Marine Corps Lt Gen James Glynn in Virginia in July. USMC / AP
Marine Corps Lt Gen James Glynn in Virginia in July. USMC / AP
Marine Corps Lt Gen James Glynn in Virginia in July. USMC / AP
Marine Corps Lt Gen James Glynn in Virginia in July. USMC / AP

US general returns to US after advising Israeli military on Gaza


Thomas Watkins
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Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

A three-star general has returned to the US after spending several days advising the Israeli military as it prepared to increase its ground operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Pentagon said on Monday.

Lt Gen James Glynn, who helped to lead special forces as they battled ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and who saw fierce fighting in Fallujah during the Iraq War, is one of a team of senior US officers sent to advise Israel.

As the civilian death toll in Gaza soars, he gave advice to Israeli leaders on how to try to avoid civilian casualties and offered experience from his years of urban warfare, the Pentagon said.

“Lt Gen Glynn was one of a few officials with a relevant experience who the Department of Defence asked to help Israeli officials think through difficult questions that they need to consider as they conduct their planning,” a senior US defence official said.

His trip was “intended to offer observations informed by extensive military expertise and pose hard questions to the [Israel military] as they think through various scenarios.”

The Biden administration has repeatedly stressed its unequivocal support for Israel as it attacks the Gaza Strip, sometimes with US munitions.

But the death toll in the densely populated Palestinian territory is forcing the Pentagon to urge the Israeli military take civilian life more into consideration when planning strikes.

The Gaza Health Ministry on Monday said the death toll among Palestinians passed 8,300 people, mostly women and children.

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin is having “near daily” conversations with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said, with civilian lives a topic of conversation.

“The way I would say we've been interacting with the [Israeli military], and certainly with Minister Gallant, is asking the questions that we would ask ourselves on how to best preserve civilian lives on the ground, but also helping them understand how complicated urban warfare is,” Ms Singh said.

Israel intensifies attack on Gaza – in pictures

US officials stressed that the Israeli military is making its own decisions, and American officers are neither directing nor advising operations.

The US has plenty of experience when it comes to high civilian death tolls during military campaigns.

According to an AP investigation, as many as 10,000 people were killed during the eight-month siege to liberate Mosul from ISIS.

This included at least 3,200 civilians from air strikes, artillery fire or mortar rounds between October 2016 and the fall of ISIS in July 2017.

About the same number of civilians were killed or taken hostage and used as human shields by militants as they fled the city, AP reported.

The situation in Gaza poses a seemingly intractable problem for Israeli military planners who have vowed to wipe out Hamas.

The militant group has a network of tunnels. Fighting will be a gruelling, building-by-building slog, in the sort of booby-trap-infested urban environment as was seen by US forces fighting insurgents in the second Battle of Fallujah in 2004.

“We have lessons learnt from urban warfare, whether it's in Mosul or in Fallujah.," Ms Singh said.

"So that was one of the things that Gen Glynn brought to the table, of just how complicated urban warfare can be, and asking the right questions of the Israelis on in terms of their planning and how they were thinking through their operations."

Israel says Hamas uses schools and hospitals, making them legitimate military targets. But for every civilian killed, Israel draws increased global condemnation for what critics see as a heavy-handed campaign.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday defended his decision to escalate the offensive with a ground push into Gaza, which families of the more than 200 hostages held by Hamas have criticised for endangering their relatives.

“We think this method stands a chance” of securing the release of the captives, Mr Netanyahu said.

US soldiers clear abandoned houses on November 10, 2004, during fighting in the Iraqi insurgent stronghold of Fallujah. Getty
US soldiers clear abandoned houses on November 10, 2004, during fighting in the Iraqi insurgent stronghold of Fallujah. Getty
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

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EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

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The specs: 2017 Lotus Evora Sport 410

Price, base / as tested Dh395,000 / Dh420,000

Engine 3.5L V6

Transmission Six-speed manual

Power 410hp @ 7,000rpm

Torque 420Nm @ 3,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined 9.7L / 100km

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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

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Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah

Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University

2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship

2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy

2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment

2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment

2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager

 

 

 

 

Cinco in numbers

Dh3.7 million

The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown

46

The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.

1,000

The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]

50

How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday

3,000

The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

1.1 million

The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.

Winners

Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)

Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)

Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)

Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

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Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

Updated: October 30, 2023, 9:53 PM