In the Shadows of the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood

Some may argue that circumstances are different, the destruction is greater, the battle is protracted, and the losses are significant. However, evidence suggests that Israel has failed to achieve anything beyond acts of killing, destruction, and sabotage.

By Dr. Mustafa Al-Liddawi

The Israeli enemy seems immune to learning from its experiences, unyielding to the lessons of its failures, and reluctant to reconsider its goals. It persists in its attempts to achieve objectives it previously failed to secure in past confrontations. Despite its awareness that some goals are unattainable and fraught with challenges, obstacles, and sacrifices, the Israeli forces press forward, seemingly oblivious to the futility of their pursuits.

During the 2014 Israeli aggression on Gaza, dubbed “Operation Eaten Straw” by the Palestinian resistance, which endured for 51 grueling days, Israel declared its intention to undermine the rule of the Hamas movement. It vowed to end its existence, disarm it, destroy its tunnels, and kill or capture its leaders.

Israel asserted it would obliterate its sites, bomb its centers, dry up its resources, and form an international alliance against it. This alliance, Israel hoped, would collaborate in achieving its declared goals, even though the realization of these goals was either impossible or highly unlikely.

However, the Israeli government and its well-equipped military, enjoying superior training and coordination, failed to achieve their declared objectives. They fell short of meeting the expectations of the international community and regional powers, which had believed in the capability of Israel to achieve its announced goals.

The resistance, particularly Hamas, remained resilient, leading the defense efforts, managing the affairs of the Gaza Strip, and attending to the needs of its citizens. Despite the formidable challenges, it emerged stronger in terms of capabilities, weaponry, experience, steadfastness, popular support, and resilience.

Israel’s defeat extended beyond its failure to achieve specific objectives. It forced Israel to seek mediation, accept a ceasefire, and agree to the terms set by the Palestinian resistance. E

Egypt, acting as a mediator, witnessed the resilience, firmness, shrewdness, and intelligence displayed by the resistance in articulating its conditions. The resistance insisted on Israel’s compliance, demanded international guarantees, and sought assurance that Israel would adhere to the agreed-upon terms.

Despite the intense bombardment of various areas in the Gaza Strip, utilizing Israel’s full military capabilities—air, land, and sea—the resistance endured. It fought, trained, accumulated strength, and persisted. Hamas, at the forefront, maintained its positions, leading the resistance, managing its operations, and catering to the needs of the citizens. It monitored their conditions, provided services, and emerged even stronger than before in terms of strength, weaponry, experience, resilience, and popular support.

The Israeli losses, particularly in the Shujaiya neighborhood, due to fierce battles fought by the resistance, compelled Israel to seek a ceasefire and acknowledge its inability to achieve the anticipated goals.

Despite covert coordination with some regional powers and high expectations for reshaping the region, forging political, military, security, and economic alliances, and signing peace agreements, Israel failed to materialize its ambitions.

Some may argue that circumstances are different, the airstrikes are more intense, the destruction is greater, the battle is protracted, and the losses are significant. However, evidence suggests that Israel has failed to achieve anything beyond acts of killing, destruction, and sabotage.

The Palestinian people appear patient, accepting, standing firm, unwavering, maintaining their stance without faltering. The resistance, particularly Hamas, leading the battle, improving its operational capabilities, continuing its strikes, sniper attacks, incursions, and surprise operations, will emerge from this war victorious.

Gaza will remain steadfast and rooted, impervious to Israel’s attempts to eradicate it, terminate its existence, liquidate its leaders, isolate it from its surroundings, and quell its people.

The outcome of the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood will far surpass the results of the Operation Eaten Straw. If the latter coerced Israel into acceptance and submission, the former will redefine the region, alter the dynamics of the conflict, and redraw the power maps and influence centers in the region.

The opinions presented in this article are those of the author and may not necessarily align with the editorial stance of Quds News Network.