Occupied Jerusalem – The Israeli military has dismissed a battalion commander and his deputy following their retreat in the face of an ambush by Hamas’ military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, during ground battles in northern Gaza prior to a temporary ceasefire, as reported by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. Israeli Army and Hamas in Gaza
The newspaper’s Monday edition stated that the army leadership decided to dismiss two officers from a combat unit participating in the ground incursion in northern Gaza. Their dismissal occurred at the height of ground operations, seemingly in the days leading up to the ceasefire.
The army leadership justified their decision to dismiss the officers from overseeing the combat unit during the Gaza war and ground operations, citing the battalion’s withdrawal from its position during a ground maneuver.
Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the combat unit’s decision to retreat was due to a lack of military support and air cover when its members came under heavy fire from dozens of al-Qassam Brigades fighters who had ambushed the Israeli soldiers.
From the Israeli army’s perspective, the withdrawal and subsequent retreat, described by the army as “unusual”, caused a “severe crisis” among the company’s leaders and fighters, and the battalion commander. This led to nearly half of those soldiers not returning to military service and combat in Gaza, following the officer’s departure at the army leaders’ request.
The newspaper added that the company’s soldiers and combat unit stated they did not receive support and air cover from the Israeli Air Force when they fell into the al-Qassam Brigades’ ambush, resulting in the military company’s withdrawal and retreat in the face of dozens of armed fighters who ambushed the Israeli army forces.
Military affairs correspondent Yoav Zitun quoted Israeli army officers saying, “The military force from the combat unit was sent on a ground mission in the sector, and its situation was poor and unprepared, after the unit’s soldiers had been involved in long and arduous military tasks and activities in the Gaza envelope. They were moved to ground combat without adequate rest time, leading to difficult atmospheres within the battalion.”
To contain the crisis and prevent its spread to other army units, the Israeli army decided to give all soldiers of the battalion and combat unit rest in the Ashkelon area. The army also decided to replace the two officers responsible for the company during the ground maneuver and the war on Gaza.
The newspaper pointed out that since the beginning of the war on Gaza, the battalion and combat unit faced other serious incidents, including the killing and injury of officers in ground incursion battles, in addition to injuries to the officer and battalion commander at the center of the controversy following the withdrawal and retreat from the al-Qassam Brigades’ ambush.
To compensate for the shortage of soldiers from the combat unit withdrawn from northern Gaza, the newspaper mentioned that the Israeli army mobilized groups of soldiers from other military units to fill the gap in combat forces. The incident “caused a crisis of confidence within the combat unit and the battalion, but it was dealt with correctly, and lessons were learned at all levels,” according to a statement from the Israeli army spokesperson.
The spokesperson added, “The unit’s and battalion’s fighters are battling in Gaza with courage and determination against Hamas”. Due to the battalion’s losses and injuries in ground battles last October, “following an investigation into the events and the behavior of the company commander, it was decided to dismiss him and appoint a new commander from the battalion in his place,” as per the statement.
Earlier, the Israeli army acknowledged engaging in fierce battles in the Gaza Strip against the Palestinian resistance, announcing in mid-November the killing of three of its members and serious injuries to others in battles in the northern sector.
The army’s statement at the time named the deceased as Captain Asaf Master (22), a platoon leader in Battalion 601, Kfir Isaac Franco (22), also a platoon leader in Battalion 52, and Captain Shlomo Ben Nun (22), a deputy company commander in Battalion 202.
According to official Israeli figures, the Palestinian resistance has killed over 1,200 Israelis since October 7, including approximately 400 officers and soldiers.
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