🧵Australian military expert affirmed tragic death of 7 WCK aid workers was not deliberate, vindicating Israel. He assessed that unexpected gunmen were with convoy and looked like Hamas; but failures still led to mistaken attack. An important independent report, some detail: 1/
The primary reason for the IDF misidentification error was the unexpected presence of armed persons, one of whom fired his weapon into the air on the trailer of the WCK truck, which was deemed “consistent with Hamas hijacking the aid convoy.” 2/
The official Australian report by Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin noted that later on several additional gunmen moved around the WCK escort vehicles. According to the Australian assessment, IDF brigade officials “classified” the gunmen “as Hamas.” 3/
A key reason for the identification of gunmen as Hamas is that the guards were not coordinated with IDF, and furthermore, the IDF would not have allowed armed guards anyhow. Report admits WCK could have inadvertently hired armed guards with links to Hamas. 4/
However there was a situational awareness breakdown and IDF controls failed, which IDF fully admits, which led to errors in decision making and misidentification of convoy as hostile. 5/
An interesting revelation: The Australian report noted that the IDF post-incident investigation system is similar to the Australian system. Fake NGOs @hrw @amnesty @btselem and others (falsely) claim that Israel’s post-incident investigations are a sham, do not really happen. 6/
The Australian report concluded that Israel’s acceptance of accountability, reporting and response has been “appropriate” and “sufficient” – again, contradicting fake NGO and some media claims that Israel never does these things properly. 7/
Report is important as it may be the first time an independent foreign military expert published a public report assessing IDF action. It's also perhaps the only time in history an army has allowed a foreign investigation like this. But Israel is always treated differently. END
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🧵CNN piece that IDF is far from victory over Hamas is fake news that simply wishes this were true. CNN offers almost no evidence and relies on cherry-picked experts who have been claiming IDF failure since 10/7. Subtext: IDF has killed Gazans for nothing. Full analysis: 1/
CNN starts out slowly: Hamas has rebuilt some fighting capabilities. Fine. Article even admits Hamas is now a “guerilla force.” But authors then speculate, cite other experts who push line that “victory” over Hamas is not in sight, then it becomes “power of Hamas is growing”! 2/
CNN’s analysis relies on Hamas “claims” — Really? Despite never admitting any combatant deaths? Hiding Deif & Issa deaths? Also open source data. CNN offers no info from IDF, citing just one unnamed “Israeli source close to military.” IDF officially rejected CNN's thesis. 3/
🧵Children's bedrooms have been converted to military zones by Hamas. They exploit the most sacred civilian locations in Gaza, forcing the IDF to go door-to-door, causing destruction. See 10 documented examples of kid's rooms converted into tunnel & weapons storage by Hamas: 1/
Tunnel with weapons found underneath bed in children’s room in Rafah’s Shaboura neighborhood. July 2024. 2/
🧵CRITICAL: 13 Reasons Why Hamas Fatality Numbers Should Never be Believed. Despite many proven flaws and history of fabrications, despite Hamas classified as terrorist org by EU & US — media, NGOs & world leaders cite Hamas as reliable. Analysis with evidence for each point: 1/
No one disputes Point 1. Point 2: some claim that ~10,000 Gaza fatalities are bodies in some room awaiting processing, simply "unidentified." False – the bodies are unknown and unlocated, deaths unverified. 2/
Point 3: Hamas claimed 471 deaths minutes after Al-Ahli Hospital incident, which intelligence agencies, even NGOs, said was a PIJ rocket. Same intelligence agencies said actual deaths were perhaps in the dozens (look it up). But official report (below) still includes 471. 3/
🧵Geneva Conventions understood use of schools & hospitals for war and smartly removed their protection when used for combat, contradicting fake claims that they can never be attacked. Geneva discusses human shields & abuse of civilian sites for combat six times. Analysis: 1/
Article IV.28 plainly and simply states that “protected persons,” which refers to civilians and other classes of people entitled to protection, do not immunize areas from military operations. Human shields do not provide immunity. 2/
Protocol I.51.7 expands further, specifically prohibiting use of civilians to “shield military objectives” and makes clear civilians to not “render certain points immune from military operations.” The use of such shields is a war crime, one of many committed by Hamas. 3/
🧵Israel may strike infrastructure sites in Lebanon. It will be legal. Geneva considers a site military if it provides "effective contribution" to military operations. U.S. Law of War Manual is more specific. File this analysis for later when Israel is accused of war crimes: 1/
DoD War Manual is 1,254 pages and expands on Geneva. Section 5.6.8 makes clear that “communications objects, transportation objects” and “economic objects” that are “war supporting or war sustaining industries" are “military objectives.” Like a port used to unload weapons. 2/
Israel could legitimately destroy Lebanon's wireless and communications networks, because there is no doubt they "could be used" by combatants in Lebanon to control military operations and intelligence gathering. 3/
🧵GAZA CHILD COMBATANTS CONFIRMED in Hamas Jun 30 fatality report. Hamas published new list of 28,185 "identified" fatalities; 63% of fatalities aged 13-17 are male, this is not random. It is balanced male/female for ages 0-10. 700 excess teen deaths are combatants. Analysis: 1/
Here is the data by age, consistent for each group. These figures are statistically impossible over 1000s of data points (especially if claiming “indiscriminate” attacks). The reality: Hamas uses large numbers of teen soldiers who are then legally targeted as combatants. 2/
The use of child soldiers by Palestinian terrorist groups is well documented. Fake NGOs @hrw @amnesty remain silent. END jpost.com/israel-hamas-w…