عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ : Initiated by 70 Elite Fighters, Crafted by 5 Hamas Leaders

Palestinians in Khan Yunis atop an Israeli military vehicle seized during the Al-Aqsa Flood operation (DPA)
Palestinians in Khan Yunis atop an Israeli military vehicle seized during the Al-Aqsa Flood operation (DPA)
TT
TT

‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ : Initiated by 70 Elite Fighters, Crafted by 5 Hamas Leaders

Palestinians in Khan Yunis atop an Israeli military vehicle seized during the Al-Aqsa Flood operation (DPA)
Palestinians in Khan Yunis atop an Israeli military vehicle seized during the Al-Aqsa Flood operation (DPA)

Palestinian sources closely associated with the leadership of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas in Gaza, have disclosed new details about the Al-Aqsa Flood attack on Oct.7, 2023.
This assault, which altered the landscape of the region, unfolded a new era with endless possibilities.
The surprise attack launched by Hamas resulted in the death of over 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of more than 200 others in settlements, kibbutzim, and military sites in the Gaza envelope.
In response, Israel claims to have killed a significant number of perpetrators of Al-Aqsa Flood, totaling at least 1,500 members of Hamas.
Additionally, Israel has reported the killing of over 23,000 Palestinians in its ongoing retaliatory war in Gaza.
The Al-Aqsa Flood operation began with just 70 fighters, launching a surprise attack along the entire Gaza Strip border, from north to south, Palestinian sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.
They crossed the Israeli border by strategically exploding prepared explosives to breach the thick walls of the Gaza-Israel barrier.
Additionally, they used gliders and parachutes to position fighters behind, above, and around Israeli sites.
Sources reveal that those involved in the operation were selected from Hamas’ “Elite Unit” across various areas in Gaza, having undergone extensive training over the years.
The plan to infiltrate settlements in Gaza’s envelope is not new, originating before the 2014 war and revisited after the 2021 “Sword of Jerusalem” battle.
After receiving confidential training, elite members pledged secrecy and refrained from discussing plans, even though they were unaware of any clear attack plan.
Their training focused solely on infiltrating settlements.
Sources reveal that many brigade leaders in various Gaza areas were unaware of attack details or plans, while some had limited information about their tasks.
This secrecy was part of a security plan to prevent leaks to Israeli intelligence, which later admitted to failing to prevent the Oct. 7 attack.
The decision and timing of the attack were reportedly made by only five individuals: Yahya Sinwar, Hamas leader in Gaza; Mohammed al-Deif, leader of the Al-Qassam Brigades; Mohammed Sinwar (Yahya’s brother), wanted by Israel and a key assistant to al-Deif.
The other two individuals are Rouhi Mushtaha, a Hamas leader close to Sinwar, and Ayman Nofal, a close associate of al-Deif and former head of Al-Qassam Brigades’ intelligence, assassinated by Israel in the current war.
According to sources, the officials responsible for planning the operation informed Al-Qassam Brigades’ unit leaders about the preparations and the attack plan, excluding the exact timing.
They were notified three days before final readiness, meeting with regional brigade leaders who were assigned tasks without specifying the “point of no return.”
Brigade leaders then prepared their selected forces.
Ayman Siyam, the leader of the Gaza rocket unit (also assassinated during this war), received instructions to launch hundreds of rockets simultaneously with the attack.
The sources explained that Oct. 7 was chosen based on reports of complete calm on the borders.
The decision-makers concluded on Friday that Saturday morning would be the most suitable time (Israel’s day off).
They waited until midnight on the eve of Oct.7 and then gave the order to prepare.
Field commanders and elite forces received instructions and began moving in the early hours, marking the start of the operation.
The secrecy was also extended to the political leaders of Hamas.
According to sources, Hamas leaders received a briefing just hours before the operation, instructing them to go into hiding.
Senior leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh and Saleh al-Arouri, were informed of an impending attack but received no specific details or timing until a few hours before.
The primary plan aimed for a significant attack and capturing Israeli soldiers, but unexpected events made it more extensive.
Israeli defense lines collapsed easily, leading to the immediate capture and casualties of many soldiers.
After an hour and a half, remaining elite units in Al-Qassam Brigades were mobilized to support those inside the settlements.
Other armed factions were later informed about the possibility of participating, expanding the attack as hundreds entered the settlements.
After capturing dozens of Israelis, Al-Qassam Brigades’ leadership instructed fighters to engage Israeli forces, using the opportunity to focus on gathering and hiding the abductees amid significant chaos.
Hamas and Palestinian groups, along with others, managed to move about 240 abducted individuals, including Israelis and non-Israelis, into Gaza.
About 136 of them are still there after some were exchanged earlier.
The Israeli army also found some abductees’ bodies during ongoing ground operations and brought them into Israel.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Türkiye Says SDF Has No Option but to Integrate into Syrian Army

Turkish Land Forces Commander Metin Tokel and Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra meet in Damascus on December 11. (Turkish Defense Ministry)
Turkish Land Forces Commander Metin Tokel and Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra meet in Damascus on December 11. (Turkish Defense Ministry)
TT
TT

Türkiye Says SDF Has No Option but to Integrate into Syrian Army

Turkish Land Forces Commander Metin Tokel and Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra meet in Damascus on December 11. (Turkish Defense Ministry)
Turkish Land Forces Commander Metin Tokel and Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra meet in Damascus on December 11. (Turkish Defense Ministry)

Türkiye said on Friday that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have no alternative but to implement a March 10 agreement requiring their integration into the Syrian army, accusing Israel of encouraging the group to stall the deal through its actions in Syria.

In a statement, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense said the SDF, whose backbone is the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), is acting in violation of the agreement signed in Damascus between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi.

Ankara considers the YPG an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it designates as a terrorist organization.

Ministry spokesperson Zeki Akturk said the SDF’s continued activities, instead of integration despite the March 10 accord, undermine stability and security in Syria. He stressed that SDF members must join the Syrian army as individuals, not as an autonomous bloc.

He accused unnamed countries of encouraging the SDF through actions and rhetoric, to reject integration and disarmament, calling such efforts futile attempts to buy time.

He also said Turkish forces have destroyed 732 kilometers of SDF tunnels in areas of operations across northern and northeastern Syria, including four kilometers in Manbij.

Separately, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan linked the SDF’s reluctance to implement the March 10 agreement to Israeli moves in Syria.

He said the SDF would reach an understanding with Damascus on integration the day Israel finds common ground with Syria, arguing that the SDF’s stance is not solely its own decision but influenced by Israel.

Fidan stressed that the agreement initially enjoyed support from Türkiye, the United States, and Syria, but that progress has stalled as the YPG/SDF refrains from taking required steps.

Expressing hope for a negotiated solution between Damascus and the SDF, Fidan said dialogue would reassure all communities, Arabs and Kurds alike. He warned that conflict would harm civilians and benefit no one, noting plans to unify armed factions under a single national army.

Meanwhile, Türkiye’s Defense Ministry announced a visit to Damascus by Land Forces Commander Metin Tokel, who met Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and Chief of Staff Ali Noureddine al-Naasan. Tokel also toured the joint Turkish-Syrian operations center.

Arab World

Lebanese State Formally Launches Reconstruction Effort with Modest Public Funding

A member of the Civil Defense stands on the rubble of a house hit by an Israeli airstrike in the town of Jbaa in South Lebanon. (Reuters)
A member of the Civil Defense stands on the rubble of a house hit by an Israeli airstrike in the town of Jbaa in South Lebanon. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Lebanese State Formally Launches Reconstruction Effort with Modest Public Funding

A member of the Civil Defense stands on the rubble of a house hit by an Israeli airstrike in the town of Jbaa in South Lebanon. (Reuters)
A member of the Civil Defense stands on the rubble of a house hit by an Israeli airstrike in the town of Jbaa in South Lebanon. (Reuters)

More than a year after the end of the war between Israel and Hezbollah, which caused widespread destruction in South Lebanon, the Lebanese state has formally launched its reconstruction effort, albeit with very limited public funding.

Within the framework of the 2026 state budget, Parliament’s Finance and Budget Committee approved allocations for the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR), the Council of the South, and the Higher Relief Committee.

It also endorsed the transfer of funds from the emergency reserve for shelter and repairs, a move committee chairman Ibrahim Kanaan described as “a positive signal from the Lebanese state to our people, within the limits of the budget.”

Committee sources said a total of $90 million was transferred from the reserve: $67 million to the Council of the South and $24 million to the Higher Relief Committee.

With the approval of these allocations, the state has effectively begun the reconstruction process with what lawmakers themselves describe as a very modest sum, after waiting for more than a year for foreign aid that never materialized. This marks the first direct state funding for reconstruction since the war ended in November 2024.

Foreign envoys have told Lebanese officials in recent months that international support for reconstruction is contingent on Lebanon implementing a package of financial reforms and, crucially, achieving exclusive state control over weapons. Lebanese officials believe the issue has since become even more complex, tied in particular to the trajectory of agreements with Israel.

The fate of a reconstruction conference spearheaded by France remains uncertain, especially as Paris has recently prioritized plans for a conference to support the Lebanese army, expected early next year.

Meanwhile, political divisions in parliament over expatriate voting have stalled legislative work, derailing the approval of World Bank loans linked to reconstruction that could total up to $500 million, according to Kanaan. He warned that the loans could be withdrawn if parliament fails to ratify them before the end of the year.

