Operation Al-Aqsa Storm: Unleashing the Israeli Regime's Worst Nightmare
Situated along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the Gaza Strip shares borders with Israel to the east and north, as well as Egypt to the southwest. Spanning approximately 365 square kilometers, this densely populated area is home to 2 million individuals, making it the third most densely populated region globally. As one of the two occupied Palestinian territories, the Gaza Strip, alongside the West Bank, falls under the administration of Palestinian resistance forces.
The Israeli regime has long grappled with the Gaza Strip's security concerns. The resistance exhibited by the local populace against Israeli aggression, coupled with the presence of Gaza resistance forces, has consistently posed a significant challenge for Israel. Consequently, Israel has resorted to employing violent, brutal, and reprehensible tactics while dealing with Gaza and its Palestinian inhabitants. Prohibited weaponry has even been employed to suppress Palestinian resistance.
One notable battle between the Israeli regime and Gaza, known as Operation Cast Lead, began from December 27, 2008, to January 17, 2009. The initial day of this battle witnessed the highest number of Palestinian casualties since 1948, earning it the epithet "Black Saturday massacre" among Palestinians.
On July 20, the Israeli regime initiated a ground offensive, waging a brutal and wide-ranging massacre in the Al-Shuja'iyya area, resulting in the martyrdom of over 70 civilians. Subsequently, on August 1, 2014, the Israeli regime perpetrated another massacre in the Rafah area. Moreover, on August 23, they commenced attacks on residential complexes, launching a missile strike that ravaged three residential complexes overnight. These assaults culminated in a total of 2,147 martyrs in the Gaza Strip during the Zionist aggression, including 530 children, 302 women, and 102 elderly individuals. Furthermore, 10,870 other citizens sustained varying degrees of injuries. Israeli artillery and aerial attacks resulted in the destruction of 17,932 houses, with 2,465 being completely razed and 14,667 highly damaged.
Among the subsequent battles between Israeli occupation forces and the Palestinian resistance in Gaza was Operation "Sword of Al-Quds" in 2021. This conflict witnessed Israel relentlessly bombarding Gaza, leading to the martyrdom of 248 Palestinians and the injury of 1,900 individuals. Disturbingly, 66 Palestinian children were among the casualties. Throughout the years of Gaza's siege, the Israeli regime has consistently allowed numerous atrocities against its residents. Notably, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Tel Aviv obstructed the entry of coronavirus vaccines into the Gaza Strip.
An examination of the historical context of Gaza's siege reveals that Israel, unable to subdue the indomitable will of its inhabitants, has consistently subjected them to utmost cruelty, excruciating starvation, and blind bombardment. Meanwhile, defenseless Palestinian women and children have disproportionately borne the brunt of the Israeli regime's crimes within the Gaza Strip. Their plight has become increasingly evident during the ongoing Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, wherein the Zionist regime's attacks have displayed unprecedented levels of barbarism that defy adequate expression. Over the past few days, the Israeli regime has abandoned any semblance of humanity in its dealings with the people of Gaza, resorting to wanton acts of brutality in an attempt to decimate both the region and its inhabitants.
The egregious crimes perpetrated by the Israeli troops include severing access to water, electricity, and gas, endless airstrikes on residential areas, and complete destruction of homes, the use of banned white phosphorus bombs, targeting journalists and ambulances, and impeding the delivery of humanitarian aid. Regrettably, these constitute only a fraction of the war crimes committed by the Israeli regime against the Gazans in recent days.
In the meantime, the Rafah crossing, the sole access point for humanitarian aid to Gaza's population, remains closed due to pressure exerted by the Israeli regime on the Egyptian government. Such inhumane actions have occurred in the past as well. Human rights organizations continue to issue warnings regarding the imminent occurrence of a catastrophic disaster and mass killings in Gaza. Notably, a group of independent UN experts has condemned the sheer violence directed towards civilians, expressing indignation over the collective punishment and indiscriminate attacks unleashed upon Gazans. These experts assert that Israel has resorted to military assaults against an impoverished population already enduring dire circumstances and long years of anguish and deprivation. They emphasize that there can be no justification for violence targeting innocent civilians, as such actions are unequivocally prohibited by international law and classified as war crimes.
The Zionist regime's inherent vicious nature has consistently manifested itself in interminable violence, criminality, carnages, and brutality towards both regional nations and the Palestinian civilians. These realities lend credence to the words articulated by Iran's Supreme Leader, Imam Khamenei, in June 2020, when he deemed Israel a "cancerous tumor" which must be eradicated.
