Israel’s War with Hamas Is Peace Possible in the Middle East? For now, Russia is benefiting
Photo: Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images
This exceptionally brutal version of the decades-long conflict does not inspire positive thinking about a common future for Palestine and Israel. Eventually, however, some peace deal must be concluded. Everything indicates that it will be marked by the blood of innocent victims.
The Israel Defense Forces have claimed responsibility for the bombing of a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip city of Jabaliya. Three weeks ago, Hamas’ armed wing massacred Israeli civilians, including defenseless and peaceful kibbutzim residents. The international community has been calling for humanitarian aid to be sent to the besieged Gaza Strip, while Israeli airstrikes have killed humanitarian workers and journalists. Families of hostages kidnapped by Hamas have appealed for a prisoner exchange, even if they accept the terrorists’ terms.
attack
Had the attack not been carried out on October 7th, the tragedy unfolding before the eyes of the whole world would not have happened. In the morning, after sunrise, groups of Hamas fighters breached the barrier around the Gaza Strip. They reached Israel by land, sea and air – using paragliders. At the same time Israel was bombarded with thousands of rockets. At the same time, communications with the Israeli army were cut off. The Feast of Tabernacles (or Feast of Tabernacles) was taking place in the land of Sukkot, commemorating the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. Earlier in the day, a musical festival began near Kibbutz Reim associated with the celebration of Sukkot. The festival participants became the first victims of the terrorists.
A group of Palestinians break through the fence in GazaAshraf Amra/Anatolu Agency via Getty Images
The Israelis are used to occasional rocket launches from the Gaza Strip. A few years ago, I was walking near Ben Gurion Square in Tel Aviv when I heard a siren. However, they did not cause panic – people continued to sit in cafe gardens as if nothing had happened. Israel’s air defense system, known as Iron Dome, has earned a reputation for good reason. The two rockets fired at the capital that evening were unlikely to break through.
October 7, 2023 is different. Not only were the number of raids unprecedented. Hamas militants enter Israel for the first time. A country mired in civil strife was not prepared for this.
In the morning, the terrorists went hunting for the participants of the particular festival. When Israeli soldiers later arrived at the site, they found approximately 260 bodies, mostly young men. After the massacre, armed militias attacked nearby towns – killing Jews, Israeli Arabs and citizens of other countries. They also attacked kibbutzim where pacifists lived. The attackers set fire to buildings, threw explosives and killed entire families. Some were kidnapped.
At 8 am the Israel Defense Forces began military operations. Hamas began recapturing occupied cities. Within the first 48 hours, Israel managed to expel almost 20 of them. Meanwhile, about 300,000 reservationists were invited. F-15s, F-16s, and F-35s also attacked targets in the Gaza Strip.
Michał Wojnarowicz of the Polish Institute of International Affairs wrote in his analysis that the attack, which killed nearly 1,400 Israelis and injured thousands, caused the strongest state crisis in decades. The possibility of reaching an agreement with the Palestinians is questionable. It is also a huge image blow for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The operation was prepared for months under the noses of the most powerful military, one of the most powerful intelligence services in the world.
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Benjamin NetanyahuEPA/ABIR Sultan
There are many theories as to why Hamas did this. Michał Wojnarowicz mentions several things: consolidating support for Hamas, a push to destabilize Israel more broadly (which, as we already know, didn’t work – Hezbollah was not as engaged as expected) and interference with Arab-Israeli normalization. relationships.
– Hamas probably wanted to stop this trend of normalizing relations between Israel and the Arab world – Dr Hub says. Wieslaw Lizak from the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw in an interview with tvn24.pl. A bilateral peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia will surely be a turning point. Other Arab countries will also begin to look more favorably on the possibility of normalizing relations, and this will significantly worsen the possibility of Palestinians implementing nationalist ideas. For us, sacrificing thousands of people for some political cause is unimaginable, but terrorists often use the sacrifice of civilians to promote their cause, the expert points out.
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