Palestinian youngsters wounded in Israeli strikes are dropped at Shifa Hospital in Gaza Metropolis on 11 October. AP
Loss of life, destruction, and doom. That is what the previous week has been about. Israel and Hamas are at warfare after the Palestinian militant group launched a stealth assault final Saturday, infiltrating the Jewish nation, killing hundreds and taking a whole bunch captive.
Now the battle has entered Day 9. Israel is out to avenge the assault. It has relentlessly bombarded the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, claiming hundreds of lives and decreasing the enclave to rubble. The Israeli army is making ready to assault Gaza “by air, sea and land” and the extraordinary Palestinians trapped within the space have nowhere to go. They face an unimaginable alternative – to flee amid airstrikes or keep at house underneath them.
The state of affairs on the bottom is escalating. There’s concern that the battle will unfold to different elements of West Asia. We’ve spent the previous week attempting to simplify and clarify the flare-up and its fallout.
In case you are nonetheless questioning, how Israel and Palestine obtained right here, this weekly roundup needs to be useful.
1. How did the Israel-Palestine battle start? It’s a century-old difficulty and a whole bunch of books have been written about it. There are pages after pages that delve into the historical past and geopolitics of the area. However right here’s a brief explanation in graphics, which makes it straightforward to grasp a quite sophisticated and bloody historical past.
2. What precisely occurred on 7 October? How did Hamas leash the deadliest assault on Israel in additional than 50 years? It began with a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza – over 5,000 in 20 minutes. Israel’s well-known Iron Dome was at work once more. However did it fail? We reply.
3. Israel’s intelligence is alleged to be among the many greatest on the planet. The nation has three main businesses – Mossad, Aman, and Shin Bhet. We take a deep dive into the nation’s intel community and the way Hamas, the much less highly effective enemy, outfoxed it, leaving the world shocked.
4. The 7 October assault was deliberate and executed to precision. It caught Israel unaware. And it was all masterminded by Mohammed Deif (that’s his nickname). He’s a wheelchair-bound shadowy determine, who leads the army wing of Hamas. He’s usually in contrast with Osama bin Laden for his style for theatrics. Deif is a wished man however the place is he? Nobody is aware of. However right here’s what we find out about him and the remainder of the Hamas leadership.
5. Hamas began as an underground militant group. So how did it develop into the beast it’s? Firstly, it has the backing of Israel’s arch-enemy Iran. However the Islamic Republic is just not alone their solely help. Right here we check out the business of terror: How Hamas operates and from the place it will get its funds and weapons.
6. The Palestinian militant group might need struck first however an infuriated Israel launched retaliated quickly after. It has launched lethal airstrikes on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, firing artillery on the enclave each 30 seconds. 1000’s have succumbed with the demise toll mounting every day and greater than 1,000,000 individuals have been displaced. Tel Aviv warned Gazans to go away. However they’ve nowhere to go. We clarify why.
7. There isn’t any stopping Israel. The airstrikes are “just the beginning”, it warned earlier within the week. The Israeli army is making ready for a ground offensive. On Sunday, army spokesman Richard Hecht warned that the military is making ready to assault Gaza by “air, sea and land”. Right here’s what that would appear like.
8. Is the battle rising larger? Sure. However Hamas is just not the one enemy Israel is battling. West Asia is now divided. The Palestinian militants have the backing of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which has mentioned it’s totally ready to hitch the struggle towards Israel. There have additionally been exchanges of fireplace with Syria. We clarify the fallout of a multi-frontal war.
It’s removed from over but. Because the battle enters its second week, tensions are prone to rise. Will Israel be capable to dismantle Hamas? Will there be a ceasefire? We are going to clarify additional, so preserve watching this area for more.
PS: NewsLogic govt editor Palki Sharma is in Israel. The Vantage Israel edition brings you all of the updates from the battlefront. It’s a must-watch.