#withdrawal of US troops

[dontmean2bepoliticalbut]

[navramanan]

Aquiring knowledge -> getting filled with frustration and anger and dread -> wanting to stay informed regardless -> aquiring knowledge -> getting filled with frustration etc etc

[heritageposts]

More than 100 Palestinians have been killed and some 700 others wounded after Israeli troops opened fire on hundreds waiting for food aid southwest of Gaza City, health officials say, as the besieged enclave faces an unprecedented hunger crisis. The Gaza Ministry of Health said on Thursday that at least 104 people were killed and more than 750 wounded, with the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemning what it said was a cold-blooded “massacre”. [...] People had congregated at al-Rashid Street, where aid trucks carrying flour were believed to be on the way. Al Jazeera verified footage showing the bodies of dozens of killed and wounded Palestinians being carried onto trucks as no ambulances could reach the area. “We went to get flour. The Israeli army shot at us. There are many martyrs on the ground and until this moment we are withdrawing them. There is no first aid,” said one witness. Reporting from the scene, Al Jazeera’s Ismail al-Ghoul said that after opening fire, Israeli tanks advanced and ran over many of the dead and injured bodies. “It is a massacre, on top of the starvation threatening citizens in Gaza,” he said. The dead and wounded had been taken to four medical centres: al-Shifa, Kamal Adwan, Ahli and the Jordanian hospitals. Ambulances could not reach the area as the roads had been “totally destroyed”, said al-Ghoul. “The numbers will rise. Hospitals are no longer able to accommodate the huge number of patients because they lack fuel, let alone medicine. Hospitals have also run out of blood.” Reporting from occupied East Jerusalem, Al Jazeera’s Bernard Smith said the Israeli military “initially tried to pin the blame on the crowd” saying that dozens were hurt as a consequence of being crushed and trampled when aid trucks arrived. “And then, after some pushing the Israelis went on to say that their troops felt threatened, that hundreds of troops approached their troops in a way they posed a threat to them so they responded by opening fire,” Smith added.

. . . continues at Al Jazeera (29 Feb 2024)

[northgazaupdates]

It is 8 am Gaza time and 1 am US Eastern time. As of now, from what we are seeing from multiple people on the ground in the north, there has been a *partial* withdrawal of IOF troops. It is NOT a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and it is NOT a full withdrawal from north Gaza.

Many areas of northwest Gaza report withdrawals, but other parts of north Gaza are still besieged by IOF ground troops. Momin Abu Owda reported that Al-Tawam Junction in the northwest is now free of IOF troops for the first time since the ground invasion began (link below). However, Shukri Filfil reported that Al-Rimal in Gaza City, which is in the southern portion of north Gaza, is still under attack by IOF troops. Eshak Daour reported IOF firing gas bombs at him and a group of civilians in Beit Lahiya, which is more in the central area of north Gaza. Hossam Azam reported ground clashes very near to his location, although his exact location is not yet clear. Ahmed Kouta reported that although the ground troops pulled out of northwest Gaza, they have moved on to other parts of north Gaza, such as the central and southern regions (link below). All but the first and the latter appeared on Instagram Stories and as such there is no permanent working link, so message us for screenshots if desired. Mahmoud Ziad also documented the continued incursion of IOF personnel and machinery around Al-Shifa Hospital in the southwestern region of north Gaza, which Ismail Al-Ghoul reported as well.

The partial withdrawal is being documented by Momin Abu Owda, Dr. Tamer Al-Najjar, Mahmoud Sabbah, Hassan Hamad, Mahmoud Al-Awadia, Mahmoud Abusalama, Abood Abusalama, Mahmoud Shalha, Karam Naji, Ahmed Kouta, Anas Al-Sharif, Ismail Al-Ghoul, Fadi Al-Whidi, and more will be added as we find them.

[charlesoberonn]

Donald Trump is responsible for the spike in international conflict in recent years.

His 2020 "peace" deal with the Taliban which completely sidestepped the Afghan government and gave the Taliban everything they wanted directly led to the botched withdrawal of US troops in 2021 and the subsequent Taliban reconquest of the country.

