Gaza, Palestine
Tensions in Palestine are boiling, as many Palestinian groups have become more and more divided politically, with the political scene becoming polarized sectarian tensions are also beginning to become a problem with Iranian backed efforts to spread Shiism into Palestine. Other regional tensions and geopolitical problems are also beginning to show in Palestine, the Shiite Iranian backed Harakat al-Sabireen, the Communist PFLP and DFLP along with Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Syrian backed As-Saiqa have joined forces in an attempted coup to dominate Palestine.
In the West Bank several gunmen attacked Palestinian police stations and administrative buildings belonging to the Palestinian Authority, while near the Presidential palace several explosions were heard followed by instances of gunfire, as the morning continued the Palestinian National Security Forces, Palestinian Presidential Guard, and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades mobilized defending key points in Ramallah and East Jerusalem effectively putting the West Bank on lock down, Israeli settlements were also put on lock down with IDF on high alert, and the Jordanian military secured several border posts.
By the afternoon the coup attempt had failed in the West Bank, with most of the perpetrators either killed or arrested, the Palestinian President had also fled with high ranking officials to Saudi Arabia for protection.
In Gaza the elements that had attempted the coup in the West Bank also put forward their efforts against Hamas, a multi-pronged assault was carried out with the PFLP seizing the Rafah border crossing with Egypt from the PA and Fatah, 2 border guards were killed in the clashes while the rest surrendered, in Deir al-Balah Harakat al-Sabireen and the PFLP successfully raided the local police station and arrested municipal officials, and took control of local infrastructure cutting off Gaza city from Khan Yunis.
As nightfall came the PFLP, Sabireen and PIJ being in control of Deir al-Balah and Rafah closed in on Khan Yunis, with fighting lasting several hours into the night as Hamas, the Popular Resistance Committees and Fatah/PA aligned elements became under siege repelling attacks from all directions and experiencing mortar and rocket fire, Palestinian officials pleaded to the Israeli government to provide support to defending forces, and reluctantly Israel agreed to provide minimal airstrikes, however this did little to alleviate the situation with the defenders being reduced to being in control of one city block of administrative buildings until finally surrendering after Hamas fighters detonated explosive devices killing themselves and several attackers.
Gaza city was still under Hamas administration and a grand defense was planned in coordination with The Popular Resistance Committees and their armed branch Al-Nasser Salah al-Deen Brigades, and Fatah/PA forces including Palestinian Security Services, Palestinian Preventive Security, and Presidential Guard. Qassam rockets were fired into Deir al-Balah and Rafah.
Around sunrise sniper fire was initiated by Sabireen fighters targeting defensive posts, after several hours of sporadic sniping and shelling the Sabireen-PFLP-PIJ assault came by attacking the southern flanks of Gaza city, in the eastern flank the heaviest fighting was erupting as it was near the border with Israel and led way into downtown, because of the heightened violence IDF artillery shelled Gaza city striking both Hamas defensive posts and Sabireen attackers and their allies.
In the west the coastline was secured as Hamas fell back to redirect attention to the east and defending the downtown area, fighting continued for the rest of the day until nightfall when resources began to run low, ammunition was almost depleted over 70 civilians had been killed in the cross fire, the local hospital had become subject to targeting by both sides as they battled for control, all defensive efforts were slowly becoming futile and surrender was the final outcome, whatever was left had fled to Egypt through secret corridors underground and a new order was in charge of Gaza, and the Palestinian Republican Council was established to challenge the PA.
PALESTINIAN REPUBLICAN COUNCIL
المَْـجـلّس الجُــمـهَوريِ الفـلسطيّـنـِـي
2019-03-18 CE
Rajab 11 1440 هـIn the name of Allah the most Gracious the most merciful,
After a successful security operation to combat the corruption of the so-called illegitimate Palestinian Authority we hereby renounce this illegal body as it does not represent the interests of Palestine and its people, it has failed to defend the Palestinian people from Israeli aggression and has instead turned on its own people on behalf of the Zionists.
We ask all nations currently recognizing the Palestinian Authority to instead recognize the Palestinian Republic and the Republican Council as this is the sole legitimate authority over the Palestinian nation, and we declare that Jerusalem is our capital and that Israel's existence is illegal and built upon the bones of the innocent and we strive for a free and independent Palestine.
The new "Palestinian Republic" has received recognition from Iran, Syria, Houthi controlled Yemen, Hezbollah, Abkhazia, Transitria and South Ossestia, Venezuela has also expressed support for the PR but has not officially recognized it.
An emergency meeting has been held by the Arab League about the crisis, the Egyptian government has threatened to launch a military campaign in Sinai against exiled Palestinians and any Palestinian groups that may be active there along with ISIS' presence in Sinai, Israel has likewise threatened military action against Gaza and Sinai unless order is restored and Iran's proxies are eliminated.
President Khairallah of Khataiy has vowed to help the Palestinian people liberate Gaza from the Iranian-Communist occupation, after the emergency Arab League meeting held in Amman, Jordan, the Saudi, Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Bahraini, Moroccan and Sudanese governments have also expressed readiness to support Palestinian efforts to retake Gaza while the UAE and Egypt have stated that a military situation is suitable for Sinai against exiled Palestinian factions and a total closure of the Israeli and Palestinian borders is needed.
Qatar's emir has offered to mediate the situation in Gaza between the PA and PR the Sultan of Oman also offered to mediate, Iraq's government has declared neutrality in the situation as has Libya, Algeria and Lebanon.
Khataiyi foreign minister declaring support for the Palestinian Authority
As the foreign minister spoke, on Khataiyi national television patriotic music played in the background,
"This is a tragedy, this is a crisis, this an outrage and an emergency. No words can describe the anger in our hearts towards the Safavids and their plots and this has crossed a line, a line that extends to the love of every Arab and Muslim, Palestine, the Safavids have no place in any Arab country not in Iraq, not in Syria, not in Yemen, not in Lebanon, not in Khataiy and certainly not Palestine. Palestine is sacred, the most sacred of places after Mecca and now they are expanding their filthy cancerous empire into Gaza, we will take action against these terrorists this is non-negotiable our stance is a testimony before God almighty that we will slice the tentacles of the Safavids wherever they are, President Khairallah has said we will cause an eruption of rage in the face of the Safavids and in our holy war against them for the defense of Palestine they will witness nothing but harshness from us, mercy will never be reserved for these dogs, and this is justified in the Quran.
We have our military ready and active to liberate Gaza and help our honorable brothers there retake their homes from the Safavids, this isn't a matter of opposing Israel as these idiots like to portray this is a matter of enslaving our people and reviving the long dead Persian empire, we will vanquish the Persians we are launching operation al-Anfal, named for the blessed chapter of the Quran, in support for the Palestinian war against the Safavids. We call on the world to join us in dismantling the Satanic Iranian Empire and we call on all Islamic and Arab nations to join us in this war just as the companions of the Prophet crushed the Magians in the past, and we remind everyone that God said, "And another (favour will He bestow,) which ye do love,- victory is from Allah and a manifest victory is near. So give the Glad Tidings to the Believers."
RRS Buchan - Dokdo class heli-carrier