Daily Sabah – July 14, 2024
Hamas quits Gaza talks after Israeli strike against leader kills 92
The Palestinian resistance group Hamas said Sunday it was pulling out of Gaza truce talks after an Israeli airstrike against one of its military leaders killed over 90 civilians.
A senior official of the group confirmed the decision while another source claimed Hamas commander Mohammed Deif was "fine" despite the attack.
"Commander Mohammed Deif is well and directly overseeing" the operations of the Hamas military wing, the official told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Israel staged a huge bombing raid on a camp for displaced people in southern Gaza on Saturday that it said was an attempt to kill Deif.
Another senior official from the group, which has been fighting a nine-month conflict with Israel in the Gaza Strip, said Hamas was withdrawing from cease-fire talks because of Israeli "massacres" and the country's attitude in negotiations.
The Gazan Health Ministry said at least 92 people had been killed, more than half of them women and children, and 300 wounded in a strike on the al-Mawasi camp.
Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's Qatar-based political chief, told international mediators of the "decision to halt negotiations due to the occupation's (Israel) lack of seriousness, continued policy of procrastination and obstruction, and the ongoing massacres against unarmed civilians," the official said.
Talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt, with U.S. support, have for months tried but failed to bring a halt to Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.
No safe space
Al-Mawasi, where the Health Ministry said dozens had been killed, had in May been declared a safe humanitarian zone by the Israeli military and civilians were ordered to evacuate to it. However, there have been multiple deadly incidents blamed on Israeli strikes.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, described the area as "a sandy 14-square-kilometer (5.4-square-mile) agricultural land, where people are left out in the open with little to no buildings or roads."
"The claim that people in Gaza can move to 'safe' or 'humanitarian' zones is false," said Lazzarini on social media site X.
Israel said it had targeted Deif, the head of the Al-Qassam Brigades, as well as Rafa Salama, a brigade commander, in a strike Saturday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said late Saturday there was "no certainty" either man had been killed in the strike.
Deif has been among Israel's most wanted men for decades and is blamed by Israeli authorities for the killings of multiple civilians and soldiers. There have been at least six previous attempts on his life.
He announced in an audio message the start of Hamas's surprise the Oct. 7 incursion on southern Israel, which sparked the Gaza war, and the military has labeled him and Salama "two of the masterminds" of the incursion.
Separately on Sunday, rescuers said at least eight people were killed in three separate strikes on different parts of Gaza City.
The Israeli military meanwhile said operations were continuing throughout the territory, including in Gaza City and Rafah.
Hamas' Oct. 7 incursion caused the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.
The groups also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 42 the military says are dead.
Israel's genocidal war, in response, has killed at least 38,443 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
'Horrific massacre'
The deaths in the camp in al-Mawasi drew condemnation from governments across the region, with Egypt's Foreign Ministry saying such "crimes ... cannot be accepted under any justification whatsoever."
The Israeli military said of its attack targeting Deif that "the area that was struck is an open area, surrounded by trees, several buildings and sheds. It was not a tent complex, but an operational compound."
A Hamas statement rejected Israel's claim it had targeted Deif, saying it was intended "to cover up the magnitude of the horrific massacre."
Earlier this week, U.S. President Joe Biden had said that a framework for a truce and hostage deal he had set out earlier in the war was "now agreed on by both Israel and Hamas."
"There are still gaps to close, but we're making progress," he added.
On Saturday night Hamas official Bassem Naim told AFP that Netanyahu was to blame for the impasse and called on Biden to put "sufficient pressure" on the Israeli leader to secure a deal.
The negotiations were brought to a halt by Hamas's withdrawal Sunday but the official quoted Haniyeh as saying that the group was "ready to resume negotiations when the occupation government (Israel) demonstrates seriousness in reaching a cease-fire agreement and a prisoner exchange deal."
An Israeli security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Saturday that the strike showed Israel "will continue to target senior Hamas leadership" even as it "pursues negotiations for a hostage agreement."
https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/hamas-quits-gaza-talks-after-israeli-strike-against-leader-kills-92
Jerusalem Post – July 15, 2024
Iran's President Pezeshkian speaks with Hamas leader, praises Houthis
“We appreciate Iran for playing a role in supporting the Palestinian cause, and we demand more political and diplomatic efforts to bring an end to Israel’s aggression,” Haniyeh said.