Parliamentary sources said lawmakers from the so-called Shiite duo — Hezbollah and the Amal Movement — insisted on reallocating part of the relatively large budget reserve toward reconstruction, arguing that the state must send a positive signal to citizens who have been neglected for over a year.

According to the sources, many lawmakers went along with the proposal under pressure, amid fears they would otherwise be held accountable by residents, especially given the risk of building collapses threatening lives.

Ali Hassan Khalil, an MP from Amal’s Liberation and Development Bloc, called on the government to issue the regulatory framework for reconstruction, saying the approved funds, while limited, would help address urgent shelter needs and serve as a starting point for a major national effort.

MP Hassan Fadlallah, of Hezbollah's Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, said reconstruction requires large sums but stressed that the state cannot remain idle waiting for foreign funds, while welcoming any non-politicized, unconditional assistance.

Researcher Mohammad Shamseddine of Information International estimated total direct war damage at $8.5 billion, with reconstruction costs of about $2.3 billion. He told Asharq Al-Awsat the approved funding represents only a fraction of what is needed and confirms the state’s limited capacity, noting that foreign aid is unlikely before a definitive settlement and lasting peace with Israel.

The move drew objections from the Lebanese Forces party. MP Ghada Ayoub, a member of the Strong Republic Bloc and the Finance Committee, criticized what she called pressure to divert public funds to reconstruction, arguing that financing should come through a dedicated, internationally supervised fund and external assistance.

She said the priority should instead be strengthening the Lebanese army to ensure stability and enable the safe return of residents.

Arab World

Britain Imposes Sanctions on RSF Leaders, Including Hemedti’s Brother

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. (AP)
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. (AP)
TT
TT

Britain Imposes Sanctions on RSF Leaders, Including Hemedti’s Brother

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. (AP)
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. (AP)

Britain on Friday imposed sanctions on senior commanders of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accusing them of involvement in mass killings, systematic sexual violence and deliberate attacks on civilians in Sudan.

The UK government said Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, the RSF’s deputy commander and brother of its leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, along with three other commanders suspected of involvement in the crimes, are now subject to asset freezes and travel bans.

In an official statement, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The atrocities taking place in Sudan are so horrific they scar the conscience of the world. The overwhelming evidence of heinous crimes - mass executions, starvation, and the systematic and calculated use of rape as a weapon of war - cannot and will not go unpunished.”

The RSF’s actions in el-Fasher are not random: they are part of a “deliberate strategy to terrorize” populations and seize control through fear and violence. The impact of their actions is visible from space. Satellite images of el-Fasher show blood-stained sand, clusters of bodies, and evidence of mass graves where victims have been burned and buried. There needs to be accountability for these actions, and urgent steps taken to avoid this happening again, it added.

Sanctioning RSF leaders suspected of mass killings and sexual violence in el-Fasher “sends a clear message that those who commit atrocities will be held accountable,” it continued, underscoring Britain’s commitment to preventing further crimes.

Those sanctioned include Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, the RSF deputy commander, whom the UK said there are reasonable grounds to suspect of involvement in mass killings, ethnically motivated executions, systematic sexual violence including gang rape, kidnapping for ransom, arbitrary detention, and attacks on health facilities and aid workers.

Also sanctioned is Gedo Hamdan Ahmed, the RSF commander in North Darfur, who is suspected of involvement in mass killings, sexual violence, kidnappings and attacks on medical teams and humanitarian staff.

The list further includes Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris, an RSF brigadier suspected of responsibility for violence against people based on ethnicity and religion and for deliberately targeting civilians, and Tijani Ibrahim Moussa Mohamed, an RSF field commander suspected of responsibility for the deliberate targeting of civilians in el-Fasher.

Britain urged all parties to the conflict to immediately end atrocities, protect civilians and remove obstacles to humanitarian access.

The government also pledged an additional £21 million to provide food, shelter, healthcare and protection for women and children in hard-to-reach areas on the brink of collapse. The funding, the statement said, will enable aid agencies to reach 150,000 people, meet basic needs, keep hospitals operating and reunite families separated by war.

The sanctions come after the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Saudi Arabia proposed a three-month ceasefire plan in November, followed by peace talks. While the RSF initially accepted the plan, it later launched intensive drone strikes on army-held areas.

The war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023 between the army and the RSF, has displaced millions.

Earlier this month, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a UK-led resolution condemning atrocities and mandating an urgent investigation into crimes committed in el-Fasher.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has described the war as a “scandal,” announcing plans to convene talks between the Sudanese army and the RSF in Geneva to press both sides to respect international humanitarian law, protect civilians and implement commitments made under the Jeddah Declaration.