Exactly one month ago today, on October 7, the Palestinian resistance movement based in Gaza, Hamas, launched a terrible attack inside Israel. An Arab source called it ‘the biggest miscalculation in the history of all miscalculations’.
Hamas operatives breached Israel’s apparently impregnable border fence, killing 14,000 Israelis and taking as many as 240 captives. Since then, Gaza has been bombarded continuously. More than 10,000 people have already been killed in Gaza by Israeli attacks. More than half of them are women and children. As UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said, Gaza has become a ‘children’s graveyard.’
Hamas carried out its plan so secretly that it did not even inform its political bureau in Doha. The entire operation was handled by Mohammad Deif, the commander of Hamas’s armed group Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades.
However, the Hamas Political Bureau claimed responsibility after the attack. They are actively participating in Qatar-mediated talks on the release of the prisoners.
But Israel remains steadfast in its determination to completely wipe out Hamas. The US is giving him all kinds of support. I knew it would happen. Why did Hamas attack at this time?
The biggest reason for this attack by Hamas was the radical Jews who wanted to sacrifice animals in Al-Aqsa Mosque complex. With this they planned to demolish the Dome of the Rock (Qubbatul Saqra) and begin construction of their Third Temple. They also imported special red cows from the US for sacrifice.
Hamas expressed its determination to prevent such desecration of Islam’s third holiest site.
Moreover, the responsibility of freeing approximately 6,000 prisoners in Israeli prisons also left Hamas in a difficult position.
Is it possible to eliminate Hamas?
But this is not the first time Israeli leaders have talked about eliminating Hamas. As has been said during every previous war and eventually they withdrew.
Hamas leaders knew that this attack would be more serious. But they still believe Israel will eventually be forced to withdraw.
A Hamas source said, ‘Israel may be able to destroy half of Gaza. But I think the end result will be the same. The problem for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is to end the war in a good image.’
He said, ‘But here is his biggest problem. Even if he is able to eliminate the Hamas leadership in Gaza, his responsibility for the October 7 attacks will be questioned.’
And the source also said that it will not be possible for Israel to achieve the goal of eliminating Hamas. According to the source, the size of Hamas and the organization’s integration with Gaza are such that eliminating them is impossible.
The source said, ‘Hamas is an integral part of society. They have warriors, warriors have families. They have people from charities, they have families. They have government employees, they have families. Put all together, the number is a huge part of Gaza’s total population.’
And if Gaza City is encircled, Hamas will end the war, which is not the case. Similarly, if Lebanon’s Hezbollah does not join this war, the danger of Hamas will increase, not so much. But if Israel can eliminate Hamas, Hezbollah should know that their turn will come next.
Hamas knows that the people of Gaza have and must pay a heavy price. But still they will not leave this land.
According to the source, Israel’s military strength is very high. But in war the outcome is not always determined by the balance of power.
The source said, ‘Look at Vietnam, look at Afghanistan, look at Algeria. See how these colonial wars ended.’