This was a reversal of US geopolitical efforts and a successful war of conquest by an enemy of the US. While the whole world watched. It empowered autocrats and enemies of the US and its allies worldwide to attempt to do the same. Most notably with Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

So next time you hear Trump boasting that there were no wars during his term, remember that it was his incompetence that led to the current state of affair.

[read-marx-and-lenin]

Dude. Kamala Harris has called for a ceasefire several times. Stop spreading dangerous misinformation.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/10/harris-tells-pro-palestine-protesters-now-is-time-for-ceasefire-in-gaza

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/25/politics/harris-netanyahu-israel-hamas-ceasefire/index.html

https://www.npr.org/2024/03/04/1234822836/kamala-harris-benny-gantz-gaza-cease-fire-israel-hamas

https://guccifloralsuits.tumblr.com/post/758399118733426688/im-not-voting-until-they-call-for-a

Dangerous misinformation? Like this?

What about this dangerous misinformation?

Biden has called for a ceasefire too, and we can see how his tactics are going. Is Kamala going to be any different?

Oh well. Maybe the ceasefire deal is at least a realistic goal acceptable to both sides that would result in meaningful change and an end to hostilities?

Nope! Turns out the "ceasefire" these lovely kindhearted liberals are calling for would not be a permanent ceasefire nor would it even require Israel to withdraw troops from Gaza!

If anyone here is spreading "dangerous misinformation", it's you, anon.

[zvaigzdelasas]

Speaking to reporters, Netanyahu insisted that there was no alternative to “complete victory” over Hamas in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s hawkish response came hours after he met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken[...] Blinken said later that there was still a path to a deal.

The Hamas proposal envisaged a three-stage process over four-and-a-half months, during which Israeli troops would gradually withdraw from the enclave, hostages would be released and Palestinian prisoners in Israel would be freed, according to a copy of the group’s counteroffer obtained by CNN.[...]

Israel’s aim was “complete victory” in Gaza, Netanyahu said. “The victory is achievable; it’s not a matter of years or decades, it’s a matter of months.”

In a late-night press conference in Tel Aviv, Blinken suggested negotiations could still move forward, saying he believed Netanyahu’s “delusional” remark referred to specific elements of the Hamas proposals that were unacceptable.[...]

Hamas had proposed a three-phase deal, each lasting 45 days, that would also see the gradual release of hostages held in the enclave in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel – including those serving life sentences – as well as the start of a massive humanitarian and rebuilding effort.

Contrary to earlier demands, Hamas did not call for an immediate end to the war. Negotiations for a permanent ceasefire would take place during the truce and the remaining hostages would only be released once a final deal to end the war was agreed, the document said.[...]

Netanyahu has pledged not to stop the campaign until Israel destroys Hamas once and for all.[...]

The Israeli former hostage Adina Moshe criticized Netanyahu, saying there “won’t be any hostages to release” if his government continued its plan to completely eliminate Hamas.[...]

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters also delivered a message directly to Netanyahu and the Israeli War Cabinet in a press release on Wednesday. “If the hostages are not returned home: the citizens of Israel should know they live in a state that is not committed to their security, that the mutual responsibility in it has died,” the families forum said. “They who do not protect their citizens will find that their citizens lose faith in them and their leadership.”

7 Feb 24

[27moremoons]

Israel's far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for the full annexation of the occupied West Bank and the besieged Gaza Strip.

Speaking at a recent summit in occupied al-Quds, hosted by Israel for an American evangelical audience, Smotrich asserted that Israel should unequivocally declare there would be no Palestinian state.

Smotrich, who has a history of making outrage-inciting comments and provoking Palestinians, repeated his proposal of expanding Israeli settlements within the West Bank and other occupied territory.

He also urged for the return of Israeli settlements to Gaza, undoing the 2005 withdrawal. [Israel withdrew its military and settlers from Gaza in 2005 after a 38-year occupation. After its withdrawal enacting a blockade]

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has launched a year-long genocidal camp in Gaza, earlier said that his regime would maintain control of the territory for an indefinite period.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Smotrich also called for Israeli control over the besieged Palestinian region to be solidified by establishing a permanent civilian and military presence. [...] he added that Palestinians should only retain limited local self-rule “devoid of national characteristics.”

