On October 6, Avichay Adraee, the Israeli military spokesperson for Arabic media, posted images and a video purportedly showing Israeli paratroopers discovering combat equipment allegedly linked to Hezbollah. According to Adraee, the footage documented raids conducted by Israeli forces on Hezbollah’s combat complexes in southern Lebanon. The images and video depicted various weapons, including a vehicle equipped with arms that Adraee claimed were tied to Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, known for its specialized military capabilities.
Adraee further stated that during the raids on Hezbollah’s combat complexes, the Israeli army discovered a variety of combat equipment, including launching platforms, mortar shells, mines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), explosives, anti-tank missiles, and grenades.
Radwan Force Weapons or Fabrications From the Israeli Occupation?
Upon closely examining the footage shared by Avichay Adraee, one image stands out prominently. It features a vehicle that he claims belongs to Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force and is equipped with a machine gun. However, the box of ammunition affixed to the gun is labeled in Hebrew, specifically indicating "7.62 mm bullets." This detail raises significant doubts about the validity of Adraee's assertion, suggesting that the vehicle may, in fact, be Israeli rather than affiliated with Hezbollah. Such evidence casts further suspicion on the overall narrative presented by the Israeli military.
The image shared by Avichay Adraee sparked significant debate across social media platforms, with many users highlighting inconsistencies in the footage. The presence of Hebrew-labeled ammunition on what was claimed to be a Hezbollah vehicle raised widespread speculation that the Israeli army fabricated the evidence.
Critics argued that this could be part of a broader propaganda effort aimed at exaggerating Israeli military advancements against Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon. Adding to the skepticism surrounding Adraee's recent claims is the fact that the Israeli army has previously been accused of manipulating evidence during its ongoing war in Gaza.
Israeli Army Fabricates Evidence at Al-Shifa Complex
On November 15, 2023, the Israeli army stormed the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, located in central Gaza City. Accompanying them was a team from the American news network Fox News, tasked with documenting the operation.
Fox News broadcast a report featuring its correspondent, Trey Yingst, as he toured the site while the Israeli army searched the premises. The footage revealed two Kalashnikov rifles, ammunition belts, several plastic bags, and various other items located in the hospital's MRI room.
However, when the Israeli army released its own video from the site, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus asserted that Israeli soldiers had discovered "countless Hamas weapons" in the MRI room of the Al-Shifa hospital.
The scene depicted in Conricus's footage appeared noticeably different from what was shown in the Fox News report, despite the Israeli army's assertion that both videos were filmed in the same MRI room. This discrepancy raised suspicions that the placement of the weapons might have been manipulated and that certain items in the room had been altered.
While the Fox News correspondent clarified at the time that the Israeli army had not uncovered any tunnels beneath the hospital complex, the Israeli military continued to reiterate these claims, insisting that a network of tunnels belonging to Hamas was present as part of its justification for bombing the medical facility.
Israeli Forces Detain Gazans, Claim They Are Hamas Fighters
In December 2023, Israeli accounts published footage that purportedly showed "the surrender of more than 70 Hamas operatives, along with their weapons, to Israeli army and Shin Bet forces near Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza."
Upon closer examination, several indicators suggest that those arrested were civilians rather than Hamas fighters. In the footage, they appear naked while holding weapons, raising serious questions about the rationale behind forcing individuals to undress while still armed. Logically, their weapons should have been confiscated prior to requiring them to remove their clothing.
In another video shared by Avichay Adraee, the four men who had previously been shown holding weapons were seen rearranging guns, tools, and clothing on the ground. They appeared alongside Israeli soldiers, unarmed, seemingly coordinating their portrayal as if they were surrendering while still armed. This raises further questions about the authenticity of the narrative being presented.
In a similar context, Israeli accounts circulated footage depicting a group of naked men, with one holding a weapon while others raised their identification cards above their heads. This was allegedly intended to document the capture of Hamas fighters near Kamal Adwan Hospital.
In one scene, a man holding a rifle in his right hand is directed by an Israeli soldier, who instructs, "Move slowly with the weapon, raise your hand with the weapon, move, place the weapon here, and walk away with your hands up." The video then shows another Israeli soldier gesturing for the man to move forward and lay the weapon on the ground.
Shortly after the footage surfaced, some Gazans took to social media to identify the man seen holding the rifle. They reported that he was a civilian named Muneer Qashta Al-Masri, an aluminum workshop owner from Beit Lahia in northern Gaza. He had fled to the Khalifa School in Beit Lahia during the recent Israeli aggression and was allegedly kidnapped along with others from there. This claim was corroborated at the time by Ramy Abdu, founder and chairman of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor.
Israeli Aggression Against Lebanon
Israel’s aggression in southern Lebanon has been ongoing since September 23, when the Israeli military initiated its largest missile assault against the region, targeting Hezbollah. This offensive escalated into a ground invasion in early October, resulting in significant casualties, with over 2,000 deaths and more than 9,800 injuries reported by Lebanon’s Ministry of Health. The situation remains critical, with humanitarian concerns growing amid the ongoing war.
In response to the conflict, Hezbollah announced on October 7 that it had targeted an Israeli military intelligence base near Tel Aviv. The group’s statement declared, "On Monday evening, the Islamic Resistance launched a missile salvo at the Glilot base, affiliated with Military Intelligence Unit 8200, located on the outskirts of Tel Aviv." Additionally, the statement noted another missile attack on a military intelligence unit in the same vicinity, indicating a significant escalation in hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
Hezbollah clarified that these actions were in retaliation for "the targeting of civilians and the massacres committed by the Zionist enemy," emphasizing their commitment to respond to the call of Hassan Nasrallah, the group's secretary-general. This statement was particularly poignant following Nasrallah’s assassination in an Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut on September 27, underscoring the group's resolve to avenge his death and uphold their pledge to protect their people against perceived aggression.
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