Israel-Hamas war: Key developments, implications, and historical background

The conflict between Israel and Palestinian armed group Hamas has escalated dramatically after the Israeli government declared war and intensified its bombardment of the Gaza Strip Israel said the attack was in response to a major surprise attack by Hamas This weekends incursion by Hamas and the subsequent assault by the Israeli defence forces resulted in significant casualties on both sidesIsrael launched airstrikes including one that levelled 14story tower building allegedly housing Hamas office The death toll rose significantly Approximately 123000 displaced people sought shelter in GazaKey takeawaysWar declaration The Israeli governments formal declaration of war authorizes significant military actions against Hamas raising questions about the possibility of a ground assault into Gaza a move that has previously resulted in higher casualtiesInternational response The United Nations Security Council UNSC met behind closed doors in an emergency session amid the war but failed to achieve the unanimity needed for a joint statementSmoke rise above buildings during an Israeli air strike in Gaza City on October 9 2023 AFPThe United States called on the councilrsquos 15 members to strongly condemn Hamas ldquoThere are a good number of countries that condemned the Hamas attacks Theyrsquore obviously not allrdquo senior US diplomat Robert Wood told reporters after the sessionProtection of civilians The conflict led to a sharp increase in the number of displaced Gazans taking shelter in schools converted into shelters Concerns were raised about attacks on civilian infrastructure including schoolsCauses of the attack Hamas cited longstanding tensions including disputes over the AlAqsa Mosque Jewish settlements and prisoner conditions Recent violent protests negotiations and the economic crisis in Gaza contributed to the situationAlso read Indian Americans rally in support of Israel after Hamas surprise attacksIsraels internal challenges The conflict occurred amid internal political turmoil in Israel with protests against Prime Minister Netanyahus proposals to weaken the Supreme CourtHamass tactics Hamas employed both rocket attacks and militant infiltrations marking a significant departure from previous conflictsUnderstanding HamasAs the situation unfolds it is essential to understand who Hamas is its origins principles allies and the factors behind its recent attack on IsraelHamas stands for the Islamic Resistance Movement and translates to zeal in Arabic It exercises political control over the Gaza Strip a densely populated area blockaded by Israel and home to over two million PalestiniansPeople attend a vigil for Israeli victims at the Stephen Wise Temple in Los Angeles California on October 8 2023 AFPFounding and early goalsFounded in Gaza in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yasin and Abdul Aziz alRantissi Hamas emerged during the first Intifada a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation Initially linked to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt Hamas established the military wing the Izz alDin alQassam Brigades with the primary goal of liberating historic PalestinePrinciples and recognitionHamas does not recognize Israels statehood but accepts the idea of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders It firmly opposes the Oslo Peace Accords and is dedicated to the establishment of a Palestinian state within its historical borders This objective is pursued through armed resistance targeting the Israeli military settlers and civiliansInternational designation as a terrorist organizationHamas either as a whole or its military wing is classified as a terrorist organization by Israel the United States the European Union Canada Egypt and JapanA woman holds a sign during a proIsrael rally outside of Israeli Embassy on October 8 2023 in Washington DC AFPRegional alliances and supportHamas is part of a broader regional alliance that includes Iran Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon This coalition opposes US policies in the Middle East and IsraelTriggers for Saturdays attackHamas initiated its military operation in response to longstanding Palestinian grievances including atrocities committed over decades and perceived infringements on holy sites like the AlAqsa Mosque These grievances provided the impetus for Saturdays attack which Hamas views as a response to ongoing injusticesHamas spokesperson Khaled Qadomi told Al Jazeera that the group carried out its military operation in response to atrocities that Palestinians have faced over decades ldquoWe want the international community to stop atrocities in Gaza against Palestinian people our holy sites like AlAqsa Mosque All these things are the reason behind starting this battlerdquo he saidTargeting of civiliansHamas maintains that it does not intentionally target civilians However videos have surfaced showing its fighters taking elderly Israelis hostage Rights groups like Amnesty International have documented instances of Israeli civilians being killed by Hamas Hamas justifies its actions by categorizing settlers in illegal settlements as legitimate targets rather than civiliansA man prays on the Palestinian flag near the Israeli Consulate on October 8 2023 in New York City AFPIsraelPalestine conflict A historical perspectiveThe IsraeliPalestinian conflict has deep historical roots dating back to the late 19th century Understanding this complex and longstanding dispute requires examining its key historical events the major actors involved and recent developmentsAfter World War I and the defeat of the Ottoman Empire Britain took control of Palestine a region with a Jewish minority and an Arab majority The international community asked Britain to create a Jewish homeland there which caused tension between the two groupsIn the 1920s and 1940s many Jewish people moved to Palestine to escape persecution in Europe especially after the Holocaust This increased friction between Jews and Arabs and they also resisted British ruleIn 1947 the United Nations voted to divide Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states with Jerusalem under international control The Jewish leaders agreed to this plan but the Arab side rejected it and it was never put into actionIn 1948 the British left and Jewish leaders declared the creation of Israel Many Palestinians opposed this and a war started Neighboring Arab countries joined the conflict Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced to leave their homes which they call The CatastropheOver the years Israel and Palestine have had many conflicts some small and some very deadlyIn 1987 a group called Hamas was formed as a political branch of the Muslim Brotherhood They have been involved in conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians including two major uprisings called intifadasIn 2000 there was a summit to try to make peace between Israel and Palestine but it didnt work outNow Hamas is urging fighters from the West Bank and other places to join the fight against Israel Tensions are high in places like East Jerusalem Gaza and the West BankIsrael and Egypt control Gazas borders to stop Hamas from getting weapons This has caused a crisis in Gaza with people struggling to get basic things like food and waterPalestinians in Gaza and the West Bank say they suffer because of Israeli actions like the Gaza blockade the West Bank barrier and the destruction of Palestinian homesIsrael says its only defending itself from Palestinian violence They point out that Hamas has fired many rockets into Israel and Palestinian militants have attacked Israeli civiliansIsraelrsquos occupation of Palestinian Territory is apartheid United Nations human rights expertA UN expert Michael Lynk in 2022 urged the international community to acknowledge his report echoing findings from various human rights organizations that Israel practices apartheid in the occupied Palestinian territory Lynk described a discriminatory system favoring Israeli settlers over Palestinians leading to a deeply segregated existence with oppressive conditions He argued that this constitutes apartheid under international law He also pointed out that Israels actions are aimed at maintaining an illegal sovereign claim over occupied territory Lynk emphasized the need for accountability measures to end apartheid practices and fulfill Palestinian rights citing years of unheeded UN resolutionsIn September this year former Mossad intelligence agency head Tamir Pardo has asserted that Israel is enforcing a system akin to apartheid on Palestinians in the West Bank likening it to South Africas former racial oppression regime Pardo highlighted the stark contrast between legal systems for Palestinians under military law and Jewish settlers under civilian courts declaring it an apartheid state While Israel has typically dismissed apartheid accusations as antisemitic dissent from within the Israeli establishment makes it harder to ignore Pardo warned that the ongoing occupation threatens Israels identity as a Jewish state Other notable Israelis such as former Attorney General Michael BenYair and historian Benny Morris have made similar apartheid comparisons and prominent international figures have also invoked apartheid to describe the situation in the occupied territories