Hamas

By Ismail Obansa Nimah

The Israeli military killed Yahya Sinwar.  A picture of Sinwar in a military vest, with a sniper shot at his forehead, with one arm cut off and the other holding an AK-47 riffle, his body under enormous concrete from a collapsed building, circulated online.

Hamas confirmed the news of Sinwar’s death, fighting alongside his comrades for his people, his land, his home and the liberation of Palestine. Until his death, Israel had tagged Yahyah Sinwar as the most wanted man in Gaza and, by extension, the whole of Palestine. The Israeli military has been on the hunt for him for years. 

Born in Khan Younis refugee camp in 1962, after the infamous massacre and Nakbah that saw the newly formed state of Israel exile more than 750,000 Palestinians from their homes and livelihood, Yahya Sinwar spent his life as a refugee in Gaza and was quick to join the Palestinian resistance forces, after being a witness to the miserable treatments and denial of the rights and freedom of Palestinians by Israel.

He lived through the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and was a bedrock in the Hamas resistance movement founded 20 years later, in 1987. 

In 1989, he was arrested by Israel on the accusation of orchestrating the killing of two Israeli soldiers and was given four life sentences. Sinwar went on to spend 22 years under brutal conditions in an Israeli prison. He maximised his stay in prison by becoming fluent in Hebrew and acquiring various diplomas aimed at understanding the Israeli colonial entity, Jewish history and Zionism. He was subsequently released following a prisoner swap in 2011 and was elected the leader of Gaza following Hamas’s political win in the 2007 Gaza elections.

Until Ismail Haniyeh’s death, Yahyah Anwar was the de-facto ruler of Gaza and was second in command regarding Hamas after late Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh. Following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in August of this year, he became the ultimate leader of Hamas and has, since October 2023, led a principled and steadfast fight against Israel in its war in Gaza.

In the last year, the Israeli government has manufactured countless falsehoods and made widespread propaganda about its war on Gaza, Hamas and the leadership of Hamas, particularly Yahyah Sinwar. Israel, through numerous outlets, claimed that Sinwar was hiding in tunnels, surrounding himself with wealth and using hostages and Palestinian civilians as human shields. And even though these claims have been debunked countless times, the Israeli military became the ultimate belier of itself when it released a droned footage of Sinwar’s last moments. 

The intent behind the footage release was to mock Sinwar and the entire Palestinian resistance, but the footage did the opposite. Instead, it propelled Sinwar to become a legendary figure. It showed Sinwar, sitting honourably on a couch, putting on a keffiyeh, debris around with his comrades down; after being fired on by a tank, a missile and sniped on the forehead, he used his remaining arm, in one last act of defiance to throw a stick at the filming drone. He was side by side with his comrades on the front lines, defending his lands and fighting for the liberation of Palestine and every Palestinian.

Sinwar’s entire life has been an inspiration and a huge source of strength for the resistance axis against the apartheid state of Israel. His story bears many sacrifices and losses for the Palestinian front. He was born a refugee and brutally raised as a refugee in his land amidst an unwavering magnitude of oppression and apartheid. 

Regardless of what the U.S.-led West and Israel wanted the world to believe about Sinwar, he died a hero, one that his greatest adversary inadvertently publicised. Even in his death, he continued to inspire the many more Sinwars who would ultimately rise in his place.

Ismail Obansa Nimah wrote via nimah013@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

In a swift reversal, tech giant Meta has apologised and restored social media posts by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim about the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

The move comes after Anwar’s office condemned Meta’s initial removal of the posts as “a blatant suppression of free expression”.

 Meta attributed the removal to “an operational error” and claimed the posts were taken down due to association with “dangerous individuals and organisations”.

However, the company has since reapplied a “newsworthy” label to the content, allowing it to be reinstated on Facebook and Instagram. 

The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between social media platforms and political leaders over censorship and free speech.

Anwar had previously accused Meta of “cowardice” for removing his posts, which included a video offering condolences to a Hamas official. 

Malaysia’s ties with Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by several countries, have been a point of contention. Anwar has defended his country’s links with the group’s political win.

By Uzair Adam Imam  

Negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip are scheduled to recommence in Cairo on Sunday, as reported by Egyptian outlet Al-Qahera. 

This development follows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent approval for renewed talks. 

