WAR in Israel again? Current crisis and historical background.

On 7 October 2023, it was reported that Israel was launched upon by Hamas with around 5000 rockets. The rocket alert sirens sound in Jerusalem and the surrounding towns for the second time, amid an ongoing attack by the Hamas group.

Residents report hearing the sound of at least one explosion from a rocket or an Iron Dome interception.

Defense Minister of Israel Yoav Gallant, declared an emergency situation within a range of 80 kilometers from the Gaza Strip, it allows the military’s Home Front Command to restrict gatherings and close off areas.

Officially Israel had declared it a WAR it did not start but will end. Solidarity and global support had poured in for Israel from countries across the world including India. Most importantly it would be interesting to see how the world will be and what changes, when this war ends whether conclusively or unconclusively.

How Hamas views this escalation.

Hamas spokesperson Khaled Qadomi has told Al Jazeera that the group’s military operation is in response to all the atrocities the Palestinians have faced over the decades.

“We want the international community to stop atrocities in Gaza, against Palestinian people, our holy sites like Al-Aqsa. All these things are the reason behind starting this battle,” he said.

He added that the Israeli settlers are also occupiers and according to international law, they are invaders.

“So the situation today is a war against invaders,” he said. As reported by Aljazeera.

How Israel views it?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, says his country is in a “war” that it “will win”.

“Our enemy will pay type of a price which it has never known,” Netanyahu said in video statement.

Israel Army says, Right now we’re fighting. We’re fighting in certain locations around the Gaza Strip our forces are now fighting on the ground,” Richard Hecht told reporters.

Hecht called the Palestinian attack “a combined ground raid which happened through paragliders, through the sea and through the ground”.

History of Israel - Hamas conflict.

Israel forces have fought various wars in the 1948–49, 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982, and 2006 also known as the Israel - Arab wars.

Use the map below to understand the geography of the region

1948–49: Israel’s War of Independence and the Palestinian Nakbah

In November 1947 the United Nations (UN) voted to partition the British mandate of Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state due to which clashes broke out almost immediately between Jews and Arabs in Palestine.

1956 Suez crisis

In 1956 Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, nationalized the Suez Canal (it is waterway connecting Europe and Asia that was largely owned by French and British concerns).

In October 1956 Israel invaded Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula after assurance from Britain and French to support and mediate. In five days the Israeli army captured Gaza, Rafaḥ, and Al-ʿArīsh, taking thousands of prisoners and occupied most of the peninsula east of the Suez Canal. Then after the UN intervention and Anglo French mediation the Israel backtracked to original positions.

1967 Six day war

Arab and Israeli forces clashed for the third time in June 1967 when Syria intensified its bombardment of Israeli villages from positions in the Golan Heights and then the Israeli Air Force shot down six Syrian MiG fighter jets. The Israel again won this war and Israeli units drove back Syrian forces from the Golan Heights, took control of the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and drove Jordanian forces from the West Bank and the Israelis were left in sole control of Jerusalem.

1982: Lebanon War

On 5 June 1982, within 6 weeks of Israel’s withdrawal from the Sinai, increased tensions between Israelis and Palestinians resulted in the Israeli bombing of Beirut and southern Lebanon, where the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) had a number of strongholds. The following day Israel invaded Lebanon, later the Israeli troops withdrew from west Beirut, and the Israeli army had withdrawn entirely from Lebanon by June 1985.

2006: Second Lebanon War

In July 2006 Hezbollah (Arab fighters) launched operation against Israel to pressure the country into releasing Lebanese prisoners and killed a number of Israeli soldiers in the process and capturing two. Israeli forces in concert killed thousands of Lebanese and won.

Conclusion

The issue of Israel - Hamas is long contested and different countries had played politics for their own self good especially the western countries, prominently the United States. President Trump had tried to negotiate between the Israel and Arabs leading to Abraham accords, than subsequent recognition from gulf countries of the Israel, still this issue is complex and gets more with time.