The minister emphasized that those who insisted on a Palestinian state would be forced to leave and face expulsion. “Those who do not want or are unable to put aside their national ambitions will receive assistance from us to emigrate to one of the many Arab countries where the Arabs can realize their national ambitions, or to any other destination in the world,” he said.

The latest remarks come as Netanyahu is executing a plan to starve out hundreds of thousands of Palestinians unwilling or unable to leave their homes in northern Gaza. Under the "generals' plan", civilians who remain in northern Gaza are classified as combatants, allowing Israeli troops to kill them. They are denied access to food, water, medicine, and fuel. The plan gave Palestinians a week to leave the northern third of the Gaza Strip, including Gaza City, before declaring it a closed military zone.

The Israeli genocidal war in Gaza continues to kill more civilians and leave behind a trail of destruction across the besieged strip.

[i-am-aprl]

In a significant shift in tone, Secretary of State Blinken announced that the U.S has submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza that is tied to the release of Israeli hostages.

This new ceasefire resolution seems to be nearly identical to previous resolutions that the US has vetoed in the past. Blinken also did not speak of a permanent ceasefire or a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza but did say that a permanent reoccupation by Israel of Gaza would not be acceptable.

So what has changed since the last resolution that was vetoed by the US? If I had to guess it would be a combination Netanyahu and his IDF terrorists ignoring US demands to halt the attacks on Al Shifa Hospital and Rafah, US allies like Canada abandoning the US position, and most importantly, polls and protests increasingly showing that young people, Arab Americans and people of all backgrounds will not forget Biden’s support for genocide by the November presidential elections. Keep up the pressure.

[sayruq]

Every few weeks, Israeli officials say that Hamas is 'starting to break' or 'starting to lose control over Gaza.'

Meanwhile Hamas released a very slick trailer unveiling a new missile type, the M-90, that it used on Tel Aviv

Al Qassam Brigades released a video showing their operation and it's the most intense one yet. Tw: explosions, gunshots, no blood or gore

Al Qassam has also released a video related to the tweets below and it's grizzly. Some of the special forces team and the POW were killed in the attempted rescue (though you only see the POW's body)

[CONT] eastern axis of Khan Yunis.

It's not just Al Qassam Brigades, the Al Quds Brigades has also released a video showing their fighters carrying out attacks against the IDF. It included a moment where one of the fighters shoots an RPG at a tank and then leaps for joy shouting ' It's on fire! It's on fire!'

Same TW as the Al Qassam video

The Mujahideen Brigades also posted an update

[CONT] aircraft intervened to bomb the soldier, and our fighters returned to their bases safely

Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades has spoken about one of their military operations in Gaza

[CONT] certain injuries among them. One of the martyrdom fighters rose in the operation, and two of the heroes withdrew safely

It's actually really hard to keep up with everything that is happening in Gaza.

It has also been very intense in the other fronts too - namely Hezbollah at the Lebanon border and militia groups in Iraq and Syria

Btw a bill meant to withdraw 900 US troops from Syria failed to pass to expect more operations like this as long as Gaza is being destroyed.

[russiantapo4ek]

do u know what amuses me most about the western(american)audience? This is that from the very beginning they will behave friendly with u , ingratiate themselves with you, start treating u well at first glance, u will really believe them and want to communicate with them, and then they will suddenly basely stab you in the back just bcuz you did not warn them that going to take a break for a two hours from socialnet . I really fell out of love with western fandom for its poisonous, rude and biased attitude towards russian artists. Yeah, you heard right. To russian artists. As usual, they can't leave us alone…The attitude towards russians before the war and during the war has not changed a bit. And don't tell me that's not the case. I didn't see any difference. Two years ago, I suffered constant ridicule and harassment, I was kicked out of here, demanding the withdrawal of troops from a neighboring country (what does that have to do with me?). I was bullied on instg/here, and someone intentionally wanted me to hate western fandom, thanks, you did it. Tbh the western community has traumatized me a lot, it is really difficult to adapt to you and find a common language. You are constantly looking for hidden meaning in harmless conversations and put yourself above others if another person's opinion differs from yours (especially when a damn drug addict from New Jersey is looking for you on an IP and wants to make you his personal doll...)Thus, you are the initiator of a stereotype about your known toxicity. However bcuz of this I lost all feelings for ship rusame, although I fell in love with these characters not bcuz of politics, I adore the poisonous concept of ships, this is my trop, however, the real audience and fictional characters are not the same thing. For me the most relaxed fandoms are Japanese/LatinAmerican, but western has become a moral horror for me.…

