On the Apocalypse all over again – Amos Harel in Haaretz:
‘Hazani, a reservist, served for many months at the headquarters of a division that fought in Gaza. In civilian life he's an anthropologist. The title of his new book translates as "One Way or Another the Sword Shall Devour – Anthropology in War: A Field Diary." It recounts his experiences in the war and joins a growing list of books on Israeli veterans of the conflict.
Much of the book is devoted to the early stages of the war in Gaza: the shocked IDF in light of the failures that led to the October 7 massacre, the horrific scenes in the communities near the Strip, the anxieties of the commanders as Israeli troops entered dense urban areas of Gaza, and the close-up fighting with Hamas, whose people fought from within the civilian population.
Regarding Hamas' cruelty on October 7, Hazani writes: "Hamas forced us to look at it and not deny its existence. … Hamas forced us to gaze at it as it is." The war "challenges us on the question of the limits of what is human, ours and theirs."’
(…)
‘Hazani saw this firsthand. He writes about the "war selfie," even by officers, already at the start of the war, even though they were warned that they were exposing their forces' location.
Many soldiers brought cellphones into Gaza, ignoring the army's directives. The book also confirms reports in Haaretz about the systematic burning of Palestinians' homes at the start of the war, even when this was unnecessary for operations, or the reason was invented later.
To his surprise, Hazani heard from senior officers he esteemed that "revenge is legitimate in this war." The public, he notes, often compares this war to the Yom Kippur War: a mistaken "conception" that led to disaster.’
(…)
‘In November 2023, a one-week cease-fire was declared to implement the first hostage deal, in which mostly women and children were returned. Hazani writes that only during that week did he understand, late and contrary to the general feeling in the division, that the freeing of the hostages was less due to Israeli military achievements and more due to Hamas propaganda. The organization wanted to get rid of the women and children, who were a burden including an image burden in the group's contacts with the international community.’
(...)
'The cease-fire, and then the resumption of hostilities, brought with them phenomena like a home-front routine in areas that Hamas had withdrawn from. One day, at an entrance point into Gaza, Hazani noticed a surfboard dangling from an IDF vehicle.
"A day-camp atmosphere," Hazani writes. "I went over to the driver, who acted as if he didn't understand what the problem was. I dealt with the matter on my own. Whereas I was disturbed by this sight, which reflected a lowering of operational awareness, quite a few of the officers around me simply burst out laughing. 'What a guy,' they muttered."'
Read the article here.
Surfing and fighting. Lt. Col. Kilgore returns, this time in Gaza.
Kilgore will return even after the end of the Gaza war, in other wars.
And Kurtz, he is there too. Somewhere hidden in the bush.