An anchor for Al-Qahera News, closely associated with Egypt’s intelligence services, confirmed the resumption of negotiations, citing an Egyptian security source.  

Previous rounds of talks, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, have yet to yield a viable agreement. 

Despite hopes to reach a ceasefire before Ramadan, progress has been slow, with the Muslim holy month now more than halfway through. 

Netanyahu’s endorsement of the new negotiations, set to take place in both Doha and Cairo, was announced on Friday.  

While details regarding the involvement of Mossad chief David Barnea remain undisclosed, Netanyahu’s office confirmed discussions with Barnea regarding the talks. 

Simultaneously, protests erupted in Israel’s largest city, with demonstrators blocking a major road in demand for the release of hostages held in Gaza and criticising the government’s handling of the conflict.  

Approximately 130 hostages, out of an initial 250 seized during the October 7 attacks that triggered the conflict, are believed to remain in Gaza.

Central to the ceasefire negotiations is the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.  

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne, along with counterparts from Egypt and Jordan, noted the urgent need for a permanent ceasefire and the release of all hostages during meetings in Cairo. 

Furthermore, France intends to propose a draft resolution at the UN Security Council outlining a “political” settlement for the conflict. 

While recent international efforts, including a Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire and a UN court order for humanitarian assistance, aim to alleviate the situation, the conflict persists.  

Hamas’s initial attacks on October 7 resulted in significant casualties in Israel, while Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza has claimed thousands of lives, predominantly among civilians, according to official figures.

By Uzair Adam Imam

According to reports from Turkish TRT World, a recent aid mission to two hospitals in northern Gaza by the World Health Organization (WHO) has uncovered horrifying scenes of children dying from starvation. 

Dire shortages of food, fuel, and medicines exacerbate the situation.

WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the findings as “grim,” particularly highlighting the dire conditions at Al Awda Hospital, where one of the buildings has been destroyed. 

The Kamal Adwan Hospital, the only paediatrics facility in northern Gaza, struggles to cope with the overwhelming number of patients. Tedros revealed that the lack of food has tragically led to the deaths of 10 children.

Meanwhile, the Geneva-based organization Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has released a statement presenting disturbing evidence of Israeli tanks deliberately running over Palestinians. 

Describing these actions as part of Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, Euro-Med reported several cases of Israeli forces intentionally running over Palestinian civilians, including incidents on February 29, January 23, December 2023, and February 20.

The organization has called for an independent international investigation committee to address Israel’s ongoing military actions in the Gaza Strip.

The deadly offensive initiated by Israel following a cross-border incursion by Hamas on October 7, 2023, has resulted in significant casualties. 

As the Israeli bombardment continues into its 150th day, TRT casualty counts estimate that at least 30,534 Palestinians, mostly children and women, have been killed, with 71,980 others wounded due to mass destruction and shortages of essentials.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

New Zealand has escalated its stance against Hamas, extending its classification of the group as a terrorist entity to encompass its entire organization.

This decision, announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, signifies a significant shift in New Zealand’s policy towards the Palestinian militant group. 

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon condemned Hamas for its role in the brutal terrorist attacks that occurred in October 2023, leading to this decisive move by the New Zealand government.

Luxon’s statement affirmed the severity of the attacks and the government’s unwavering stance against terrorism.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters elaborated on the rationale behind the expanded designation, citing the inability to differentiate between Hamas’s military and political wings following the October incidents.

According to Peters, the organisation as a whole bears responsibility for the “horrific terrorist attacks,” prompting the comprehensive designation. 

With the new classification in place, any form of material support or financial transaction with Hamas within New Zealand’s jurisdiction becomes a criminal offense.

However, Luxon clarified that the designation is targeted at Hamas as an organisation and does not hinder private humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians. 

Despite the firm stance against Hamas, Luxon reaffirmed New Zealand’s commitment to providing humanitarian aid and future development assistance to benefit civilians in Gaza.

This distinction aims to ensure that the punitive measures against Hamas do not exacerbate the humanitarian situation faced by innocent civilians in the region. 

By Dr Raji Bello

I have no intention of aggravating anyone’s feelings over the war in Gaza. I also feel bad about it, even though I don’t write much on the subject. The main reason for this is that nothing surprises me about what is happening. I have completely anticipated what Israel would do as well as the reaction of the Western countries to Israel’s conduct. No UN vetoes or abstentions by the Western countries is a surprise or a shock to me. 

