Israel on losing end in Gaza war: Former Mossad deputy chief

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli Knesset member and former Mossad deputy chief Ram Ben-Barak on Saturday said that the ongoing war in Gaza is “futile,” asserting that Israel is on the losing end and facing economic collapse.

“This war lacks a clear objective, and it's evident that we're unequivocally losing it,” Ben-Barak told the Israeli public radio.

“We are forced to engage in fighting in the same areas and end up losing more soldiers,” he said.

“We're also facing setbacks on the international stage, with our relations with the United States deteriorating significantly, and the Israeli economy in decline,” he said, adding: "Show me one thing we have succeeded in.”

Daily, Palestinian factions report the killing and injury of Israeli soldiers along with the destruction of military vehicles often sharing video clips documenting their operations.

Locally, Israeli authorities face accusations of concealing a higher number of casualties and injuries within the army's ranks.

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, said on Saturday that they killed 15 Israeli soldiers east of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

They also stated on Friday that over the past 10 days, they targeted 100 different Israeli military vehicles across all fronts of the conflict.

Israel continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the enclave.

Close to 35,400 Palestinians have since been killed, the vast majority of whom have been women and children, and more than 79,300 others injured since last October following a Hamas attack.

More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of “genocide” at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi