Transcripts For BBCNEWS The 20240703 : vimarsana.com

BBCNEWS The July 3, 2024

A spokesperson for the armed wing of hamas has warned hostages will be executed and their Murder Broadcast if israel continues to target civilians in gaza. The European Union is today reviewing all its palestinian aid funding. No confirmation tonight from the Israeli Government that an advance is imminent, but they are amassing heavy machinery of the border. Good evening, welcome to The Programme. Israel describes it as their 9 ii moment an attack that requires an unprecedented response. And today the defence minister yoav gallant ordered a complete seige of the gaza strip, while israeli tanks and howitzers begin to mass near gazas Northern Border mr gallant said there would be no power, no food, no fuel, nothing until the military has rooted out those who would seek israels destruction. On top of the blockade, the European Commission today announced an immediate review of all aid to the palestinians. Military Officials Say israel struck more than 2,500 targets in gaza so far. More than 680 palestinians were reported dead. A hamas spokesman claimed that four israelis whod been taken hostage had been killed in the air strikes, a claim we are yet to independantly verify. But hamas is still firing back. Missiles are being launched atjerusalem, Ben Gurion Airport near tel aviv, and ashkelon. Israels iron dome defence system is doing itsjob, intercepting many of those rockets. But some have got through. And all the while, the israelis are still counting and recovering the dead. At least 900 israelis were killed this weekend, including at least 260 at a Music Festival. And beyond that, 100 israelis are being held inside gaza. Their fate is unknown. We have heard from the israeli feminist Benjamin Netanyahu in the last half hour, he won hamas that these strikes were just the beginning of israel . Retaliation. He warned her massjews that these strikes were just the beginning of israels retaliation. We will have all the analysis tonight, reaction from the region, we will look at the failings of Israeli Intelligences and the alleged complacency from israels allies in washington. But lets start our coverage in ashkelon at the end of a very busy day for our colleague anna foster, who has just got back to the hotel. What have you seen the value have been out and about . It what have you seen the value have been out and about . What have you seen the value have been out and about . It might seem a little strange been out and about . It might seem a little strange to been out and about . It might seem a little strange to see been out and about . It might seem a little strange to see me been out and about . It might seem a little strange to see me sort been out and about . It might seem a little strange to see me sort of little strange to see me sort of here in full helmet and body armour, but a lot of what we have seen that today has been an almost constant barrage of missiles coming across from gaza. Last night the sound here was extraordinary, all night. Today we have been in the bomb shelter twice while we have been just in the hotel. I say bomb shelter, often youre looking at a stairway, somewhere to get underground. This is happening notjust here, but in different communities, as you are and heading towards israel, tel aviv, bengurion airport, but also we hear the continuing sound of the idf Targeting Gaza is welcome air strikes that again happened through the night and through the day, they say they have been targeting hamas command posts, they are saying they have also targeted a Palestinian Islamichhad command post. Earlier in the day, this was around about lunchtime in ashkelon. Sirens. Explosions. A huge barrage going on at moment. We have taken cover. This is actually a memorial building, we are all here, there is nick, he has a camera. Yeah, we are going to move. Get down. When the sirens started, i was talking to someone who had been at the Music Festival were more than 250 people were massacred as hamas launched its attack on saturday morning. Shrapnel tore past his head. It was lucky to survive. The bullet went head. It was lucky to survive. The bullet went through here and out here bullet went through here and out here 50 bullet went through here and out here. , bullet went through here and out here,. ,. , bullet went through here and out here. ,. ,. , here. So it went in and out . Yeah, ou can here. So it went in and out . Yeah, you can see here. So it went in and out . Yeah, you can see it here. So it went in and out . Yeah, you can see it. People here. So it went in and out . Yeah, you can see it. People living here. So it went in and out . Yeah, you can see it. People living here i you can see it. People living here now these moments of fear where all know. They did not need words. We followed the smoke. We think this is where one of the missiles hit. 0h, where one of the missiles hit. Oh, yeah, look, here in the ground. This building does not have a bomb shelter, so the family ahead in the stairwell. They told the children the explosions were thunder. We need to be strong for them, they told me, but he is going to take care of us . So difficult forfamilies but he is going to take care of us . So difficult for families on both sides who are trapped in the midst of this fighting. They say they have secured the border towns today, the Israeli Defence force, and out, but Israeli Defence force, and out, but i know there were pictures of more militants