A year prior on Monday, Israel was subjected to a shocking attack by Hamas that deeply distressed its citizens, marking an unprecedented event since the establishment of the country in 1948. This horrific incident mobilised a considerable majority in favour of a military backlash aimed at obliterating Hamas – an unattainable objective – and undeniably, for retaliation, even if it implied the devastation of Gaza and cutting resources to its population of 2.3 million.
The expectation of a substantial retaliation was high, likely anticipated by Hamas during the orchestration of this operation, which held no strategic military importance. This wasn’t an action to seize territory or undermine Israel’s military prowess, but pure incitement, a statement of their presence, and a demand to restore the topic of Palestinian statehood.
The justification offered was a series of complaints – an oppressive occupation policy, breaches of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, unchecked aggression by settlers in the West Bank, and discussions around the annexation of additional lands. However, the horrendous tactics deployed on October 7th are beyond any justification.
The successful execution of the attack by Hamas was testament to an underestimation by Israel’s government and military. This marked the most significant intelligence breakdown in around half a century, with military disregarding captured planning materials and reports of Hamas invasion drills, while the political leadership, with Binyamin Netanyahu at the helm, was distracted.
One year down the line, Israel has made efforts to reclaim its standing as a formidable regional force, a balancer against Iran and its allies. Yet, this has been achieved at an appalling cost. In the process of reducing Gaza to ruins, claiming more than 41,000 lives, Israel has resulted in long-range executions of Hamas and Hizbullah leaders via an extensive network of embedded intelligence, brought down Hizbullah’s communication system, intercepted most of the 200 rockets launched against it by Iran this week, and occupied southern Lebanon. However, around 100 of the 240 hostages kidnapped on that day are still held captive by Hamas.
Netanyahu’s political standing is certainly on shaky ground, particularly amongst those with family members held captive. His far-right cabinet ministers have contributed to this by promoting a controversial and internationally critiqued war strategy, which many believe involves acts that could be classified as war crimes. Internally, Israel has been alienated due to its actions in Gaza, with support for the Palestinian cause growing stronger in the West.
It can be said that these circumstances are the aftermath of the events of October 7th, perpetuated by the indefensible killings committed by Hamas. It’s apparent that this situation has destabilised a balance that had previously remained stable for years, resulting in severe consequences. Clearly, immediate action in the form of a ceasefire is required to prevent any further deterioration of this already precarious scenario.