According to Iranian state media, IRNA, on Monday, the new president of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, spoke with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh who “expressed gratitude towards the Islamic Republic of Iran over its support for the Palestinian cause, and called for stepped-up diplomatic efforts to end the Israeli regime’s aggression against Gaza.”
The Iranian leader also held a phone call with the Houthis in Yemen, in which he praised their nine months of attacks in “support” of Hamas in Gaza.
The phone call was one of several that Pezeshkian has held since his election. In each case, he acted to showcase Iran’s close ties to anti-Western countries – such as Russia – and also to make it clear that Iran will continue to back terrorist groups – such as Hezbollah and Hamas.
Earlier this year, the International Criminal Court (ICC) sought to indict Haniyeh for his role in the October 7 massacre in Israel. Haniyeh resides in Qatar, an ally of the US, where he and other Hamas leaders live.
According to IRNA, “the Iranian president-elect stressed that his country will never stop backing the Palestinian people in these difficult times.”
Pezeshkian has also “hailed Yemeni leaders and people for their courageous decision to support the Palestinian nation at a time when some governments have refused to take any action to back the Palestinians in the face of Israeli aggression.”
Reaching out to the proxies
The Houthis have carried out hundreds of attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean and have targeted Israel with drones and missiles. The Houthis claim to be supporting the Palestinians, but their attacks began after October 7. The group is backed by Iran, and Iranian military technology has enabled them to expand their drone and missile programs to achieve greater threats against shipping.
According to the report, Pezeshkian also spoke with Mahdi al-Mashat, the Houthi chairman of Yemen’s Supreme Political Council, praising “Yemen’s months-long military operations targeting Israel-linked ships in the high seas over its war in the besieged territory.” Pezeshkian noted Iran’s long ties with Yemen and said his administration would make efforts to further expand ties with the Houthis.
Meanwhile, Iran’s acting foreign minister Ali Bahgeri Kani was set to head to New York on Monday to take part in a UN Security Council meeting focused on the Palestinians. The meeting is chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Kani has been working hard to shore up Iran’s close ties with Russia since the death of his predecessor in a helicopter crash. It is not clear if Kani will continue in his role as foreign minister, as he is currently “acting;” he could yet be replaced by Pezeshkian. His performance in New York will be watched closely in Tehran.
https://m.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-810362
Hezbollah attacks Israeli sites, border town mourns civilian martyrs
The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah conducted a number of operations against Israeli occupation forces on Monday.
Initially, Hezbollah fighters fired unspecified "rocket weapons" at a grouping of Israeli soldiers near the Birannit Barracks, dealing direct hits to the intended targets.
At 10:50 am, Resistance fighters launched anti-tank guided missiles at the Israeli al-Raheb military sites, destroying spyware placed on the site.
Later on Monday afternoon, Hezbollah fighters fired artillery shells at the al-Summaqah military site in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Chouba Hills.
On the other hand, Israeli fighter jets, artillery, and drones launched aggressions on the towns of Meis al-Jabal, Marwahin, Kfar Kila, Kfar Hamam, Kfar Hamam, and Bint Jbeil.
Kfar Kila mourns civilian martyrs
In the border town of Kfar Kila, opposite the Metulla Israeli settlement, dozens of locals participated in the funeral of two civilian martyrs, Mousa Sleiman and Najib Halawi.
Both men were killed in an Israeli drone strike that targeted them on the Khardali Road, which links border villages to the city of al-Nabatiyeh. In a show of defiance, and despite the fact that Kfar Kila has been subject to near-daily artillery shelling or strikes, citizens buried the two martyrs in the village's cemetery on Monday.
The two martyrs were filling up containers from a water spring, to later deliver them to the village. At this point, an Israeli drone directly fired a missile at them, which led to their martyrdom.
It is also worth noting that Najib Halawi was the father of Hezbollah martyr Mohammad Najib Halawi, the first fallen fighter from Kfar Kila in the Battle of Al-Aqsa Flood.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hezbollah-attacks-israeli-sites--border-town-mourns-civilian
Responsible Statecraft – July 15, 2024
Will Turkey eventually support Hezbollah?
Right now President Erdogan says he's in 'solidarity with Lebanon' if a major war breaks out between the militant group and Israel
A full-scale confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel could easily destabilize other parts of the Middle East, exacerbate regional tensions, and create serious humanitarian disasters in Lebanon.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he is standing with Lebanon.