My interest in history and current affairs for over 40 years has taught me two uncomfortable truths, which I have written about a few times:

1. Might is right. Powerful civilisations, kingdoms or countries have always done as they wished and will continue to do so until the end. Most other countries would either accept or at least not confront what the powerful countries do.

2. Relations between human societies or countries have never been based on moral considerations and will never be. They have always, and will always be, based on interests. Morality only becomes a consideration when there are no compelling interests to pursue.

When these two truths have been understood, two conclusions can be made:

1. no level of horror of human suffering would make powerful countries stop pursuing their interests. This is why the US and the UK behave like they do at the UN.

2. While it is incumbent upon the less powerful countries to also pursue their interests, they should never get in the way of a powerful country’s pursuit of its interests. 

Human beings are not as mentally sophisticated as we might think. We are technically and materially advanced, but the ancient rules still apply. For less powerful countries to survive and flourish, tact is essential. They could get what they wanted through tact but would risk being crushed if they stood in the way of a powerful country. 

The only feasible way to take on a powerful country directly is by acquiring more power than them. Until a less powerful country acquires more power, its strategy should be tact, and tact only.

By Ismail Obansa Nimah

Yesterday again saw another targeted Israeli assassination of a high-profile leader of the Palestinian resistance axis, Hamas deputy leader Saleh Al Arouri. The assassination by Israel took place in the heart of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, at about 5:45 pm Local time. It comes roughly 24 hours before the 4th anniversary of the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, former Commander of Iran’s elite Quds brigades of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard corps.

On the 3rd of January, 2020, turmoil was yet again unleashed in the Middle East when the United States of America (USA), in collaboration with her Israeli ally, assassinated Major-General Qassem Soleimani, a man who doubled as the commander of the Iranian Elite Revolutionary Quds Force and the second most potent/influential man in Iran after Ayatollah Al-Khamenei (Iran’s supreme leader).

Citing the preservation of the interest and national security of America, the United States launched a drone strike at a convoy conveying Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, killing them both and eight others near Baghdad airport in Iraq.

The conflict between the US and Iran dates as far back as the 1970s, and as almost always, the killing of Soleimani immediately rattled up tensions, bringing the US and Iran to the brink of war. According to some Iranian sources, General Soleimani was on an important mission to deliver a message to the Iraqi prime minister about its gulf neighbours and reconciliatory steps taken between Iran and its neighbours, especially its regional rival Saudi Arabia, suggesting that Riyadh may have leaked intelligence to Washington.

The killing of Soleimani was met with shock, worldwide condemnation and fierce declarations of avenge from Iranian officials and Iranians, generally with the supreme leader, President and military commanders/leaders pledging a harsh retaliation. Following the killing, massive protests and mourning broke out in the cities of Iran and Iraq, with hundreds of thousands of Iranians pouring out into the streets, mourning and chanting their desires for revenge.

On January 5th, 2020, the remains of General Soleimani and the other Iranians killed alongside him were flown into Iran amidst a sea of millions of mourners. The funeral and national procession of the Iranian legend was planned for the 7th of January, at his home town in ‘Kerman’, but an ensuing stampede due to massive crowds led to the death of at least 56 people and injuring 213 people, resulting in the immediate postponement of the burial.

In the early hours of the 5th day after Soleimani’s assassination, on the 8th of January 2020, Iran retaliated and launched over a dozen ballistic missiles on two US bases in Iraq. The attack by Iran injured over 100 US soldiers, with most of them reportedly suffering traumatic brain injuries, and also resulted in the destruction of important US assets in the bases. Tensions immediately skyrocketed following the Iranian counterattack, with oil prices rising to levels not seen in 3 months and countries including the US ordering their citizens to evacuate and leave Iraq and its environments, as well as airliners being told to avoid the airspace over Iran and Iraq.

As the world woke up to the news of an Iranian response, so did the news of the downing of Ukrainian International Airlines flight 752, killing all 176 on board. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps placed its defences on high alert following the counterattack, allowing its surface-to-air missile defence system to mistakenly shoot down the Kyiv-bound airliner shortly after take-off from Tehran. Following damages to the US bases and injuries to personnel, President Trump and the Pentagon ordered the immediate deployment of more US military assets to the Gulf region. Consequently, an airstrike on Iran that would be called off at the last minute by President Trump was ordered.

