Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
29 January 2024 | 11:55 a.m. CAT
3-min read

The carnage continues in Gaza as Israel’s onslaught continues into its 114^th day.

Despite Israel’s desperate genocidal attempts, up to 80% of Hamas’ tunnel system beneath Gaza reportedly remains intact, as assessed by senior Israeli military officials and revealed in a Wall Street Journal report.

“[Trying to destroy the tunnels] is a very hard mission. It’s done slowly, very carefully. It is urban warfare unseen globally,” Moulana Ebrahim Moosa reported from the Israeli military assessment during this week’s Palestine Report on Radio Islam International.

The minister of the Israeli war cabinet, Benny Gantz, has reportedly stated that the war against Hamas could potentially last up to 10 years or even an “entire generation”.

The fallout from the Israeli assault has extended beyond Gaza’s borders, with recent drone attacks targeting a US military base in Jordan. Three US soldiers were killed and 30 injured in the attack on Tower 22, which originated from Syria and was reportedly carried out by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. Hamas has issued a statement indicating that such an attack is not surprising, as well as warnings about the potential for broader conflict.

“Hamas has repeatedly warned that if Israel is not pressured to stop this war, then it will engulf the entire region,” Moulana Moosa reported.

A meeting in Paris over the weekend was attended by key intelligence and diplomatic figures. The emerging so-called agreement was discussed by Director of the Mossad, David Barnea and CIA Director Bill Burns. Also in attendance at the ceasefire negotiations in France were director of the Shin Bet security service Ronen Bar, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdalrahman Al Thani, and Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel.

“There are talks about a two-month stop. All of these are plans that need to be taken with a pinch of salt,” Moulana Moosa said. The negotiations included the release of Israeli prisoners of war in exchange for large numbers of Palestinian political prisoners.

Moulana Moosa notes that the Israeli’s are aiming for political gains.

“They are talking about reforming the Palestinian Authority through these negotiations. Another trick is deals of normalisation between Israel and Saudi Arabia in exchange for the Israeli agreement in principle to support the establishment of a so-called Palestinian state,” Moulana Moosa said.

Moulana Moosa expressed hope that the future of Gaza is filled with revival efforts, the establishment of the Mujahideen and the reinstatement of the genuine Islamic Government of Gaza.

The focus of a conference in Jerusalem on Sunday centred on reestablishing 15 Jewish settlements in Gaza. This raises concerns about Israeli intent to further dispel Gazans from their homeland.

“The event was convened by a right-wing organisation called Nahala which advocates for Jewish-only settlement, and they have already established groups who are ready to move to Gaza immediately,” Moulana Moosa reported.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) faces funding challenges following allegations from Israeli authorities. Claims of employee involvement in resistance operations have led several Western countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, to suspend funding to UNRWA.

Critics argue that these allegations are unsubstantiated and part of a broader effort to delegitimise Palestinian relief organizations. The suspension of funding threatens to exacerbate humanitarian crises in Gaza, where UNRWA plays a role in providing assistance to vulnerable populations.

“But the key thing is that hypocrisy is laid bare: Based on 12 UNRWA employees who are part of the Palestinian nation and perhaps participated in a legitimate resistance the United States took 3 seconds to suspend funding to the entire UNRWA based on these feeble allegations. Whereas the ongoing calls from the International Court of Justice were not met with any kind of response. It’ part of the coordinated plan to further starvation within Gaza. And yet, as Israel commits war crime after war crime, the United States continues sending weapons to Israel,” Moulana Moosa said.

Listen to the Palestine Report on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Junaid Kharsany.