[vomitdodger]

2 million views of a fantastic thread you’ve certainly not heard of…yet again. The cover story basics in below article:

[athena5898]

(PrR)Hezbollah Operations Room (1/2):

Field Summary of the Battle of the Mighty Ones issued by the Operations Room of the Islamic Resistance

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful "Permission [to fight] has been granted to those who are being fought, because they were wronged, and indeed, Allah is competent to grant them victory. This is the Truth of Allah, the Most High, the Almighty.

The fighters of the Islamic Resistance continue to repel the "israeli" aggression on Lebanon, inflicting significant losses on the enemys forces, equipment, its officers, and its soldiers, along the confrontation axes from the front edge to deep inside occupied Palestine.

Ground Engagements:

On 28-10-2024, large numbers of "israeli" troops and equipment began advancing (https://t.me/PalestineResist/65416) towards the town of Khiam under heavy aerial cover over the surrounding areas and stationed on front-line positions in Tal Nahas, Hamames, and the Al-Majidiya plain.

According to pre-set defensive plans and after closely monitoring potential routes of advancement, Islamic Resistance fighters executed a fire-based defense plan, focusing on synchronized, targeted missile and artillery strikes against enemy movements and positions, both within Lebanese territories and the occupied interior. Over a period of three continuous days, more than 70 targeting operations were conducted (50 of them around the town’s southern and eastern edges), resulting in the destruction of four tanks with guided missiles and the killing and wounding of their crews. Additionally, a soldier position in the "Metulla" settlement was hit by a guided missile, resulting in deaths and injuries among them. A security team in Tal Nahas was also targeted with a guided missile, and the military media released footage documenting (https://t.me/PalestineResist/66479) the successful hit.

One of the most notable operations involved a precision missile barrage that targeted large gatherings of enemy troops and vehicles in Wadi Al-Asafir, southeast of the town, using qualitative precision missiles with 250 kg warheads filled with high-explosive materials. The powerful explosions and high casualty numbers created panic and confusion within enemy ranks.

Beyond rocket and artillery barrages targeting enemy movements within Lebanese territories, several strikes were carried out in the rear areas of the forces participating in the attack our land, specifically through:

Targeting attack-support forces around Khiam and in "Metulla" settlement site and its surrounding orchards with 11 concentrated missile barrages and artillery shells, achieving confirmed hits.

23 rocket barrages on training camps, missile launch bases, and command centers in "Ayelet HaShahar", rocket launch bases in "Yesod HaMa’ala", an armored gathering area in "Sha’al", and command centers in "Shamir".

By the night of Thursday, 31-10-2024, enemy forces were forced to withdraw behind the borders, utilizing military helicopters to evacuate their dead and wounded, as well as specialized equipment to retrieve the destroyed tanks.

On Saturday, during an attempt by an "israeli" force to advance across the border toward the village of Houla, our fighters spotted a convoy of approximately 40 military vehicles (tanks, armored vehicles, and personnel carriers) led by two bulldozers, aiming to clear a path for further advancement. As the force reached the range of our fighters, the bulldozers were struck by two Kornet anti-tank missiles, destroying them and killing and injuring those inside. Under heavy "israeli" artillery cover, the entire convoy retreated to the eastern border of the town. As the convoy regrouped, three successive rocket salvos, spaced five minutes apart, with over 60 rockets, struck the area. The operation successfully achieved its objectives.

[roukabi]

Back when the Nature Ancient was teased I was really hoping for lemur dragons. These creatures don't look like lemurs, nor do they look like dragons, but I like them. I call them Traipsers.

