"We have attacked an important and significant target of Hamas, responding disproportionately to the shooting from Gaza"

The IDF's Brigadier General, Brigadier General Amit Saar, dismissed criticism of responses to launches from the Gaza Strip, explaining that Hamas had suffered significant damage. "The organization does not want to enter an escalation." On the events of the Temple Mount: "The situation may deteriorate" | The full interview at the weekend

Amir Bohbot

27/04/2022

Wednesday, 27 April 2022, 07:00 Updated: 07:08

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

• Share on general

• Comments

  Comments

Two rockets were launched from Gaza and exploded in the Gaza Strip, April 22, 2022 (Ben Ben Nativ HaAsara Nursery)

The head of the research division, Brigadier General Amit Saar, reveals in a special interview with Walla!

In an interview - to be published in full on Friday - Saar explains the dynamics of the terrorist organizations vis-à-vis Israel, how they received Hamas' response to Israel's closure of the Erez crossing, and whether we succeeded in the Ramadan period.

"We responded very significantly, especially on the second night after the Islamic Jihad rocket that hit Sderot.

"This is an underground complex that is a very important and significant function in the production of Hamas TMS rockets.

It is expensive, has no substitute, there is nothing like it in the Gaza Strip, and this creates significant damage to Hamas' production capabilities.

This is a heavy event.

Some of the policies we have had for some time.

More on Walla!

An iron dome intercepted a rocket fired at the Gaza Envelope

To the full article

More on Walla!

• A rocket fired from Lebanon landed in an open area near Shlomi;

  The IDF responded by firing cannons

• The Erez crossing will open tomorrow for the entry of workers and traders from Gaza

• The Silent Killer: Everything you need to know about high blood pressure and how to deal with it

Brigadier General Amit Saar (Photo: IDF Spokesman)

The head of the research division spoke during the interview about the nuclear bomb, the threat from Iraq, Syria, Nasrallah's cough, the status of Muhammad Daf and the recent terrorist attacks and rocket launches.

"Hamas does not want to enter the event with Israel, it also costs us in every possible sensor. And I also see it in their actions. What is Hamas doing that is quite unusual? It is restraining, making arrests. We had two shootings, there were more attempts, two that used color. Edom and they both come from different areas. "

"One of the small organizations that is neither Hamas nor Islamic Jihad that has rockets and they are capable of firing occasionally, they can not produce mass. They have low capabilities and we had an event that we identify as jihad failure. What happened? Neither in jihad "They want to enter the battle, they did not change strategy, but they thought they could steal rockets here and there and assume that even though Hamas does not want to, and Israel does not want to, then nothing will happen."

The atmosphere around Gaza, Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem is very tense, what is going to happen?

"There could still be another rocket in Gaza. If we do, we will continue to respond, but I think at the moment Hamas and jihad are deterred and do not want to enter the battle. There is no zero in Gaza. Hamas cannot reach full control. Hamas controls the territory at a fairly high level. "Full control. Hamas also has rioters."

IDF response to Lebanon firing, this week (Photo: IDF Spokesman)

The attacks conveyed the message?

"The attacks sent the message well. But not only them, to a very large extent also the closure of the Erez crossing and the workers 'crossing. The closure of the workers' crossing is interfering with all of Gaza. "Is it a price? Or will only Hamas pay a price? So no. Everyone will pay a price. I think it has lowered the likelihood that jihad or Hamas will try on its own initiative at the moment. Is there any likelihood of more recalcitrant rockets? Certainly."

"I think we have held Ramadan well so far," Saar added.

"We have six more days. We have the ability to manage it well. It's going to be very tense. We have more 'Lilat al Qader', before Jerusalem Day we will have to do what we do now: assassinations in Judea and Samaria, strong defense, deterrence "I hope that gentle driving in Gaza, as well as the police and the GSS, will continue to do a good job in Jerusalem."

So what are the chances of an escalation with Gaza?

"I think two things can lead us to an escalation in the Gaza Strip. If the situation in Jerusalem changes now and there is a serious incident: killed on the mountain on Friday, then - and here I am precise - I think it is likely that Hamas will initiate to maintain the link between Gaza To Jerusalem, he very much does not want to get to it. How do I know? Because on Friday there was an unusual incident on the Temple Mount, policemen entered the mosque, there were 300 detainees, and still Hamas did nothing, there was and will be such an event Hamas makes sense. Another factor is dynamics, "As much as it makes sense not to, if now jihad fires on Sderot and is wounded or killed, we can reach an escalation. But at the moment Hamas has no desire to initiate an escalation."

How do you explain the launch of the rocket from Lebanon towards Israel?

"We have marked the possibility of a rocket from Lebanon since the beginning of the events," Saar emphasizes.

"This is not the first time. Whenever there is tension this is likely to exist. There are three elements who can fire. Hezbollah. They are not in the story. There is the Hamas corporate infrastructure. I think that is not the story at the moment either. I think these are Palestinian activists whether they are linked to Hamas "Or not, that they have limited capabilities and they are trying to ignite the matter.

" How did we make it clear to them?

Reaction.

It is true that the reaction towards open spaces but the idea is that the reaction will be heard.

That Hezbollah will receive calls from concerned citizens asking him what happened here during the holiday.

It's not Gaza.

They are not used to booms.

Hezbollah does not want escalation, certainly not during the election period.

Here too can one see that we will see another discrete event?

I think there is such a chance. "

"I think we have held Ramadan well so far" (Photo: IDF Spokesman)

So this is not Hamas' headquarters in Gaza that sent a message to Lebanon, will you send?

"Not yet. It can come but I think it will only come if Gaza is ignited, so they will activate the north. I think every tree event in Gaza will also have a Lebanese component. "In Lebanon, the Gaza front did not light up, there were incidents that challenged the draft, I think the driving is responsible and good."

"The fact that we created civil shock absorbers gave us another tool," says Saar.

"We saw how much pressure pressed them to close the Erez crossing. Hamas made arrests and restraining actions for themselves not because they were Zionists, but because it wanted to bring back the workers. "Together. In the meantime, it did the job. Is it an insurance policy? It's not Gaza."

• news

• Army and Security

Tags

• Gaza

• Lebanon

• IDF

• Hamas

• Islamic Jihad