A famous story: When British General Charles James Napier conquered the Indian province of Sindh, he wittily sent a one-word message back to his superiors in London: Peccavi. (“I have sinned” in Latin, which every educated Englishman would have understood).
No, sorry. That’s just the story that many thought was true, but it isn’t. This pun appeared under the title “Foreign Affairs” in Punch magazine on May 18, 1844. The true author of the pun was not Napier, but an English girl, Catherine Winkworth, who was sixteen when she submitted it to Punch. And then the editors of Punch — either mischievously or credulously — printed it as a factual report about Napier’s pun. And so the story entered the annals of paronomasia, with General Napier given the credit. But the pun — let’s admit it — is even more impressive coming from a sixteen-year-old.
Major General Itzik Cohen, head of the IDF’s Division 162 that has been doing the fighting in Rafah, is not yet at the “I have Rafah” stage, but he’s close. The IDF is on the verge of, but not quite there, having all of Rafah in its grasp. More on what the IDF has accomplished, and what remains to be done — which the Israelis think can be accomplished In several weeks — can be found here: “Half of Hamas in Rafah beaten, IDF will gain full control in two weeks,” by Yonah Jeremy Bob, Jerusalem Post, June 17, 2024:
The IDF on Monday said that its Division 162 has defeated half of Hamas’s battalions in Rafah, including killing at least 550 terrorists, as well as destroyed around 200 tunnel shafts, and eliminated the terror group’s last major rocket inventory.
Further, the IDF said that within a couple of weeks it would likely be in control of all of Rafah and that the final battles with the remaining two Hamas battalions in parts of Tel al-Sultan and the eastern part of Shabura are already underway.
In addition, the IDF said that the tunnel network in Rafah, especially near the Philadelphi Corridor with Egypt has been found to be even more complex than those found in Khan Yunis, Jabaliya, and the military quarter of Gaza City.
Currently, the IDF says Division 162, commanded by Brig. Gen. Itzik Cohen, has already achieved operation control of over 60-70% of all of Rafah with all of the 1.4 million or so civilians having long fled to al-Muwasi on the coast, central Gaza and Khan Yunis.
IDF sources also said they believed they had killed much more than 550 terrorists, but that this number represented actual bodies seen, versus Hamas forces who entered a structure which was then bombed, but without finding a body.
One of the hardest battles was fought over the “NPK” area which is slightly north of the middle of the Philadelphi Corridor, and was the headquarters of Hamas’s Rafah brigade commander.
However, the IDF now has full control there….
The IDF’s invasion of Rafah started on May 6 and by May 20, it had control of around 30-40% of Rafah, including the Philadelphi Corridor.
As of May 20, the IDF had said it had killed around 130 Hamas terrorists.
But given that at some point Hamas had 4,000 to 8,000 terrorists in Rafah, it is pretty clear that the vast majority fled with the mass of civilians who left the area….
Two of the four Hamas battalions in Rafah have now been dismantled. The IDF estimates it has killed at least 550 Hamas operatives, and probably many more. That number does not count those who were inside buildings that were then bombed, and who died inside those buildings that collapse on top of them. The soldiers of Division 162 have destroyed 200 tunnel shafts. They have destroyed, in Rafah, Hamas’ last major store of rockets. The IDF believes it will take only several more weeks to finish off the last of the Hamas fighters who remain in Rafah.
Too bad it took this long, and cost the lives of 180 IDF soldiers, but the Bidenites have been holding things up and slowing things down for the IDF in Rafah. Peccato.
PRCS says
Once the IDF completes the probably impossible mission of totally eliminating Hamas’ presence there, will the now eight months long, worldwide, almost daily “peaceful” from the river to the sea protests end?
And will Gazan citizens, Muslims almost all, demonstrate gratefullness for Israel’s efforts to free them from the rule of other Muslims?
terry says
Nope. And no. To answer your article ending questions, as all the world knows the answers.
James Lincoln says
The IDF is doing a tremendous job – under the most challenging of conditions.
John Smith says
Agreed James
Raymond Bullock says
What the IDF is accomplishing is next to miraculous and could only be accomplished because the God of Abrahm, Isaac and Jacob is with them in this intense struggle not unlike the original conquest of the Promised Land.
Heidi says
From your lips to G-d’s ears!!
Phil Copson says
So where was he during every massacre in history?
Billy Corr says
A good point, Phil. One that deserves a Serious Theology answer, too.
Due to a scheduling oversight, the Creator God was busy creating other solar systems in the years 1933 – 1945, hence the Great Holocaust.
He awakened to his responsibilities in 1945 and soon decided what to do. In a short time Zionist terrorists were making life lethally dangerous for the soldiers, police officers and civil servants of the British Mandate.
Best of all, He was aware that a precipitate British withdrawal from Palestine would prove catastrophic to the Jews, who would simply be overwhelmed by the Jordanian Legion and the Egyptian Army.
In His wisdom, He made the British stay until His “Chosen People” had a sporting chance of victory and this it came to pass that the State of Israel came into being.
I hope your query has been adequately answered.
Rarely says
Interesting concept of G-d. Could keep theologians busy ad infinitum. Oh. it already has.
PRCS says
+1 Phil.
Phil Copson says
Peccavi….peccato…..
To continue Hugh’s theme – the destruction of Hamas must be surely be regarded as a mere peccadillo – from which it follows that Israel’s strategy of using the scaled-down, pin-point military offensive to tackle the tunnels, combined with elaborate precautions to avoid civilian casualties – must henceforth be known as “the armadillo”?
I expect that a word to describe the subsequent securing of Raffah by deploying troops in armoured personnel carriers will soon occur to me. Peccatoribus.
Rarely says
Unfortunately in the process Israel has made no friends among the Palestinians. Hamas may be destroyed but it will certainly be replaced. Israel has bought time though and hopefully can make progress during that time. History shows otherwise — very unfortunately.
James Lincoln says
Rarely says,
“Unfortunately in the process Israel has made no friends among the Palestinians.”
Hamas is really a subset of the so-called “Palestinians” – who overwhelming STILL support Hamas.
Impossible to make “friends” with these Jew haters.
OLD GUY says
Are we just repeating History over again and again when it comes to the Jewish and Muslim disagreement. Muslims/islamic followers hate the Jews and want them deleted from earth.
So the BIG question for the rest of man kind is who do we want to live with. I pick the Jewish people.
Reason why, when the muslim/islamic people are done eradicating the Jewish people they will begin to kill us INFIDELS with a vengeance.
Ralph says
God bless Israel and its IDF for overcoming monstrous odds, among them the abdication of the Biden regime from its promises of support to our ally.
I suspect that the IDF has no time for teaching woke dogma to its troops and that its generals focus on winning strategies rather than what perhaps will earn them another star or corporate board position. We can take many lessons from Israel and the IDF.
Christopher Watson says
This is the definition of stupidity. The IDF has tried to free them from poverty and servitude. Hamas put weapons and fighters and rockets in hospitals, schools and apartments. If the ordinary Gazans complained they were killed or mutilated. The vast amounts of money which was sent to them to improve their lives was stolen. The Hamas leaders live in luxury a long way from Gaza in total safety. If you were to explain this to a n alien who saw this for the first time he/she would think the human race was insane.