National Crime Agency (NCA)’s Post

This operation confirmed several key points about this conflict. First, Israel is determined to render Hamas combat ineffective by readiness attrition through loss of personnel and the capture or elimination of key leadership. Second, that Hamas was operating out of a civilian hospital illustrates their unwillingness to comply with accepted norms of warfare, particularly with regard to civilians who are highly vulnerable when combatants (Hamas) insinuate themselves with innocent civilians to protect themselves. Third, despite the “international experts” who are endeavoring to influence Israel’s strategy and operations, there is a determination in Tel Aviv to persevere with their plan to elimate the Hamas threat. #israel #hamas #hospital #gaza #capture #fighters #leaders #civilians #vulnerability #threat #international #viewpoints #influence #determination #strategy #operations #warfare #norms #attrition #military #defense https://lnkd.in/ektSgr2x

Eight months into 2023, #BurkinaFaso is by some measures the most conflict-affected in all of West Africa. So far this year, ACLED’s conservative estimates indicate that more than 6,000 people have been killed — the highest death toll since the crisis began in the country in 2015. Intensified military operations, mass mobilization for the state-backed volunteer program, and militant violence have contributed to the ongoing escalation. Mass atrocities and extrajudicial killings by militants, volunteer fighters, and security forces continue unabated, with more than 1,600 civilians killed so far this year. The number of reported civilian fatalities has already exceeded last year’s total by 17%. More in our fact sheet here: bit.ly/3sXxXZ8

Every innocent victim is a tragedy. But not every civilian death in war is evidence of illegal conduct by one of the parties. The law of war operates in an environment that is inherently brutal and tragic. Law cannot banish that brutality altogether. It aims, more modestly, to mitigate war’s cruelty by balancing military necessity with humanitarian aims. International humanitarian law’s most powerful instrument for protecting innocents is separating combatants from civilians. Armed forces cannot target civilians. And they must separate their own military assets from the civilian population. It is Hamas’s defiance of both of those rules that has made each successive phase of this war a humanitarian catastrophe.

THREAD (to be updated w/new information as it becomes available): The Somali Federal Government and Al-Shabaab are engaged in competition on a multitude of fronts: military, governance, media/information space, and in the realm of public perception (domestically, regionally, and internationally). The latest example of the SFG's and AS' multi-domain duel centers around a recent attack (or attacks) in the El Dheer (Ceel Dheer) district of the Galguduud region in the Galmudug federal member state in central Somalia. Both the SFG and AS claim, as per usual, to have carried the day and to have inflicted "heavy casualties" on the other. While the SFG looks to have retained control of El Dheer town, AS, per its own media releases and local accounts, seems to have at least temporarily overrun some SFG positions, destroying or capturing a number of military vehicles with Somali National Army license plates and markings as well as weapons, ammunition, and equipment. The war of perceptions is often as important as what actually happened. As I've argued in previous publications, a 'victory' for AS is often casting enough doubt in the public eye of the SFG, the African Union, the U.S., or one of the group's other enemies to convince audiences that, in the realm of reliability, it's at best a wash between the insurgents (AS) and their enemies or even that AS is, even if slightly, (perceived to be) more consistently reliable, whether or not that is actually true. Once a perception and reputation are solidified over time, it becomes very difficult to change public opinion.

Urban warfare. Terrorists. People who disregard life and all the norms of society. That is #hamas . #hamasisisis According to international law, when a hospital, school, church, mosque, etc, is used to conduct war activities, it loses its protected status. It is a war crime. For the ones using it. Not the side that needs to get rid of the enemy and must be placed in the horrible position to fight in such an area. The IDF did a heroic job of minimizing civilian casualties and at great personal risk to every soldier. Here's the update: *🇮🇱-The IDF completes operations at Al-Shifa hospital* - 200 Hamas terrorists killed - 500 terrorists captured - 6000 civilians evacuated to protect them from the fighting *If Hamas never returned to the hospital, it wouldn’t have sustained damages*

Just a reminder for the Hamas cry babies: According to international law, when a hospital, school, church, mosque, etc, is used to conduct war activities, it loses its protected status, farthermore, it is a war crime by the ones using it. For more details, read Susan's excellent coverage below.

Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza and the mastermind behind the October 7 massacre, grossly inflated Hamas’ military achievements in his first public statement since the start of the war, claiming that the terror organization is on its way to “crushing” the IDF.   Let’s take a closer look at the radically distorted figures he provided. ❌ Sinwar falsely claimed that the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, had killed over 1,500 soldiers, which is 10 times the actual figure released by the IDF (although it should be noted that over 300 members of the security forces were killed in the initial October 7 onslaught). ❌ Sinwar falsely claimed that around 3,500 troops were seriously wounded or disabled, whereas that figure according to the IDF stands at less than 200. ❌ Sinwar false claimed that Hamas had completely or partially destroyed 750 Israeli military vehicles whereas a high-ranking IDF officer said in November (I could not find any later figures) that “very few” IDF vehicles had been severely damaged beyond repair, and that most vehicles that are hit are returned to fighting. So doesn't it make it even more plausible that the number of Gazan civilians killed and injured in Israel’s aerial assaults, according to Hamas, has also been grossly exaggerated? I know neither the purpose nor the source of this video (there was a DIFFERENT video which made the rounds showing an "injured" little girl and that was determined to have been a trailer for a Lebanese film) and I cannot stand behind any claims related to its origin, but it sure makes you wonder what information coming out of Gaza is to be believed and what is pure fantasy. #StandwithIsrael #pallywood

Urban warfare has a catastrophic impact on civilian populations and poses serious legal and operational challenges. The impact of this kind of conflict extends beyond its immediate effects, endangering civilians with blockades that have a devastating impact on them. This impact ranges from food shortages and disruption of essential services like electricity and water to challenges in accessing vital healthcare services and internal displacement, in addition to an unestimated number of missing and separated persons from their families. A picture of civilians displaced from the city of Sinja -The capital of Sennar state-after the outbreak of military operations. #Sudan_war #Urban_warfare

The human element the article describes is those furthest from the execution are making critical decisions for those doing the doing. The C-Suite and upper echelons of government are most similar in that aspect. #leadership #veterans #veteranshelpingveterans #marinecorps #business

Senior Hamas military intelligence officer during an ISA interrogation. "Units of the military intelligence operated from Shifa Hospital. The Interior Ministry, the Emergency Committees and the government of Hamas also worked from there. It's a safe place." Do you know what it's a safe place ⁉️ Hamas knows hiding in hospitals gives it “security” because the international community turns a blind eye to its violations of international law and blames Israel. Where is the World Health Organization ⁉️ Watch the full interrogation: #standwithtruth #standwithhumanity #standwithisrael