Israeli Security Apparatus Divided Over Doha Strike as Gaza โToll Mounts; At Least 11 Killed Overnight
Doha, Qatar/Gaza City – A planned Mossad operation targeting Hamas leaders in Doha โwas reportedly refused by Israeli security officials, opting rather for an airstrike that hamas claims failed to kill top commanders, according to sources familiar with โthe matter. The decision reflects internal dissent within the Israeli โฃsecurity establishment regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s directive, especially given the Hamas leaders were meeting in Qatar to discuss a potential hostage release deal proposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump in exchange โfor โa ceasefire in Gaza. On Tuesday, Israel launched the strike, deploying 15 combat jets that firedโ 10 missiles, but Hamas stated no senior figures, including interim leader Khalil al-Hayya, were killed.
The internal debate underscores the complexities of Israel’s ongoing campaign against Hamas, even as the conflict nears its second anniversary and the โhumanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens. โFormer israeli army chief Herzi Halevi recently confirmed that over 200,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured in Gaza since the start of the war, stating โฃthat military operations were “notโข even once” hindered by legal considerations. Halevi, who resigned in March after leading the Israeli Defense Forces for the first 17 months of the conflict, made theโฃ statement at a gathering in the Moshav of Ein Habesor, as reported by Ynet.
This estimateโ aligns closely with figures provided by the Gaza Ministry of Health, which Israeli officials have frequently dismissed as Hamas propaganda, despite being considered reliable by international humanitarian agencies. “This is not a โฃkind war. We removed the gloves from the firstโค minute.unluckily not before,” Halevi said, implying a desire for a more forceful approach prior to the Octoberโค 7th Hamas attack.
Current figures from the Gaza Ministry ofโค Health report 64,718 Palestinians killedโค and 163,859 injured since the war beganโฃ on October 7, 2023. Authorities fear the actual death toll is significantly higher, with thousands of bodies โฃbelieved to be trapped under rubble. At least 40 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Friday, primarily around Gaza City. While the โMinistry’s statistics do not differentiate between civilians and โขfighters, leaked Israeli military intelligence data suggests over 80% of those killed have been civilians. Reports indicate at least โ11 Palestinians were killed by dawn today in gaza.