coming through that fence overnight. Is there still a concern in that area that made hamas fighters are still in southern israel and could reappear . There is, eah, israel and could reappear . There is, yeah. Theres israel and could reappear . There is, yeah. Theres a israel and could reappear . There is, yeah, theres a big israel and could reappear . There is, yeah, theres a big concern. Yeah, theres a big concern. Suddenly yesterday, when i was still in ashkelon, theres a point where you can get to where the army have sealed the highway, they have it as a sealed off Military Zone beyond that, so you cannot go any further. But on the road, there was a body lying there, believed to have been a hamas militant who had been shot dead. When they were back there today, 2a hours later, that body was still lying on the road, onlyjust been recovered. And a lot of people here are concerned, there has been a report of something happening in this community, people have got as far asjerusalem, they this community, people have got as far as jerusalem, they talk about potential tunnels under here, some people are genuinely concerned, because this is something that they havent seen here for such a long time, youre looking at the Yom Kippur War in 1973. They are used to missile strikes, they are used to missiles coming in from gaza, but what they are not used to is the sort of Ground Offensive that we saw, this infiltration by hamas militants coming through the fence and attacking people where they stood, attacking people in their homes. This magical resort the Music Festival, where more than 250 people were killed, he was saying just how terrifying the situation was, and all of this taken together, you know, it gives you a sense of the population that has shocked, is stunned, is in some ways disbelieving that the Israeli Intelligence services did not spot this with their partners like the us, for example, israels biggest and most important ally, that they did not spot this and did not prevent it, and it is one of the biggest things people are talking about right now. We biggest things people are talking about right now. About right now. We have ust watched benjamin about right now. We have just| watched Benjamin Netanyahu, about right now. We have just watched Benjamin Netanyahu, no confirmation that there will be a Ground Offensive, but are you seeing down there the massing of heavy machinery, tanks, does it look to you like it is the preparation for a Ground Offensive . I you like it is the preparation for a Ground Offensive . You like it is the preparation for a Ground Offensive . I saw that today, and i saw a Ground Offensive . I saw that today, and i saw a lot Ground Offensive . I saw that today, and i saw a lot of Ground Offensive . I saw that today, and i saw a lot of it. Ground offensive . I saw that today, and i saw a lot of it. It Ground Offensive . I saw that today, and i saw a lot of it. It was Ground Offensive . I saw that today, and i saw a lot of it. It was all and i saw a lot of it. It was all together, the guns were trained on gaza, they look like they were parked in a formation ready to go. While i was there, we saw the delivery of big tanks, big diesel tanks that were there to fuel the military vehicles. So from that point of view, yes, it did, it looked like they were putting a putting in place for a potential Ground Offensive, but of course it is really difficult, it is delicate for a few reasons. One is that we know there are at least 100 israeli hostages inside gaza. It is so Densely Populated, one of the most Densely Populated, one of the most Densely Populated, one of the most Densely Populated places on earth. Any kind of Ground Offensive in that would have an enormous impact on the civilian communities, youre looking at palestinian civilians, women, children, who live there, who have nowhere to go, they cannot leave gaza because the area, the perimeter of gaza, its controlled by the israelis. So there is nowhere that they can go if there is a Ground Offensive, but the prospect of civilian casualties will be high. But also the prospect of injury to the israeli hostages being taken to gaza as well. So while israel wants to show is on the show of force, and Benjamin Netanyahu has said that more than once, while they want to exact a price on hamas for doing this, there are a lot of very fine delicate things that need to be taken into account while they decide what they do want to do next. Yeah. What they do want to do next. Yeah, the Prime Minister what they do want to do next. Yeah, the Prime Minister today what they do want to do next. Yeah, the Prime Minister today naming what they do want to do next. Yeah, the Prime Minister today naming a l the Prime Minister today naming a ministerfor hostages the Prime Minister today naming a minister for hostages who will be shown back in charge of negotiating and planning that rescued from the gaza strip. Anna, thank you very much, you stay safe. Who will be in charge of negotiating. Ibrahim jalal is nonresident scholar with the middle east institutes. How does this operation compare, do you think . I how does this operation compare, do ou think . , how does this operation compare, do ou think . ~ ,. ,. ,. ,. , you think . I think the escalation at the time when you think . I think the escalation at the time when the you think . I think the escalation at the time when the international. The time when the International Response continues shows the scale of the crisis, a failure to break the cycle of peace deadlock, obviously, systematic double standards that project violence. A change in the rules of engagement, and instead deepening multi word grievances particularly of the palestinians. 