Context:  

• This article is based on an Editorial “Why did Hamas launch a surprise attack on Israel?” which was published in the Hindu. Recently, dozens of Hamas militants launched a highly coordinated attack on Israel which is the largest and perhaps the worst security crisis in 50 years.

What is Hamas fighting for?

In 1987, Hamas (Islamic Militant group) for the liberation of Palestine through Jihad came into existence, which has received support from Iran and Syria.

What factors led to the significant infiltration by Hamas into Israel?

• Deepening Occupation
  • Deterioration in Relations: The Palestine-Israel relations have steadily deteriorated in recent years. Israel has been carrying out military raids in the occupied West Bank almost on a daily basis, besides having pressure on the occupied regions. 
    • Few Examples: In April, Israeli police raided Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque compound (Islam’s third holiest place of worship). 
      • In July, Israel carried out a major raid in the West Bank town of Jenin.
• Divisions in Israeli Society
  • Legislation to reduce powers of Judiciary: Recently, the Israel government passed a legislation, seeking to curtail the powers of the judiciary through Parliament, which triggered massive protests
  • An Opportune Moment: Hamas took it as an opportunity to launch an unprecedented attack from Gaza and trigger more resistance violence in the occupied West Bank.
• Geopolitical Angle
  • Peace Deal of Saudi Arabia and Israel: If Saudi Arabia, the custodian of the two holiest mosques of Islam and the most influential Arab country, normalizes ties with Israel, it would not only reset West Asian geopolitical dynamics but also put Hamas at a further disadvantageous position.
• 50 Years Memory: This attack reminded the 1973 Yom Kippur holiday attack by Egyptian and Syrian troops.

Why is the current violence being compared with the Yom Kippur war?

• Deadliest Attack: This has been the deadliest attack on Israel since the Yom Kippur war.
• Unpreparedness: Criticism within Israel for the state being found unprepared.
  • The recent attack came as a surprise, despite Israel’s advanced intelligence and interception systems.

Also read: India-Israel Bilateral Relations

What are possible consequences of this War?

• The Peace Deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel may not be signed.
• Israel can attack massively and occupy the entire Gaza strip.
• If there would be a vacuum in the entire eradication of Hamas from the Gaza strip, then Al-Qaeda would start trying to occupy it.
• Israel now would be helped by Western countries and this would impact Ukraine.
• Instability in Middle East Countries is going to rise.
• It would impact the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Project which was signed at the G20 Summit in New Delhi.

Conclusion

In the wake of the recent Hamas attack on Israel, It is high time for the World and the international community to find a just and peaceful solution to this issue, otherwise it would impact not just regional stability but the entire world.