This "Resistance Report" for day 615 of the war presents a grim overview of the ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza, focusing on the systematic destruction of infrastructure, agriculture, and civilian areas, particularly in Khan Yunis, Gaza City, and Jabalia. The report highlights Israel's objective to depopulate and destroy vast swathes of Gaza, creating isolated enclaves. Simultaneously, it details the resilience and effectiveness of Palestinian resistance groups, showcasing numerous operations using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) made from unexploded Israeli and American ordnance, sniper attacks, and rocket artillery. The report also touches upon the international support for Gaza, specifically from Yemen, emphasizing its ongoing aerial blockade against Israel.
Exploring the War in Gaza: Destruction, Displacement, and Resistance on Day 615
0:00 Widespread Displacement and Destruction: The report begins by highlighting that 82% of the Gaza Strip is designated as Israeli militarized zones or under displacement orders. Israel aims to create three enclaves (Gaza City, Deir al-Balah camps, Moasi coast) to facilitate the destruction of the remaining territory.
1:57 Systematic Erasure of Gaza: In the past three weeks alone, 10,000 buildings in Gaza have been destroyed. This stage of the operation is framed by Israel as territorial destruction rather than an anti-Hamas campaign.
2:50 Ecoside and Agricultural Ruin: A Kent State University report reveals severe "ecoside," with 98% of annual crops, 94% of tree crops, and 98% of brush/grass lands destroyed. This targets Gaza's indigenous sustainability under blockade, particularly farmlands converted from former Israeli settlements.
5:47 Khan Yunis Targeted for Complete Destruction: The Israeli military's main goal is to turn Khan Yunis into another Rafah, implying complete destruction of homes and structures.
8:53 Resistance in Khan Yunis: A video shows a Kasam Brigades Yasine 105 strike on an Israeli D9 armored bulldozer actively destroying date palms and makeshift homes, demonstrating the resistance's close proximity and accuracy.
10:39 Demolition by Civilian Contractors: Haaretz reported that Israeli clearing operations in the buffer zone are carried out by civilian contractors paid per house demolished, effectively a "genocide for piece-meal payment."
11:13 Escalating Casualties for Israeli Forces: In Khan Yunis, nearly 30 operations occurred in the past week. Two Israeli soldiers in a tank were seriously wounded by a Yasine 105. A significant IED operation in Bani Suheila (Khan Yunis) "vaporized" an entire Israeli Special Forces team (Maglan and Yahalom units), resulting in 8 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza that week, with 12 of the 18 total killed by IEDs.
14:38 Resistance Messaging: Abu Obeida, spokesperson for the Kasam Brigades, declared their operations as "Stones of David" against "Gideon's chariots," vowing continued strikes until the occupation is vanquished.
16:16 IDF Orders Slower Advance: Following significant casualties, the IDF Chief of Staff ordered forces to advance "as slowly as necessary" to ensure troop safety, indicating a shift from engaging resistance to prioritizing territorial destruction.
17:24 Gaza City's "Erasure" and Resistance: Satellite maps show the "erasure" of Gaza City's commercial core, now a tent city. Despite this, resistance groups like Saraya al-Quds continue operations, using US-provided anti-tank mines as IEDs against Israeli vehicles.
19:35 Persistent Resistance in Demolished Areas: Even in completely demolished neighborhoods like Shujaya, resistance fighters continue to operate, with a sniper eliminating two Israeli soldiers in a "ninja operation" reported days later due to operational security.
21:11 "Return to Sender" Tactics: In Jabalia, resistance fighters are "rewiring" unexploded 155mm American artillery shells (fired by the hundreds of thousands into Gaza) into IEDs.
22:46 Diverse Resistance Operations: Jabalia saw a Kasam drone drop an explosive grenade on an Israeli fighting force, wounding soldiers and intelligence operatives. Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs) are also being widely used, causing total destruction of buildings and vaporization of soldiers.
25:50 Israeli Camera Captures Tank Hit: Footage from an Israeli camera shows a Kasam fighter hand-delivering a "Shawaz" EFP (explosively formed penetrator) onto the rear of a Merkava tank, its weakest point, causing a devastating hit.
28:06 Continued Support from Smaller Groups: The PFLP Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades and Saraya al-Quds continue to fire 107mm and Kasam rockets at Israeli positions, including Ashkelon, highlighting their ongoing presence and auxiliary operations.
29:55 Yemen's Unwavering Support: Yemen continues its "aerial blockade" on Israel, with 1,060 demonstrations and 11 ballistic missile attacks on Israel in the past week. Yemeni armed forces reiterate their commitment to supporting Gaza until the siege is broken.