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Hamas has Reportedly Recruited up to 15,000 New Terrorists Since Oct. 7
Palestinian fighters from the armed wing of Hamas take part in a military parade to mark the anniversary of the 2014 war with Israel, near the border in the central Gaza Strip, July 19, 2023. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
i24 News – Hamas has allegedly recruited between 10,000 and 15,000 new members since the war against Israel began, according to US congressional sources citing intelligence reports.
This recruitment drive is viewed as a strategy to compensate for the group’s heavy losses, despite the ongoing devastation in Gaza.
The reported recruitment figures align closely with the estimated number of Hamas fighters killed during the conflict. Israeli assessments suggest that approximately 20,000 Hamas operatives have been neutralized since hostilities began.
“Each time Israel concludes its military operations and pulls back, Hamas fighters reorganize and resurface because there is nothing else to fill the void,” remarked former Secretary of State Antony Blinken on January 14. Hamas spokesperson Abu Ubaida had previously confirmed in July that the group had recruited “thousands” of new members.
However, American intelligence sources note that many of these recruits are young, poorly trained, and primarily tasked with basic security duties rather than front-line combat. By October 7, 2023, official US data estimated Hamas’s fighting force at 20,000 to 25,000 members.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon downplayed the threat posed by these new recruits: “Even if they recruit young people, they don’t have the weapons or training facilities to turn them into effective fighters. Yes, they can incite hatred against Israel, but without equipment or training, they can’t mount a significant threat.”
While Israeli military operations have severely disrupted Hamas’s command structure, including the elimination of key military leaders, the group remains active.
In his resignation speech, Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi acknowledged Hamas’s resilience, stating that although the organization has suffered significant damage, it has not been eradicated.
Halevi assured that the IDF remains committed to continuing operations against Hamas to ensure Israel’s security.
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Riding Anti-Trump Wave, Australia’s Albanese Secures 2nd term
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media during a press conference with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at the Australian Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Aug. 16, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Tracey Nearmy
i24 News – Australia’s Anthony Albanese claimed a second term as prime minister on Saturday, in a comeback against once-resurgent conservatives that commentators said was powered by voters’ concerns about the impact of US President Donald Trump.
Peter Dutton, leader of the conservative Liberal party, conceded defeat and the loss of his own seat, echoing the fate of Canada’s conservatives and their leader Pierre Poilievre, whose election losses last week were also widely attributed to a Trump backlash.
Supporters at Labor’s election party in Sydney cheered and hugged each other as Albanese claimed victory and said his party would form a majority government.
“Our government will choose the Australian way, because we are proud of who we are and all that we have built together in this country,” Albanese told supporters.
The Australian Electoral Commission website projected Labor would win 81 of 150 seats in the House of Representatives, increasing its majority in parliament, with 68% of the vote counted.
The post Riding Anti-Trump Wave, Australia’s Albanese Secures 2nd term first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israeli PM Netanyahu Postpones Upcoming Visit to Azerbaijan
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem, Feb. 16, 2025. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool via REUTERS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has postponed next week’s visit to Azerbaijan, his office announced on Saturday, in part due to recent developments in Gaza and Syria.
The prime minister’s office also cited “the intense diplomatic and security schedule” and said that the visit would be rescheduled, without announcing a new date.
Netanyahu was to visit Azerbaijan from May 7-11 and was expected to meet with President Ilham Aliyev. Israel and Azerbaijan maintain close security and energy ties.
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Israel Says It Intercepted Missile Fired from Yemen; Houthis Claim Responsibility
Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi addresses followers via a video link at the al-Shaab Mosque, formerly al-Saleh Mosque, in Sanaa, Yemen, Feb. 6, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
Israel’s military said on Saturday it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen and Houthi forces claimed responsibility for the attack, the third of its kind by the Iran-aligned group in 24 hours.
The Israeli military said sirens were activated in a number of areas in Israel after the missile was launched. No casualties or serious damage have been reported from the missile salvos.
The claim of responsibility, announced by the Houthis’ military spokesperson, came amid an intensification of US airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
In March, US President Donald Trump ordered large-scale strikes against the Houthis to reduce their capabilities and deter them from targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
The deadly strikes on the group have been the biggest US military operation in the Middle East since Trump took office in January.
The Houthis say their attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping are in solidarity with the Palestinians in the war between Hamas terrorists and Israel in Gaza.
The group pledged to expand its range of targets in Israel in retaliation for a renewed Israeli offensive in Gaza launched in mid-March, breaking a two-month-old ceasefire after the mediated talks on terms for extending it broke down.
The post Israel Says It Intercepted Missile Fired from Yemen; Houthis Claim Responsibility first appeared on Algemeiner.com.