Mazal Tov! Head of Hamas Security Apparatuses Killed

[NewsGuy]

Some good news today:

The IDF killed one of the world's most notorious terrorists, Said Siam, together with three other senior Hamas terrorists. Other Israeli news sources say that the IDF had received "precise intelligence" regarding Siam's location. That means Palestinian collaborators. IMO, Fatah loyalists, and other Palestinians in Gaza who have been oppressed by Hamas:

From news article:

Siam was the Hamas political echelon's liaison with the group's military wing, and was responsible for the various security apparatuses in the Strip, including the police and the naval force.

Siam was considered a radical and was in contact with Hamas's political leadership in Damascus. He was also considered close to Iranian officials.

Siam was one of the masterminds of Hamas's violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in June 2007.

Salah Abu Shrakh, the head of the Hamas general security service, was also killed in the air strike.

Siam was the most senior Hamas man to be killed in almost three weeks of fighting. Hamas confirmed that Siam was killed with his brother and son. According to Palestinian reports, Mahmoud Watfa, one of the commanders of the Hamas military wing, was also killed in the strike.

Two weeks ago, the IAF dropped a one-ton bomb on the home of one of the group's top five leaders, Sheikh Nizar Rayyan, killing him and a reported 18 others.

Rayyan was both the director and the financier of the 2004 terror attack at the Ashdod port, which killed 10 Israelis, and in October 2001 he sent his son to perpetrate a suicide attack in the Gush Katif settlement Elei Sinai, where two Israelis were killed.

Jpost.com

Check out the size of the crater left after the IAF bombed the late Said Siam. Whoa... Ismail Haniyeh and the rest of the heads of Hamas must be peeing in their pants seeing this.

[Y. Shulamith]

Mazel Tov!!!!

[bararallu]

my thats a large hole.

[kozzol]

Well done the IDF and once again goes to show that the intelligence being received is accurate.

[NewsGuy]

Any word of what kind of missile was used?

One of the most important goals that Israel needs to achieve is to eliminate any ambiguity as to who won this war. That was a big lesson learned from the Lebanon war, when Hezbullah was able to stand over large areas in South Lebanon which were demolished by the IDF, and still claim victory.

In the case of Gaza, the Arab world (and actually the entire world), will soon be able to see the amount of destruction left in the wake of this war, but there need to be certain victories that are humiliating to Hamas that will play a psychological role.

The Arabs and Leftists need to understand clearly that terrorism against Israel will result in very painful consequences. Killing the top leadership of Hamas will be a part of the more obvious signs that Hamas has been defeated, even if it still stays in power in Gaza.

As it is, the IDF is pushing into Gaza City, so the end may be near for many other top Hamas commanders who are hiding in underground tunnels in Gaza City.

[andak01]

my thats a large hole.

Precision weaponry.

[jeffk]

I don't think any death should be celebrated. However, I am not going to shed any tears that this guy is no longer on the on earth.

[Yala]

Oh please. As far as I'm concerned Israel will not win the war unless the following conditions are met:

1) Return of Gilad Shalit
2) Total sealing of borders between Israel and Gaza forever
3) Egypt responsible for humanitarian aid, gas, water, etc to Gaza and NATO forces controlling border crossings between Egypt and Gaza.


If these conditions are not met, Israel may as well declare themselves a divine victory as Hezbollah did and call it a night.

[Y. Shulamith]

Oh please. As far as I'm concerned Israel will not win the war unless the following conditions are met:

1) Return of Gilad Shalit
2) Total sealing of borders between Israel and Gaza forever
3) Egypt responsible for humanitarian aid, gas, water, etc to Gaza and NATO forces controlling border crossings between Egypt and Gaza.


If these conditions are not met, Israel may as well declare themselves a divine victory as Hezbollah did and call it a night.

Right on..."from your mouth, into G-d's ears...."

[kozzol]

andak01 wrote

Precision weaponry.

Exactly!! And thats why I wonder how many of the civilian casualties, who the media and vitually everyone else keep blaming soley on the IAF & IDF, are the victims of their own army, Hamas.

[redcake]

I'll say it again, it would be really great if Egypt's wall suddenly had a hundred holes in it.

[bararallu]

Oh please. As far as I'm concerned Israel will not win the war unless the following conditions are met:

1) Return of Gilad Shalit
2) Total sealing of borders between Israel and Gaza forever
3) Egypt responsible for humanitarian aid, gas, water, etc to Gaza and NATO forces controlling border crossings between Egypt and Gaza.

1. In a casket? since thats how he's going to come, in trade for 10,000 living terrorists.
2. Possible, although not probably IMHO.
3. That would be great but it's not reasonable to ask for since Olmert has already, in this conflict assumed this role, including virtually building a hospital for them, continuous deliveries of fresh produce, and the continued free gas, water and electricity.

[NewsGuy]

Oh please. As far as I'm concerned Israel will not win the war unless the following conditions are met:

1) Return of Gilad Shalit
2) Total sealing of borders between Israel and Gaza forever
3) Egypt responsible for humanitarian aid, gas, water, etc to Gaza and NATO forces controlling border crossings between Egypt and Gaza.


If these conditions are not met, Israel may as well declare themselves a divine victory as Hezbollah did and call it a night.

To close the border between Israel and Gaza permanently, Israel will have to stop patrolling Gaza's other borders, including the sea. At that point, Israel will no longer be considered an "occupying force" under international law. That's not going to happen unless those borders are closed to weapons smuggling under international supervision. So far, no country on earth has agreed to be responsible for that, NATO has already refused as well, and we can see how well things worked in Lebanon under UN supervision.

For some reason, it also looks like Israel will not demand the return of Gilad Shalit (or his body). I don't know why not, but I am sure that gobs of Hamas terrorists have been captured by Israel in the past few weeks (and hopefully even family members of Hamas leaders), to be used as bargaining chips for Shalit.

Let's hope for a miracle, that the IDF's special forces discover Shalit's location while the IDF is in Gaza. That would be the best outcome.

[NewsGuy]

I'll say it again, it would be really great if Egypt's wall suddenly had a hundred holes in it.

Yep. One good missile would open the border to Egypt. I do understand, though, that when this war started Egypt stationed a few thousand armed soldiers at the border, to shoot at Palestinians in just such an event.

Muslim solidarity is one thing, but no Muslim country (or any other for that matter) wants the Palestinians to set foot on their land.

[Yala]

To close the border between Israel and Gaza permanently, Israel will have to stop patrolling Gaza's other borders, including the sea. At that point, Israel will no longer be considered an "occupying force" under international law. That's not going to happen unless those borders are closed to weapons smuggling under international supervision. So far, no country on earth has agreed to be responsible for that, NATO has already refused as well, and we can see how well things worked in Lebanon under UN supervision.

First off NATO =/= UN forces. Secondly, as I said if Israel is still de-facto in control and responsible for Gaza, then there will be no victory for Israel. Every day it looks more and more like they are going to have a cease-fire agreement similar to the one Israel signed with Hezbollah, which essentially just gives Hamas time to re-arm to start the conflict again.

Let's hope for a miracle, that the IDF's special forces discover Shalit's location while the IDF is in Gaza. That would be the best outcome.

Agreed.