0f Grievances particularly of the palestinians. Of course the loss of human lives, this latest escalation does not exist in a vacuum, it is part of the failure to reach the two state solution, and elitist triggers might have contributed, such as my once at the mosque during the holy month of ramadan, displacement of palestinians, continuing siege of gaza, and potentially the Eroding Space of necessity and opportunities, and i think it is a state of war, it has been a state of war for so long. State of war, it has been a state of warfor so long. But state of war, it has been a state of war for so long. But there state of war, it has been a state of warfor so long. But there must state of war, it has been a state of war for so long. But there must be a change in the from those of peace and the dividends it brings. That is the only way forward. The cycle of conflict must be frozen, and that requires acknowledgement of some of the grievances, because the status quo, as we have seen in the past two decades or even the past seven, is not sustainable. That decades or even the past seven, is not sustainable. Not sustainable. That also requires a artner not sustainable. That also requires a partner for not sustainable. That also requires a partner for peace, not sustainable. That also requires a partner for peace, and not sustainable. That also requires a partner for peace, and one not sustainable. That also requires a partner for peace, and one that i a partnerfor peace, and one that does not want the destruction of israel as a state, that is what hamas talks of. Can i ask you about whether this actually stems from hamas isolation . We have had the abraham accords, the Bilateral Agreements between israel and morocco, bahrain, the uae, there was one in the offing with saudi arabia, which the saudi arabians were seemingly quite positive about. And the palestinians had got very little backin the palestinians had got very little back in terms of concessions. Was this hamas trying to put the brakes on that, even if that might lead to the eventual destruction of the group . I the eventual destruction of the rrou . , the eventual destruction of the rrou . ~ ,. , the eventual destruction of the rrou . , group . I think you make a very Important Group . I think you make a very important point. Group . I think you make a very important point. What group . I think you make a very important point. What has group . I think you make a very| important point. What has been attempted to be done here is the privacy of the palestinian core, what you rightly mentioned, the wave of mobilisation, which is but maybe less concessions for the palestinians, and that has been driven by overlooking the palestinians or even the actively engaged actors, including military ones, and that sense of isolation to the exclusion of stakeholders, but also the Normalisation Thinking that would be in the way forward. It might have come to for the escalation we saw taking place. The other point you mentioned about potential partner for peace, i think there is a piece crisis across, from there is a piece crisis across, from the Benjamin Netanyahu team to stakeholders given the lack of vision, but what they actually want to see is a final product, and that is a lengthy process, but it requires constant engagement rather than the privatisation of normalisation way of thinking that the palestinian grievances and equally the peace for everyone is behind. I think that is a very big challenge, and part of it is the motive, as you actually mention. Irate motive, as you actually mention. We have to leave it there. Thank you very much for that. There has been an extraordinary level of deception here. Hamas was somehow able to mislead israel for months, what is extraordinary is that this attack, timed to coincide with Thejewish Sabbath and in religious holiday, was a secret even within gaza. We are told many hamas leaders, and even around 1000 fighters deployed in the assault, had no info on what they were being trained for. On the day came, the opposition divided into four parts. The first of that was the balance of 3000 rockets fired from gaza. That coincided with these incursions by fighters who flew in on hang gliders, motorised paragliders, overthe flew in on hang gliders, motorised paragliders, over the border. They used explosives to breach the barriers and then spread across on motorbikes. Bulldozers widening the gaps, four wheeled vehicles entering afterwards, and jamming the army headquarters. Do not underestimate how this will be playing within israel. The onejob how this will be playing within israel. The one job the Israeli Government has is to protect its people. How did they not see this coming . Lets speak to someone else now. You served with the idf, and of course you have advised the Israeli Government in the past, so you are well placed to tell us how this came about, how it was there such an Intelligence Failure on the part of the israelis . Intelligence failure on the part of the israelis . Before we talk about the israelis . Before we talk about the intelligence the israelis . Before we talk about the Intelligence Failure, the israelis . Before we talk about the Intelligence Failure, i the israelis . Before we talk about the Intel

© 2025 Vimarsana