from the Dead Sea that Iran had used to target Israel in April . We also saw hundreds of small improvised explosive weapons made locally in Gaza .
Unfortunately , the idea that has propagated in the U . S .— that there are some Hamas terrorists and mostly peaceful Palestinians in Gaza — is not accurate . Of those in Gaza , 85 % support Hamas . The best way to think about Gaza is as a military base , originally constructed with Iranian help , disguising itself as a society for the purpose of destroying Israel . Every single aspect of life in Gaza is geared toward killing Jews , Christians and other Israelis . This includes schools that brainwash children , Hamas camps for 14-year-old boys to learn to use AK-47s and endless media propaganda .
Fisher ( right ) visiting a 20-year-old wounded warrior at an Israeli hospital .
The difference between this and the IDF ’ s targeting process is staggering . Unit members explained that the IDF is extremely focused on achieving a low casualty rate due to its strict rules of engagement .
Before demolishing a big building in Gaza , there is a whole unit in the IDF that texts and calls all the people in that block , telling them they need to leave . The IDF delivers pamphlets and employs drones informing Gazans where a safe corridor has been created . Then they drop a knock bomb , which does not demolish the building but shakes it , giving everyone inside another 20-minute warning to leave . Only then do they target and demolish the building . With smaller homes , the process is even more meticulous . They use drones to check for terrorists on the roof and outside and smaller drones to see who is inside . Once they have all eyes on the building , a IDF unit will destroy or apprehend the terrorists and take any unarmed women and children to a safe zone .
The IDF must demolish the houses afterward because if they do not , Hamas will come back and booby-trap it , causing the deaths of innocent civilians . Hamas then blames the IDF for the deaths . The IDF ’ s targeting process and care for civilians is unprecedented in human history and contributes to the increased casualty rate among IDF soldiers as they exceed international law standards of war .
If Israel wanted to carpet bomb Gaza out of existence , it could . Instead , it continues securing Gaza , street by street , block by block , until it destroys Hamas completely . Conversely , I saw video footage of Hamas picking up kids and shooting between their legs and over their shoulders at the IDF , using them effectively as body armor . IDF soldiers will not shoot back at the terrorists holding kids as shields . Another IDF rule of engagement is that its members are not allowed to shoot anyone not holding a rifle . Consequently , Hamas fighters will shoot at the IDF , drop their AK-47s and hide , only to pick up another AK-47 stored behind a house and repeat the process . These are difficult rules of engagement for the IDF , but its soldiers continue to fight this war with great honor .
As we were leaving , I asked to speak to the 23-year-old lieutenant privately . I told him that he is part of Israel ’ s greatest generation and in 20-30 years , young people like him will run the country , and Israel will be stronger than it has ever been . He shook my hand , thanked me and said he hoped I was right .
A 30,000-Foot View
Mike and I then had the honor of meeting with two generals , a major , a captain , two members of the Knesset and officers from Israeli intelligence agencies . Adding to the information we received from soldiers on the ground , the officers ’ commentary on the war provided us with a 30,000-foot view of the current conflict as well . During our meeting we had the chance to ask about how Israel feels about Prime Minister Netanyahu , how such a security breach happened and what the future looks like for Gaza .
I was unable to find one person in Israel who currently likes Netanyahu , but everyone agreed he is the only one capable of running this war . Regarding security , Israel has been dealing with multiple enemies : Hezbollah , Hamas , terrorists in the Judea and Samaria , Palestinian criminals transporting guns through the Jordanian borders and the Houthis firing rockets into the southern tip of Israel — all of these proxies controlled by their main enemy , Iran . But it doesn ’ t stop there . Qatar is also against them , and because of Israel ’ s deep allegiance with the U . S ., China and Russia , countries that generally would not have gotten involved in Israeli and Middle Eastern affairs are now also against Israel , and it proved to be too difficult to secure every border .
Many peacenik generals had also become complacent , believing that President Donald Trump ’ s Abraham Accords were the strategy that would invariably bring peace to the Palestinian conflict . These generals relied too heavily on artificial intelligence and other technology in securing Israel ’ s safety while discounting the human intelligence that was being reported signaling that Hamas ’ s intent to destroy Israel had never wavered . Many Israeli generals on the left still cannot seem to understand that the impetus for Hamas ’ s aggression is not resources , money or land , but radical Islam . I find this surprising and dangerous when even some Israeli IDF generals seem not to understand the neighborhood they exist in .
Concerning the future , after the war with Hamas is over , what has now united the left , center and right is the belief that a two-state solution is no longer viable . Everyone believes a patchwork solution will be needed to deal with the problem in Gaza , which will ultimately mean the IDF staying in Gaza for a couple of years and finding peace partners within the Palestinian community who can help lead Gaza into a better future . Another idea is to involve the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in the process of removing Hamas and building Gaza . There are no easy answers , and the future is not clear .
Lastly , many think that the situation with Iran has been kicked down the road for generations . Sooner or later , one of the Knesset members told me , Iran will have to be dealt with as it is the puppet
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