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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Gaza residents: IDF troops posing as Hamas men
2009-01-11
The testimonies of Gaza Strip residents are revealing new details about the Israel Defense Forces' mode of operation there. In the past two days, Beit Lahia residents forced from their homes said soldiers were posing as members of Hamas' armed wing while advancing on the ground.

The daily pauses in bombing allow Gazans to meet with the displaced - most of whom are housed in an UNRWA school - and hear their stories.

Gaza resident S. told Haaretz he heard several people say they saw armed men wearing the uniforms and symbols of the Iz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, who "called out to each other in Arabic, as if they had caught a collaborator, and then, with the element of surprise, went into the houses."

A Gaza radio station warned that troops posing as locals were driving a vehicle normally used by paramedics. Residents said the radio broadcaster listed the vehicle's license plate number and color.

Haaretz has also learned that one of the army's methods for evacuating a home is to fire a missile toward its upper level. That is how B.'s house in Sajaiyeh was destroyed. It was bombed just a few minutes after a missile struck and 40 shell-shocked family members walked out of the house.

The IDF has also forced at least 40,000 people to leave their homes in agricultural and border areas. In Rafah, most of the 20,000 people removed from their homes were lodging with relatives and not in UNRWA facilities.

Posted by:Fred

#19  Sounds like really good way to get potted by your own side to me. Stupid, therefore Paleo in origin.
Posted by: Hupuque Squank8288   2009-01-11 21:00  

#18  Hmm. Seems they don't like it when the tables are turned.
Posted by: gorb   2009-01-11 17:26  

#17  Not only were there 40 baby ducks and innocent children in B.'s house, they were all on the first floor.
Posted by: Skunky Glins 5***   2009-01-11 15:35  

#16  arab-looking israelis

I similie.


O Lord Pretct dem
arab lookng Zionists..

The quiet herd
the MikeraPhones

Lord's preteck them Chillruns
Regards of they race, creed or colors..

77838h447646I33 and Eilsa.
Posted by: .5MT   2009-01-11 14:35  

#15  The tall one in the burka looks suspicious....
Posted by: Muggsy Glink   2009-01-11 14:29  

#14  arab-looking israelis

And though I believe they're selected for traditional missions types (recon, scouting), there are also quite a few druzes & bedouins in the IDf, and israeli arabs also include Christians whose loyalty probably is less "tricky" than their muslim brethen's.
Posted by: anonymous5089   2009-01-11 12:25  

#13  Congratulations to the IDF if they have managed to pull it off.

AC, grouchy g(r)om will confirm it, but IIRC, Israel has whole units specializing in counter-insurgency that are made of arab-looking israelis who speaks fluent arabic with west bank or gazan accent and are used to perform deep (not speaking geographically, of course) infiltration, or more classical "grab & snatch" raids. Their approach to goats and hairless boys is unknown to me, though, possibly, and hopefully, they didn't go native ALL the way.
Posted by: anonymous5089   2009-01-11 12:23  

#12  If it was the IDF they would have just used their Persuadatrons. This is just more Arab Street© blaiming the brutalities of hamas on the juice. They wouldn't go around kidnapping or murdering their neighbors as Dire Revenge© for foot shooting their cousin's son no no no. Now if they wanted to make up a believable story they would have added good smelling, wide awake, goats didn't run at their approach.

BTW, resident S. seems to think that what those men were wearing is an official military garb.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2009-01-11 11:46  

#11  Go Isreal!!!!!
Posted by: WolfDog   2009-01-11 11:35  

#10  tipper, you obviously don't know how many illegals a coyote can pack into a house in central Phoenix. 40 people in a house ain't nuthin'.
Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie   2009-01-11 10:53  

#9  best shoot first and ask "juice?" after
Posted by: Frank G   2009-01-11 10:42  

#8  Agreed, AC - though it's more likely the Israelia just started the rumor about this to mess with the Gazans' heads and make them suspect everyone around them.

I heartily approve. :-D

Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2009-01-11 10:38  

#7  The ability to successfully masquerade as the enemy is the holy grail of COIN technique, with all kinds of operational and tactical benefits. It is also very difficult to execute successfully. Congratulations to the IDF if they have managed to pull it off.
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2009-01-11 10:31  

#6  Gaza resident S. told Haaretz he heard several people say they saw armed men wearing the uniforms and symbols of the Iz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades,
This passes for proof in the Islamic world.
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2009-01-11 09:23  

#5  That is how B.'s house in Sajaiyeh was destroyed. It was bombed just a few minutes after a missile struck and 40 shell-shocked family members walked out of the house.

The mind boggles, forty of them from one house!
Posted by: tipper   2009-01-11 07:59  

#4  Ok, let me see if I have this right. If they are wearing a Hamas uniform and are more or less competent, they must be IDF soldiers because the real thing can't figure out which end of the rifle to point away from their own vital organs (too much time with the Qassams, not enough with the AK knockoffs).
Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie   2009-01-11 07:48  

#3  So, the only response for hamas people should be to shoot at hamas people at sight - they're Zionists in disguise, and you never can be too careful. I'm so confused.
Posted by: anonymous5089   2009-01-11 04:44  

#2  The wonders of the Arab mind.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2009-01-11 03:08  

#1  probably a more truthful headline:

Hamas Residents Pose as Men
Posted by: Abu do you love   2009-01-11 01:42  

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