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Last update - 12:33 20/01/2009
Top IDF officer defends Israel's actions in Gaza, says Hamas was defeated
By Amos Harel
Tags: IDF, Hamas, Gaza, Israel News

The Israel Defense Forces did not use excessive force in the fighting in Gaza, the commander of the Givati infantry brigade, whose soldiers fought there over the past two weeks, said.

"I will not send 10 soldiers into a house suspected of being booby-trapped in order for them to blow up, before I have created the conditions that will guarantee their safety," Colonel Ilan Malka said. "In the Warm Winter operation in March 2008 in Jabalya, I lost two soldiers who were shot by armed men who came out of one of the houses. This time we understood that in the face of the enemy's preparations we needed to create proper conditions for bringing in the forces, and that is what we did."

Malka, speaking at a press conference at an IDF base in the Negev after his soldiers pulled out of the Gaza Strip, described the brigade's attack in the Tel el-Hawa neighborhood in the southern section of the city of Gaza last Thursday. He said his soldiers fought between the high rise buildings while Hamas gunmen sniped at them, fired rocket propelled grenades and set off explosives. A Hamas security compound was located in the neighborhood, and the soldiers discovered weapons, war rooms and facilities for listening in on IDF communications.
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The brigade commander also said he understood the soldiers' disappointment that the operation was halted before Hamas was completely defeated, and without the freeing of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. "That is what I expect from commanders and soldiers, that they want to advance. It is hard to argue with the feelings, but our mission was to seriously damage Hamas and we carried it out. We defeated Hamas in the brigade's sector. We need to say that clearly," he said.

His soldiers demonstrated a fighting spirit and courage in the battles, he added. "We took away their cellular phones, they didn't shower for two weeks and slept in crannies in Palestinian houses or on the ground, two or three hours a night; and nevertheless their motivation to continue to fight only increased," said Malka.

Thirty-three Givati soldiers were wounded in the fighting, most with light injuries. Most have been released from the hospital already. One of the soldiers, who was hit by an anti-tank weapon, is still in serious condition.

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      1.   I love IDF Propaganda (laughing) 04:09  |  Lebanese 20/01/09
      2.   Maybe. 04:36  |  Jens 20/01/09
      3.   Jens from Denmark 05:17  |  Rambo 20/01/09
      4.   To No. 1--Really? 05:37  |  IW 20/01/09
      5.   Danish Forces! 05:49  |  AM 20/01/09
      6.   His soldiers demonstrated a fighting spirit and courage in the ba 05:50  |  Man 20/01/09
      7.   engagement 05:55  |  arik 20/01/09
      8.   Morale Booster 06:03  |  George 20/01/09
      9.   Cowards! 06:26  |  Niva dos Santos 20/01/09
      10.   To Jens: Danish Forces 06:31  |  Ariel 20/01/09
      11.   #2 Jens: You`re A Military Fool! 06:48  |  Lavi 20/01/09
      12.   Danish Forces! Part 2 06:50  |  Pierre 20/01/09
      13.   Jens, so it was the Danish Army in Afghan? 06:55  |  that killed 100,000 20/01/09
      14.   Jens the brave Dane 07:03  |  ha-ha 20/01/09
      15.   Niva # 6 07:05  |  teacher 20/01/09
      16.   Jews should be more respectful 07:06  |  Dave Faulkmore 20/01/09
      17.   to Niva, Jens 07:07  |  Moe 20/01/09
      18.   Keep out of Paletinian homes! 07:08  |  Maureen Ann 20/01/09
      19.   Lauging Hezbanese: Yes, Hamas is some Israeli hallucination 07:11  |  Dan 20/01/09
      20.   No Kidding! Coward IDF 07:15  |  Arshi 20/01/09
      21.   Hamas is still well, and the IDF on the retreat 07:20  |  Kris Lazar 20/01/09
      22.   IDF dream 07:27  |  Garsy 20/01/09
      23.   Come on 07:29  |  Levi 20/01/09
      24.   Niva 07:44  |  Brad 20/01/09
      25.   Kris Lazar 10 - I suppose one could look at it like that 08:29  |  ChanahS 20/01/09
      26.   And firing Qassams at Israeli civilians was not cowardice? 08:32  |  Norman 20/01/09
      27.   The strength of democracy. 08:39  |  Jean Van Daem 20/01/09
      28.   To: Rambo 09:40  |  Can 20/01/09
      29.   what a brilliant commander 09:41  |  peace 20/01/09
      30.   Kol Hakavod Le Tsahal 09:58  |  Patrick 20/01/09
      31.   Want the truth? 10:57  |  Big Sur 20/01/09
      32.   Hamas was beaten? This guy is clueless 11:17  |  Natallie Durson 20/01/09
      33.   How to measure success.. 12:09  |  Stem Cell 20/01/09
      34.   IDF troops going home from the torment of 13:42  |  Buick from Boca 20/01/09
      35.   Much Like Israel 15:39  |  Ron 20/01/09
      36.   Hamas` Defeat 15:44  |  Berel 20/01/09
      37.   Malka 16:34  |  J 20/01/09
      38.   Can second try 17:23  |  Aby 20/01/09
      39.   I love Israel Haters 17:44  |  The Mik 20/01/09
      40.   IDF Bravery 17:48  |  John 20/01/09
      41.   Hamas victory? 18:10  |  John 20/01/09
      42.   Clear military victory 18:37  |  Sebastian 20/01/09
      43.   What a great war! 18:38  |  utagawa 20/01/09
      44.   Bravo Isreal defeated the Army of kids and women 18:41  |  US person 20/01/09
      45.   Natalie right! (for once) 19:04  |  utagawa 20/01/09
      46.   Durson, you forgot the real criterion of victory 19:05  |  Israeli citizen 20/01/09
      47.   Durson, you forgot the most important criterion of victory 19:15  |  Israeli citizen 20/01/09
      48.   Jens, pls save your comments. 20:29  |  Yoshi 20/01/09
      49.   Niva dos Santos - how ignorant can you be? 20:33  |  Oswaldo Pinto 20/01/09
      50.   HAMAS = HIDING AMONGST MOSQUES AND SCHOOLS 20:40  |  Soren 20/01/09
      51.   # 37 Israeli citizen The question of who won 20:57  |  maoriboy 20/01/09
      52.   Open Letter to the Uneducated 22:28  |  Rambo 20/01/09
      53.   Dingbat Durson 22:33  |  Rambo 20/01/09
      54.   rE# 1 Do You also love the... 23:57  |  Ines 20/01/09
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