifa Hospital Raid
Date18 March 2024–1 April 2024
Location
Al-Shifa Hospital
Status Israel withdraws on 1 April after destroying most of the hospital[30]
Belligerents
 Israel

Hamas "Hamas" (Alleged)[b]

Palestinian Civil Police Force
Commanders and leaders
Israel Sebastian Haion † Hamas Faiq Al-Mabhouh † (per IDF) [31]
Units involved
 al-Qassam Brigades (On the outskirts)
Casualties and losses
2+ soldiers killed

On 17 March 2024, Israeli forces raided Rimal and occupied Al-Shifa hospital following supposed intel that senior Hamas officials had regrouped and were using the hospital "to command attacks".[32] Two patients on life support at the intensive care unit in the same building had died because the electricity supply was cut ahead of the raid.[32]

Second Zeitoun Operation

On May 9, Israel renewed operations in North Gaza, sending a force into the Zeitoun district which had faced a major battle months prior. The IDF has admitted that 4 soldiers were killed on the first day. [33]

Jabalia operation

On 12 May 2024, the IDF said that it launched an operation in Jabalia the previous evening "based on intelligence information regarding attempts by Hamas to reassemble its terrorist infrastructure and operatives in the area". According to residents fleeing the area, tanks were seen advancing towards the refugee camp, which was heavily bombarded.[27]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The assassination of Deif was claimed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). However, it was unconfirmed by independent sources.
  2. ^ The IDF do not distinguish between the Hamas political party and the Al Qassam Brigades militant wing, in their public communications in English they call both "Hamas" and so define all activity of the government "terrorist activity".

References

  1. ^ a b "Hamas police official who secured aid distribution among 50 executed in Shifa Hospital raid". MadaMasr. 19 March 2024.
  2. ^ Abed, Esam; Rothwell, James; Shamalakh, Siham (8 December 2023). "After the bombs fell: How Israel's invasion of Gaza risks radicalising a new generation of Palestinians". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 16 January 2024. The IDF said Biari 'oversaw all military operations in the northern Gaza Strip since the IDF entered'
  3. ^ "Israeli commander killed in raid on northern Gaza hospital, army says".
  4. ^ "Israeli Commander Responsible for Storming Al-Shifa Hospital Killed - VIDEO & REPORT". 17 March 2024.
  5. ^ "IDF says numerous Gaza gunmen slain in weekend fighting; company commander killed". The Times of Israel.
  6. ^ a b c https://www.gov.il/en/departments/news/swords-of-iron-idf-casualties#:~:text=Share%3A,have%20been%20killed%20in%20battle.&text=%2D%20Figures%20refer%20only%20to%20IDF%20personnel%20injured%20in%20combat.
  7. ^ "Israeli soldier seriously wounded in north Gaza fighting".
  8. ^ "Israeli soldier killed during fighting in Gaza: Army".
  9. ^ "Two Israeli soldiers killed in the Gaza Strip". Al Jazeera. 29 June 2024.
  10. ^ Fabian, Emanuel. "IDF announces deaths of three soldiers killed fighting in northern Gaza earlier today". timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  11. ^ Fabian, Emanuel. "IDF announces deaths of three soldiers killed fighting in northern Gaza earlier today". timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Israeli soldier succumbs to injuries received in northern Gaza: Israeli military".
  13. ^ "2 IDF officers killed in northern Gaza, as dozens of terror targets razed in Shejaiya". The Times of Israel. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Two reservists killed in north Gaza, as soldiers slain in Rafah blast named". The Times of Israel. 16 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  15. ^ Mills, Peter; Javeri, Ashka; Ganzeveld, Annika; Tyson, Kathryn; Carl, Nicholas (22 February 2024). "Iran Update, February 22, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  16. ^ "Israeli soldier killed during fighting in Gaza: Army".
  17. ^ "Two reservists killed in north Gaza, as soldiers slain in Rafah blast named". The Times of Israel. 16 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  18. ^ "Two Israeli soldiers killed in the Gaza Strip". Al Jazeera. 29 June 2024.
  19. ^ "2 IDF officers killed in northern Gaza, as dozens of terror targets razed in Shejaiya". The Times of Israel. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  20. ^ Jhaveri, Ashka; Soltani, Amin; Moore, Johanna; Tyson, Kathryn; Braverman, Alexandra; Carl, Nicholas (7 January 2024). "Iran Update, January 7, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  21. ^ Clarke, Colin P. (5 February 2024). "The Counterinsurgency Trap in Gaza". Foreign Affairs. 103 (2). Council on Foreign Relations. ISSN 2327-7793. OCLC 863038729. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  22. ^ Rasgon, Adam; Boxerman, Aaron (23 February 2024). "As Gaza War Grinds On, Israel Prepares for a Prolonged Conflict". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  23. ^ Burke, Jason (30 January 2024). "Hamas regroups in northern Gaza to prepare new offensive". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  24. ^ Barbakh, Arafat; Siu, Tyrone; Al-Mughrabi, Nidal (16 January 2024). "Gaza combat resurges as Israeli tanks storm back into areas they left". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  25. ^ "استهداف آليات الاحتلال في الشيخ رضوان" [Targeting occupation mechanisms in Sheikh Radwan]. risala (in Arabic). 17 January 2024.
  26. ^ "alahed".
  27. ^ a b c Gritten, David (13 May 2024). "Gaza war: Palestinians flee as Israeli forces go back into Jabalia". BBC. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  28. ^ "Hamas moves to reassert power in Gaza City areas from which Israeli forces withdrew". The Times of Israel. 3 February 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  29. ^ Parry, Andie; Soltani, Amin; Moore, Johanna; Braverman, Alexandra; Tyson, Kathryn; Arman, Ahmad Omid; McGill, Anne; Fitzpatrick, Kitaneh; Carter, Brian (21 February 2024). "Iran update, February 21, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  30. ^ Knell, Yolande; Seddon, Sean (1 April 2024). "Gaza's al-Shifa hospital in ruins after two-week Israeli raid". BBC. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  31. ^ "Top hamas man killed in shifa hospital". The Times of Israel.
  32. ^ a b Gunter, Joel; Gritten, David (18 March 2024). "Israel launches night raid on Gaza al-Shifa hospital". BBC News. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  33. ^ "Israeli Palestinian conflict mental health impact". The times of Israel. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
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