Last month, he addressed Israel’s war in Gaza and the dangers of a full-scale war in southern Lebanon. While calling Western support for Israel “pitiful” and warning about a “big catastrophe” as a result of “Netanyahu’s plans to spread the [Gaza] war to the region,” Erdogan declared that Turkey stands “in solidarity with Lebanon.”
While Turkey may not play a central role in any future conflict and its direct investments in Lebanon are limited, officials in Ankara are concerned that an Israel-Hezbollah war could spark a multi-continental crisis that would negatively affect Turkey’s interests across many countries.
“Turkey’s warnings against such an escalation reflect its commitment to regional stability and its desire to avoid severe humanitarian, geopolitical, security, and economic consequences,” said Gökhan Ereli, the Gulf Studies Coordinator at ORSAM (an Ankara-based think tank), in an interview with RS.
Changes in Turkey-Hezbollah relations?
Despite past tensions between Turkey and Hezbollah, it is evident that the Israeli war on Gaza war and its regional expansion have arguably put Ankara and the Lebanese organization in the same boat, at least to some extent.
“Erdogan has positioned Turkey as leader of the Islamic World and champion of the Palestinians. Although Hezbollah and Turkey were adversaries during Syria’s civil war – with [the former] supporting the Syrian Arab Army and [the latter] supporting the opposition militias, the two are now on the same side, supporting the Palestinians,” explained Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, in an interview with RS.
When addressing Erdogan’s statement about being in “solidarity with Lebanon,” Ereli told RS that such language “underscores Turkey’s critical stance towards Israel’s aggressive policies and their potential to exacerbate regional conflicts.”
He added that the Turkish president’s “use of the term ‘pitiful’ to describe Western governments’ support for Israel highlights Turkey’s disapproval of what it sees as a one-sided approach that neglects the broader consequences for regional stability.”
But Ereli also stressed the importance of distinguishing between Erdogan’s support for Lebanon as a state versus Hezbollah as a political entity.
“Erdogan’s expression of solidarity with [the Lebanese] state should not be interpreted as support for Hezbollah or any other non-state actor. Rather, his remarks are directed towards the Lebanese state and the brotherly people of Lebanon, emphasizing Turkey’s commitment to supporting the sovereignty and stability of Lebanon amidst the ongoing tensions,” he told RS.
Limits to Turkey's Clout
As much as Ankara would like to see Israel show restraint vis-à-vis Lebanon, some experts believe that Turkey is not necessarily positioned to do much to influence either Hezbollah or Israel. They also maintain that Ankara’s political stakes in Lebanon are much lower than those which Turkey has in Palestine.
“Turkey would of course have to react to the crisis, especially if it were to engulf Syria and trigger more instability south of the Turkish border,” said Aron Lund, a Middle East expert at Century International, in an RS interview.
“But I don’t think Turkey has a lot of leverage or even, to be frank, a lot at stake in Lebanon. It’s still some way removed from Turkey’s home territory and core interests. Lebanon and Hezbollah do not hold the same emotional appealﾠas the cause of Palestine. Israel invading Lebanon would probably be seen as one more transgression to protest, but Erdogan and his supporters are already very worked up about Gaza,” he added.
Intensifying friction in Turkish-Israeli relations
More than nine months into Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, Ankara-Tel Aviv relations have significantly worsened. This is not just about strong rhetoric. Turkey’s ban on trade with Israel in May, from which Azerbaijan’s export of oil to Israel that depends on a Turkish port was exempted, highlighted the seriousness of bilateral tensions.
Two main factors likely explain why Ankara has, until now, permitted Azerbaijan’s oil to keep flowing to Israel via Turkey. First, cutting off these flows from Azerbaijan to Israel would harm Turkey’s economy. Second, Baku is probably Ankara’s single closest ally, and Turkish policymakers understand the negative impact that such a move would have on Azerbaijan.
But if an all-out Hezbollah-Israel war erupts this summer, “Erdogan will be forced to ratchet up penalties on Israel,” according to Landis, who believes that under such circumstances the Turkish government would likely find itself under serious popular pressure to extend the trade ban to Azerbaijan’s oil.
There have already been protests in Turkey against Azerbaijan’s oil exemption. The Israeli war economy depends on this oil from Azerbaijan, which the Israelis have become significantly more reliant upon since the start of this year.
Yet, the door to diplomacy between Ankara and Tel Aviv is not entirely shut. Despite all the friction with Israel, Erdogan’s government has not severed diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv, and a dialogue has continued between the two countries since October 7, 2023.
