Israel Declares Hamas 'Defeated' After Mass Civilian Deaths Again
Brigadier General Effie Defrin, the Israeli military spokesperson, declared Hamas “defeated every place we fought them,” conveniently timing the announcement with a ceasefire. This isn't the first time an Israeli official has prematurely declared victory against Palestinian resistance groups, a tactic often preceding renewed conflict. Netanyahu, for instance, has leveraged similar 'victory'
narratives following previous operations, only to see the cycle repeat, because occupation breeds resistance—a fact conveniently omitted from mainstream reporting (and Israeli triumphalism). Such pronouncements serve to sanitize the immense human cost while securing continued US military aid. Figures like Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), who received $10,000 from AIPAC in 2022, consistently vote for
unconditional aid packages. Perhaps they believe 'defeats' will stick if enough funding is poured into them, regardless of the reality on the ground or the staggering civilian death toll—which currently sits upwards of 37,000 Palestinians.