Design notes/trivia/what-have-yous under the cut:

The lore behind these dragons (though 'dragon' is really stretching it) is that they're compassionate, social creatures who live in troops upwards of 50 individuals. Led by three or four of the wisest troop members, Traipsers are known to lead lost travelers through the Viridian Labyrinth, or even house them temporarily within their canopy cities. In the rarest cases, a troop will gladly adopt rescued dragons and Beastclan into their ranks.

Though their gentle temperaments were widely respected by other rainforest denizens, the introduction of the fiercely combative Wildclaws drove Traipsers into hiding, up the tallest tree boughs of the Behemoth where their less dexterous cousins could not reach. For years and years they stayed out of sight, until strange shifts in the magical ley lines started to disrupt draconic way of life - including for Wildclaws. The Traipsers, despite their history, could not sit by and watch their neighbors suffer, so once again they emerged, ready to lend a helping hand.

Traipsers resemble a cross between tree frogs and lemurs. The long nail on the dragon's index finger is used in scratching, foraging and climbing. A large throat sac can inflate to make riveting ribbiting sounds. But Traipsers' most notable trait is their large head fans, which show off a wide array of colors for courtship and expressive purposes. Despite the dark bases of these fans looking like horns, they are actually mostly muscle, and house the ear canal underneath, similar to an elephant. The fans are attached at the back of the neck, and can move up, down, and side-to-side. The tails are too thin to be prehensile, but they can signal to other members of a troop like a flag.

Many of a Traipser's traits are used less for combat and more for communication, as they have not had natural enemies for most of their existence. In addition, Traipser culture values airtight troop relationships, agreeableness, and personal style. Rude, argumentative, or just plain headstrong Traipsers risk banishment from a troop. Loneliness is the worst kind of torture for a Traipser; without anyone to lend support, a loner tends to withdraw and shut down to the point of neglecting their own needs. It's usually after rescue by another troop that the loner 'learns their lesson' and becomes more agreeable. The generosity of a functioning Traipser society starkly contrasts the suffering of its more hotheaded individuals.

On the subject of style, it's not uncommon for Traipsers to decorate their fans with fruit dyes, leaves, stones, and whatever else catches their eyes. Paintings of family or friendship history are a very fashionable choice. Lairs function similarly, only more permanent and with large hanging nests for troops to cuddle in. The care of hatchlings is a group effort, where the parents will gather their closest friends and family to take turns watching over the young and teaching them about the world. Exposure to a friend group's diverse range of worldviews at a young age helps in forming strong Traipser minds.

Traipsers are not used to fighting, and will typically flee to their troop if confronted. If a troop should face danger, a handful of members will attack the opponent with rapid-fire, dizzying kicks and tail smacks, while the rest guard the weak. Lone Traipsers do not have the luxury of teamwork, and will resort to biting and scratching with their long canines and nails. A particularly desperate Traipser will grapple their opponent and attempt to dislocate or break bones, including the jaw.

Some image assets:

And there you have it! Fanmade dragons. This was a lot to do, I'm not sure if I'll add any more genes/assets. Nothing's set in stone, though! I like making fake things look real.

Traipsers are free-to-use with credit, and you can give them whatever genes or colors you want.

[northgazaupdates]

1 February 2024

Journalist Mahmoud Abusalama reports from an area of northwest Gaza where, until recently, IOF troops were placed. Following a hasty retreat earlier today, the troops were forced to leave much of their materiel behind. Mahmoud documents the weapons used by the IOF to commit genocide in Gaza. Instagram user faridaek provides a full English translation in the comments, reposted here:

I'm reporting to you directly from the scene, in front of these Israeli munitions that we found in one of the Israeli military barracks during the Israeli aggression that is still ongoing in the Gaza Strip. The ordnance and missiles standing before me now have been used in the killing of Palestinian civilians and children in the Gaza Strip. These munitions were left by the Israeli occupation after their withdrawal from the northwest of Gaza, specifically along the shores of the Gaza Sea. All this equipment and these missiles have been used to deliberately kill Palestinians and commit acts of genocide.

Source: Mahmoud Abusalama on Instagram

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mahmoud Abusalama (@almajd_free)