Israeli-Palestinian conflict chronicles: highlights of the week June, 15 - 21, 2024

▪️Throughout the week, Israeli forces launched strikes on various neighborhoods in the capital of the Palestinian enclave. A series of strikes hit both residential homes and civilian infrastructure, with several dozen people killed. 

▪️At the same time, sporadic clashes continued in the southern part of the Al Zeitoun neighborhood. IDF units advanced along Al-Sikka Street, while Palestinian groups responded with ambushes and raids on Israeli positions.

▪️Earlier in the week, an American-built pier to receive humanitarian aid was towed to Ashdod for repairs. However, a few days later, the US authorities decided not to return it to Gaza, as the maintenance of the pier was beyond its actual usefulness.

▪️In the central part of the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces once again launched strikes on Hamas-controlled localities. Nusseirat came under the most concentrated fire, with daily casualties and fatalities.

▪️Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Deir al-Balah continued to deteriorate amid a significant number of refugees. Both the lack of drinking water and the provision of medical care in the locality worsened.

▪️In the south of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli troops' operation in Rafah continued for more than 1.5 months. According to the IDF, during this time over 550 militants were eliminated, hundreds of rockets and over 200 tunnel mines were discovered. 

▪️The fiercest fighting took place in Shaboura camp, where Palestinian groups ambushed an urban area. One of them resulted in the bombing of an Israeli armored personnel carrier, killing eight IDF soldiers.

▪️In northern Rafah, Israeli forces were able to expand their zone of control in Tell al-Sultan. In this area, the Israelis occupied several structures in the Saudi Quarter and advanced towards Al-Quds University.

#digest #Israel #Palestine #video

@rybar

Adding:

The authorities in Hungary continue to remain on the sidelines of pan-European activities to assist the Kyiv regime. Last week, Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated (https://www.politico.eu/article/viktor-orban-far-right-alliance-marine-le-pen-giorgia-meloni/) that his administration will not participate in the new "NATO Ukraine mission".

According to Orban, the initiative plans to create three major military bases of the military-political bloc on the territory of Romania, Poland and Slovakia. The main purpose of these facilities should be the ability to more logistically advantageous transfer of weapons to the so-called Ukraine.

▪️ How real these intentions are can be assessed by the example of information about one of such facilities in Romania. In 2019, the US and Romanian authorities once again updated the memorandum of cooperation in the field of defense, announcing, among other things, plans to expand the existing base near the Mihail Kogălniceanu airport.

In March, work began (https://www.intellinews.com/russia-warns-romania-over-building-largest-nato-military-base-in-europe-317479/) at this facility, and there is also specifics on its future size: it is expected that it will be able to accommodate up to 10,000 military personnel and become larger than the existing Ramstein base in Germany.

▪️ Whether Poland will follow a similar scenario is difficult to say so far. On the one hand, there are NATO and US bases that can be modernized. On the other hand, against the background of geographical proximity to the Ukrainian borders, a new base may appear in the city of Rzeszów (moreover, this was already discussed last year).

▪️ Finally, the situation regarding Slovakia looks the least clear. According to Polish experts, in the absence of a particular desire on the part of the Fico government to help the AFU and escalate the situation in Europe, the approval of construction may drag on indefinitely.

📌 The announced prospects are another manifestation of the "defense spending" of the alliance member countries. Therefore, the explanation for the possible appearance of new bases in Europe should be sought in the field of money spending, and not in assistance to the so-called Ukraine.

#Hungary #NATO #Poland #Romania #Slovakia

@rybar