“Although political and diplomatic ties have been stressed, it is important to note that both countries have not permanently withdrawn their ambassadors but have called them back for security consultations and discussions,” explained Ereli. “This indicates that Turkey is still leaving room for diplomatic channels with Israel.”
However, the Ankara-based analyst warned that “any new acts of aggression by Israel could jeopardize this delicate balance and potentially push relations to a new low.ﾔ
Ultimately, while Ankara has thus far kept some level of diplomatic engagement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, it is worth considering how a major Israeli offensive in southern Lebanon could change the picture.
“Turkey remains committed to maintaining a level of diplomatic engagement, but continued hostilities could risk further deterioration of ties, making future reconciliation efforts between Turkey and Israel more challenging,” Ereli told RS.
Giorgio Cafiero is the CEO and founder of Gulf State Analytics, a geopolitical risk consultancy based in Washington, DC. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Georgetown University, and an Adjunct Fellow at the American Security Project.
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/turkey-israel-gaza/
Yemeni forces attack two oil tankers in Red Sea, one in Mediterranean
The Yemeni Armed Forces launched three attacks on oil tankers in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.
The Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) conducted three operations targeting crude oil tankers in the Red Sea and a joint operation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeting another crude oil tanker in the Mediterranean, the spokesperson for the YAF, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced.
The first operation saw multiple unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), suicide drones, and ballistic missiles launched at the BENTLEY I oil products tanker in the Red Sea. The operation was jointly conducted by the YAF's Navy, Rocket Force, and Unmanned Air Force on Monday.
Saree also said that the YAF struck the CHIOS LION oil tanker with a USV in the Red Sea.
The spokesperson said that the two ships were attacked after they violated the terms of Yemen's embargo on the Israeli occupation.
UKMTO, a maritime security company, released two warnings regarding similar incidents, the first of which related to a ship, located 97 nautical miles to the northwest of al-Hudaydah, Yemen. It said that at around 12:00 pm (UTC), a vessel was attacked by a USV, which impacted its port side causing damage and light smoke.
The monitor also reported on an attack on another vessel, 70 nautical miles southeast of al-Hudaydah, saying that the vessel was attacked on multiple occasions and that one USV exploded in close proximity at 3:30 pm (UTC).
In the Mediterranean, the YAF and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq launched an attack on the OLIVIA oil tanker. Saree said that the operation achieved the intended goals.
"The continuation of the Israeli aggression in committing massacres against our brothers in Gaza will only push the Yemeni people, their armed forces, and their faithful, struggling leadership to [conduct more operations in support of the Palestinian people]," Saree stated.
This Saree said would only stop until the Israeli aggression on Gaza is ended and the siege on the Palestinian people is lifted.
Türkiye commemorates 8th anniversary of 2016 coup attempt
Every year since 2016, nation marks July 15 as Democracy and National Unity Day, with events held nationwide to commemorate those who lost their lives beating back putschists
Türkiye on Monday is marking the eighth anniversary of the July 15, 2016 defeated coup attempt, remembering the lives lost and celebrating the nation's unity.
Since its designation in October 2016, every year the nation marks July 15 as Democracy and National Unity Day, with events held nationwide to commemorate those who lost their lives beating back the putschists and to remember the bravery of the nation.
The defeated coup bid, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 were wounded, was plotted and carried out by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its US-based leader Fethullah Gulen.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan laid flowers at the July 15 Martyrs' Bridge monument.
In his address following the event in Istanbul, Erdogan expressed great pride in recalling the "nation's heroic resistance against tanks and lethal weapons using only their bare hands."
He is later scheduled to participate in a commemoration program at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
In a show of unity and respect, Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya attended a ceremony at the July 15 Martyrs' Cemetery in the capital.
Turkish Grand National Assembly speaker Numan Kurtulmus also marked the occasion with a powerful statement, saying: "That night, our people, with their love for the homeland and passion for independence, did not allow the coup plotters who intended to occupy."
Marking the occasion, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said: "Our beloved nation will never allow forces, whether principal or proxy, that attempt to undermine our independence."
He emphasized the ongoing efforts to bring FETO members abroad to justice and paid tribute to the martyrs and veterans of July 15.
Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
Turkish officials have requested that the US extradite Gulen – living in Pennsylvania – to face Turkish justice, but US officials have not granted the request.
Turkish embassies and consulates worldwide organize commemorative events, highlighting the international significance of the failed coup attempt.
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