 Iraq, caught in a conflict between the world’s superpower and a Middle Eastern regional power, became destabilised. With the outright violations of its national sovereignty by a supposed ally, protest broke out with both ordinary Iraqis and the Iraqi parliament calling for the expulsion of American troops and other foreign forces from its soil. For a lot of them (Iraqis), the horrors and consequences of decades of war can still very much be remembered and felt, and they, by all means, want to be left out of another regional conflict.

Four years on, tensions remain at a ceiling level between Iran and the US/its Middle Eastern allies, particularly Israel. Israel’s brutal genocidal war on Gaza has killed more than 22,000 Palestinians, as well as more Israeli-targeted killings of Iranian officials. It’s regional allies with American support, including Mohsen Fakhrizadeh; it is yet to be fully known how close an all-out war is between Iran and American-backed forces within the region, particularly Israel.  Although so many structures have been re-named after Soleimani, the void created in the hearts of Iranians, the Palestinian resistance axis and the Islamic Republic of Iran by his death will take a long time to heal and will require more than an anniversary celebration for the already sanction crippled nation.

Ismail Obansa Nimah wrote via nimah013@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

The delicate truce between Israel and Hamas faced a pivotal moment on Thursday as both parties agreed to extend the ceasefire just moments before its scheduled expiration at 0500 GMT.

The Israeli military declared an “operational pause” without specifying the duration, citing ongoing mediator efforts and the complex hostage release process. 

Hamas echoed the extension for a seventh day, leaving the specifics shrouded in uncertainty.

Qatar, spearheading the truce negotiations, confirmed the extension until Friday, a decision met with anticipation amid calls for a lengthened pause to facilitate additional hostage releases and increased humanitarian aid to the ravaged Gaza Strip.

The timing coincided with the arrival of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for crucial talks on Wednesday night. 

The truce, initiated on October 7, brought a temporary cessation to hostilities that erupted when Hamas militants crossed into Israel, resulting in a toll of 1,200 lives, predominantly civilians, and the abduction of approximately 240 individuals, according to Israeli authorities.

Israel’s subsequent air and ground campaign in Gaza reportedly claimed nearly 15,000 lives, predominantly civilians, and left large parts of the northern region in ruins, as reported by Hamas officials. 

Crucially, the truce agreement permits extensions contingent on Hamas releasing ten hostages daily. A source close to the group expressed a willingness to extend the pause by four days.

However, with a mere hour remaining before the truce’s expiration, Hamas disclosed that its offer to release seven hostages and hand over the bodies of three individuals killed in Israeli bombardment had been rebuffed. 

Both sides had previously declared their readiness to resume hostilities, with Hamas’s armed wing instructing fighters to “maintain high military readiness” in anticipation of combat resumption if the truce elapsed.

IDF spokesman Doron Spielman issued a warning of a swift return to operational mode, vowing to continue targeting Gaza if the truce lapsed.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

The armed wing of Hamas, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, announced on Saturday a delay in the handover of a second group of hostages.

This was part of a truce deal with Israel, contingent on Israel’s adherence to the terms of the agreement. 

The issues at the centre of the delay involve the entry of humanitarian aid to the north of the Gaza Strip and the criteria for selecting prisoners for release.

The truce agreement, spanning four days, included the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for a three-to-one ratio. 

Initially, a Hamas source informed AFP that the handover of 14 hostages to the Red Cross had commenced but later reported a halt in the transfer process.

However, an Israeli official countered, stating that the hostages had not yet been handed over to the Red Cross. 

Despite the delay, the Israeli source maintains that Israel has not violated the agreement, alluding to a a different perspective on the situation.

The intricacies of these negotiations continue to unfold against the backdrop of the fragile truce between Israel and the Islamist movement.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The United Nations (UN) has mourned staff of the organization killed by the Israel attacks in Gaza. 

The UN Secretary-General, Antònio Guterres, disclosed the development in a tweet on Monday. 

According to Guterres, more than 100 staff of the United Nations Relief and Work Agency met their death as a result of the raging war. 

“Today, the @UN family observed a moment of silence to mourn & honour our colleagues killed in Gaza. Since the start of this conflict, more than 100 @UNRWA staff have lost their lives – the highest number of UN aid workers killed in a conflict in such a short time. They will never be forgotten.” He tweeted.