by Farrukh Abadi
On Saturday, Israel killed over 250 Palestinians and injured over 700 others at the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza in what authorities have called an “unprecedented brutal attack.” The IDF planned the massacre with the help of US intelligence and participation of US ground forces as part of an operation to rescue Israeli captives.
The massacre involved a day-time wide-scale bombing of the Palestinian refugee camp, including a busy market, as well as on the ground troops carrying out executions of civilians in the streets and in their homes.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said that Israel carried out the operation to prevent a ceasefire being reached.
Israeli soldiers disguised themselves as humanitarian relief workers and hid inside an aid truck to infiltrate the camp. Video footage shows that the IDF left the area using the recently-constructed US floating pier—one day after it was reconstructed following severe damage from high seas—despite US claims that the pier is only used to send aid to Palestinians. Hamas has previously stated that “the pier is intended to provide cover for Washington’s support for the occupation with weapons.”
Biden, along with representatives of British and French imperialism, have praised Israel’s operation.
Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said of the operation: “Precise intelligence, meticulous planning and execution, and quick and professional action resulted in a successful operation to free four hostages.”
According to Israeli and US officials, the operation involved weeks of planning and involved hundreds of Israeli soldiers as well as US forces on the ground. Israeli forces suffered many casualties—which it routinely downplays—including the death of an officer. While Israel was able to secure 4 captives, the death of 3 other captives during the attack and the Israeli government’s deepening crisis brings the claims of the operation’s “victory” into question.
Netanyahu is attempting to sustain his government by intensifying genocide and claiming tactical victories through the rescue of Israeli captives. The operation was carried out the same day that war cabinet member Benny Gantz had planned to remove his “centrist” National Unity party from Netanyahu’s ruling coalition in an effort to trigger elections and sanitize Israel’s image with a more “moderate” government. Gantz, who is a more faithful servant to US imperialist interests, delayed his announcement to withdraw from the coalition due to the rescue operation.
It is estimated that some 130 Israeli prisoners of war are still being held in Gaza. Resistance groups and officials within Israel and internationally have pointed out that the release of four captives will not change Israel’s strategic failures in the region and the fact that it has been unable to secure any of its political objectives since the start of its intensified genocidal efforts in October.
The Popular Resistance Committee—the coalition of the Palestinian resistance organizations in Gaza—stated: “The resistance’s retention of more than 130 captives after eight months of destructive war, despite all the capabilities of the Zionist enemy and its American and Western allies, from advanced technology, intelligence, and surveillance equipment, is a true pride written by the men of the resistance.”
As revenge for the Nuseirat massacre, anti-imperialist Yemeni organization Ansar Allah carried out a number of attacks on Western ships, including a British navy ship they claimed they hit accurately. In Rafah, Israel forces were liquidated in a booby-trapped building that al-Qassam Brigade fighters demolished with Israeli forces inside, while in northern Israel Hezbollah launched a swarm of drone attacks on a recently-constructed Israeli military base and surrounding settlements, claiming a number of casualties.
