Qasim Syed’s Perspective: The Unprecedented Hamas Attack on Israel – An Analysis
When Gaza’s streets resounded with the launch of thousands of rockets towards Israel in the morning hours of the week, scores of armed Palestinian fighters successfully breached the heavily fortified border between Gaza and Israel. They used bulldozers to bring down walls, cut through fences, and crossed into Israel by gliding over the sea with a pier glider.
The most astonishing aspect is that despite the immense power of Israel, the country’s national intelligence agency Shin Bet, the foreign intelligence agency Mossad, and the formidable Israeli military, no one saw this attack coming.
In this assault, over 1,100 Israeli civilians and soldiers have lost their lives, and more than 1,800 have been injured. More than 150 are reported missing, including several senior military officers, major generals, and civilians. In response to Israel’s retaliatory strikes, thousands of Palestinians have become martyrs, and even more have been wounded. Hundreds of thousands of homes in Israel have been demolished. These numbers are approximate because the first casualty of war is always the truth.
Such a large-scale and harmonized attack against Israel, involving the use of thousands of rockets, has shaken the Israeli authorities to their core. It has targeted defense agencies, military personnel, and civilians, causing devastation that will make Israel and its ally, the United States, think about how they can obliterate many strongholds.
Hamas’ extraordinary military operation has hit below the belt for Israel. It has rained thousands of rockets, aimed at defense establishments, and pounded soldiers and civilians alike. It has created havoc to make Israel and its ally, the United States, ponder how they can demolish many formidable layers. Even now, there are reports of fierce fighting in several Israeli cities. This suggests that Hamas has executed an unusual level of military operation.
The real concern for Israel is how to prevent other countries from joining this conflict at Hamas’s request and how to prevent the fighting from spreading to the western front, where Hezbollah is equipped with the latest weapons from Iran, and Iran itself is a sanctuary for Hezbollah.
Currently, the world is divided into two factions; some stand with Israel, including India, while others, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, side with Hamas. The move to put the Palestinian cause aside and establish diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv has been foiled. The Saudi statement hints at this. In reality, this is the last and decisive battle for the Palestinians, as Hamas said, “Enough is enough.” Israel has announced the seizure of Gaza and its destruction, and it is prepared on various fronts. The entire world, except the United States and the Soviet Union, has abandoned the Afghans. Has Allah made a decision for Israel?
By Qasim Syed – Roznama Khabrein
